Finding an outfit on a budget can be a struggle at the best of times, let alone if you're a mum-to-be - so here are some autumn outfits that won't break the bank

WITH recent media reports slamming Britain's women for ruining their chances of conceiving due to drinking and smoking too much, and the NHS taking a hammering for providing little information for mums-to-be, the situation looks decidedly grim.

But with the negativity there are thousands of women proudly rejoicing in their pregnancies all year round.

As the country celebrates National Pregnancy Week, here are some outfits that can be found on Worcester's High Street that will help to show-off your bump in style, without the need to dip into your savings.

The look this autumn for mums-to-be ranges from the Mamas and Papas' muted 'country estate' look to a more tight-fitting funky feel from Debenhams.

National Pregnancy Week is organised by baby charity Tommy's, which funds medical research and provides information to help more mums and dads through a healthy pregnancy and birth.

After all that, I'm still just a girl who can't say no

LAST week features writer Emma Cullwick visited life coach Jennie Barnes to learn how to turn down social invites without feeling guilty. This is how she got on

No, no, no, no. Yes. Oh dear, I'm starting to sound like the muddled, ranting parishioner out of the Vicar of Dibley.

Two weeks ago I wrote how I had enlisted the help of Worcestershire life coach Jennie Barnes in a bid to combat my innate inability in saying "no" to invitations to social functions.

It's not that I have a dislike of socialising. Far from it. It's just that I find myself saying "yes" when it might be an event I'd rather avoid - like my neighbour's cat-naming ceremony, for example.

Speaking to Jennie helped me realise that not saying "no" was all down to my own lack of self-confidence and a fear of letting people down.

"My guess is that you are hard on yourself and rarely praise yourself for your achievements but are very quick to criticise yourself for your failings," she concluded, which was surprisingly spot-on considering I'd only spoken to her for just over an hour.

With this in mind, she now needs to know what I have achieved since we last spoke.

Well, at first it went well. I was out one night before I was going to an important 'do' the next day and made my excuses to leave early as I didn't want to turn up at the celebrations tired with an almighty hangover.

My friends insisted I stay, but using the thought processes I had come up with Jennie's help, I realised by leaving when I wanted to I was not upsetting my friends because they were angry, it was just that they wanted my company for longer.

I insisted on an early departure and triumphantly boarded a taxi, slapping myself on my back on the way.

Then, the next day, a friend asked me out to a day at the races, but I knew it would fall on a weekend when I'd be busy with other functions.

So, calmly I suggested could I let her know after looking in my diary - a tip I'd worked out for myself after careful guidance from Jennie - and my friend seemed happy enough.

But as I basked in my short-lived glory, I soon lost my new-found assertiveness. Before long I slipped back into my old ways, finding myself agreeing to baby-sit on a Saturday night.

Oh well, as they say in school reports, must try harder.

"Change is possible but as with all things in life that are good, it may not be an easy journey but worth it in the end," agreed Jennie.