Postpartum style: Chic and comfy

Singer Rihanna’s pregnancy fashion made headlines for its boldness, but don’t think she’s done setting fashion goals just because she’s postpartum. In her second public appearance after giving birth to a son, Rihanna was seen wearing a soccer jersey teamed with a tracksuit, a pearl necklace, vintage silk scarf and a pair of pantaboots. Acing athleisure style, RiRi proved that postpartum fashion need not be boring!

Some other celebs who recently became new mums and slayed post-pregnancy fashion are media personality Kylie Jenner, model-actor Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, model Ashley Graham, among others. Closer home, actors Neha Dhupia, as well as stylist and businesswoman Pernia Qureshi Gilani rocked postpartum style and how!

What is postpartum style?

Clothing that looks stylish yet offers comfort to your recovering body after giving birth comes under postpartum fashion. “These clothes are cute as well as comfortable! A new mother can wear co-ords, long or short, do layering, add safe accessories, and wear comfy fancy flats,” suggests stylist Ruby Bhatia.

Fashion designer Rina Dhaka also acknowledges the desire of postpartum mums to dress up, and recommends soft fabrics such as voiles and cambric, as well as cashmere for winter. “In prints, you can go for sweet motifs and pin dots with pastel shades.”

Fashion with utility

In a lot of cases though, a new mother’s body takes a few months to bounce back to its pre-pregnancy shape, especially if she had C-section delivery. This makes it important to choose clothes that aren’t just comfortable, but also utilitarian. “I had a C-section delivery last year. One takes more time to recover from the surgery; hence, the clothes need to be comfortable around the waist area. Also, many a times the operation leaves stubborn belly [fat] that new mums have to battle with; in such cases, high waist or empire waist line come to the rescue,” shares author Kanika Dhillon.

Recognising their unique needs, a slew of new mum-focused brands, such as The Mom Store, MomzJoy, Mine4nine, Wobblywalk and Mometernity, offer utilitarian features without skimping on style. “We obsess over the little things as much as the big ones — flutter sleeves for flattering arms, elastic at the back of outfits to allow for size changes, nursing access, side pockets to keep your hands free — to make dressing up fun,” says Anisha Noel, founder of a sustainable fashion brand for maternity and beyond.

What’s best for baby

As a new mother, you are not just responsible for your comfort but also for the baby’s. So, it is important to choose clothes, jewellery and accessories that won’t inconvenience or hurt your newborn. For instance, Dhillon shares that she tried to ensure her postpartum wardrobe was only pure cottons. “Babies tend to put everything in their mouth, so choice of fabric and safe design elements should come into consideration while choosing your postpartum outfits. Moreover, babies love to throw things at you, literally and metaphorically, so easily washable fabrics are a must for new mothers,” she shares from experience.

Dhaka suggests, “Nursing mums can opt for patch pockets with a soft flap and hypoallergenic, soft baby buttons. Avoid fabrics that have sequins, studs and fur-like fibre that can irritate your baby.”