Halloween Costumes for Pregnant Women

Pregnant ladies will know all too well that dressing to accommodate an ever-growing baby bump can be awkward and frustrating, so you'd be forgiven for thinking that Halloween will be a nightmare. However, with a hint of creativity, pregnancy can actually open up a whole new realm of fun and unique costume ideas. So if you're a mommy-to-be, there's no need to skip the Halloween parties this year, let us show you how your family's newest addition can be your greatest costume accessory.

The most obvious choice of course, is to dress up as a pregnant woman. If your favorite celebrity, or maybe a celebrity look alike, is pregnant, then this can be a great costume that requires a minimal spend and can be as simple or extravagant as you like.

Alternatively, you can take inspiration from pregnant characters in movies and television shows; when the movie Juno was first released the title character became an instantly popular costume choice for those who were expecting, and it's still a great choice for fans of the film. If you've got an orange shirt and a pair of jeans then you're already halfway done, and if you've got a willing partner then attending parties as the film's leading couple is too good an opportunity to miss.

While we're on the subject of couples costumes, this particular area really is a gold mine and really offers you both the chance to get creative. To inspire you, take a look at these runner ups to our 2014 contest – Chef and Bun in the Oven. Very unique idea and guaranteed to raise some laughs. Couples costumes are a rich area, so get the expectant father (or another willing partner) on board and start brainstorming.

If you really want to entertain your friends, and you're not too concerned about the cute factor of your costume, embrace the 'trailer trash' stereotype. Pick up some trashy clothes at a thrift store, maybe invest in a cheap wig and walk around all night with a prominent bump, a beer can in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Alternatively, a baby bump doubles brilliantly as a beer gut; take some inspiration from Ashley, who entered our 2011 contest as Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force while she was seven and a half months pregnant.

If you (or your partner in crime) have got a little artistic talent, then painting your belly is the perfect way to go. You could opt for a super simple costume and paint your belly bright orange with a Jack O' Lantern face, or really put the effort in and go a little more complex. For a more creative spin on the pumpkin bump, some have used paints to transform their exposed belly into a super realistic and detailed pumpkin and hooked their arms to cradle their bump all night, leading to questions as to "why they're carrying a pumpkin everywhere they go?!"

So long as you know someone with the skills to make it a success, this is an area of limitless possibilities; just think of something round and you're ready to go! Take Allyson, for example, who entered our 2010 contest with her 'basketball' belly costume. As she says, "One lady was kidding and went to rub my belly and jumped back because she realized it was my real belly!"

If you think you and your bump have the best Halloween costume, enter our costume contest to show off your talent and be in with the chance of winning a cash prize. We're looking forward to seeing all of your ideas!

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See also: 50 Creative DIY Halloween Costume Ideas for Women.