In many ways, motherhood is one surprise after one another, especially with that first little one. The postpartum months are an uncertain time. Most days are spent solely focusing on keeping another human alive. With my first, it was all about survival. When my second baby came along, there were a few things I knew I wanted to be intentional about in my postpartum months. One of those was how I approached my appearance and my postpartum body. I wanted to feel confident and comfortable, all while I was navigating the uncertainty of the postpartum experience. After three postpartum experiences, here are a few tips that helped me to feel a little more comfortable in my “new” skin and feel a little more put together.
Embrace comfort
Decide what this means for you and find some pieces to add to your wardrobe. For me, comfort meant I felt put together but I could play on the floor with my kids and change diapers without readjusting my clothes every five seconds. For me, those comfort pieces are:
- Loose and/or flowy tops. Stocking up on these types of a tops was a must. I’m a creature of a habit, so if I find one thing I like, I buy it a few colors. Loose and flowy tops maximize comfort and style.
- Leggings. If I’m being honest, I don’t think I wore regular jeans at all between my second and third babies. It was during this time that I embraced the legging, as well as low panel maternity pants. There’s no shame in wearing maternity clothes postpartum, if it makes you feel comfortable!
- Dresses. I have never worn dresses more than when I was pregnant and after my babies were born. It’s a great way to feel a little more dressed up but also feel comfortable.
Accessorize
Adding a couple of fun accessories to an outfit can give it a boost of confidence and make a typical “momiform” seem a little more dressed up. For me, this includes scarves, fun necklaces and earrings, and cute shoes. It’s amazing what a cute pair of shoes can do, am I right?
Choose a few “momiforms”
Having a few outfits picked out that are ready to go makes getting dressed easy. It also eliminates that frustrating feeling of standing in front of your closet thinking, “I have nothing to wear”. Or really, “I have nothing I want to wear”. When I know I have a few go-to outfits waiting for me, I start the day feeling more confident and put together instead of irritated with my lack of options.
A little effort goes a long way
After the first few weeks of the fuzzy newborn phase, one of the best things I did for my self-confidence and overall positive feelings about the day ahead of me was to get ready. As a stay-at-home mom, the temptation to just stay in my pajamas was seriously real some days. However, when I took the time to get ready, even just a little, my spirits were lifted and my confidence and outlook on the day changed significantly.
The postpartum experience is an uncertain time. Finding a few ways to be intentional about my own self care made a world of difference. Something as simple as a reliable momiform can go a long way to make you feel semi “normal” when inside you feeling anything but that. Find what makes you comfortable and rock it. You got this, mama!
