Celebs are bad for a baby

With their clingy dresses and cropped tops, famous mothers such as Victoria Beckham, Elizabeth Hurley and Kate Moss made pregnancy glamorous and sexy.

But the celebrity trend may come at a high price. Parenting experts say mothers-to-be feel under such pressure to look as good as the stars they could be putting their babies' health at risk.

Many try to slim even while pregnant. Others embark on dangerous crash diets after baby arrives.

Experts say hundreds of women write to them, worried that they don't look like Mrs Beckham or Miss Hurley during their pregnancies and afterwards. Judy Ledger, of the charity-Baby Lifeline, said: 'There is a lot of pressure on younger women.

'Images of celebrity mums who have dieticians and personal trainers are leading to massive insecurity among ordinary pregnant women.'

Now Bounty, the marketing company that hands out promotional packs to new mothers, has launched a Campaign for Real Mums.

By using ordinary mothers in its advertising, it hopes to encourage women to put health before fashion.

The firm's Debbie Davies said: 'It's time we put the record straight by raising the profile of real mums.

'This way we can help women to feel good about being pregnant and motivated to stay fit and healthy for the sake of themselves and their baby.'