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Maternity/Feeding Nighty 101: The Ultimate Buying Guide For Moms 2024
Pregnancy brings a lot of sleep-related changes. According to the National Sleep Foundation's poll, 78% of women reported pregnancy-related insomnia.
Pregnancy puts a lot of emotional and physical pressure on an expectant mother. And a good night's sleep plays a vital role in the development and delivery of the baby.
Good sleep hygiene increases the chances of a healthy and full-term birth.
As per some research, a healthy diet, sleeping position, regular exercise, a warm bath, and comfortable maternity nightwear are ways to get better sleep during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, lightweight and breathable nightwear can improve sleep quality as they maintain optimum body temperature and keep you comfortable throughout the night. Most of the pregnancy nightwear are nursing friendly. Therefore after the baby is born, you can use these easy-access maternity/nursing nightgowns or pyjamas for convenient night feedings.
In This Article
What Is A Maternity Nighty?
Nighty or nightie, also known as nightdress or nightgown, is the most popular sleepwear worn by women for centuries.
A maternity nightie or feeding nightie is a form of everyday sleep attire but specifically designed for pregnant and nursing moms. The breathable and lightweight fabric is used to make these nightgowns to maintain body temperature during the night and promote restful sleep. Maternity nighties have a relaxed fit to accommodate the growing baby bump and have comfortable and discreet breastfeeding access.
Maternity nighties are made from breathable fabric for a comfy and functional fit and designed for discreet and easy access.
Why Should You Invest In Maternity/Feeding Nightwear?
The first trimester of pregnancy is synonymous with nausea, heartburn, and a lot of discomforts. As you head forward, together with hormonal changes, your body also changes a lot. So, wearing clothes that are comfortable and can also expand with your changing body is very important.
As your pregnancy progresses, your regular nighty may not fit anymore, or at least not as comfy as earlier it used to be. That's the time when you would want to switch from your regular nighty to a maternity nighty. It would help if you have nightwear that is comfortable, relaxed fit, soft on the skin, and grows with you.
As per some studies, mother sleep directly impacts the health of their growing baby.
What Are The Features Of Maternity/Feeding Nighty?
A maternity nighty is very comfortable to wear and easily accommodates your growing baby bump. It is made of just the right fabric to avoid any skin irritation. You can even use it as a hospital gown during delivery.
Furthermore, after your baby comes into your life, you start facing many inconveniences, especially during initial breastfeeding sessions. Here nursing nightwear can make your life as a new mom a little easy. Unlike normal nightwears, feeding nighties provide you easy nursing access. They come with a hidden enclosure like a zipper, buttons, etc. near the breast area to allow easy access to your breast for hassle-free nursing sessions.
When To Buy Maternity nightwear?
When your second-trimester starts, around 4 or 5 months.
Your regular clothes will work for most of the first trimester, especially if it's your first pregnancy. But, as the second trimester begins (four, five, and six months) and your bump starts growing, you may start feeling uncomfortable in your regular sleepwear. That's when you need to switch to maternity nightwear.
What Are The Different Types Of Nighties For Pregnant Women?
Nowadays, there are plenty of maternity sleepwear options that will keep you comfortable and stylish throughout the pregnancy and beyond.
#1. Maternity Nighties: Relaxed, flatter to fit, and specifically designed for expectant and new moms. The prominent feature of maternity nighties is to grow with you as your pregnancy progresses. These nightgowns are available in various styles. Make sure to get one in which you feel comfortable for a good night's sleep. Generally, nightwear in loose fit is preferred for comfort and ease. Cotton fabric is highly in demand for nighties.
Maternity nightie should be comfortable, functional, easy to wear, and stylish.
#2. Labor/Delivery Hospital Gown: You can also buy a multi-use Maternity nightdress. You can wear it as a nightgown during pregnancy, a hospital gown during labor and delivery, and then a nursing nightgown. It has easy-to-open front flaps for easy breastfeeding access and an open back with velcro, snaps buttons, or zippers for an epidural. Available in various sizes, lengths, styles, and fabric so that you can pick one as per your need. Many women prefer their gowns for delivery over the gowns provided by hospitals for various reason:-
- better coverage,
- trendy,
- easy feeding access,
- not cleaned by harsh chemicals,
- looks stylish in your first picture with your baby.
#3. Feeding Nighty: For initial months, you might be getting up 3-4 times at night to feed your baby. That's the reason nursing sleepwear is a must for every breastfeeding mom. Feeding nighties are designed for easy nighttime breastfeeding. It allows you to stay covered, comfortable, and feed efficiently. Available in various options, based on nursing access- front flaps, hidden zippers, clip-down style, two-layer or inner panels, side buttons, or elastic neckline.
How To Choose The Perfect Maternity Nighty?
Comfort and function are the key factors.
When you're shopping for a maternity nighty, keep an eye out for the following features:
#1. Comfortable loose-fitting: Your maternity nighty should have a comfortable fit and should not stick to your body. It must be designed with attention to comfort and freedom of movement.
Make sure your selected nightwear grows with your changing body.
#2. Nightgown Fabric: Fabric plays a significant role. Your maternity nightwear should be made of lightweight and breathable fabric. Being a natural fiber, cotton is an excellent choice for maternity nightwear. You can also go for a high stretch cotton jersey, especially in PJs.
#3. Easy Nursing Access: Your maternity nightie should be functional as a nursing gown too. It should have easy to open flaps with snap buttons or zippers on the bust area, particularly when you intend to breastfeed. Some night wears also come with built-in nursing bras to make it all the more convenient for you; those without nursing bras have just slits in the top that can be pushed to the side for nursing whenever required.
#4. Style: From Two-Piece Pajama Set to Nightshirt to Robes, maternity nightwear are available in different styles. The bottom pants and nightgowns are available in various lengths, like shorts, knee-length, Capri, ankle-length, or full length.
#5. Machine Washable: Things are going to be quite messy and troublesome at times. So, pick up maternity clothes that are machine washable; you cannot afford to hand wash your maternity clothes.
#6. Multi-functional: Your maternity nightgown should be of use during pregnancy, labor, plus post-delivery. You must ensure that your maternity nighty takes care of your comfort during the pregnancy period, serves the purpose as you wait to deliver, and makes it easier for you to nurse once your baby arrives.
Get a nightgown which can be worn postpartum also. Look for a nightie that has a relaxed fit and nursing friendly also.
#7. Weather: Consider the weather and the changing seasons also as an essential factor while purchasing a maternity nighty so that it is apt for the present and postpartum period.
Choose the best fabrics that cater to your body and according to the weather.
Summary
Lack of sleep is more than an inconvenience, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding time. It could impact your labor and delivery. To get a night of better sleep, follow a relaxing bedtime routine, from yoga to sleep on your left side to comfortable nightwear. It's highly underrated, but nightwear directly impacts your good night sleep.
At a later stage in your pregnancy, your regular clothes are not going to fit. You need to buy a new one, so it's better to invest in clothes specifically created to serve the needs of expectant and new moms. One of the essential items is maternity nightwear or feeding nightwear.
Maternity/nursing nighties are made from breathable fabric and have discreet and easy access for breastfeeding. To get worth of your money, you can get multipurpose nighty, which can be used during pregnancy, in hospital for labor/delivery, and breastfeeding.
Ultimately, personal comfort and choice are the most important to find the right nightwear. Make your selection based on fabric, functionality, style, weather, living condition, and personal preference.
In the end, whatever you buy should reflect your style and must keep you comfortable for a good night's sleep.
Wobbly Walk: Maternity Feeding Nightwear Brand From India
After having two kids, I understand the importance of good night sleep and how hard it is to find comfortable nightwear, which is stylish too.
Based on our personal experience and feedback from other moms, we have designed cute and convenient nighties for pregnant and nursing mothers. Our nighties are crafted in a comfy fit, ultra-soft cotton fabric, easy nursing access, and a stylish look. We ensure that the material is gentle on the skin and also helps you feel cozy and at ease all the time. They are all machine washable and quick to dry. Moreover, we choose colors that are resistant to premature fading. These nightgowns are available in various colors and sizes from XS to 5XL. We just added Plus-size feeding nighties also.
Apart from maternity and feeding nighties, we also have a wide variety of comfortable maternity clothes.
Visit our site to check out our Maternity and nursing wear Collection.