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Help dressing my post c-section body?

4 replies

Postpartumbod · 30/01/2023 16:29

I just had a lookiero box delivered (out of desperation!) and it has honestly made me cry. I’m 12 weeks post c-section, still struggling with bloating and pain and generally look and feel like a lumpy sack of potatoes. I have no clue how to dress and am existing in tights that don’t seem to fit properly, fat face dresses and cardigans. I’d love to be back in jeans, or just anything I feel confident in. I’d be around a size 10 usually, but thanks to the bloat and increase in boobs/bum area I have no idea ever size I really am or that’ll fit or really where to shop.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I used to wear a lot of shirts, jeans, casual blazers, nice dresses etc. but nothing seems to work anymore. Zero chance of me squashing into my pre pregnancy clothing. I just want a couple of outfits but have no idea where to begin.

OP posts:
Montague22 · 30/01/2023 17:17

Oh it’s hard. I didn’t have a C-section but have had 3. I think what surprised me was that even though I was ‘all bump’ my arms and thighs and everywhere was bigger.

I would imagine you’ll be a 14. Somewhere like H and M that’s not too expensive would be good. Buy lots of long line vests to smooth under tops. Cheap cotton shows all your bumpy bits so an extra layer helps.
Can you get out to try some things on? Sainsburys actually has some nice jumpers in just now.

Montague22 · 30/01/2023 17:31

jeans
These are nice and not expensive, look at the photos at the bottom

Also:

blazer

trousers

TakeMe2Insanity · 30/01/2023 18:39

I think part of this is accepting the size you are now. So I’d go somewhere cheap eg h and m and buy the things you like but pick up eg 2/3 sizes bigger than pre pregnancy size. Work out items that will make you feel put together in the here and now. I’d avoid investment pieces.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 30/01/2023 20:01

It takes a while for the swelling to go down, but true sympathy for the pain - it is very real, despite the zillions of people online who say they had nothing at all afterwards.

The more movement you are able to do without being stopped in your tracks by pain, the sooner you'll get back to feeling more like yourself, so what I think is most important right now is to make sure you are as comfortable as possible, rather than trying to wear things that would cause more pain and not look the way you want them to.

What helps is to have support over your tummy, as anything too short pulls on your wound and allows too much movement. Snag tights, for all their critics, genuinely go high enough to not irritate anything (other than your sense of aesthetics) but don't actually support, so giant underwear really is your friend right now - there's a brand called Wirarpa on Amazon that makes very supportive items - the cycle shorts and 'PE' knicker styles have that holding in without cutting or squishing you.

High waisted sports leggings are great for wearing at home for the support they give as well. I think I got Queenie Ke and Joyspells versions and the ones they term 'buttery soft' are also great for wearing underneath other clothes without being really obvious. They also do really good (and inexpensive) sports tops that could be far more comfortable than trying to manage standard bras if you don't need instant access all the time.

Highwaisted and high lycra content jeans could be something you could look into as the pain decreases and whilst a crisp white shirt would ordinarily be nice, I'd be expecting some leakage, so perhaps a softer material shirt over a dark high lycra t-shirt would give you something to work with?

It's early days still - you don't have to spend tons on things that won't necessarily be needed for long, but you do need to give yourself the chance to heal, which can mean not being as 'glam' for a bit. A larger size dress with supportive underwear is going to make you feel better than things that don't fit at all and you're still being caught by pain that can take your breath away, after all.

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