Now July is here, we full fledge into swimsuit season and super hot weather. If you are expecting this is no time to shy away from all the fun at the pool or beach due to pregnancy. Many women are body conscious to begin with, regardless of their body type, and typically pregnancy can bring out that tendency in greater force. However, if you find a truly great maternity swimsuit along with an easy to wear cover-up for poolside lounging, there is nothing to keep you from the water or beach this summer.



Prego Maternity is a great brand to check out when swimsuit shopping. All of their styles are available on the web if you don't have the time to go out to your local maternity store, or if you don't care for the selection at your local stores. Many maternity boutiques do not stock a lot swimsuit styles and what is available can often go quickly, so your best bet may be to shop online. Make sure you do checkout the online store's return policy as some stores only allow store credit or exchanges on returns and some do not allow any returns or exchanges on swimsuits.

Prego Maternity has many different maternity swimsuit styles available. For serious swimmers, checkout their one piece suits such as the Empire Tank which offers the maximum support with wide adjustable strap and a sleek overall design. For more recreational swimmers, the Texture Heart Suit is a good all around suit at a great price.

If you are looking for maximum coverage, consider the baby doll styles that come in both halter and tank strap designs. These styles allow full coverage of the belly, chest, hips and bottom in a flirty empire waist cut.

Other fun styles to consider are the halterkini, tankini and hipkini. All of these styles are different versions of 2 piece suits with belly coverage and bikini bottoms. They are all available in a variety of colors, patterns and ties. Some of these styles have adjustable tie bottoms which are good for women who are bigger on the bottom than the top or vice versa.

If you are all out daring and like to bare it all, take a look at Prego's maternity bikinis which are really designed to stretch in just the right way for an expecting woman. If you would rather go for a more festive pattern, then Belabumbum's mandarine or tangerine striped bikini have a fun beachy look.

Even if you have already had your baby and not ready to squeeze back into your former pre-pregnancy suit and especially if you are nursing your baby, there is the perfect suit for you. Belabumbum has come out with a nursing tankini that fits both maternity and postpartum with very discreet nursing access. This nursing swimwear is an adorable 2 piece suit that covers the belly with adjustable bra straps and bikini bottoms. This suit comes in hot pink and black. Many women buy this suit when they are pregnant for maximum before and after use.

When trying on swimsuits, don't forget to think ahead as you will get bigger as your pregnancy progresses. As women, we are usually programmed by society to squeeze into the smallest suit possible that will suck in any unwanted layers and make us look as thin as possible. However, this approach is usually not the best, or healthiest for an expecting mom to be. If you are between sizes, it is usually best to order up. Also, look for suits that have a good percentage of lyra for extra stretch as you grow, close to 20% is a good guide. Also remember when you wash your suit only machine wash on gentle cycle in cold water and DO NOT put your suit in the dryer or all that lycra will stretch out place and ruin your suit forever. Always drip dry your suit after washing and it should last you throughout your pregnancy.

If you are looking for a little more modesty at the pool or beach, take a look at Maternal America's Swimsuit Cover-ups and Tunics. These cover-ups come in both a short tie back style with a deep V neck and a longer featherweight tunic style with a scoop neck. Both styles are available in white or black and can be worn with other clothing too for a different look. Also, if you are just looking to cover up the lower half, take a look at Maternal America's Maternity Board Shorts which are perfect for layering under a swimsuit or wearing casual with a tank or halter top.

So whether you are looking to swim some serious laps this summer or you just want to join in on the fun at the beach or pool, go ahead and invest in a maternity swimsuit and cover-up that works for your personal style and body type. Have fun in the sun and water this summer!