Frump That |Thoughts from a breastfeeding mama
Who said moms have to be frumpy? With the sleepless nights, being covered in all sorts of unidentifiable stains and spit up, it’s hard to even think about trying to dress decently, let alone dress up. A shower is a luxury. Quiet time in the bathroom is a treasure. But eventually, you need to go somewhere...
Dressing the bump felt so much easier for me. There were tons of vintage inspired looks I could create while accentuating the belly. Everything shifted once my little guy came and I wanted things that would conceal my new stomach and give me good and quick (he's not at all patient when it comes to food 😏) access for breastfeeding, all while maintaining my style.
But the breastfeeding clothing that was on the market didn't jell with my vintage taste and honestly was super expensive. I remember getting two shirts, which I thought were kind of my style (they were a bit of a stretch) and I tried them on for my husband and he just started laughing asking me if I was going to space. They were shortly returned, lol.
So I went on a quest to find items that met my criteria above (e.g., quick access to the food supply...or supplies 🤔) and allowed me to still express my personal style.
During the winter, I relied a lot on button up shirts, which I had quite a few of, and my usual go to blazers. Depending on the buttons, it did require a little more time to gain access. I did have to size up on button up shirts to accommodate my new bust size 😦. Blazers allowed me to dress up t-shirts and turtlenecks. I was able to still be creative with my style, with high waisted pants and skirts, which provided support and concealed the midsection as my body changed (and also provided the vintage edge).
One of my friends talked about the ‘mom’ uniform of jeans and a t-shirt and I’d have to admit that I have been wearing variations of it. Adding accessories really helps to spruce things up a bit. My advice: start at a thrift or consignment store, especially as your body shifts and changes sizes. For me, I didn't want to buy a ton of items in a bigger size that I'd only wear temporarily. As I breastfed more, my body shifted and changed and my size did as well.
As I continue to find breastfeeding friendly outfits, what outfit hacks (whether you used clothes that were specifically designed for breastfeeding or not) did you use that made your breastfeeding journey a bit easier? Feel free to message me if you need help styling during your breastfeeding journey, or any other journey for that matter! 😉
