I was in no rush to wear tight clothes after a c-section. And I will tell you why.
Because, for one, I was exhausted and really didn’t care if I was even wearing clothes. Thankfully, I was.
For another, I was uncomfortable and in pain.
So, thinking about tight clothes and when I’d wear them again was a low priority on my list.
Perhaps you’re not hankering to dive right back into nightclub attire. But you may be more interested in discovering when you can give it a whirl for getting back into those non-maternity, pre-baby clothes again.
I say this with love to all of you…take your time. It will happen as long as you are taking care of your health. The weight will come off, and you will return to those favorite things soon enough.
Now, let’s roll right on to the particulars about when you can wear those normal clothes after your c-section.
When can I wear regular clothes after a C-section?
Since a c-section is major abdominal surgery, you will need to plan on recovering for the next 6 to 8 weeks. This is the time to take it easy as best you can with a newborn crying all the time.
I know you miss your regular clothes, but patience, my dears!
And some of those things you really don’t want to wear anyway, like your underwear, for example. You’ll want to stick to old granny panties or disposable ones until that lochia goes away.
Because you’ll be tired and uncomfortable, you’ll want to choose soft fabrics and things that don’t make you feel squished.
What should I wear immediately after the c-section?
After each of my c-sections, I loved the high-waisted undies. I know. I KNOW. That’s so old lady-like. But seriously, they stayed well above the incision and held my pads in place. Had I had the option for disposable underwear in China, I probably would’ve taken it.
But again, that highlights my point that you need to keep things from rubbing into your c-section incision. Not just your underwear but your pants, shorts, and skirts too. Choose elastic things that have drawstrings or are dresses. They should also be breathable.
Regular jeans will make you scream after your c-section, at least until it heals. I’d wait about 8 weeks, and after that postpartum checkup with your doctor, you can see if you can get into them.
If you miss jeans, pull out your maternity jeans. I love mine so dearly. I wore them all the time until I finally got back into my regular jeans.
And, I’ll tell you a secret.
When I was bloated from my period long after my c-section, I’d often wear those maternity jeans to feel comfortable.
How soon after a c-section can I wear a girdle?
This will depend on your doctor’s advice, but generally, waiting 2 to 4 weeks is a good idea. Your doctor will advise you on what they think is best. I’d stick to what they say.
A postpartum belly band may irritate you too much to put on immediately following the procedure. If your doctor gives you the green light, make sure you are careful as you put on and remove the girdle so as not to irritate the incision.
All told, it will be some time before you wear your normal clothes after a c-section. But hey, newborns randomly spit up, and sometimes those diapers leak. Maybe it’s best to reserve your typical attire for a little later when the baby will be slightly less prone to these messes, and you won’t have to scrub runny poo out of your favorite skinny jeans!
Leslie Berry lives with her husband and two young daughters in Los Altos, California, where she loves helping other moms get comfortable with motherhood and embracing the insanity with facts peppered with laughs.
