Best clothing for bf and post-section

[TheFirstNoelChinchilla]

Apologies for posting twice- was directed here after posting in Childbirth as am hoping to get answers to both questions (and very tired!) as below...

Started thinking last night (as you do when RLS keeps you fidgeting round the bed)- baby arrives Monday, by section, and I'm planning to bf. It's bloody freezing, although I'm not planning to go out a great deal.

So, what are your top tips for post-birth clothing? Where does good tops for bf, and what would you wear on your bottom half if you've had a section?
Realised I had lots of jumpers and t-shirts which I think will be useless, and maternity jeans which will rub on the scar.

Any advice gratefully received so that I can do a last-minute shopping session!

Have been advised vest tops and cardies for bf, so any further recommendations and/or good shops to purchase from welcomed- thanks!

Big Knickers. Proper belly and bum warmers as my scar itched with anything touching it up to about 4 or five months. If a particularly lacy pair they still do now.

Bra's - Hotmilk via Figleaves.com

Vest tops under everything. I never once bought a maternity top for feeding. And Ive found I never needed one

I found maternity tights still comfy if wishing to wear anything like skirts as they go up very high. Hated jeans for about 12 wks then found jeggings better for a while. River Island did some good ones - Im a 16. Tracksuits and leggings. I looked like Claudia Winkleman for weeks, only ever wore leggings or opaque tights with a shift style or long top. Got me through last winter!

Good luck

Tshirts are fine but Id recommend the elastic body fitting ones, H&M do a basics range at 7.99 each....Long sleeves stop you freezing on the sofa and you can just hook it up enough to get a boob out, vest top under neath stops a cold tum!

Oh and don't forget to find out where your local Bfing Support Groups are before you go in to hospital TheFirst. They are great for going along to with LO, having a cuppa and a chat and getting the hang of feeding in public. Some groups are listed [http://abm.me.uk/breastfeeding-support-groups here]] or see if your local Children's Centre run any or just as your MW.

Good luck for Monday .

Sorry, I'll try that link again shall I? .

here

I've had 3 sections and never had much issue with what to wear afterwards - as long as your knickers are high enough on the waist so the elastic doesn't settle into the scar. All my soft waisted maternity trousers and skirts were totally fine too in the first week or so (the expanding elasticated sections were quite comfortable over the scar site), even the under bump type were totally fine as they had a fairly wide eslastic section which sat over the scar but didn't dig into it.

Re breastfeeding I always found that the best thing was to wear a vest top with a decent deep V neck (e.g standard cotton type from M&S) underneath with a loose top / jumper over and I would lift up the top and pull the v neck of the vest down (so no flabby tummy on show) . Problem with vest and cardy when out and about is that when you pull the V neck bit of the vest down the whole of the breast is exposed as cardy doesn't cover you so well but if you have vest plus a loose top over then when you lift the top up it will cover you above the breast and the vest will cover your tummy so nothing exposed or cold.

I find a vest top (m&s here too) and loose top over works well. Post Cs you just need to avoid things that dig into or rub on the scar until it's healed.

Oooh, marvellous, thank-you. I'm going to make a list of all the above and settle down to a bit of shopping. As it'll be PJs for the first week I should have some time.

JJJ- you'll be pleased to know that (as a girlie swot) I've already attended my local BF support group as an 'ante-natal', on the recommendations of a friend who's a BF counsellor and my HV. Sadly they won't be around the two weeks over Xmas, but will be back there in the NY. Thanks for recommendations and kind words.

hi agree with others about the clothing but also just to say i found the easiest position to bf in post c section was the rugby hold as it didn't put any pressure on the scar. Also get them to show you how to feed lying down as that was a life saver for me in the early days of not being able to sit up easily (although my section was after a long labour!)

Definitely agree with vest top/loose top combo - but would also add if you're going shopping, try and get really stretchy vests with wide straps to cover your sturdy nursing bra straps.

Post CS, I found well-fitting stretchy jeans were good - tight and obvious no-no, but you also need something to keep your newly flapping belly in place (mmmm).

I never thought I'd wear one, but now have TWO ponchos, which are great for winter BFing - warm and discreet at the same time, as if you're either cold or self conscious (or both) you can just tuck baby underneath!

I also don't leave the house without a vest under whatever I'm wearing. H&M have some good stretchy ones with wider straps, as recommended by MrsW above.

Hi, I had a c section and I found that the high leg knickers from sainsburys were great - really comfy and high waisted but not quite so grannyish. I wore sweatpants for the first couple of weeks and then went to new look and bought 2 pairs of their bootcut jeans. The waist is well above scar level and they're nice and stretchy, plus they only cost a tenner! I felt much more 'myself' and less of an invalid once I was wearing normal clothes again.
For BF I spent the first 10 weeks wearing vests under my tops and tucking a muslin into my bra strap to drape over my boob once DS was latched on. But then he got quite grabby and distracted and my boobs were constantly on show (am 32J so boobs far bigger than baby's head!!!). So I got one of those BF apron things. I know a lot of people don't like them but I have found it great. I no longer give any thought to what top to wear as I can just hoick it up or down and get my whole boob out. And my very distractable 4 month old feeds much more efficiently when he doesn't have loads of stuff to look at. So I would definitely recommend one of those as an alternative to getting any BF specific clothes. Good luck with your CS and enjoy being a mummy!!!

You may find your scar doesn't bother you too much. Mine didn't. Good luck and congratulations on your impending arrival!

I've got one of these breastvest and it's brilliant for keeping you warm and hiding your tummy. You can then wear pretty much any top you can lift up.