Your Nursing Wardrobe

Nursing fashion is an oxymoron. All clothes made specifically for nursing are hideous, and worse, make it very obvious to anyone who sees you that you are nursing. No one wears a shirt with snaps all over the front of it unless they need to whip their boobs out super fast to quiet a screaming newborn. If you are like me, you won't really care what anyone thinks of how you look the the first few weeks after having a baby, but eventually things begin to normalize (thankfully) and when that happens you will want some clothes you can leave the house in. Unfortunately, actual clothes shopping will be the last thing you want to do, so it pays to be prepared. Here are some ideas!

I have pretty much been living in these tanks from Target all summer. I hope Merona makes a version with sleeves in the fall, otherwise I might be rocking them all through the winter as well. They are just stretchy enough to pull down to nurse or pump (even if you have, ahem, a larger bosom), and the necklines won't get stretched out. Of course you could always buy special nursing tanks, but they are much more expensive, and you are going to need a lot of them.

I also really recommend investing in some skirts for your postpartum wardrobe, if you don't have some already. It's important to get some that have some stretch, so they will fit you immediately after you deliver as well as weeks down the road. I personally prefer maxi skirts as they disguise things like legs you haven't had time to shave or feet that need a pedicure. Your time will be much more limited with a newborn around, have you heard?

Oh, and of course you are going to need some nursing bras! This one from La Leche League has been my favorite that I've purchased so far. The color options are pretty limited, but it comes in a wide variety of sizes. It does have underwire, but it is actually really comfortable.

I also recommend investing in a few caftans you can nurse in, like this one or this one, to wear around the house (okay, and also for short walks around the neighborhood). They are perfect for those first few weeks when you aren't leaving the house much and don't have time to think about what to wear.

Don't forget to buy some pajamas! You might be wearing these quite a lot at first. I prefer tops that button down the front like these.

I'd love to hear what other people wore when they were nursing, especially in terms of work clothes. I'm going to be heading back to the office soon and I need things I can pump in that look professional. Help!