What To Wear After Giving Birth: Best Postpartum Compression Garments (2024)

Postpartum, your body will be sensitive and sore, so anything you wear will need to be flexible and work with your body to provide support without being uncomfortable. You will likely find it useful to have a combination of soft and loose outer layers, snug undergarments and supportive compression garments and shapewear.

Postpartum Clothes

When choosing the right postpartum clothes, remember that over the next 8 weeks or so, your body will be recovering and adjusting to the significant changes after giving birth. These changes will be incremental so don't expect to be able to get back into your pre-maternity clothes for some time.

What To Wear In The First Few Weeks Post Birth

If you are breastfeeding, look for tops that are easy to open. You can find maternity clothes with built-in sections to make this simple, or look for clothes with zips or poppers down the front, or which are loose enough to lift up. Oversized tops can also work, allowing you to lift up your top and access yourmaternity bra.

Leggings with good elastic waists will be ideal during this time, helping you to feel supported as you move about. Choose leggings in breathable fabrics, such as cotton, to ensure maximum comfort.

What To Wear In The Next Few Months Post Birth

Once your body has started to recover from birth, you can start to include more of your pre-maternity wardrobe. Depending on how you gave birth, you may need to choose clothes that allow you to wear compression garments or shapewear underneath – macom'scompression garmentsare all suitable to wear under most clothes.

Once you feel able to wear more snug tops, combining spaghetti straps and vests can make it easy to breastfeed, if you are doing so. If you are not breastfeeding, you will likely be able to return to your pre-maternity wardrobe at this point.

Elastic or loose waist trousers are still going to be the most comfortable option, alongside leggings, in the first 6 months post-birth. Remember that recovery isn't over after that initial 6 or 8 week period, particularly if you have had a difficult birth or a C-section, which is major surgery.

What To Wear With Postpartum Clothes To Aid Recovery

To make your recovery as fast as possible and to give your body the kind of support that ensures everything stays where it is, we would recommend looking at stomach and abdomen supporting compression garments andpostpartum shapewear.

Best Postpartum Compression Garments & Shapewear

Postpartum shapewear and compression garments can be worn under your regular clothes, with maternity wear, and some can be worn at night too.

Our range of postpartum compression garments are medical-grade and have been created to ensure great support, without feeling tight or applying too much pressure.

What support garments are recommended postpartum will depend slightly on how you gave birth, be it a natural birth or a C-section, as you will have different needs when it comes to recovery support.

Postpartum Support Garments For After A Natural Birth

If you have had a natural birth (vagin*l birth), we would recommend using theWAISTSCULPTOR corset. Compression is helpful to your body while it repairs, though you should listen to your body and only wear it for as long as you feel comfortable. We recommend starting with 1-3 hours at most immediately after birth, increasing the time after the first 1.5-2 weeks.

From 6 weeks after birth, you can start wearing themacom® shaping girdle. Body shaping and slimming, it provides supporting compression across the torso and stomach. It has detachable straps, making it easy to wear with a variety of tops, and a fastening gusset.

Postpartum Support Garments For After A C-Section

From 3 days after a caesarean birth, we would recommend using ourabdominal and upper back compression garment.It can be worn with a memory foam insert, which sits underneath and against the skin over your abdomen. This helps with lymphatic drainage, the transport of fluid out of your body, and improves blood microcirculation.

Another garment we'd recommend is our3-panel binder. This can be worn alone, or with our abdominal and upper back compression garment. This binder is flexible, using elasticised thread, and adjustable, with velcro fastening, allowing you to adjust the fit to suit your comfort.

Later in your postpartum recovery, if you still feel you would like extra support, try ourhigh-waisted compression knickers. They have a stylish lace finish so look great, but have the additional frontal reinforcement to allow you to feel confident post-birth.

More Recommended Products

If you are interested in more postpartum products, check out our C-section compression garments andpostpartum shapewearsections.

What To Wear After Giving Birth: Best Postpartum Compression Garments (2024)

FAQs

How long do you wear compression garments after giving birth? ›

Postpartum compression garments that provide pelvic floor support (again, not shapewear garments, waist trainers, abdominal binders, or postpartum corsets) can be worn at two weeks after your baby is born until up to four months postpartum, whether you're a first time mom or have gone through childbirth multiple times.

Is compression wear good for postpartum? ›

Medical-grade postpartum compression garments (or postpartum recovery/support garments) provide extra support and tighten the areas most affected by pregnancy. They are especially important if you experience diastasis recti.

How tight should postpartum compression be? ›

If you feel like you can't walk, squat, or move like you usually can then your garment may be too tight. A well-fitting garment should fit just tight enough to make you feel held but not restricted. When used properly, compression will enable you to move around more, with less discomfort--not the other way around.

When is it too late to wear a postpartum belly wrap? ›

Postpartum belly wraps are your sidekick, especially during those first few weeks. It's recommended that belly bands are worn between two to 12 weeks postpartum for the best possible results. Check in with your body and take its cues to guide how long you wear your belly band in those first few months.

How many hours a day should I wear my postpartum girdle? ›

Should not wear belly belt for many hours continuously, especially not at night when sleeping. Gradually increase the time of the belly band so that the body can adapt. For example: 1 hour/day after giving birth 20 days; 2 hours/day after 3 months, 4-6 hours/day after 6 months.

What should I wear with my postpartum belly? ›

Go for darker colors

Darker colors absorb light and make bodies appear slimmer than they actually are. Colors like navy blue, black, deep browns, and charcoal should be your go-to when dressing the postpartum body. Apart from making you look slimmer, they make your silhouette appear more curvy and sensuous.

How many outfits to bring to hospital for mom? ›

Too many clothes.

You'll likely be in your nightgown for most of your stay, so you won't need a lot of clothes. Pack a going-home outfit that is comfortable and easy to put on, like leggings and a loose shirt.

What should I wear to the hospital after giving birth? ›

Clothing:
  • A robe, pajamas, and slippers with grip soles. "In most cases, it's okay to wear your regular clothes postpartum. ...
  • A comfortable outfit or two. Some moms prefer changing out of their PJs during their stay in the hospital, especially if they're expecting visitors. ...
  • Postpartum underwear. ...
  • Nursing bras.
Jun 7, 2023

Does shapewear reduce postpartum belly? ›

So while postpartum shapewear will not make you lose weight, it will help you feel better. And when you feel better you are more willing to exercise and do the work to lose weight.

How long does it take for postpartum belly to shrink? ›

You'll likely lose much of that weight over two months after giving birth as your uterus shrinks and your body flushes out the remaining fluids. Nonetheless, your body could take anywhere from six to nine months postpartum—and in some cases, as long as two years—to return to pre-pregnancy weight.

Will I ever be tight again after giving birth? ›

Every vagin* is different, but if you're a younger mother who's had an uncomplicated vagin*l delivery, you can expect to regain full pelvic floor tightness in around six months.

Can I sleep on my stomach after giving birth? ›

However, stomach sleeping can be less than ideal for several reasons. For example, if you had a C-section, you'll want to avoid stomach sleeping since it can put pressure on the incision. Additionally, if you are breastfeeding or pumping, you'll probably find stomach sleeping uncomfortable once your milk comes in.

Can I stop wearing compression garment after 2 weeks? ›

How long should I wear a compression garment? Dr. Howland recommends that patients wear them for 6 weeks: 2 weeks “around the clock” and then 4 weeks for half the day.

Can I stop wearing compression garment after 3 weeks? ›

Patients are generally instructed to wear compression garments for a maximum of 6 weeks. In the first 2-3 weeks of healing, it is recommended for most patients to wear compression garments 24 hours a day.

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