The First Few Days with Baby: How to Dress Easily?
No one had really told you what those first few days would be like.
Not the photos. Not the books. Not even the friends who already had kids. There are some things you only truly understand once you’ve experienced them—and figuring out what to wear when you come home from the hospital is one of them.
Your body has changed. It keeps changing, hour by hour. You’re breastfeeding—or trying to. You feel hot, then cold. You get up ten times a day to feed, change, and comfort your baby. You have visitors drop by unexpectedly. And in the midst of it all, you have to get dressed—often in a hurry, often with just one hand, often without a mirror.
This guide is here to make your life easier. It’s not meant to give you a perfect checklist, but to help you build a wardrobe for those first few days that truly works for you.
Why getting dressed is such a big deal after giving birth
You might think it's superficial. That clothes can wait. That what really matters is the baby.
And yet.
Getting up in the morning and putting on something that makes you feel comfortable—not just practical, but truly comfortable—makes a profound difference in how you go about your day. Feeling well-dressed when a midwife stops by, when family drops in unexpectedly, when you catch a glimpse of yourself in the living room window—those little moments matter.
A postpartum body deserves clothes designed specifically for it. Not clothes from before that you try to squeeze into. Not clothes that are too big and make you feel lost in them. Clothes that fit this body, right now, during this specific time.
What Your Body Is Really Going Through in Those First Few Days
Before we talk about clothes, we need to talk about the body. Because understanding what’s happening physically helps you make the right choices.
In those first few days, your body is undergoing a major transformation. Your belly is gradually shrinking—but not right away. Your hormones are on a roller coaster, sometimes causing intense night sweats. Your breasts are swelling as your milk comes in, often dramatically and painfully. The scar from a cesarean section, if you had one, is sensitive to even the slightest pressure. Your lower body may be sore after a vaginal delivery.
All of this has a direct impact on your clothing: it needs to be flexible, soft, non-restrictive, easily adjustable—and designed for easy access during feedings.
Essential items for the first few days
The Breastfeeding t-shirt Your Best Friend
This is the centerpiece. It's the focal point around which everything revolves.
A good Breastfeeding t-shirt can be handled with one hand, doesn’t require you to fully expose yourself to breastfeed, and is presentable enough that you don’t feel like you’re wearing workout clothes all day.
At 23 Mai Paris, our T-shirts are designed with discreet side zippers—silent and easy to use even in the dark, even when you’re tired, even with a baby in your arms. They hug the body without feeling tight, made from soft fabrics that withstand frequent washing without losing their shape.
Make sure you have at least three on hand to rotate. Milk leaks are common during those first few weeks—it’s perfectly normal, and you don’t want to run out between laundry loads.
The nursing tank top: the base layer
The nursing tank top is the piece you don’t see but can’t live without once you’ve tried it.
Worn on its own when it’s warm, or under a cardigan, an open shirt, or a sweatshirt, it offers complete freedom to breastfeed while keeping your stomach covered—a crucial detail during those first few days when you often feel a chill in your lower back and don’t want to have to undress completely for every feeding.
It’s also the perfect garment for skin-to-skin contact: you can lower the straps in seconds, hold your baby right against you, and feel warm again right away.
The nursing sweatshirt: for those long, lazy days
There are days when you don't go out. Days when you stay cocooned, holding your baby close, the curtains half-drawn, time standing still.
For those days, a soft, warm nursing sweatshirt is exactly what you need. Not too structured, not too dressy—but presentable enough that you don’t feel like you’re in your pajamas if someone rings the doorbell.
Our sweatshirts are designed with the same discreet openings as our T-shirts, using fabrics that keep you warm without making you sweat. Because body temperature regulation in the first few weeks after giving birth can be unpredictable, and the clothes you wear play a real role in managing it.
Nursing pajamas: for those lazy nights and mornings
In the early days, the line between day and night practically disappears. You sleep when you can, get up when you have to, and mornings feel like nights, which feel like afternoons.
A good nursing pajamas goes hand in hand with all of this. They let you tend to your baby quickly, without having to undress or get cold. And they’re stylish enough that you won’t be embarrassed to still be wearing them at noon if that’s how the day turned out.
What you should definitely avoid during these first few days
| Avoid | Why |
|---|---|
| Clothes that are tight around the waist | The postpartum belly is still swollen and tender—any pressure feels uncomfortable |
| Synthetic materials | They make you sweat, irritate sensitive skin, and don't handle temperature changes well |
| Complex back closures | It's impossible to handle on your own when you're holding a baby |
| Collars that are too tight | Difficult to pass when the breasts are swollen and sore due to milk coming in |
| Clothes from before pregnancy | The body has changed—insisting on getting back into it too soon can hurt your comfort and morale |
The issue of size: be kind to yourself
This might be the most important tip in this article.
These first few days—and weeks—aren’t the time to struggle with your clothes. Go up a size if necessary. Choose loose, flowing styles rather than tight-fitting ones. Let your body do its job of recovering without putting any extra strain on it.
That's not resignation. That's wisdom.
Your body has just accomplished something extraordinary. It deserves space, tenderness, and clothes that embrace it just as it is—not as you wish it were already back to being.
Our new collection features styles designed specifically for this transitional period, with fabrics that adapt to your changing body shape week by week.
Dressing for breastfeeding: the little things that make all the difference
Breastfeeding is a learning process—for you and for your baby. And in the early days, every little thing matters.
A well-designed nursing top lets you latch your baby onto the breast in seconds. No buttons to fumble with in a rush. No fabric falling all over the place. No straps getting in the way. Just a simple, fluid, almost automatic motion—even at 4 a.m., even with your eyes half-closed.
Our side zipper openings are designed for just that. You open one side, breastfeed, and close it back up. The rest of the garment stays in place, you stay covered, and your baby can latch on easily. And when the feeding is done, you can go back to sleep—or get on with your day—without having to take everything off and put it all back on again.
For more on this topic, check out our article on nighttime breastfeeding provides all our tips for getting through the night with your baby as peacefully as possible.
When a visitor drops by unexpectedly
This is one of the most dreaded situations during those first few days. You’re in survival mode, the baby has just fallen asleep after a 40-minute feeding, and the doorbell rings.
Looking presentable—even just a little—when you haven’t had time to get ready often comes down to a single well-chosen piece of clothing. A Breastfeeding t-shirt that looks like a real outfit. A tank top under a cardigan thrown on in a hurry. A Breastfeeding dress looks like a real everyday outfit.
That's why our Breastfeeding t-shirts are perfect for this time of year. They make you look like you’ve made an effort—without actually having to. And on some days, that’s worth its weight in gold.
Building a Newborn Wardrobe: The Bare Minimum
You don't need to buy everything new. You don't need a whole closet full of new clothes. Here's the bare minimum you really need to get through those first few weeks with ease:
3 Breastfeeding t-shirts your daily rotation. 2 nursing tank tops to serve as the foundation for any outfit. 1 soft nursing sweatshirt for cozy days. 1 nursing pajama set for nights and lazy mornings. And if you’d like, 1 Breastfeeding dress days when you want to feel a little more like yourself.
Our affordable basics are designed to help you build that essential wardrobe without breaking the bank—timeless pieces in soft colors that mix and match and stand the test of time.
Clothes that take care of you
Getting dressed after giving birth isn't about fashion. It's about taking care of yourself.
Slipping into soft clothes in the morning, feeling the fabric gently caress your still-fragile body, being able to breastfeed without struggle or complicated maneuvers—all of this contributes to that sense of being cared for, of being supported, even in the most mundane details of daily life.
At 23 Mai Paris, we design every piece of clothing so you don’t have to worry about it. So you can focus all your energy on what really matters: those first days with your baby, those quiet moments that forge the strongest bond there is.
Discover our complete collection of nursing clothes and find the pieces that will be with you from the very first days.
If you are breastfeeding, here are some of our nursing clothes that may interest you:
Breastfeeding t-shirts
Breastfeeding sweaters
Breastfeeding tank tops
Breastfeeding dresses
Breastfeeding pyjamas
