PSA: dressing yourself

[mamamerle]

After you have the baby, if you have been hanging out in your house wearing stretchy pants/short, but need to get dressed in real clothes to go somewhere... do NOT wait until 30 minutes before you have to leave to figure out what fits and what doesn't fit in your closet! 

I tore through six pair of jeans and a couple of different shirts to find something that didn't make me cry. While Ada naps, I need to spend some time trying on everything and sort it into 'can wear now', 'can wear later', and 'too big... get rid of it'.

[Italiamom]

Oh gosh, I remember the first time I tried to get dressed to leave the house postpartum.  And yes, there were many tears!  I fully second the motion to maybe figure out an outfit the night before...

[SynEpona]

I had a pile of those 'now & after' style maternity clothes, in a size that just didn't work at the end of pregnancy, but I was hopeful would fit afterwards.

That got me through the last 10 days or so, and now I have to go through & sort out what will fit, what will absolutely stay out of sight (and mind!) for a few months, and what is maternity that needs to be returned to whoever lent it to me or put into boxes in the basement.

I did remember to put out nursing tops, cardigans & nursing-friendly tops, but somehow forgot to do anything more with regards to pants/shorts/capris other than that stack of maternity ones, which are now (thankfully!) starting to be too loose.

[Baby_Cakes]

Ohhh so true!!  I can't believe I forgot about this!!

I think I kept wearing my underbelly jeans for a bit after I gave birth.  I didn't want anything to do with them, but they were all that fit for quite some time.  Same with some of the smaller maternity shirts.  This time around I picked up a few regular T-shirts in XL and L to have to wear with jeans, so I don't have to shove myself into anything, and I don't care if they get milk or spitup stains on them!  LOL!  I also got 2 nursing tanks to wear/layer.  Oh, I just cannot WAIT.

I'm so ready to wear normal clothes.  It's one of the most exciting things to look forward to right now, LOL.

[mamamerle]

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes 
I'm so ready to wear normal clothes.  It's one of the most exciting things to look forward to right now, LOL.

Can I tell you how happy it makes me to grab just any ole pair of underwear and have them fit?    I was down to five pair that didn't make me crazy.

[SouthernStormy]

Great PSA.

I was cleaning and organzing the closet yesterday and considered posting my maternity pants on Craigslist since I only wore them when working once I outgrew all the shirts (except my work shirt) that fit and only wear PJs or dresses now that I'm not working. Then I thought, duh, they'll be good for after the baby- my tshirts will finally fit again and I can wear those until I can fit back into my old jeans.

I've stretched out so many shirts this pregnancy making them work, I"m going to practically need a whole new wardrobe. DH agreed and told me to go shopping as soon as I was back home in GA and had someone to leave the baby with.

[cakemama579]

I will never forget trying to figure out a bathing suit to wear after DS was born (he was born in Feb, so I didn't have to worry for a while, but was still carrying mucho baby weight by summer).  None that I had fit (not to mention they were all bikinis) so I went to Target to get a new one.  I literally stood in the dressing room and cried when I had to try them on.

Needless to say, I'm glad this baby is coming at the END of summer, when the pools will all be closed by the time I'm cleared to go swimming again!!!

[Peony]

Yep! And pack the diaper bag before you need to leave the house.  My 2y is still in diapers and the first time I went to leave the house with DS2, I had all DS1's things in my old bag but totally forgot about the baby in the hustle of trying to get 4 kids out the door by 8:30am until it was like 8:25. That would of been nice to do before! 

I'm just wearing my small maternity clothes right now. I was up to a size L before baby was born and then the things that I outgrew months ago fit again. I could wear regular but larger clothes but I don't feel like buying anything right now only to go on and continue to lose weight so I'm fine with the maternity clothes. Besides no one looks at me anyway! They are all too busy looking that the baby. 

[cat13]

Originally Posted by SouthernStormy 

I've stretched out so many shirts this pregnancy making them work, I"m going to practically need a whole new wardrobe.

I feel the same way! I was trying to save money by not buying too many maternity clothes, but now I realize that all my tank tops and comfy t shirts have been stretched out. They'll probably be good for a while, but I think I might have to get some new stuff now.

[Italiamom]

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes 

I think I kept wearing my underbelly jeans for a bit after I gave birth.  I didn't want anything to do with them, but they were all that fit for quite some time.

See, I think that was a huge problem for me when I went to get dressed.  Yes, my tighter pregnancy jeans fit me, but they all had a thick elastic waist band, which would just distort my squishy postpartum belly into a shape that was truly horrifying.  This go 'round I'm heading to goodwill as soon as I can get out of the house to buy a couple pairs of just larger sized, NON maternity pants.  If I've gotta wear some jeans for a month that are 6 sizes larger than my "normal" size, then so be it.  They'll still look better than the cupcaking monstrosity that occurs when you put elastic anywhere near my postpartum squish belly.

[Baby_Cakes]

Originally Posted by Italiamom 

See, I think that was a huge problem for me when I went to get dressed.  Yes, my tighter pregnancy jeans fit me, but they all had a thick elastic waist band, which would just distort my squishy postpartum belly into a shape that was truly horrifying.  This go 'round I'm heading to goodwill as soon as I can get out of the house to buy a couple pairs of just larger sized, NON maternity pants.  If I've gotta wear some jeans for a month that are 6 sizes larger than my "normal" size, then so be it.  They'll still look better than the cupcaking monstrosity that occurs when you put elastic anywhere near my postpartum squish belly.

Ugh I forgot about muffin top. 

[SouthernStormy]

Originally Posted by Italiamom 

See, I think that was a huge problem for me when I went to get dressed.  Yes, my tighter pregnancy jeans fit me, but they all had a thick elastic waist band, which would just distort my squishy postpartum belly into a shape that was truly horrifying.  This go 'round I'm heading to goodwill as soon as I can get out of the house to buy a couple pairs of just larger sized, NON maternity pants.  If I've gotta wear some jeans for a month that are 6 sizes larger than my "normal" size, then so be it.  They'll still look better than the cupcaking monstrosity that occurs when you put elastic anywhere near my postpartum squish belly.

I hadn't even thought about that being an issue- I'm beginning to think I just won't leave the house for a month or two.

[jillybeans]

I am belly binding and bella banding my muffin postpartum this time. Hoping it works!

[Italiamom]

Originally Posted by jillybeans 

I am belly binding and bella banding my muffin postpartum this time. Hoping it works!

Me too!  I have plenty of fabric to wrap myself up, although I think I might splurge this next pay period and buy myself an actual postpartum girdle.  They have them at Motherhood maternity for about $25, and they get decent reviews.  But I don't know if I'll want to be all wrapped up if I have to go out...  I know a lot of us have mentioned trying the belly binding this go 'round.  I will absolutely be interested to see how things go in comparison.  I fit back into my regular jeans, but I think it probably took me about 5 months to do it.

[Baby_Cakes]

Another good reason to wear baby all the time in a wrap, too.  Hides the mama fluff!!  LOL!  And if your T-shirt is big enough, muffin top isn't as noticeable, right?  LOL!

[mamamerle]

Yes, the squishy muffin top is what did it. I was heading to my chiropractor appointment, so I didn't have any belly support.

However... I have been wearing both a postpartum support belt and Shrinkx Hips almost every day. If it does nothing else, my core feels so much more stable and way less wonky. Reining in the muffin top is just an added bonus.