At this point I’ve been through pregnancy and postpartum twice with my two babies. And while each time was different and had its own challenges, there definitely were some similarities that most women experience.

Getting dressed both when pregnant and in the postpartum months can quite honestly be frustrating. You’re dealing with weight gain, bloating, aches and pains, heavy bleeding and nursing. There’s a lot going on!

I highly recommend building a capsule wardrobe that can accommodate all these needs and make you feel comfortable. During the postpartum phase you’ll pretty much do anything to make yourself feel a little better and cute clothes can do the trick!

What to Wear After Giving Birth in the Hospital

Postpartum Symptoms in the Days and Weeks After Delivery

There’s a lot of things us women don’t like to talk about, and the reality of what happens with your body after delivering a baby is definitely one of them. But the postpartum phase of life can be very isolating and it’s important to share with others. I’m here to let you know that you’re not alone in your struggles.

Postpartum Contractions and Cramping

With my first baby I didn’t have much postpartum contractions or cramping, but with my second I had really terrible uterus and abdominal pain for weeks. It’s common to feel contractions when you’re first breastfeeding, it’s part of the process of your uterus shrinking back down to its normal size. But don’t worry, the breastfeeding contractions are more like period cramps than delivery contractions.

When you’re discharged from the hospital your doctor will most likely prescribe 600 - 800 ml of ibuprofen. These are super helpful to manage postpartum cramping pain.

Postpartum Hormonal Mood Swings

Everyone makes jokes about pregnancy mood swings but for myself the big hormonal swings came during the postpartum weeks after delivery. I wouldn’t necessarily feel sad but I would sometimes start crying for no reason. I could get easily irritated and not have a lot of patience with my husband. I also felt euphoric feelings of joy, especially when holding my babies. Of course sleep deprivation from taking care of a newborn also plays a big role in your moods.

Heavy Postpartum Bleeding

In the weeks after delivery you’re going to have heavy bleeding. It’s very similar to period bleeding but it’s much heavier and can last for about 6 weeks. For myself, after 3 weeks the bleeding would stop for a few days and then it would come back again. If I did too much physical activity like brisk walking my bleeding would start again. I always had to be prepared with menstrual pads and period underwear.

Postpartum Bloating and Swelling

In the time period immediately following birth, you may experience uterus and abdominal swelling. I still looked pregnant for a few weeks after my son was born because I had so much swelling.

Your digestive system will also be out of whack and your bowel movements will be irregular, which also causes bloating. When you leave the hospital they will prescribe you with stool softeners - take them! Your first poop after labor is a bit intense and kinda painful, and you may be concerned about your vaginal stitches. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.

Another way to prevent the excess bloating is taking probiotics regularly. They’re safe to take both during pregnancy and postpartum when you’re breastfeeding. Probiotics will help with both keeping your bowel movements regular and vaginal health too.

Body Temperature Fluctuations

Just like you may have experienced during pregnancy, hot flashes and night sweats are common postpartum symptoms. Which means that you need to wear clothes that are breathable and sweat wicking. Fabrics such as cotton, linen and rayon are the most comfortable when you’re suddenly super hot.

Postpartum Vaginal Discomfort

It goes without saying that your vagina really takes a hit during labor. In the postpartum weeks after having a baby you will likely feel pain, itching and burning in the vulva area. Your vagina’s flora (aka vaginal microbiome) is the balance of healthy bacteria and yeast. After pregnancy and labor your flora maybe be out of balance and cause symptoms that feel similar to a yeast infection.

A huge postpartum lifesaver for me was discovering Love Wellness’s boric acid suppositories. These can be used anytime your vaginal is feeling off to restore your flora balance, not just during postpartum. Very important - do not put anything into your vagina for at least 6 weeks after giving birth. So you’ll have to wait for your doctor’s green light to use them.

What to Wear After Giving Birth in the Hospital

When you’re staying in the hospital after your baby is born, they will provide a hospital gown for you to wear. I personally can’t stand wearing a hospital gown - they’re so awkward and unflattering!

Hospital gowns are also very inconvenient for nursing because they open in the back… so you basically have to get naked to nurse your baby. When packing up your hospital bag, make sure to include some of the below postpartum comfortable clothing options.

Nursing Bra

You will be nursing around the clock during your stay in the hospital. There will be people coming in and out of your room regularly and you may want to cover up quickly, depending on your comfort level. Having a nursing bra on can make you feel a little less exposed.

I highly recommend trying on your nursing bras at home before labor to make sure they fit comfortably. When shopping for nursing bras you may have to go up a few sizes because of weight gain and breast enlargement. You also want nursing pads to insert into your bra because during breastfeeding you’ll leak breastmilk into your bra.

Postpartum Underwear

The hospital will provide these special postpartum underwear that are super stretchy and they pair with the mega maxi pads for bleeding. They are useful to get you through your hospital stay, but you can also bring your own underwear from home if it makes you feel more comfortable.

During my postpartum days I got by with simple full coverage black cotton panties. I recommend avoiding polyester fabrics because it could contribute to vaginal discomfort. Cotton is the most breathable fabric.

Fair warning, I would wear dark colored underwear because lighter fabrics will stain quickly from all the bleeding (just like when you have your period).

Wear Leggings and Joggers After Labor

With both of my babies I wore my maternity leggings long after pregnancy was over. I had so much abdominal swelling that I still needed to wear maternity clothes for weeks. I also had tummy from baby weight gain in my abdomen that took me a year to work off, so stretchy elastic waistbands were required during my postpartum period.

Because you have such heavy bleeding after delivery, you have to wear these enormous maxi pads that feel more like diapers. Jogger pants are kinda great because they have stretchy waistbands and extra room in the crotch to accommodate your giant pad.

Tops to Wear in the Hospital After Labor

Like I said earlier, you’ll be nursing frequently during the beginning postpartum days. So you either want nursing-friendly tops or t-shirts that you can remove quickly. I discovered nursing tank tops to be very helpful because it covered up my abdomen area but it was easy to quickly start breastfeeding.

Also, long nursing tunic tops are very helpful to pair with leggings. They will cover up your booty and crotch area to hide the bulge from your pads. That way you can walk around in public and feel less awkward.

Nursing Dresses

After delivery you may have such intense abdominal pain and discomfort that you don’t want to wear any clothing that has a waistband. Even the light pressure from leggings around your waist can contribute to your cramping. This was the case for me with my second baby. I recommend packing some lose and breezing nursing dresses that give you coverage but also make breastfeeding easy.

What to Wear in the Hospital After a C-Section

I delivered both of my babies vaginally but one of my close friends had a c-section so I picked her brain on what to wear after surgery. She said that she had bandages for a week after delivery, but she was able to wear loose sweats and palazzo pants. Flowy nursing dresses are also an option.

Another option to consider is postpartum compression panels and c-section compression underwear. They are designed to reduce swelling around your incision and offer support for your weakened abdominal muscles.

My friend said that the most important thing to know is that the waistband on your pants and leggings need to be high so that they’re not rubbing against your incision area. You also want to avoid pants with buttons and zippers around the waist.

FYI: With c-section deliveries you will still have the same postpartum bleeding, so the extra large mensural pads are still needed.

Planning Your “Going Home Outfit” From the Hospital

Going home from the hospital with your baby is usually the first time you’re stepping back into the world after 9 months of pregnancy. I’ve seen some women make a big deal about how they should look, but for me it’s more important to care about how you feel. Make sure you’re comfortable and feel “put together” enough to reduce any anxiety and feel your best.

Brining your first baby home is a mix of excitement and nerves. All of a sudden you’re on your own and you don’t have all the nurses and doctors close by to help you. But don’t worry - you’ve got this!

What to Wear in the First Few Weeks After Baby is Born

Your Newborn “Mom Uniform”

Typically in the first few weeks after your baby is born you will be spending most of your time at home. I mainly only left the house to go to doctors appointments, the grocery store and the occasional errand.

Leggings, joggers, tunics, t-shirts and cardigans are very much what I wore most of the time in the first few weeks. But once the bleeding started to subside to would wear maxi dresses and kaftans when I wanted to feel fancy.

Invest in Maternity Clothes

Once you hit the 3-month postpartum mark, you start leaving the house more and you’ll need a variety of clothes to wear. This is where your favorite maternity clothes come back to play.

Most women can’t fit back into their pre-pregnancy clothes for at least 6 months. It took me a full year to fit back into my old jeans, so don’t feel like you need to bounce back immediately. You’ll be able to wear your maternity jeans, dresses and tops comfortably during your fourth trimester.

The truth of the matter is there’s some pre-pregnancy clothes that may never fit you again because your body has changed - and that’s okay! I would give it at least 6 months and then re-evaliate your wardrobe. If the clothes don’t fit anymore then you have an excellent excuse to go shopping!