Congratulations! Your baby has finally arrived and you’re adjusting to life as a new mom. While sliding into your new routine is a given, the same can’t be said for your pre-baby wardrobe. Making the switch from maternity clothes to your old outfits after giving birth is not instantaneous. This is where postpartum clothing comes in.
Postpartum clothes are specially designed with a little more stretch to help your changing body. Some of the best postpartum clothes accommodate nursing and can be worn during pregnancy and well after your baby is born. But, when you have a tiny new human to care for, choosing and styling an outfit every morning is nearly impossible.
Rather than make things more challenging, postpartum clothing should work in your favor. You need to know a few things about postpartum clothes to a) Make your life easier and b) Keep your body happy. Here’s everything you should look for.
Post-birth needs
When you get home from the hospital, you’ll be swollen, bruised, and in pain, and you’re not likely to leave the house for the first week or two.
- A soft nightgown: Consider buying a soft nightgown with a low neckline and simple straps that are easy to put on and facilitate nursing (if you’re breastfeeding). This one from Kindred Bravely is both stylish and functional.
- A plush robe: While you’re home, you might have a few unexpected visitors, like a delivery person or the mailman. In that case, a plush robe, that’s warm and cozy is a must. Here’s one option from Target that has excellent reviews.
- A nursing bra: Another important piece would be a nursing bra. Any bra you bought while you were pregnant won’t fit now that your breastmilk is coming in because your breasts will be larger, a lot sorer, and sometimes, hard.
Once you start pumping or nursing, this engorgement will go down, but you’ll still need a supportive, well-fitting, and comfortable bra. So, invest in quality nursing bras like Lilu’s nursing bra.
- Postpartum underwear: For up to six weeks after delivery, you’re going to experience a lot of discharge, blood, fluid, and mucus whether you had a vaginal birth or c-section.
While disposable mesh panties are truly supportive and soft, you can also purchase postpartum underwear which is equally soft and supportive but breathable and seamless too. Blanqi has a few options that come in a range of colors and styles.
- Comfy T-shirts: When you’re able to switch out the nightie for pants, go with roomy sweatpants and a loose, comfy t-shirt. They’re more appropriate if you have family and friends coming over or if you need to pop out for an errand. Amazon is a great place to shop for postpartum sweatpants and t-shirts.
Top 3 features to look for in postpartum clothes
- Look for flexible fabrics with elasticity and stretch. Once baby is born, your body will be changing every single day. Therefore, it’s important to look for clothes that can adjust to your body while still being comfortable.
- Avoid dry-clean or hand-wash-only pieces. Motherhood is time-consuming and honestly, babies can be messy. If you’re also juggling a job, you won’t have the time for add-ons like handwashing clothes or heading to the dry cleaners to drop off or pick up items.
- Aim for lower price tags. With your body changing rapidly, and the potential for baby pee, spit-up, and sometimes, poop, to get on your clothes, it’s better to avoid investing in higher-priced clothing.
5 Postpartum clothing must-haves
When stocking your post-baby closet, you’re going to need:
- Comfy shoes – Slip-on, comfortable shoes are a life-saver when you’re a busy mom. They’re easy to put on and take off and can be dressed up or down. There’s a great variety available from casual sneakers to the more formal mules and ballet flats.
- Simple tank tops – These work well as nursing-friendly attire. Tank tops are also easy to style and will work well with any type of jacket, pants, or skirt.
- A few layering pieces – If you’re looking to spruce up your simple outfit, you can’t go wrong with a beautiful jacket, blazer, or cardigan.
- Nursing-friendly top-wear – If you’re breastfeeding, wearing crew necks and turtlenecks, will make it difficult. Instead, opt for tops with v-necks, scoop necks, or buttons.
- Elasticated bottoms – These don’t have to be sweats. There are a ton of stylish drawstring pants that can be worn casually or formally. You should also be able to find both casual and formal pants that have stretchy waistbands and can be pulled on easily.
- Dresses – If you can’t be bothered with pants and a top, go for a dress. Simple, and easy to wear, a dress is a complete outfit that will have you looking polished in seconds. Dresses aren’t restrictive or uncomfortable either. Consider investing in a good wrap dress, these can be adjusted to your body, will accentuate your waist, and compliment your curves. Plus, this style of dress is breastfeeding-friendly.
When shopping for these items, try to look for a lower price point with the highest possible quality. If you grab the cheapest option, the odds are you’ll have to replace it soon after, which isn’t worth the energy or time to do.
Keep fit in mind when shopping for postpartum wear. Even if the bottoms are elasticated, not everything will suit your new figure. So, only buy pieces that fit perfectly, so you’ll reach for them more often rather than exiling them to the back of your closet.
Lastly, stick with core colors – black, navy, grey, and white. As we mentioned earlier, you might not have the time to figure out what to wear each morning. Core colors go with everything so you’ll save a lot of time when piecing together your outfits.
