For a few of us, getting pregnant and having a baby means that for the first time ever in your life you may have a cleavage, so while for some of us (me!) there is some excitement in this, for others it can mean that your boobs start to become an entity unto themselves, and what were previously average are now huge.
So take this into consideration when dressing.
I remember with my firstborn going out for the first time on my own, I wanted to feel a bit more feminine so I decided to wear a dress.
When it was time to go find the parents room to feed the baby, I realized I was definitely going to have to use the private cubicle, as the dress needed to go over my head! I am now the proud mother of a toddler and a 3 month old baby and am a little more 'seasoned' but once again I am confronted with the following: Realities * Clothes need to be able to be pulled up or down to readily expose a nipple, so dresses or tops with a button down can be handy * Clothes will be "sicked" on, so everything needs to be easily washed (along with the already huge pile) and a pattern to hide the spill can be helpful too * I will spend most of the day on my knees changing nappy's, picking up toys, making bottles, doing the washing, hanging out the washing, folding the washing, feeding everybody (you know how it goes) so these clothes won't be my most expensive investment pieces * Clothes need to encompass the jelly belly and overall weight gain - so: Skirts It's winter and while my legs can't stand up the scrutiny of bareness in summer, they look great in boots and stockings.
Skirts are a great option, particularly in an A line to cover the jelly belly, and make sure the fabric is firm enough to hold everything together too and is machine washable.
Pants Buy a pair of cheaper jeans or pants that are a size or two too big from what you normally wear.
I purchased some funky dark purple stretchy cords from K Mart the other day for about $40 that will last me through the next few months and then no guilt about throwing them out when they get too baggy (well I live in hope that they will get baggy).
Tops Look for tops that have the ability to be "ruched" over your tummy area, but are still easy to pull up or down.
Cotton On have some excellent options of washable fun tops that probably won't last the distance as investment pieces, but will provide a bit of freshness to your wardrobe.
Accessories Now is not the time to accessorize heavily, leave the long necklaces in the drawer they will only get in the way.
Go instead for small funky earrings if you want to add some interest and even better are scarves as they are soft and can easily be chucked on or off as need be and teamed up with a good hat can draw attention away from the fact you have your boobs out! So you didn't think you would be wearing evening wear so soon after the birth? Think again, I regularly stay in my evening clothes until lunch time...
I find that pajamas are a very practical option for breastfeeding!