Anyone else having trouble with a post-partum wardrobe?

[peainthepod]

I still have quite a gross-looking "spare tire" and my chest is HUGE. Worse, my right breast is at least two cup sizes larger than my left. I can't find shirts that don't make me look horrible. Is anyone else dealing with this or am I just expecting too much so soon? I feel so happy about everything but this--like I can't even leave the house because I can't make myself look presentable. DH's company Christmas party is tonight and I think I am going to skip it because all of my shirts either gap at the buttons or show off my huge, unsightly fat roll.

The worst part is I bought a bunch of clothes after the baby was born...and then my milk came in. What was once flattering is now unwearable.

[kgrands]

I'm with you...I feel like I look like a bum most of the time.

I tried on pants the other day at +4 weeks PP and I had to get 2 sizes higher than my pre-pregnancy size! The spare tire of what appears to be loose skin is annoying.

I hope that I can tone this up when I get the ok to exercise.

This is my first - is there hope? Oh and what about stretch marks on your belly - do they go away/fade?

[two bricks shy]

kgrands The stretch marks will fade with time.
If you want proof... here's my 2 week PP belly from DS (most recent birth). You can just barely see the ones from my pregnancy with DD and they faded to that silvery white color within 6-9 months after the birth iirc. The marks stretched back out with the pregnancy and the darker pink/red are where they grew with this pregnancy. I carried very differently.

ATM I'm 4 1/2 weeks pp and I still can't get my old pants on. ARG.
Shirts are hard, no one seems to get that a person can have a medium sized body and not be a member of IBTC. I've been buying L shirts, easy to hike up for nursing but I dislike how they are so tentlike.

[titania8]

i ended up buying an entire new wardrobe after my twins because i was tired of wearing my dh's clothes.

im less than 2 weeks pp now and still wearing mostly pjs and maternity pants. i am able to sort of fit into my regular shirts. if i get dressed, which i don't.

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by peainthepod

I still have quite a gross-looking "spare tire" and my chest is HUGE. Worse, my right breast is at least two cup sizes larger than my left. I can't find shirts that don't make me look horrible. Is anyone else dealing with this or am I just expecting too much so soon? I feel so happy about everything but this--like I can't even leave the house because I can't make myself look presentable. DH's company Christmas party is tonight and I think I am going to skip it because all of my shirts either gap at the buttons or show off my huge, unsightly fat roll.

The worst part is I bought a bunch of clothes after the baby was born...and then my milk came in. What was once flattering is now unwearable.

I went from a B-cup pre-pregnancy to right now I am a DD, maybe bigger. Even if my spare tire was shrinking faster, it wouldn't matter. I can't even get my shirts past my huge, honking milk dispensers. And even if I could, it wouldn't matter, b/c I think all my styles are for smaller breasts.

I'm still wearing those "1st trimester" maternity pants. None of my pre-preg pants get past my brand new thunder thighs.

My feet got longer and wider. None of my shoes fit.

Gosh, at least my underwear fit! It's a bittersweet form of happiness to find that everything on me got huge except my butt. :

DH felt sorry for me so he took me to Ann Taylor. I did actually find a stylish button top and matching skirt and shoes. : If I stand up straight, I look kind normal.

[Bella Catalina]

I still only fit one pair of jeans. I wear them every.time.I.leave.the.house. and at home I am alternating between a pair of sweat pants and my lululemons which cling everywhere I don't want them to! Seriously. And the jeans are maternity jeans. Nothing else will go past my thighs and butt, and I am now 8 weeks PP. I have dropped all the weight I gained this pregnancy, + another 3lbs, leaving 7 of the 10 I gained last January after losing Bailee. This 10lbs is not coming off easily, though. Maybe because it's been there for a year?

That said, even once I do lose this 7lbs, I have an inkling my hips will still be too wide for my size 10 jeans, anyway. I refuse to spend any money on anything above a 10; I fought too long and too hard to get there in the first place, kwim?

Oh, and not to forget, I love my moby cause it hides the spare tire I wear it every chance I get, cause it keeps me warm (with the help of my personal hot water bottle) and also cause my 34F chest doesn't fit into either of the two sweaters I own.

[noeonend]

I am certain that in the next several weeks, I am going to show the whole world a full moon. I am still wearing my maternity pants, and apparently the "Secret fit belly" is not made for pp. I can't keep them up!! To make matters worse, something about the shape of my rear has changed, and my undies just slide with my pants!

[darkblue0729]

I wore a size 4 before this pregnancy and now....I AM A FREAKING SIZE 16!! *sob* Between the tummy shelf above my incision and my ta-tas collectively deciding to be the size of a small country, I am at a miserable loss for clothes. I am really, really worried than none of my pre-pregnancy clothes will EVER fit again, as my hips and thighs are much...oh yes I mean MUCH bigger. I have been a weirdo and only bought a few things since I am still holding out hope that I can lose all of this extra junk after the holidays, plus I seriously don't have the money to completely replace my entire wardrobe atm. Oh amd feet? I wore a laughable size 10 1/2 pre this pregnancy, and now I am lucky to fit in 11s...mind you I am a helpless shoe lover who now has nearly an entire closet full of shoes that are useless. On the brightside I did buy a new pair of Keens and boy oh boy are they comfy

[kgrands]

Originally Posted by noeonend

I am certain that in the next several weeks, I am going to show the whole world a full moon. I am still wearing my maternity pants, and apparently the "Secret fit belly" is not made for pp. I can't keep them up!! To make matters worse, something about the shape of my rear has changed, and my undies just slide with my pants!

My maternity pants are the secret fit belly kind too - they don't stay up AT ALL! And they don't have belt loops either! I've tried using my bella band with only minor success.

Twobricks - Thanks! Its nice to know that they will fade! They are a beautiful shade of fushia right now . Maybe bikinis are in my future afterall.

What kills me is that I lost 20lbs last year. I wanted to hit my goal by St. Pats day. I did! Hooray! The next day I found out I was pregnant. Didn't really get to enjoy that too long.

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by kgrands

What kills me is that I lost 20lbs last year. I wanted to hit my goal by St. Pats day. I did! Hooray! The next day I found out I was pregnant. Didn't really get to enjoy that too long.

Egads, I was the same way! The university I was at had a 24/7 rec-room. I was at the healthiest part of my life, lol. I was sleeping well, eating well, working out, etc. So after two months of that, I got the red line on the test haha.

[natalieadw]

I'm 35lbs lighter than when I first got pg, but I'm still wearing the same size...ughhh!! Thanks to the muffin top I have and I swear my hips got wider! Plus I have the biggest boobs...bigger than all of you ladies put togther!!!! Seriously they are probably 42G (I'm tandem nursing). My feet a a half size bigger!!

[MarchMummy]

I am right there with you, mamas. I feel completely frumpy, and am unable (or too tired!) to even get a shower in many days. It's kind of hard to be motivated to get dressed when I feel like I'll still look crappy!

[Om Girl]

I'm 4 weeks PP and I'm feeling in the "in-between" pregnant and normal sizes. So frustrating! I have 2 pairs of "real" pants that fit (maternity and 1 non-maternity) and no shirts that are compatible with nursing. All of my maternity shirts that hide my tummy have that elastic empire waist line that is hell with nursing.
I've been living in my black velour maternity sweatsuit with a nursing tank underneath. I really need to find something compatible with breastfeeding and babywearing. ugh...and something to wear to Christmas that looks halfway presentable and that I can nurse in...

[felix23]

My boobs are so huge that none of my shirts even come close to fitting. I have two shirts that I wear over and over and two pairs of first trimester pants that actually fit. I hate getting dressed because nothing fits right and I just feel so frumpy. I saw pictures of myself taken at a Christmas party and wow it was depressing. My fith anniversery is in February and I want to get back to my old size by then.

[Sage_SS]

I have no clothing options either. I have ONE pair of maternity jeans and they fall down every time one foot moves in front of the other.
None of my button shirts fit, which sucks for BFing.

On top of looking like a bum, I look dead from the lack of sleep. The bags of dark under my eyes have been there for 6 months..

I need to hibernate. That should solve all of my issues.

[gypsymomma4]

I was a four before I got preg. with Ben, and I have given up hope of ever getting back into my old clothes. luckily my oldest who is now taller than me is pretty close to a size 4 now, so I can give most of them to her, especially the jeans. I still have maternity pants that I can't get into. I am wearing XL sweat pants pretty much all the time. Even my pj's are tight.

I have a few really big loose tops from nursing my others, but I to am avoiding going out. at least with the weather being yucky, it makes a great reason to stay home and cuddle with my baby.

[slinginhipmama]

[QUOTE=darkblue0729;12852059]I wore a size 4 before this pregnancy and now....I AM A FREAKING SIZE 16!! *sob* Between the tummy shelf above my incision and my ta-tas collectively deciding to be the size of a small country, I am at a miserable loss for clothes.QUOTE]

I know how you feel, I was a 6/8 (in juniors) prepreggo and now am a size 18!!!! This shouldn't be a shock however, since this is my third and I've done this everytime! But somehow it feels hopeless. I guess I just have to keep in my mind that the weight WILL come off eventually. Until then, well, I guess I'll have to embrace "my lovely lady lumps"

[coyotemist]

Last year, the day after Christmas I decided to lose weight. By mid-Feb I had lost about 17 pounds. then those darned 2 pink lines.

Now I'm 30 pounds lighter than my prepreg weight, but bigger in the belly. At close to 8 weeks postpartum, I guess thats ok Pants are fitting ok, it's the shirts that look frumpy!

It all passes, I try not to obsess over it. If this is my time in life to look frumpy, at some point I'll be svelte again. If not, oh well, DH still loves me!

[TefferTWH]

I wish I could get the hang of my Moby so it could hide some of my body! Sometimes I get it right and it rocks and other times, I tear it off in frustration and grab my BH or sling (I'm a babywearing tramp - I dig all the carriers!). I thought it would be a great wardrobe malfunction cover, if only I could get it right!

Anyway, with K I literally THREW out (as in I opened the door and chucked them) a $200 pair of Italian leather boots that I stalked for months at a local department store until they clearanced enough that I could countenance buying them since my cute little size 6.5 feet had grown to monster size 8 wides and NOTHING except for flip flops fit me. It was freakin' winter and I had no foot coverings, NONE. This time, my feet haven't grown any, which is a relief. However, I hear ya shoe lovin' mamas! I have two words for those of you suffering from foot-widening shock: New Balance. They're UGLY but they come in true wide sizes.

Since I can't really wear nursing bras due to my history of plugged ducts, I have been living in nursing tanks and I love them. I have three from Motherwear from K that are all stretched out and faded (16 months of constant use will do that though) that I wear at home and to bed, and 2 new nursing bra tanks from Glamourmom that I wear whenever I go out because they are fabulous, and one from Bravado that I have serious dislike for that I'm trying to find some use for because I paid big $$$ for it. I have several from Target, but they won't close over my enormous boobs, so they are useless to me. If you are struggling with your shape and self-esteem, jeans that fit, a longer nursing tank and a cute cardigan or jacket might be the way to go. I'm far from Sarah Jessica Parker, but I find that ensemble works for me.

Oh, and today was my 6 weeks and I'm still 7 pounds over my pre-preggo weight. :

[lifeguard]

I'm glad I'm not alone. To make things more frustrating I cannot buy clothes here because I am so much taller & bigger than the average woman here (oh yeah & I just canNOT wear my clothes as tight as is customary here).