When someone tells you they are pregnant, it might feel natural to touch their bump or comment on how big they are getting.

But although these comments are not intentionally rude, insensitive, or inappropriate, they can easily come across the wrong way to a woman who is on a hormonal roller coaster.

So what should you be saying to your friend who is expecting? Midwife & fertility guru Zita West, who has helped thousands of women get pregnant and looked after celebrities including Kate Winslet and Sophie Wessex during their pregnancies, shares her advice.

A fertility expert has revealed the pregnancy etiquette that everyone should been practicing and says that you should never touch her bump without being invited to

1. Don't touch her bump

Invading people's personal space is not normal etiquette for everyday life. You wouldn't rub or touch someone's belly on a normal day, so why is this any different?

If you really want to, you can politely ask if you can touch someone's pregnant belly, but don't be offended if they say no as this is one of the most annoying and uncomfortable moments for pregnant woman.

If her baby is kicking and she wants you to have a feel, she'll invite you to.

2. Don't ask if she has chosen a name

This might not seem like a big deal, but it can be to those who haven't thought of a name yet or those that have, but feel that they might be bombarded with judgmental opinions.

Gone are the days when we would name our child John or Jane, in recent times there's been a general trend to more creative names, such as Wolf or Apple.

Commenting on the bump size particularly remarking on it being too small can cause an expectant mother to worry about the development of an unborn child

Problems arise when she tells you what she's going to name her child, and you can't resist sharing all your opinions on why this is a good or bad decision.

Hearing opinions from everyone else is stressful for mothers to be. It's easier to not ask about the name and just wait for her to announce it once the baby is born.

PREGNANCY ETIQUETTE GUIDE Don't touch the bump unless invited to Don't pry about baby names Try not to look shocked, even if the pregnancy is unexpected Avoid commenting on the size or shape of the bump Don't post congratulations on social media Keep the labour horror stories to yourself Don't treat her like an invalid Do reassure her that she's doing well Advertisement

I've found that all children seem to perfectly fit their names in time, even if it might sound a strange or unusual name at first.

3. Don't look shocked when you hear she's pregnant

This often happens with women I see who are also in high flying jobs. When they say they are pregnant, their friends and colleagues jaws drop open and they get things like 'But you're such a career woman' or 'I didn't think you were maternal'.

People can be ambitious and be mums. It's not one or the other. Whether or not you've seen her maternal side doesn't mean she doesn't have one!

And whether or not you think she fits into the classic mould of a 'maternal woman' doesn't mean she won't be a brilliant mother.

4. Don't tell her she's getting bigger (and bigger)

While seeing a friend's bump grow can be really exciting, don't comment on the size or shape.

Many of the most clueless comments that annoy pregnant woman come from people subtly judging them for packing on pregnancy pounds.

A pregnant woman is aware that she is growing so there's no need to be constantly reminding her that she's huge, big, or massive. Even if she's looking a large she doesn't need to hear it.

Be wary of wishing a friend congratulations on social media as she may not be ready to announce her pregnancy to everyone

5. Don't tell her she's not big enough

Following on from the previous comment, it is also not nice to tell someone they look small or ask them, 'are you gaining enough weight?'

You may think you're paying a mama-to-be a compliment when you say, 'You're so tiny' or 'I can barely see your belly!' but you may only be making her worry about the development and growth of her baby.

6. Don't congratulate her on social media

If someone tells you they're pregnant, they have chosen to tell you and not your friends, family and random followers on social media.

The decision on when to announce a pregnancy is not up to you, therefore, don't instantly go to congratulate them on social media because you might share friends that they haven't told yet, or they simply might be keeping the news under wraps until they feel ready.

7. Don't act like she's sick

Although pregnancy is in a way a medical condition, pregnancy is not an illness.

Zita (pictured) says that you can and should reassure that she will be a good mother

Pregnant woman can still have fun, go out, exercise and more, attend meetings, head departments and in today's day and age, where so many women are doing multiple things like running businesses, building extensions and becoming mothers, they last thing they want is to be treated differently.

Every woman is different, some may have severe symptoms, some may find pregnancy a breeze, only they are aware of their limits and how much they can take.

That said, pregnancy can make women tired so do offer her a seat on the tube.

8. Don't tell her labour horror stories

Whenever anyone's having a baby, others love to share stories of their own experiences of labour.

But telling a pregnant woman about your two day labour that ended in emergency c-section and you losing half the blood in your body is not helpful.

Labour is a process and the great news is that in today's world, with all our wonderful medical advances and pain control, most women get through it, and usually, once the baby arrives, memories of labour fade away.

It is genuinely terrifying for a woman pregnant with her first child to hear labour horror stories, so don't share them.

9. Do tell her she's going to be just fine

Pregnancy can be a scary time for women. Their lives are about to change and many fear how they will think/feel/cope 'on the other side'.

The bottom line is that all women try their best and most women, even those who worry they might not be natural mothers adapt once their children arrive.

It might take some longer than others to take to motherhood, but that is understandable as there's a lot to take on as a mother in terms of looking after a baby, and juggling whatever it is they will have to juggle, whether that's other children, elderly relatives, high flying careers, evening courses, husbands and everything else.

If you throw in fear of post-partum depression and then the very real experience of having post-partum depression, it's no wonder women feel overwhelmed and anxious about what lies ahead.

But I've met thousands of mothers over the years and you know, they've nearly all been absolutely fine, grown into their new role admirably, coped well and become wonderful parents. This is what she needs to hear.