My postpartum body left me with no clothes to wear - I felt like a different person

"Jeans that could only be worn to 'standing' events, bright patterns that I bought because they were on trend...  before becoming a mum I had beloved pieces in my wardrobe that simply don't make the cut anymore." Can you relate?

Finding my style after having a baby was a journey... I'm still finding it! Photos: iStock

There's my wardrobe pre-baby, then my very limited wardrobe while pregnant (hello maternity jeans, stretchy dresses and oversized shirts) and then there's my wardrobe post-baby, and the three couldn't look any more different.

Before becoming a mum, I had beloved pieces in my wardrobe that simply don't make the cut anymore.

Jeans that could only be worn to 'standing' events (you know the kind), bright patterns and unflattering cuts that I bought because they were on trend but didn't exactly suit me.

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I was also tough on myself and nitpicked aspects of my body that I wasn't happy with.

I remember opening my cupboard door postpartum and feeling like the clothes belonged to someone else, with the journey into motherhood ultimately making me look at myself in a different light.

I felt like a different person, and although I deemed it a little trivial, I wanted my clothes to reflect who I was, not who I thought I ought to be.

Becoming a mum comes with a whirlwind of experiences that are unique and individual to each person. The fourth trimester brings with it sleep deprivation and physical and emotional stressors, and that's not even considering the tiny baby relying totally on you.

The fourth trimester is all about being kind to yourself. Photo: Supplied / Dominique Birouste

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I remember after the first fortnight of losing track of day and night and wearing pyjamas stained in milk and baby vomit, my mum would tell me I'd feel a lot better if I changed and put on fresh, clean clothes. And she wasn't wrong; the only problem was, I hated everything I owned.

I felt as though I was constantly staring at items that didn't pair well together or didn't fit like they did before, so I did what any sleep-deprived mother would do in the middle of the night: I shopped online!

Out with the old and in with the new

I decided to take a page out of the book of Instagrammer and an all-around cool girl, Sara Crampton, aka @harperandharley and opted for a neutral palette of blacks, tans, beiges and navy and invested in quality over quantity.

As much as I'd love to drop hundreds of dollars on one item of clothing, the minimum government maternity payments had other ideas. For me, levelling up meant taking a break from Kmart and heading into stores like Country Road and Seed.

Everything I buy now must pair with at least three other pieces in my wardrobe and be functional and machine washable (because who doesn't love having mashed broccoli flicked at their clothing every day?). 

Having items that I could pull together into an outfit without thinking too much meant I could spend more time cuddling my little one and less time pulling all my clothes out of drawers every time I wanted to leave the house.

I felt more empowered with my new clothes, and although I still may not have recognised the person before me in the mirror, I felt the effort I put into my clothes helped me figure out who this new person was.

I’m still trying to find myself

And it appears I'm not alone in feeling this way. After asking the question across social media, I was flooded with responses from mums in my network.

Chelsee, who is the mum of 2.5-year-old Sonny, told me, "My style has changed in a way that I’m still trying to find myself."

She also felt strongly about the notion of becoming a new person, "I’m trying to figure out this new person and trying to dress with a new figure."

18-month-old Jaxon's mum, Vanessa, tells me her wardrobe is more "practical and comfortable" with the addition of "on-trend" pieces. 

I embraced my body a whole lot more

Sarah, who became a mum 13 months ago, decided she'd stop worrying about her insecurities and embrace her newfound style, "As a plus size woman, pre-pregnancy I was always a little insecure with my shape/body in particular contexts. But after experiencing a plus size pregnancy, I feel like I embraced my body a whole lot more."

She also shared, "I feel more confident in picking “different” clothing. My style has become more “fun” and less about what might “suit” me."

Unfollow the unrealistic!

Following accounts like @nude_nutritionist also helped add some reality to my newsfeed and removed the pressure to be someone social media expected me to be.

I think it's normal to feel unsure of who you are, but how I dressed helped me discover a little more about myself, and it may do the same for you, too.

Originally published as My postpartum body left me with no clothes to wear - I felt like a different person