After the misery of maternity wear, the search for post-pregnancy clothes...

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I'm actually still pregnant, but my birthday is coming up and I have always liked autumn clothes best of all.

But I need things that will cover a belly/disguise a lack of any waist, and allow access for breastfeeding. So far I have my eye on this and not much else. I usually like Warehouse and a bit of Gap, which should tell you about my budget.

And I have a pair of lovely brown Ugg Kensingtons that I can't wait to get back into, as well as some brown suede flat ankle boots, so to co-ordinate with brown please!

What have you all seen that might fit the bill?

Any long vest top with a jacket. Lots around. Skinnies with lots of stretch. We are lucky to live in an era of tunic tops and delicious boots. Have seen some fab feeding tops in H&M that have long cover-up-the-belly midriffs.. also some v nice long cardis around!!

Skinnies with tunics are definitely an easy option, but they need to button down I think, and have a vest underneath for discreet boob access.

Also need to wash well, as previous kids have been of the sicky variety!

Will have a look at the H&M range, didn't realise they did such things!

Thanks

This might work ok with itghts/leggings (ot sure what colour?) and a chunky cardigan.

Or this

Marking my place in the hope that someone comes along with all the answers!

I've got a couple of wrap-front tunic tops from Boden, otherwise am stuck with feeding tops from my last DC.

I have already had DC2 a few weeks ago and feeling fed up with my clothes.

Or [[http://www.monsoon.co.uk/laura-crochet-dress/invt/93309286/&bklist=icat,5,shop,women,dresses,knitteddress this] for when it gets a bit colder. But again, what colour tights to go from maroon dress to brown boots?

I'd like something like a floral tea dress, but the necklines don't tend to be buttoned. Will keep looking, and post what I find in case anyone else is in a similar position!

oops

Maternity clothes are bad enough, aren't they? And then you get all excited about the nice new clothes you can buy when the LO is born, but you actually can't, because you have no waist and everything needs to go either up or down, or open at the front, and it's actually just as restrictive as maternity wear!

Have been thinking about a personal shopper thing at somewhere like John Lewis.

Can I add 'must have sleeves' to the list as well - my arms are not as toned as they used to be, which wasn't very. I think half-decent legs are all I have left!

Agree completely! I also need sleeves, for the same reason.

The other factor is nothing that needs lots of ironing. Because there is no time for ironing after the baby arrives! I bought a couple of tunic feeding tops from Jojo and they need loads of ironing...hopeless! So I don't wear them much. And even with my newly-ample boobs I don't fill them out properly.

And then I'm now too ample-bosomed for other tops.

And some tops I thought would be good for feeding don't work at all.

I think the key is nothing too large or floaty. I bought a floaty top and it just makes me look humungous.

Most success I've had so far has been the leggings/feeding vest/shirt-tunic combo.

And as with maternity clothes, you don't want to spend loads on clothes you won't be wearing for more than 6-12 months, when you will hopefully have regained your old shape and no longer need feeding access all day.

I see a business plan in the making...

Yes... good idea to make some great feeding tops. Although I have seen a few nice ones. They are mainly a plain long sleever with holes cut out in the right places, and then a trendy t-shirt/vest top attached over the top. So you just pull up the top layer to feed through the weird holes.

Get a breastvest. It's a vest with the boob part missing so that it sits under your feeding bra and covers your tummy. You can then wear pretty much any top you like that you can hoik up easily. Unclip bra, latch baby on, cover any boobage with hem of top - ta-daaaaah! Easy. No need for special feeding tops, which are usually fugly and expensive. I lived in them this time last year.

I've got the plain grey longsleeve from this website, which is good.
Just would like something a bit less mumsy!

Gah, trawled around several high street shops today, as long as baby would permit, and....nothing.

Have now tried on a few more of the tops I'd earmarked in my wardrobe as feeding tops and found those with empire lines don't have a deep enough wrap top to allow feeding. So depressing!

On the plus side, I used a bump band to cover my tummy today under a non-feeding t-shirt and then lifted up my t-shirt and that seemed to work pretty well. Don't think anyone in Costa got a flash of my wobbly bits!

I used to wear one of these to feed dd and ds - suck you in really really well! or just a vest from m&s which I would just pull down once bra was unclipped so that tummy was covered, boobs covered and baby latched on happily. Saved on a new wardrobe although that never stopped me buying when the post baby body depression got too much of a hold!

I bought one of these secret support vests in black & white and basically wore them under every top that was able to be hoiked up. I am small of nork so didn't even need to bother with nursing bra - brilliant!

Like the look of the secret support vest, tummy control and feeding access, the perfect combo!
Luckily the weather will soon be colder and layering is not such a problem. Still looking for the pretty floaty tea dress with the buttoned bodice though...
Or any other non-mumsy buttoned things...