Postpartum Summer Fashion

I’ve got approximately 10 weeks until the baby gets here. And aside from being remarkably unprepared for said arrival, (I literally have bought four onesies, a moses basket and a breast pump so far in total, hello second child!), I’m thinking ahead to my postpartum wardrobe. Priorities and all.

The week I gave birth to Ethan, the temperature in Australia kissed 40 degrees. I’m looking forward to a much more moderate British summer and am hoping that will make postpartum dressing a little bit easier. Although let’s be realistic, there is every chance I’ll be in PJs and/or leggings most of the time in the first couple of weeks.

My criteria for this roundup was pretty full on. Each item had to tick the majority if not all of the following boxes:

• Comfort. Nothing clingy or tight.
• Easy boob access for breastfeeding.
• Not too short, to allow me to bend down at a pram or my four-year-old without flashing my knick-knacks.
• Flattering and summery
• Easily washed (because… Baby puke)
• Breathable natural fabrics where possible.

Tops

You can’t beat button down shirts for breastfeeding. They also offer a trendy but loose fit for warm summer days and postpartum tummy comfort. This H&M long line shirt, Zara linen number or frayed textured shirt would look effortlessly put together with a couple of dainty necklaces. For something a bit more structured, this striped shirt with bow does the trick.

I love the easy, pull down access that this off the shoulder piece and this beautiful mustard Mango top with bow tied shoulders offers. But my go-to look for first time breastfeeding was wearing a simple stretchy string vest under a loose fitting t-shirt. T-shirt comes up, vest pulls down and you can feed bub pretty much anywhere you like without flashing a thing. This made me feel a bit more comfortable in the early days when I was still getting the hang of it and using a nipple shield. For this approach, I adore the floatiness of this Zara blouse. I also remember finding white or cream to be a super easy colour to wear out and about as a bit of baby puke was barely noticeable, unlike wearing greys and blacks. For summery hues, I love & Other Stories tropical map tee and this bright jumbo stripe tee. This Hush ‘Love Saves The Day’ t-shirt is very sweet and has a nice flattering neckline. For slightly chillier afternoons, this short sleeve Zara sweater is such a gorgeous summer colour.

Bottoms

For me, bottoms absolutely HAVE to be super comfortable. Whether you’re nursing a tender c-section wound like I was or would like a bit of support for that beautiful postpartum tummy (or both) stretchy waistbands are your friend. I’ve heard great things about the comfort of Hush’s Amie Joggers. The waistband on these Long Harem pants also looks perfect. For a bit more of a put together look, these Zara linen trousers have a lovely tie waistband. If you’re like me though, you’ll be rocking the maternity wear postpartum too (maternity jeans are almost too comfortable. I wish they were a lifelong wardrobe staple). I can vouch for these H&M shorts… Not too short, super soft with flattering under bump band that works perfectly postpartum too. I also want to nab these H&M Mama dungarees. I remember seeing a friend wear these last year, postpartum with a white t-shirt under and massive sunglasses. She looked incredible… As well as comfortable. The drawstring waist also doesn’t make them look too ‘maternity wear’ after baby.

Dresses

In my experience, wrap dresses and button up dresses are the way to go for breastfeeding access, as well as having an easy single outfit choice when super sleep deprived. And I know I said I wanted to make sure my dignity was covered, but this flower embroidered dress from Mango was too beautiful to leave out. I see me wearing this in a beer garden somewhere, soaking up the tail end of summer, while Ethan plays and baby naps (I can dream). From Mango I also love this striped linen dress and this super summery print wrap dress. I adore the sleeves on this Zara belted dress and how beautifully bohemian this ruffle dress with tassels and sequins is. For something a bit more sophisticated, this understated Hush Porto Striped Dress and these two gorgeous floral patterned shirt dresses are gorgeous.

So there you have it, my dream postpartum wardrobe. I now just need to decide which of these I’m actually going to buy (I wish my budget allowed for every single one). After I had Ethan, I found myself in a complete style slump, which seriously affected my confidence. It wasn’t so much about my body, I was actually in awe of the amazing thing it had achieved! It was more about dressing and feeling good in my new shape. So this time, I’m going to try to be proactive and buy some of these pieces in advance.

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How do you find dressing postpartum? Have you bought anything super comfy that you think every Mum should know about?