Picture this: you’ve just brought home your brand new bundle of joy, you sit down (gently) for a hard-earned cup of tea, and then you see it – the pile of invites. The postman has been and with him came invitations to every occasion under the sun. It looks like you’ll be adjusting to motherhood at everything from an engagement party down the road, to a 60th birthday in Timbuktu. You’re excited to show off your new addition to the family, but the logistics of a special occasion with a baby factored in can be daunting. Importantly, you still want to look like the best version of you, even when you’re feeding your baby, and this should be the last thing you need to worry about.
Whilst leggings and a t-shirt leftover from a hen party are undoubtedly the comfiest things you can wear whilst you breastfeed your baby at home, they might not cut it at your grandparents diamond wedding anniversary. The same goes for old hoodies, dressing gowns (which is a shame), and your partner’s button-down shirt, which in reality does not make you look like you’re the lead in a romantic comedy.
Nursing dresses for every occasion
Nursing dresses can (and should) look beautiful. After all, you’ve just grown a tiny human for the last nine months, now is your time to shine.
Breastfeeding friendly dresses have two very important details, firstly they look good, but just as important is their practicality. No one wants to strip down to their knickers in a public toilet (or worse, a portaloo) because the dress they’re wearing has no access for feeding.
(L-R) Jagger Maxi Print Mix, Black Stretch Wrap Non Crease Jumpsuit, Leopard Print Shirt Dress
Certain styles of dress invariably beat others in the breastfeeding stakes, the design being an important aspect of nursing dresses. Whilst dresses that have been designed specifically for breastfeeding exist, it’s all about finding the right one for you. Breastfeeding outfits and maternity clothes do not need to sacrifice appearance for function. In fact, many on-trend dresses are unintentionally breastfeeding friendly!
Wrap dresses are a must-have in your breastfeeding wardrobe. Simply slide one half of the top to the side and voila, you can pop your baby straight on the breast. The way in which wrap dresses are designed also means you can cinch them in right at your waist, a very flattering feature on all different body shapes, especially if you’re feeling self-conscious of your new post-baby body. Another huge benefit of wrap dresses is that they can take you from the early stages of pregnancy, right through to birth and breastfeeding. Why suffer through ugly maternity clothes when you can have a dress that expands with you as your bump grows!
Jumpsuits perfect for breastfeeding
Jumpsuits might not seem like the obvious choice for when you’re breastfeeding. They have a reputation for being notoriously irritating to get on and off. However, should a jumpsuit have a relatively open top, it can be perfect to breastfeed in. For example, a wrap jumpsuit is the ultimate breastfeeding outfit. The cross over front makes them completely breastfeeding friendly. You’ll also look amazing whilst you nurse – what more could you want?
Shirt dresses are a maternity wear staple
Shirt dresses that have front button fastenings also make great staple pieces to have in your breastfeeding wardrobe. The more buttons the better, because the more there are, the easier the breast access. You can unbutton a dress as far as you want and as much as you feel comfortable with, which is great if you feel that wrap dresses can be too low cut for your personal taste. Another benefit of shirt style dresses is that more often than not they’re very, very comfortable. They are loose hanging by design, skimming over lumps and bumps. Even if a dress comes with a belt it can be loosened – you might have lost the pregnancy bump, but we all get a food baby from time to time.
A selection of specially chosen breastfeeding friendly outfits can be seen on SilkFred.com.
(Below) Just a few happy customers who have added SilkFred to their pregnancy wardrobe. Tag @SilkFred for your chance to be featured on our feed.
