Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Damn you dressipi - fitted/tailored day dresses to nurse in

10 replies

Xiaoxiong · 05/03/2012 17:33

Bit of backstory to this: 6 weeks ago my appendix burst - this was 4 weeks after a c-section - so I now have two exciting scars on my stomach. I am breastfeeding so every day I have been wearing jeans and skirts, and a top that I can breastfeed in - usually just a normal top with a strappy top underneath I can pull down. It's becoming clear that the reason the appendix scar isn't healing is because the waistbands of jeans and skirts are rubbing.

GP has said it's dresses only for at least the next four weeks. (No tunics as leggings will hit the appendix scar too).

My style/shape (according to dressipi) needs fitted/tailored shift dresses and shirt dresses, and empire lines aka sack-like shapes are to be avoided. I need definition around the waist, in which specialised nursing dresses all seem to be singularly lacking...I also hate all the sludgy colours and black makes me look like a corpse! Wrap dresses are too clingy and gape so badly at the bust IME.

None of the dressipi recommended dresses look even remotely suitable for breastfeeding - they all have round necks or not stretchy enough around the neckline. I've found two day dresses which I thought would be ideal but of course both of them are sold out in a 12R.

Weekender dress
Riviera shirt dress

Help!!

OP posts:
Sonotkylie · 05/03/2012 18:04

My feeling is you should be looking at nighties and staying on the sofa as much as possible. What a couple of months!
Have you looked at White Company if you want to splash the cash a bit. Otherwise, why not seach for shirt dresses at m and s, debenhams, la redoute and not worry too much about quality. Its only going to be for 4 weeks and its jolly cold so you may have to stay in because you can't wear tights with the dress and may turn into an ice cream bank

Sonotkylie · 05/03/2012 18:07

What about Hush or Isabella Oliver maternity stuff with soft roll tops? I wore those after c section and they didn't rub at all

Xiaoxiong · 05/03/2012 18:41

Grin at ice cream bank - yes it was 6c here today so not sure what I'm going to do re: tights under the dress. Maybe some of my old maternity tights pulled right up to my boobs...

Generally I don't mind White Company but the dresses they've got at the moment is all pretty sack like or empire waisted again! Maybe that's what's in this season?

Would love this if it wasn't denim

Doubt this will contain the breastfeeding norkage (34G at the moment)

This looks too thin and any baby sick will be v obvious

Maybe? Shuddering at Laura Ashley but am desperate...

OP posts:
UntamedShrew · 05/03/2012 19:01

Oh my goodness you are a hero to be breastfeeding AND caring what you look like after all that!

Re. dresses I'm in a similar boat after my 2nd c-section 13 weeks ago. My scar from the first one didn't heal at all well, to the extent that with the 2nd they seized the chance to cut out the old scar and start again. The reason it didn't heal well is I rushed into wearing low slung jeans, and the button was bang in middle of my scar. I was too busy with the twins and also needed to wear tops I could feed in, so only twigged what I'd done too late.

Anyway rambling on.

Are you near an Oliver Bonas or a Joy? I found some nice dresses in there that have cross over fronts, loose enough that I can just squeeze DD's head in under the fabric, and I wear a top underneath. They are quite nipped in at the waist.

I got a lovely button front dress from House of Holland's Debenhams line too plus some surprisingly nice shirt dresses from new look.

I'll send you links when I'm on a pc again.

Maybe you could get opaque hold ups instead of leggings? I had to wear stockings for a while (not the sex kitten kind, black opaque compression ones as I had phlebitis from pregnancy) and found a comfy suspender belt from M& S that didn't rub my scar. I warn you though the reviews on the site are hilarious as all clearly written by trannies Grin

UntamedShrew · 05/03/2012 19:06

Of your links I think you'd find the Wallis one the most useful. If its thin you can layer it with vests or long sleeved tops under (the thermal uniqlo ones are low enough necks that you can just pull them down) and chunky cardigans over...

ooer · 05/03/2012 19:19

Don't know if it's your cup of tea but I got the Land's End catalogue today and iI liked the shirt dresses - for breastfeeding I would prob wear a vest top with it.

here

hth

Xiaoxiong · 05/03/2012 22:28

Untamed I'm sorry you're in a similar situation but it means your suggestions are brilliant - I never even thought about hold ups, that would definitely solve my problems as I could get one that sits below my scar.

I also didn't think about layering summery dresses with long sleeved tops - that significantly widens the number of dresses I could get.

OP posts:
Xiaoxiong · 05/03/2012 22:29

ooer fab suggestion - I see quite a few things I could wear, especially with the layering of long sleeved tops underneath!!

Thank you!

OP posts:
Sonotkylie · 06/03/2012 09:11

Just looked at Hobbs outlet (on my own behalf ...) Lots of shirt dresses in size 12

latrucha · 06/03/2012 09:22

I did wonder if this was breastfeedable in.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page