Pregnancy & Baby Index: Experts and Columnists: Ann Douglas: Postpartum: Preparing a postpartum wardrobe
Preparing a postpartum wardrobe
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Ann Douglas
Ann Douglas, author of The Mother of All Pregnancy Books: The Ultimate Guide to Conception, Birth and Everything in Between and The Mother of All Baby Books: The Ultimate Guide to Your Baby's First Year, is here at Pregnancy & Baby! Read Ann's advice on everything from keeping romance alive amidst the structure and stress of baby-making to weathering the storms of morning sickness to preparing for the birth of your dreams.
The question: I am feeling kind of fat and frumpy since I had my baby. Any tips on putting together a figure-friendly postpartum wardrobe?
Ann's Answer: I've faced this challenge myself over the years, so I know exactly what you're talking about here. And contrary to popular belief, it's a rare new mother indeed who can pull off the Cindy Crawford supermodel look by the time her six-week checkup rolls around! Here are some tips on de-emphasizing your less-than-washboard-like abdominals until you've had a chance to morph back into your pre-pregnancy self.
Raid your partner's side of the closet. Men's shirts are figure enhancing when paired up with a pair of dark leggings and they're loose enough to allow you to nurse your baby with ease. Ditto for long vests or loose-fitting jackets and sweaters: they're both breastfeeding and figure-friendly!
Pick up a couples of pairs of leggings, elastic-waist pants containing Lycra, or pants with drawstring waists. This is no time to be trying to shoehorn yourself back into your pre-pregnancy jeans. Pants with a drawstring waist are a better bet for any mom who's just had a caesarean because the elastic in the leggings or the Lycra pants may be irritating to her incision site.
Don't feel obliged to spring for a specially-designed breastfeeding top. A loose-fitting shirt or sweater will do the job just as well and -- in most cases -- costs a lot less money and doesn't look nearly as ugly.
Think boxer shorts and T-shirts when it comes to sleepwear. Some new moms swear that boxer shorts are the perfect thing to wear around the house at this stage of the game.
Think wash and wear. This is no time in your life to be parading around in silks and other fine fabrics. After all, babies don't give you any warning when they're about to launch into a full-blown diaper explosion or ooze a mouthful of milk down your back.
Master the art of camouflage. If you're self-conscious about the added girth around your middle, you might want to master the art of monochromatic dressing (dressing in all one color). A shirt and pant set in a dark color is one of the best fashion solutions for any mom whose trying to camouflage those few extra pounds.
Realize that it will probably only be a matter of time before you can start fitting into some of your favorite pre-pregnancy garments again. The skin-tight jeans may take a while to fit back into, but most of your loose-fitting shirts and pants will be fair game again soon. I promise! 
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About the author: Ann Douglas is an award-winning pregnancy and parenting author. She is the author of The Mother of All Pregnancy Books, The Mother of All Baby Books, The Mother of All Toddler Books, The Mother of All Parenting Books, and The Mother of All Pregnancy Organizers (all part of the internationally best-selling The Mother of All® Books series), as well as the two debut titles in the newly launched The Mother of All Solutions series: Sleep Solutions for Your Baby, Toddler and Preschooler: The Ultimate No-Worry Approach for Each Age and Stage (Mother of All Solutions) , and Mealtime Solutions for Your Baby, Toddler and Preschooler, Part of The Mother of All Solutions series: The Ultimate No-Worry Approach for Each Age and Stage (Mother of All Solutions). She is also the co-author of other highly popular titles in the pregnancy and parenting category, including The unofficial Guide to Having a Baby and Trying Again: A Guide to Pregnancy after Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss (both co-authored with John R. Sussman, MD).
