Forget world stock markets and the fact our family finances are looking severely credit crunched, this week my main concern was on more weighty matters; literally because I've put on nearly 2 stone. It's obvious where it's all gone of course and I'm still being told '7 months really?' but still two stone is two stone! My BMI is now the wrong side of 25 for my height.

And with weight gain comes purple veins (although stretch marks have yet to make their appearance), and strange swellings. I'm sure my friends will see this as comeuppance for my attempts to get them working out and practising yoga over the years. If I was hoping that all these years of exercise would make me immune from lumps and bumps - I was wrong!

I'm starting to enjoy the attention bump and I are getting though, especially the TLC from loved ones. We're moving this week and I've been spared the packing bit.

My only extravagance has been a Clarins shower gel which I happened to buy at the same time as Boots were offering as not one but four pick-your-own sample size Clarins freebies. So I've now got four mini sizes ready to take to the hospital.

Buggy hunting has also started, well I've actually been eyeing up potential baby transporters since I was 12 weeks pregnant. It's just that this week I've started stopping women with buggies and asking them where they bought theirs from! So far the Mamas and Papas Pramette is looking the winning contender. The Quinny and Bugaboo look good but for practicality most parents seem to be liking this one.

Read(s) of the week:
Winnie-the Pooh Baby Days - a really sweet write-your-own countdown to baby's birth and first year - which I can see will also come in handy when I want my child to be grateful I didn't call him/her Paddington. He's reading What to Expect in the First Year (Simon & Schuster) and Gina Ford's The New Contented Little Baby book (both from amazon.co.uk) Me? I've also dug out the classic Dr Spock book Baby Child Care which says things like 'loving your baby is more important than doing things right'. I'm going to stick to this one, after all it's the one my parents used

Freebie(s) of the week:
Clarins freebies, said sample freebies given when it was something I was going to buy anyway, oh and a pair of Kurt Geiger patent black pumps from my friend and boss Ruth.

What I'm doing this week:
Getting into some stretching again. I've borrowed the Buddah Bellies yoga DVD from Amazon. Not as instructional as the Shiva Rea one (see last week) and the woman demonstrationg the advanced section for heavily pregnant women appears to be a bit too stretchy for my liking. I'm going to try some of the other programmes on the DVD this week.
I'm also glugging back peppermint flavoured Gaviscon. That and ice cubes are helping to ease heatburn.

What I'm not doing?
Packing! and listening to loud music.

Quotes of the week:
"Are you sure that size fits you?" - shop assistant in a City branch of Reiss - which does not do maternity clothes!

"Why not just call him Waterloo and be done with it," my mum's reaction to her being told I was considering calling the baby Paddington.

Clothes of the week:
A gorgeous black tunic from Isabella Oliver, which looks really cool. I'll be wearing this long after the baby is born. It doesn't look maternity and I've had loads of compliments at work.
It's a bit too warm for coats but not too warm to snuggle up in a woolly in the evening, Seraphine's poncho and my brown combats from Peacocks' Evie maternity range are keeping me comfy and cosy.

Find of the week
Sainsbury's support knickers - just £5. Searched high and low for something that was supportive and I found it while looking for a tin of baked beans. Maybe if I laid off the latter and I might not have needed the former!

www.samanthadownes.com

Do you have any pregnancy must haves? I'm going to be compiling a list for a feature I'm writing for one of the glossy magazines, if you have any suggestions - from heartburn cures to brilliant buggies put your suggestions below.