What To Wear After Giving Birth | Best Postpartum Clothes Home From Hospital

Wondering what to wear home from hospital after birth? Look no further! I'm sharing the ultimate guide to the best postpartum clothes to wear home from the hospital and for bringing baby home if you deliver at a hospital or birth center or somewhere else.

Checklist: What To Wear After Giving Birth In The Hospital

Nursing bra

Mistake number one for me: not having a supportive bra for nursing.

So, a over 3 and a half years into my breastfeeding journey, here are the best nursing bras I *wish* I would've packed:

Instead I opted for a bralette I always wore. My boobs wear easily accessible and I thought I'd be fine.

WRONG!

My daughter cluster fed around the clock during those 2 days at the hospital. Which meant my milk was coming in before we even got home!

My engorged boobs felt like bricks and I panicked talking to the nurses thinking something was wrong (it wasn't). The first thing one of the nurses said to me (as she laughed), “you need a new bra.“

Breast pads

On the note of milk coming into your post-baby body, breast pads are critical. Even if you do not plan to breastfeed, milk will likely come in and until things regulate you may experience quite a bit of leakage while you sleep.

Nursing pads slip into your nursing bra or nursing tank with a built-in bra to easily absorb the excess, while keeping your top and sheets dry.

I used this set of organic nursing pads – you can get 15% off with code TCM15.

Comfortable underwear

Okay this is sort of hit or miss and maybe you don't need it at the hospital, but you will want postpartum underwear ultimately.

The hospital staff at the hospital will likely provide maternity underwear that's mesh with a stretchy waistband. For a vaginal birth they'll load it up with ice packs and tucks to make things more comfortable.

I lived in the mesh underwear from the hospital for 2 weeks. Yep, I even ran them through our washing machine at home.

But afterwards, I was happy to have these underwear that were comfortable and breathed.

Grippy slippers or socks

Despite the night sweats, I was happy to have some grippy socks for around the hospital.

In retrospect, I think I'll do grippy slippers next time though. The grippy socks were great, but I'd forget to take them off until I was already in bed. At that point, I'd kick them off when falling asleep to try and lessen the night sweats.

Plus, at my hospital the bathroom was shared with one other new mom, so in retrospect, I just wish I would've had a more solid bottom given the communal space.

While the cozy socks were nice during awake time, slippers would've cut down on a little headache.

Robe

Okay, so I 100% had the wrong robe. I bought this super cozy chenille robe. It felt like I was wearing a blanket and I felt *so confident* that it would keep me warm and cozy at the cold hospital.

Welp, it certainly did! And it was also 5 lbs after I'd drench it in night sweat.

I still do believe packing a robe is important since so much time is spent with your boobs out. I was grateful to have something to quickly cover.

Just choose one that is lightweight and breathable like these:

Stretchy pants

During pregnancy, I lived in these leggings so I assumed they'd be great to wear after giving birth, especially for my stomach since they suck it in real nicely.

NOPE!

There was no way I was putting on maternity leggings in the hospital!

Instead I lived in the most stretchy material pants I could find and they were perfect! Here are a few great options:

Boob accessible tops

This is more for what to wear home from the hospital in my opinion, unless you are the type to get dressed and make your bed every morning… then you may want this during your hospital stay too and not just when you're going home.

But I'm lazy and only put on a shirt when I headed home.

These maternity tops are great options, and a few are amazing if you're looking for clothes to hide your postpartum belly:

Pajamas

But, what kind of pajamas to wear after giving birth? Simple, soft, cozy, lightweight, boob accessible, and breathable. Are you seeing a theme here?

Honestly, anything I've shown you up to this point can be worn as maternity pajamas too if you don't want a specific postpartum outfit.

Slip-on shoes

I suggest having a pair of flip flops for showering at the hospital. Depending on where you live or if you deliver in the summer months, you could easily wear these home.

If it's a colder climate, I'd probably go with a cozy slipper like this or this, which has a proper sole and warmth and can easily transition from hospital hallways to snowy walks into the house afterwards.

Either way don't stress too much about bringing the most comfortable maternity shoes, as hospitals typically require new moms to leave in a wheelchair, so you will likely only have a couple steps to your car seat.

FAQs about what to wear after giving birth

What is the most comfortable postpartum outfit?

While there are loads of comfortable clothes to dress your postpartum body in when bringing baby home after delivery in a hospital, the most stylish and comfortable postpartum outfits we found have come from Hatch. They have a hospital departure bundle as well as some of the most gorgeous postpartum clothes we've come across that feel like butter on the skin. Most of their clothes are moisture wicking too, so the postpartum sweats feel much more manageable than other fabrics.

Budget friendly, yet stylish and comfortable maternity clothes we love:

Kindred Bravely: 

Kindred Bravely is another online retailer but this brand exclusively offers maternity clothing. In addition to offering median prices that make them accessible to more women, we like that their maternity pajamas category includes plenty of smart options for labor and delivery. Styles such as a delivery gown that’s designed to be hospital friendly and a labor + delivery essentials bundle that has almost everything you need at an affordable price. Plus you can get 15% off your order with Kindred Bravely promo code TCM15 here!

PinkBlush Maternity: 

PinkBlush is an online retailer that has a rather large maternity offering. Along with other clothing categories like separates, dresses, and outerwear, there’s a great pajamas and intimates section. Best of all, many of their pajamas can also double for postpartum wear, giving you an even greater value for the money spent. 

What to wear when giving birth at a hospital?

Honestly, I gave birth so quickly after arriving at the hospital that I didn't even change into the hospital gown and delivered baby while wearing a sports bra and tank top.

With that said, I was going to buy this dress that had been recommended to me by so many. It's a cute outfit and comes in tons of prints! Additionally, you can get a matching going home outfit for baby too!

It's open so the nurses can put the monitor on your belly with ease and check your blood pressure. The top also has snaps for easy access breastfeeding postpartum.

The only reason I didn't buy it: I was on a serious “manifest my birth” kick and focusing on giving birth within 2 hours of arriving at the hospital… which I succeeded in.

I didn't buy it because I was manifesting not being in it for more than a couple of hours so it seemed like a waste… I do wish I would've bought it though since I could've continued wearing it postpartum as a nursing nightgown that was also put together enough if a family member came over.

What should baby wear?

At the hospital, you want to spend a lot of time doing skin-to-skin contact with your little bundle of joy. This helps recovery time and bonding with your new best friend. For this reason, I'm a huge fan of kimonos like this while at the hospital and during the newborn days since you can easily keep them open, while covering baby's arms and back.

For going home, you'll need their carseat and an outfit that can easily buckle in. While gowns are some of my favorite newborn clothing items, I don't think they are the best going home outfit. Instead for baby's going-home outfit I'm a big fan of a simple pack of organic onesies like this, maybe a matching hat too.

You can always opt for personalized items and matching outfits, or you can save that for a photoshoot once you're home and settled.

What did you wear home from the hospital?

My personal preference was the most loose-fitting clothes with pockets for easy one-hand access while holding baby with the other.

I wore the same stretchy pants I mentioned earlier and a boob accessible tank top.

I think the most important thing is just staying comfortable. This isn't a fashion show. If you want to look nice for photos, I think sticking with a solid prints and a neutral color palette will make you look put together with ease.

What no one told me about packing clothes for the hospital after giving birth:

I remember packing my hospital bag after my due date and with no idea what to wear after giving birth in the hospital. People had talked to me about what to wear when giving birth at a hospital (like during actual labor… more on that in a second though!); but no postpartum outfits that could actually withstand the night sweats and milk leaks. While I'd gotten general suggestions like “pack a robe,” “be cozy,” and even “pack a postpartum girdle for your stomach!” But those did nothing for the reality of how I felt after labor and what I actually ended up needing.

You are about to sweat like a wildebeest. At least I did.

According to this article, postpartum night sweats happen due to the drop in hormones, including estrogen.

While I would get in bed with my socks and robes, I would wake up drenched a couple hours later. Quickly followed by shivering from my now 5 lb robe that was soaked in sweat.

So this is the *real* list of comfy clothes to wear after giving birth for new moms.

What else would you pack in your hospital bag?

I would bring my breast pump so the lactation consultants at the hospital could teach me how to use it. For personal items, I'd bring extra hair bands if you plan to do photos as new parents in the hospital room, or just regular hair ties because they'll likely get lost and hospitals won't supply you with those, plus an extra long charger for a cell phone.

Additionally, have multiple copies of your birth plan. One to tape on your delivery room door, and a few copies in case nurses change shifts while you labor. The last thing I suggest is some lip balm. Hospitals are cold and dry and it's a great way to keep your lips hydrated.

When should you pack your hospital bag?

Generally, packing your hospital bag around 38 or 39 weeks is a good idea.

As a first time mom, I had a feeling my first baby would go past her due date so I kind of delayed things which left me in a scramble for postpartum clothing. At the end of the day, our length of stay was short and baby's arrival was quick so it didn't matter I was a little unprepared, but I'd do things differently if delivering at a hospital ever again.

What to wear after giving birth for your stomach?

So funny story, I actually packed this belly bandit type of stomach girdle to wear at the hospital.

I had a friend who SWORE by it after giving birth and that she was down inches after just a few weeks of labor and delivery.

Only when I went to put it on, I immediately took it off.

My body, personally, wanted to breathe after giving birth. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer here other than to do what feels right for you.

Our bodies are doing miraculous things through giving birth and the most important thing is to just nourish them.

My stomach went down in time on its own, and then even better with by sticking to the same healthy eating habits from pregnancy. When I felt ready, I started doing ab exercises to minimize diastasis recti and am happy to say that my stomach actually looks better as I write this than it did pre-pregnancy!

What should you not wear after giving birth?

Tight clothes are typically a huge no after giving birth.

Anything that's going to put too much pressure on your lower abdomen or pelvic floor can actually increase the risk of a pelvic organ prolapse you definitely talk with your healthcare provider about different options if you do want to belly bind or something similar.

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