Kim Conte is the editor at WhattoExpect.com – the online home of global pregnancy franchise – What to Expect When You’re Expecting, where you’ll find expert advice and mum to mum tips on everything from preconception to potty training and beyond! Kim lives in New York with her husband and new baby daughter Ida.
I absolutely love being a mum. But my life isn’t baby coos and cuddles all day long – for every wonderful moment you have as a parent, there’s a stressful one right around the corner! It’s all part of the journey, I try to remind myself.
One thing I decided early on that I wasn’t going to stress about was how I looked postpartum. I have enough new mum friends to know that for most women the pounds don’t immediately come off in those first few months (and even in the second few months), and there are other changes that happen to your body that take a while to bounce back from, too.
The way I saw it I had two options: I could put a lot of worry and energy into trying to get my body back to how it was before pregnancy. Or, I could embrace my new body – using it as a fun opportunity to experiment with my style — and spend that energy somewhere else. Here are the 5 ways I’ve tweaked my style since having my little girl:
1) Easy access
First things first, I’m breastfeeding, so most things I wear now must offer easy access to the food supply. I have a few nursing tops and dresses that I’m in most frequently (including this sparkly striped Seraphine nursing tunic). But I’ve also gotten creative with easy-to-slip-off-the-shoulder tanks under a floral shawl or fitted jacket and cute slouchy tees with wide yokes that I can just pull down when she’s hungry.
2) No underwire
And while we’re on the topic of breastfeeding, I should mention that I’ve had to rid my lingerie drawer of underwire bras — because they’re way too uncomfortable – and find other ways to support the girls. It used to be that finding a pretty (or dare I say it, sexy) nursing bra was an impossible task; but these days there are more options. I love my black Seraphine nursing bra with the lace trim and I’ve found some other nice ones in Nordstrom’s lingerie department, too.
3) Less is more
Before pregnancy my closet was bursting at the seams with old-time favourites, trends and one-hit wonders to match my every mood. These days I don’t have a lot of time to get ready in the morning, so it’s a lot more edited: I have a lot fewer items now, but every piece is carefully chosen and fits me well.
4) Fun makeup!
What do I do to pass all the time I spend pumping breast milk when I’m away from my baby? Well, I have a new guilty pleasure: watching makeup tutorials on YouTube! Then, on those days when I’m not feeling my best, I’ll experiment with a new lipstick or shimmery eye shadow to draw attention away from my problem areas (at least that’s what I tell myself to feel better!).
5) Embrace the curves
My go-to look pre-pregnancy was skinny jeans and tailored tops. Now, instead of trying to squeeze myself into fitted clothes, I’ve welcomed the opportunity to try more relaxed styles. I’ve been wearing distressed boyfriend jeans with airy tunics on the weekends and a black romper for date nights. It’s been fun to break out of my usual clothing routine – plus, it allows me to set a good example for my daughter by showing her how to flaunt what you have (instead of being stressed about what you don’t).
Photos by Kendra Callari – Kim (wearing the black Seraphine nursing wrap dress) and her daughter, Ida.
For more from Kim, follow her on Twitter @Kimconte
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Things i wish i’d known about nursing – By Rosie Nixon, editor of Hello! Mag