Capsule summer wardrobe - breastfeeding and mummy tummy

[kefybaby]

Help please! I am visiting family in hot climates for a few weeks and I am panicking about packing my suitcase. I need a few new clothes that I can feel confident, cool and comfortable in. My existing clothes are not suitable as (a) I still have at least a stone of baby weight to lose and (b) I am breastfeeding (not to mention the fact that it has been ages since I last bought proper summery clothes as summer has not really made much of an appearance in the last few years!). I am tall and now a size 14-16. I feel very self conscious (especially in relation to my tummy and hips). I would normally wear dresses quite a lot but I have not found many that I can bf in (I prefer discreet empire openings for bf as the locals are not used to seeing mothers bf in public). Any suggestions for a capsule wardrobe? I am after practical and flattering solutions.

I lived in vests with bump bands under (so you can't see the belly when the vest goes up) and a light scarf to make me feel a bit more done?

I couldn't get on with dresses and BF at all

Hi, Nagoo. I currently live in double vests or vest- tshirt combinations too. I wear them with jeans, which will be too hot for my destination. I feel that a fitted vest and shorts or a skirt that is too clingy on my belly and hips would make me feel big and wobbly. I like the idea of the light scarf.

I'd go for a cotton skirt? A line, knee length, not clingy. Or long swooshy one? As long as its natural fabric you won't be too hot?

Yes, A line sounds good! I need to hunt a couple of nice ones down.

I've just bought 2 dresses in the beachwear bit in marks, as pregnant just now but look good for breast feeding after. If you had a vest top underneath very discrete.

dress

I have blue and pink and wear it with leggings, looks better in real life and drys really quickly, my wardrobe is more limited by the day.

Long cotton loose skirts with your current tops?

I bought a nice maxi dress in GAp this week which has a big cowl neck that I intend on wearing a vest top underneath.

Other than that - lots of double layer vest tops with m and s chinos.

Thanks a lot for the suggestions! You are very helpful. I will pop into marks today. I have tried on the gap dress as I liked the look of it. The medium one was a bit too clingy. Perhaps I should bite the bullet and get the large one. Any recommendations for A line skirts with an elasticated waist that can be worn with a simple monochrome tshirt or vest?

Boden
John Lewis

This Boden skirt looks really summery indeed!

yellow, I have just come back from marks and have bought the dress that you recommended. It is not something that I would have picked up to try on normally but once it was on it was lovely. Thanks a lot!
I also bought a pair of chinos and a skirt as well as lots of (more) vests and t-shirts. I look forward to wearing my new clothes now rather than feeling self conscious and embarrassed about my larger body. Thanks for your help.

That's great, my mum actually bought it for me as I was having a moan about having no clothes due to bigger bump by the day, and she thought it would be good just now and for feeding when the baby is here.

Not something I would have looked at either but have worn both colours a lot.

Glad you liked it.

I am absolutely living in this JoJo dress:

www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/sp+navy-breton-stripe-breastfeeding-dress-in-breastfeeding-tops-and-dresses+b4716

Watching this thread with interest as I need some more choices!

Oh, this looks lovely, LizTerrine! It is similar to one of the two dresses that I have bought ([[
www.izzysmum.co.uk/p/0571-2536/wide-stripe-nursing-dress/#.UbJDXfa9LCQ this]]) but at half the price.

It's great and gets lots of com

Ahem.

Lots of com

Oh good god.

People like it.

Sorry, am seriously sleep deprived and typing on teeny phone screen.