10 tricks to hide a first trimester or post-partum bump

So, you hopefully have heard it before you heard it here.  The first trimester and your postpartum body will look remarkably similar. 

These tips are designed to hide a bump-early or after.

Postpartum.  Officially, you are beyond the bump.  But, wha? There's still a bump!

Yep, while there may be mamas all over Instagram showing off their great post delivery bodies, IRL, that is just not most mamas.  Almost everyone, including our beloved duchess Kate, leaves the hospital looking...well...pregnant. So, it's not you.

It IS OKAY to look pregnant at 9 weeks and it is OKAY that you don't *poof* look not-pregnant after delivery. It is more than okay, it is PERFECT.  In fact, both are totally normal and to be expected.

In the first trimester - you are pregnant!

We're not sure why someone somewhere decided that you shouldn't look pregnant until after 12 weeks.

You can't be a little pregnant-you either are pregnant, or you are not  if you are, the you might look it- before your girlfriend did. 

And you might not want to actually announce your pregnancy for weeks or even months to come.  Thus.  Hide-a-bump.

In the fourth trimester...you may still look pregnant :/

Just a fact. In the postpartum period we suggest that you celebrate the miracle of having birthed a human - and don't expect another miracle right away.  Your body will shift and change and the most important thing is that you give it some love. 

Here are our top picks to hide-a-bump:

1. Tszuj

Some people call this ruching. It doesn't matter what you call it, consider it your new BFF. Carson Kressley of Queer eye said that he picked up the Yiddish word, meaning "to finesse, tweak, rearrange, and make better"  We're not sure about that, but, it definitely does make life better in early pregnancy, all the way to 40 and is great for minimizing the bump after baby!

If you tszuj up a fitted piece it will magically make you look 10 lbs lighter.  Not kidding.  Try it. So, while just after baby is born might not be the time for all those body con pieces that you loved in your pregnancy, some might work better than you thought.

Of course, once your're 7 months, like this mama,there is no amount of tszujing that will hide that bump.

2. Stripes and Prints

Stripes, when tszujed do not make you look wider, they actually act as camouflage.  As the stripe gets narrower when gathered, you look smaller in that area.   Prints are another great way to distract the eye, and hide a bump.  Just stay away from super body con prints which distort when stretched.  That's a bump give away.

3. Drape

Clothes that draped over your early baby bump will do the same thing for the trip back down Grab some draped pieces and go! We are huge fans of the Cross front Draped Styling because it does such a great job of masking a bump, and, it's not maternity or nursing, but our clients love love love it for both. 

4. Accentuate the Vertical

By this we mean, throw a cardi, zip hoodie or jacket on over it!  It's another instant slimming trick.  Do not button or wrap or close the cardi, zip hoodie or jacket..  The cardigan, hoodie or jacket should be anywhere from natural waistline length to duster length.  We find that wrist or longer can be best, but play around with it and see what feels best to you. 

The goal here is to create an optical illusion by creating a vertical line. Ideally what you want is a 2"-6" opening.  It pulls the eye to a vertical and away from the bump.  Summer time and you're, like, um no, not adding layers! There are plenty of supper lightweight kimonos or even leaving a loose linen shirt open. 

5. Tuck It

Yep.  Even if you are early and wearing maternity jeans, or post-partum, and still be wearing you maternity jeans, if you have the kind with a button, you can  gather the fabric of your top towards the center a little-so it doesn't hug the bump, or, better still, wear a not-knit or a looser knit top, and do a front tuck.  Adorable, plus, everyone assumes that if you are tucking in your top- you are not pregnant!

6. Tie It Up

Nothing says "I'm not pregnant." like our Kate Cascade Cardi or a similar piece tied at the waist with the long vertical line of the ends hanging down. 

7. Be Knotty

Keep going with the tie thing, and make a knot in front. 

If you tie the knot just a tiny bit lower, you wouldn't see the bump at all, or hardly at all.

8. Loosen up!

If you normally wear fitted styles and suddenly start rocking the boxier, floatier trend people might be suspicious.  Longer flowier pieces may end up revealing the bump more, but shorter slightly boxier styles can totally hide a bump. And if the wind picks up the silhouette of a bump may be revealed. 

Another way to loosen up without going full on loose is finding pieces which fit your shoulders and arms, but then go looser. (Yep, same mama as in knotted, same shirt, same day, different way.)

9. Accessorize

Get your hands on some long necklaces.  It's just another way to accentuate the vertical. (and another example of a piece which is fitted...and flowy.)

10. Mother Tuck It!

Compression (ONLY postpartum)

We were serious skeptics when we first started carrying the Belly Bandit's first BFF iteration...but, we've been humbled.  The second version, the Body Form Fit will be another postpartum BFF.  Unlike the first which was fine if you had no hips and no waist, the fabulous bamboo covered BFF is the real deal. 

We've heard many a new grandma from outside the US say "Oh,, yes, my mother wrapped me after I had my babies."  So, it just got lost in the melting pot, but, it's back an better than  ever.  It sucks in and helps your uterus shrink.  It also helps you remember to sit up straight which helps your posture and reminds you to engage your core.  The hospital may give your something like this, but, yeah, there's really no comparison.  Many a new mom has walked out with the BFF on, and left their other in our trash bin.

Another postpartum go to for our mamas is a pair of Mother Tucker leggings.  They just suck it all in and make a new mom feel better.  And we are all for that!

So, go forward, make that miracle happen and feel as amazing as you are while doing it-and for the trip back down too!!

Remember, you are in good company, no matter what you think. And the journey is all worth it. But, you knew that:)