Dressing Your Postpartum Body

Despite what celebrities in magazines or influencers on social media may have you believe, it takes the average woman around nine months to a year to lose the weight she gained during pregnancy. Remember that growing human life is beautiful, and your body pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy, and postpartum is perfect, just as it is. Still, we feel the pressure or even just the desire to feel like ourselves again and want to feel confident in the clothes we're wearing.

While many new moms opt to stay in their maternity clothes for the first month or so after having their baby, there are some tips to dressing your postpartum body that can help you start feeling like the confident, gorgeous mama you already know you are!

Embrace The Maxi Dress

Not only is a maxi dress a near-universally flattering fit, but it also has another great benefit to women who've recently had a baby. They are super easy to nurse in! So, have several on hand in soft, natural fabrics that make you feel polished when people stop by to visit you and your new bundle of joy and also make it easier on you when it's time to feed your baby. If you had your child during the colder months, maxis in darker or more neutral colors still work for fall and winter and look incredibly chic with a jean jacket or cardigan of any length draped over. Additionally, if you do find a chance to sneak off for a date with your partner after the baby comes, they can be easily dressed up with a nice pair of shoes and jewelry.

Push Presents, Please!

If you're not familiar with the term "push present" yet, let's get enlightened. A push present is a gift a new mother receives for all the hard work of being pregnant and bringing a new life into the world. So, why not ask for some women's designer clothes from your partner as your push present? You'll want to purchase after delivery, so you have a general idea of how much you need to size up, but it's easy to have these clothes altered for your new body as well. Or, if you're committed to losing weight quickly (which by no means should you feel pressured to do), you can always order in your pre-pregnancy size and save them for later. You could also go for a designer handbag or luxury jewelry. But there's nothing wrong with asking for a bit of a push present, ladies!

Tips and Tricks

You may be wondering how to hide tummy bulge, which is typical for women whether they've just had a new baby or not - and there are certain tricks of the trade when it comes to doing so. First up are high-waisted jeans. While jeans might seem like the last thing you want to wear for the first couple of months postpartum, after then, you'll probably feel really confident in a pair of nice high-waisted jeans. They hold everything in, not to mention make your behind look fantastic. Another tip, if you don't feel like buying new jeans, use a rubber band on your pants button and loop it through to the buttonhole - this trick makes your old pants fit you until you're at your pre-pregnancy size. And if you never get to that size - then you have an excuse to go shopping for new pants, fun!

Other ways to hide your shrinking post-baby belly are with flattering control tops. If you're nursing, these aren't exactly the most friendly option, but they can be a lifesaver if you have an event where you need to dress up and want to feel really polished.

Sweater Weather

If you deliver in fall or winter, you have nothing to fear because... Sweater Weather! Sweaters can hide a multitude of insecurities - which again - you really shouldn't have. But, if you want to feel comfortable with your post-baby figure, sweaters can hide anything you're worried about. Great styles for this are chunky oversized crewneck sweaters and tunic cardigans. You're not limited by only those options though, find sweaters you fancy and feel good in, and you're in the clear.

The bottom line is that your body has been through a lot, and so have you! So, hopefully, you're searching for ways to dress your postpartum body because you want to feel good, not because you feel any pressure to look a certain way. And remember, confidence is the most attractive thing a person can possess, so go get 'em, tiger! And, congratulations on your new baby.