So you just had a baby, and unlike your best friend, you aren’t back to “normal” two weeks postpartum? Here is what I did until I could fit into my clothes again.
1. Vests (as in fleece sporting vests)–a good vest will conceal what’s still fat (your stomach) and not what isn’t (your arms, legs, butt, etc.)
2. Buy some pants that fit. Expect a little muffin top, too. No, this isn’t admitting that you’re going to stay the same size forever–you’re going to shrink, but perhaps more slowly than you wish. Before shopping, think ahead to the size that you dread you will be, and say to yourself, “I’m probably a size (blank) now”–then try that size on first. Maybe you’re smaller than that! (this didn’t happen to me, I really was that size, boo hoo…)
3. Opt for a good drawstring waist pant. This way you can adjust the waist to fit (or not adjust it! Maybe the biggest part is what fits…but it FITS…and that feels good.
4. Wear your baby a lot in a babycarrier! ( Hiding your chub and help you bond with baby–a twofer;)
5. Accessorize! Draw attention to a good area (is it your new set of nursing ta-tas? Your face that somehow didn’t get fat while eating Ho Ho’s? Your cute little feet?) Your babe is still too little to grab your earings. And a necklace can be a nice thing for them to play with while nursing.
6. A sensible shoe with a heel (like Dansko’s) will add a little height and elongate your profile.
7. A belly band from your “just” pregnant days will help now, if you can wear your pre-preggo pants at least to the hip. Don’t worry if you can’t–almost everyone I know tries on their “old jeans” within days of delivery just to see. I did and shouldn’t have…
8. Baby doll styles may appeal to you, but you don’t want to over do it. I was rather shocked one day to see that my boobs looked huge and yet didn’t cause enough of a drape to hide my paunch, which rolled right through all that fabric. Better to go with the most form-fitting thing you can get away with.
9. Make doable goals–don’t even attempt to try on your jeans until after your 6 week checkup (you’ll be too tempted to diet if you do). I was really elated when I squeezed into my fat jeans at 2 months postpartum without dieting. There was no muffin top that a cute trapeez blouse couldn’t cover!
10. Never forget the healing power of pjs or sweats and ice cream after you ignore all this advice and try on your jeans and in a fit of denial buy a new pair of jeans that aren’t your actual current size, but the size you hope to be, er, tomorrow. You’ve just had a baby, for goodness sakes!
