Life after pregnancy can be a rude awakening. Although there are fantastic ranges of maternity wear on the high street, when it comes to clothing for a new mum, the subject is rarely discussed.

But don’t despair - you will fit into your jeans again. And yes, there is life beyond pyjamas and baggy joggers – it’s just a matter of time and patience. The secret is to operate with a transitional wardrobe made up out of pregnancy clothes, old separates and a handful of new pieces. Value shops such as Primark and Matalan are a great place to start.

Here are some tricks and tips to make the most of your figure during this temporary period:

Wear maternity clothes

Yep – sad but true! Go for pieces that fitted you around months five or six of your pregnancy. Don’t put pressure on yourself to lose weight (especially when breastfeeding). Maternity jeans are great, as they don’t dig into your tummy. Maternity t-shirts with ruching at the sides are also good. They give the illusion of a flat stomach thanks to the excess fabric in the cut of the garment.

Use a belly band

Also known as bump bands or maternity bands, these wide, seamless pieces of stretchy material are useful when worn around the hips. This creates a layered effect, enabling normal length tops to be worn whilst hiding the belly at the same time. Also good for hiding a builders bum when bending down in jeans. They come in a range of colours and prices range from £5 (Topshop) to £16.99 (Bumpband).

Choose longer length tops

Avoid anything, which finishes above hip length. Long line tunics give you confidence and create a leaner silhouette, especially when teamed with black leggings. Matalan has a lovely teal blue tunic top (£12) with a scoop neck and wide band on the bottom to draw the eye away from the waist.

Opt for prints

Patterns are brilliant at disguising stains! Let’s face it, you’re probably spending a lot of time covered in baby sick, leaking breast milk or other (ahem) baby stains. Primark is your best bet; a one-stop shop for tunic tops from £4, it has a vast selection of bright paisley prints and floral separates. Opt for pieces in soft jersey or crinkly cotton to avoid ironing.

Go up a size

It’s better for clothes to gently skim the figure rather than cling and squeeze in all the wrong places. Don't pay too much attention to sizing because clothing sizes vary considerably from retailer to retailer. A Marks & Spencer size 12 is, for example larger than its Topshop equivalent, for example.

Dark colours are slimming

It’s true – navy, black, brown and dark grey are more flattering (especially on the hips). Plain black leggings, (£8 from New Look) are useful underneath tunic tops. Don’t buy anything white – it will only get covered in stains anyway.

Ensure clothes are machine washable

Avoid handwash or dry clean only garments! There is enough washing to do without giving yourself extra work.

Stick to clean lines

Don’t bother with any garments featuring buttons, frills, beading or other fiddly details. Look for stuff that doesn’t need ironing.

You'll need at least two pairs of jeans

The staple of any busy mum, jeans are easy to throw on and last ages before they need washing. Black or indigo are the most flattering colourways. Look for mid-rise styles, which keep the belly from bulging. Low-rise hipsters are not an option at this stage!

Don’t make the mistake of splashing out on premium brand labels. For the first few months after giving birth you will be ‘in between’ sizes. Set yourself a maximum spending limit of £25. There are plenty of options around.

Primark have a pair of slouchy boyfriend jeans for a mere £11.00. Even more desirable are the Japanese company, Uniqlo. They specialise in fabulous cuts of denim, which look expensive, yet retail at £24.99. Fashion insiders love Uniqlo because it offers its customers denim from the same fabric mill used by many high-end denim brands.

Wear flat shoes

Heels are not a good idea with a tiny tot in tow. Slip on shoes by Camper are a great invention for time strapped mums, although they’re rather pricey. A cheaper option is to don a pair of Converse, (£29) or ballet pumps (Primark do a royal blue pair for £4). If the weather’s fine, your feet need to breathe. Faith does a Birkenstock style slip on sandal but at the fraction of the price (£18) in red, white or black.