You spend 9 months growing a tiny human in your tummy, loving them, anticipating their arrival, and feeling complete bliss. The part that I always try not to think about is the postpartum period when I’m in that awkward “I can’t fit in my clothes again” stage. Most moms can totally relate to this, but it is still hard especially when you feel normal, but your body just isn’t quite there yet. I am sitting here staring at my four sweet babies and remembering all the times my body has stretched and grown to accommodate them. Us moms have to remember to give ourselves some grace! Our bodies grew tiny humans in them, and it is such an amazing gift that God has given us through being mothers.
So- back to the not fitting in my clothes again part- I have had moms reach out asking for recommendations on what items to buy to sort of make a capsule wardrobe for just pregnancy and postpartum so I decided that I would come up with a list of staple pieces that I needed to get through this phase of “in between.” I remember wanting to feel cute and look stylish, but not wanting to waste money on things I wouldn’t wear forever. During the fall and winter seasons, its so easy to cover up in areas that you aren’t feeling super comfortable with just yet. My go-to after my spring/summer babies was always dresses.
I never spent a ton on clothes for pregnancy and the postpartum period. Usually you could find me in maternity jeans up to a full year after my baby was born to keep from buying a bunch of jeans in various sizes. I’m going to list my favorite items to sort of “capsule” your pregnancy and postpartum wardrobe to just the things you need to still look and feel cute, but not spend an unnecessary amount.
Cardigans
I lived in cardigans after Vivi! They were so comfy and easy to throw over any top plus they also work great for an easy nursing cover-up. They are also really good for covering your bottom when you wear leggings- and I LOVE leggings!
Flowy Tops
All of my transitional tops were loose and flowy. I sized up one size in all of the ones that I bought after each baby. That way, you can still get away with wearing them later by adding a belt to make them “smaller” or even doing a half tuck. If you stick to neutrals, it’s easy to make multiple outfits from just a few tops.
Leggings
These are probably my NUMBER ONE necessity after a baby. They can be dressed up with a cute top, a cardigan, and some flats or boot or they can be dressed down with a loose fitting tee and some cute tennis shoes. I had some Lululemon Align leggings that I bought a few sizes up during my last pregnancy to work out in, and they turned out to be my favorites during my postpartum period as well. I know they are pricier but I promise they are worth the money. Sometimes you can find them on resell pages on facebook or even Poshmark. I have tried probably every pregnancy legging you can imagine, and if you take care of these- they will last for years. I normally wear a size 2-4 and sized up to an 8 while pregnant and they worked really well. They still were fitted and even now that I’m back in my normal sizes, I still wear my size 8s around my house and they are in good shape!
Maternity Jeans
Ok- don’t roll your eyes- but for me, I’m just not into buying new jeans in the in between sizes for a few reasons. 1) I feel like they are a waste of money, and 2) it motivates me more to lose the weight. Instead of relying on jeans in a bigger size that fit- I would rather stick it out in my maternity jeans until I reach my goal of getting back in my old jeans. I get that it’s not everyone’s preference, but it’s what has worked for me.
Maxi Dresses
If it’s hot outside, dresses are such a cute way to be comfortable and stylish. I had so many cute, casual dresses after I had Hayes and Charlie. You can even get some really cute summer dresses at Wal-Mart now that they have stepped up their clothes game! I chose a few maternity ones that were neutral and could also be worn after pregnancy too!
Shirt Dresses
Another dress option is the t-shirt dress. I literally had some of these that were mid-shin length and some that were knee length and I LIVED in them after I had Vivi! They are really easy to dress up or down and look cute with sneakers and sandals! The only struggle was nursing so I linked some with buttons too so they are easier to nurse in.
Shackets
Shackets are so good for layering and also go really well with leggings! You can add a fitted maternity tee under it, then when you have the baby just wear it alone buttoned up. I will link some of my favorite ones at the bottom of this post!
Oversized Denim Jacket
They are so comfy and stylish and will be able to be worn during pregnancy and after! I linked a few because it was hard to find just one stocked in all sizes. I got one last year and wear it all the time. It would be cute with any of the items I have listed already!
Overalls
If you get a good pair in a material other than denim, they provide a comfy outfit for after baby is born! The denim can look oversized and baggy afterward, but the ones I linked below would look more fitted and could be dressed up for errands or preschool drop off.
Maternity Tees
A few good basic maternity tees are so good for carrying you through pregnancy, making multiple outfits, and also for the postpartum period. I like the ones I linked below because they aren’t ruched on the sides so technically they don’t look like “maternity” and work well for the nursing and postpartum period. Also, if you get basic colors- I linked black, white, and gray- then they are really easy to match with multiple items.
Hopefully this will give you some ideas on what to buy to wear during pregnancy but also after so you can have multiple outfits without breaking the bank!
xoxo,
Lindsey
