I thought after having three kids I would have a clue how to dress postpartum, but honestly, it’s just a struggle no matter how many times you’ve done it. It’s not like pregnancy dressing, which gets easier as you learn how your body changes and what works/doesn’t. First, my recovery after each pregnancy has been really different as has my weight gain and the ways in which my body has changed. It’s wild, but also makes it so I can’t exactly take one approach to figuring out how to dress postpartum. And figuring out what to wear when you’re essentially wearing a diaper or large pad, you have fluids leaking out of what seems like every part of your body, you’re swollen and not fitting into your pre-pregnancy clothes, and you’re nursing every hour, is not easy. Hence, why most of us give up and live in sweats or leggings and big t-shirts or nursing tanks our first weeks after having a baby. Unfortunately, there are times when you do need to leave the house, like doctor’s appointments and if you have other kids, to take them to school, activities, etc. Even with the convenience of being able to get most things delivered, from groceries to diapers, I’ve found you do need to leave the house on occasion and when you leave it in a milk stained shirt and college sweats, you will definitely run into people you know, so it’s good to have a few ideas for how to dress postpartum that you can rely on for those times you do need to get out of your newborn homebound cocoon.
I wish I had some help and inspiration to help me figure out how to dress postpartum, so I thought I’d put together a blog post with what I’ve learned and some things that saved me. I will say that even this third time around, I’ve lived in sweats and leggings and if you were to drop by my house unannounced (never do that to someone postpartum), you would be appalled by my appearance (and the state of my abode but that’s a whole ‘nother topic). But when I do need to leave the house, I have some tips and tricks for how to dress postpartum that’ll hopefully make those first couple months less stressful so you don’t end up in a pile of clothes that don’t fit sobbing (like I did the first time around).
Don’t even touch your pre-pregnancy jeans
Do yourself a favor and wait at least a few weeks before trying to squeeze into your pre-pregnancy clothes. Trust me, with the hormones and swollen body and diaper you will likely be wearing, it’s not a good time to try to see what fits. It will likely end up in a meltdown on the floor, and if you’re like me, you’re barely holding it together with the sleep deprivation, constant feeds, and crazy hormones. Maybe you’re one of those people who can fit in her skinny jeans as soon as she pops out a baby (though I’m not sure that’s even a thing for the skinniest of people), but attempting to find that out in the first couple of weeks after giving birth is probably not the best idea and since you’re likely still wearing a glorified diaper, jeans aren’t really your friend right now anyway. When I do put on jeans for the first time postpartum, I like to buy a pair of jeans in a current style a size or two up that feel good and I know I can button. Or I’ll just wear my maternity jeans and enjoy the elastic band a little bit longer. These jeans that Krystal Schlegel recommended come in just two sizes and are great postpartum fyi.
Embrace two piece dressing
I love me a tent dress, pregnant, postpartum, and every day in between really. But they’re not that practical postpartum. Realistically, you’re not going to lift your dress up and expose your undies to feed and it’s hard to hold the baby under that fabric in a way that won’t expose you. In fact, I find two piece outfits easier to wear postpartum even though typically I’m much more of a dress than a jeans girl. I find that pants and a top are easier for feeding personally. You can easily lift up your top and drape a blanket or nursing cover over you when you’re in a shirt and opt for high-waisted pants to suck in your postpartum wobbly bits. I don’t like “nursing shirts”. I usually just get nice flowy tops that aren’t too tight (because of aforementioned wobbly bits) and lift them up, or do an oversized sweater or sweatshirt with leggings.
Get to know the nap dress
If you’re not already part of #napdressnation, it’s time to join. In fact, the easiest answer for how to dress postpartum: invest in a couple nap dresses. They’re washable, lightweight and easy to pull down the straps for nursing without exposing yourself. They’re also incredibly flattering and you can wear pregnant, postpartum, and continue to wear long after this phase. But really any dress you can pull down easily is great for on-the-go nursing when you need to look presentable. I also love this one and this one, and this one that I also wore throughout my pregnancy too.
Leggings are your best friend
I didn’t think I’d want to wear anything tight postpartum, but I’m really leaning into leggings. Putting them on in the morning motivates me to work out or at least move my body a bit, so there’s that. But really the right leggings will suck you in while feeling comfortable and look great with an oversized sweater, sweatshirt or tunic that you can easily lift for nursing. You can now wear leggings as pants by spiffing them up with a cuter top and/or jacket and fun flats or cool sneakers. They’re a great casual item to throw on for school drop off/pick up or playground dates or soccer games.
Buttons are helpful too
Tops and dresses with buttons are also a great option. You can unbutton them to nurse without having to lift your shirt up. I sometimes find it annoying to button and unbutton with an infant in arm, but it’s a nice solution for when you want to look put-together and it’s an easy way to make anything from jeans to leggings look more polished.
Some of my favorite postpartum pieces:
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