What to Wear at the End of Pregnancy and After Baby Arrives
While you’re preparing for baby’s arrival, you may start thinking a little about what to wear postpartum, and what you’ll need right away to stay comfortable.
Doing a quick inventory and getting your postpartum wardrobe together before your baby arrives is a super helpful step that’s great to get done in your third trimester. And you really shouldn’t need much – just a very comfortable outfit to come home from the hospital in, and soft, easy clothes to wear those first few weeks.
After giving birth, you’ll be spending a lot of time at home healing, snuggling with baby, and if you’ve chosen to, breastfeeding, and all I wanted to wear as a new mom were comfortable, stretchy, breastfeeding friendly clothes.
So after two babies, here are my favorite loungewear items and postpartum clothing must-haves that are both cute and comfy.
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All of these are also good items to pack in your hospital bag. If you’re still getting your bag together and figuring out what to wear postpartum in the hospital, check out my free printable checklist to get a full list of must-haves for you, your partner, and your baby.
Must-Have #1: Leggings and Comfortable Pants
Best Postpartum Leggings and Bottoms
I lived in comfortable lounge pants and shorts during those first few weeks of postpartum life. In the beginning, especially if you’ve had a c-section, you’ll probably want to stick to looser pants or drawstrings.
None of my old jeans fit right away, so if you need to wear something other than leggings or loungewear, I would expect to stick with your maternity jeans for a little while – and that is perfectly normal!
Zella Live in leggings are a staple in my mom closet. They are flattering, high-waisted, and comfortable. I did not have a c-section, but since these are fairly snug and come up high on your waist, I probably would not recommend these if you did have a c-section.
Offline Warmup High Waisted Legging
I love that these leggings come in a short option, and they have POCKETS. Best thing ever for new moms who are breastfeeding and can’t get up to grab the one thing (ok, or many things) they forgot in the other room.
These are also a little less snug on the waist, so they are extra comfortable.
Nordstrom Lazy Morning Lounge Pants
These pants are super comfortable and fairly lightweight. The only downside is no pockets, but for the price, they’re a good postpartum loungewear staple for your closet.
Must-Have #2: Comfortable, Breastfeeding Friendly Tops
Best Postpartum Tops
Amazon has some of the best postpartum tops, and comfortable postpartum clothes in general. The prices are usually very affordable, making it easy to stock up on a few of one item and rotate through those in the early days when you’re at home with your newborn and frequently nursing.
I also love Gap for more streetwear friendly postpartum clothes, and Aerie/American Eagle for great loungewear.
Maternity Double-Layer Nursing Tank Top
You can see my full list of favorite tops and postpartum dresses that are breastfeeding friendly here — and this top from Gap is at the top of my list. It is super comfortable and comes in several colors.
Gets amazing reviews, comes in a ton of different colors, super affordable, and would work as a layer underneath of a cardi, or on its own.
Aerie has some of the most comfortable henleys, and they’re button down, which makes them great for breastfeeding. If you can catch them on sale, they’re usually a great price.
I love this one, and it comes in a bunch of different cute colors and patterns.
Barefoot Dreams Circle Cardigan
This cardigan is a splurge, but has been one of my most worn pieces, postpartum and beyond — enough that I purchased a second color.
Barefoot Dreams has the softest fabric that also feels amazing on. This cardigan is great for cozying up at home, or wearing out.
Another much more affordable cozy sweatshirt option is this one from Gap’s maternity line.
Related Reading: What You Actually Need in Your Postpartum Care Kit
Must-Have #3: Comfortable Bras
Best Nursing and Postpartum Bras
Having good nursing bras, preferably without underwire, is really key for staying comfortable postpartum. These are also great for an ever changing bra size during pregnancy, so don’t be afraid to buy early and get even more use out of these.
I lived in these Bravado bras for many many months. These are both stretchy and supportive – which means they work for bustier women as well (*raises hand*). These are incredibly comfortable and work well for those last few months of pregnancy and postpartum.
Those first few weeks postpartum, you’ll probably want to wear a bra while you sleep so that you can wear nursing pads and contain the leaking breastmilk.
These Cayke bras are great for sleeping, because they’re super soft, have zero wiring or metal hooks, and are easy to nurse in. They come in a three pack, so you only need one or two packs.
Other Good Postpartum Clothing and Accessories to Have
Cozy Socks
Having some good cozy socks to wander around in is always a good idea. Stick with socks with grips on the bottom, to help you avoid any slips or falls, especially with precious cargo in your arms. These Dr. Scholl’s socks get pretty amazing reviews.
Robe
A robe to lounge around is another piece that you’ll want to have in your postpartum wardrobe.
If you need a lighter weight robe, this Honeydew jersey robe is a great option. If you live in a colder climate, I love Pottery Barn robes – they are some of the softest, warmest robes out there.
Slippers
A good pair of slippers is a must-have for those long days where you’re tired and just want to spend most of the day indoors.
Amazon Cross Band Plush Slippers
I love these slippers – for both the price and the comfort. I’ve had these for almost a year and they’ve held up really well after several washes, and they’re great if you live in a warmer climate.
These UGG slippers get amazing reviews. I’ve been living in tropical or near tropical climates for the last 5 years, so I don’t have a pair, but if you ever owned a pair of the quintessential UGG boots, you know how comfortable those are.
Wrap for Baby
This list is all about mom, but one great item to have and wear that’s not quite for you, but will be a huge help, is a fabric wrap.
I used a Happy Wrap for both of my babies, and it was great for snuggling with them and for letting them take a nap when they needed that seemingly constant skin-to-skin contact in order to sleep well.
Boba Wraps are essentially the same style, a little cheaper, and also get great reviews.
What are your go-to comfortable pieces?
Other Pregnancy and Postpartum Articles You May Like:
- Last Minute Things You Should Do Before Baby Arrives
- What You Actually Need in Your Postpartum Care Kit
- The Items You Actually Need for Your Hospital Bag
- How to Write a Birth Plan as a First-Time Mom
- The Breastfeeding Tips All New Moms Should Know
- How to Get Your Newborn to Sleep
- The Game Changing Products to Help Your Baby Sleep Better
- Ultimate Pregnancy To-Do List for the First Trimester
- Second Trimester Checklist: 14 To Do’s for Your Baby Prep List
- One-Piece Affordable Swimsuits Moms Will Love
- The Best Products to Babyproof Your Home
Comfy postpartum clothes were a lifesaver for me! haha
Same! One less thing to think about too.
Yes to double layer nursing tops! They were a postpartum staple with all four of my kids!
Seriously a favorite. I didn’t buy a ton of breastfeeding specific tops, but I actually still wear that one since it’s a cute, normal looking top!
comfortable ideas! Wish I had read this when my son was born… but will definitely keep it in mind for the next one 🙂