So, I just had my second baby, and one things that I was NOT prepared for the first time around was how hard breastfeeding can be, like, omg. My son had pretty severe torticollis which made him not able to latch very well (if at all), which led to a whole spiral of issues that led to my exclusively pumping for 10 months. 0/10 recommend.
When I was prepping for baby #1 I did buy some “nursing friendly” clothing, which means that I went to Old Navy.com and Gap.com, etc. and searched nursing and bought a whole bunch of stuff and let me tell you they SUCKED. There is SO MUCH fabric in “nursing stuff” that flops and flaps and just plain gets in the way, especially when you’re ALREADY to struggle to get a screaming baby to latch. I learned QUICK that it was much easier to wear things that button or zip or snap down so absolutely nothing is in the way of your sweet baby or your line of vision.
This time around I invested in basically two things, snap down henleys from Aerie (and a few from Old Navy) and leggings. Also little sleepies pajamas. I cleared out a drawer and stocked it with only those things and in these first few weeks postpartum when I am getting dressed I literally just grab a nursing tank or bra, a henley, and leggings. Boom. Done. Reduces decision fatigue. I feel comfy but look a bit put together. And nursing has been a breezeeee (for many other reasons but I gotta give some credit to the almighty henley)
So whether you want it or not, here is an in depth review of each piece of my beloved postpartum uniform
The almighty snap front henley
Like I said, there is nothing worse when you and your sweet babe are trying to figure out the whole nursing thing than extra fabric just getting in the way.
l learned QUICK that snaps (or zippers, but those are hard to find a comfy option for tbh) are the way to go. You can get them open one handed and there is no extra fabric getting in the way.
These shirts ALSO are longer in the back than in the front for booty coverage, have thumb holes which is just extra comfy, and are loose and flowy for that postpartum weirdness. I ordered a size up from my regular size and I definitely don’t regret it.
There is nothing worse than coming home from the hospital and having no idea what to wear, so do yourself a favor and stock up on these shirts (I have one for each day of the week, lol). There is also a short sleeve version available at Old Navy that is budget friendly and great for warmer months.
SUPER high waisted leggings
Some people don’t love leggings postpartum, and I have never had a C-section so I can’t speak to how they might be for that recovery, but for my uneventful vaginal births high waisted leggings were where it is at.
I gathered up all of my leggings from their various hiding places in my drawers and closet, invested in a few of my fave lululemon dupe leggings in the SUPER high waisted variety in one size up from my regular and added them to my postpartum uniform drawer. (I also really like these leggings) Pants. done.
What I love about leggings is that they don’t look super slouchy but they are comfy and the slight compression feels oh so amazing on postpartum tummies.
Also (maybe tmi) but it keeps whatever postpartum pad/diaper situation you are rocking in place. And since the aforementioned almighty henleys are long in the back, panty lines are not a concern… although tbh don’t even worry about that stuff after you have a baby. Just rock whats comfy.
Nursing bras & tanks
I know a lot of people have STRONG opinions about nursing bras and tanks. But here are my faves –
- For sleeping I love these from Target
- For every day wear I love these camis if I want tummy coverage and these bras if I don’t need that. My favorite thing about both of these is that the padding is not removable, so it isn’t always falling out in the wash!
- I discovered these this time around and they are SO comfy and a cheaper dupe for the viral bodily bra
Hard bottomed slippers
This might not apply to everyone, but I have two very needy dogs (a different story for a different time) so I needed some shoes/slippers that are easy to slip on to take them out but still have a hard/thick enough sole to hold up to whatever the midwest winter throws at us. These slippers are an amazingly high quality dupe of the viral Ugg slippers for less than half the price. I have been LIVING in them.
Little Sleepies Pajamas
These are pricy , but hear me out. These were designed for postpartum mamas and they though of EVERYTHING. Snap front for easy access. Pockets in the pants for carrying stuff while carrying your sweet babe. Bamboo fabric for temp control during those postpartum night sweats (iykyk). I also personally love that the pants are jogger style so that they don’t ride up on my legs (one of my personal pet peeves).
Interested in more baby/pregnancy/mama related content? Check out my daisy theme nursery tour or my hospital bag list!
