Monday, January 17, 2011

Clothes

Last fall I got a bunch of maternity clothes from my friend, Sarah, who grew up across the street from me.  I've always known her, ever since I can remember, and it's totally weird that we're both mommies, now, and that we're sharing maternity clothes instead of tree houses.  That is the magic of Facebook.

Anyway, she wrote the other day (pre-plague) and said that another friend of hers is pregnant, so could I please box up her maternity clothes and send them back to Grammaland so she can pass them on to her friend.  Since I completely wore the red shirt with the runching to death  totally lost track of what belonged to her and what belonged to me am such a generous person, I said that I'd add in all my own maternity clothes, and she could pass those on to her friend too.  I have stuff that other friends sent me when I was pregnant with MG.  The sisterhood of the traveling stretchy pants.

What I never saw coming was that I would have a big ol' ugly cry over getting rid of my maternity clothes for good.

We're done.  Our family is complete.  And even if I didn't think so, the odds of talking BJ into a fourth kid are between slim and none.  

The childbearing years are so special - they're the years we're going to look back on when we're old.  They're the hardest and the best in so many ways, and they're over.  I mean, we're not throwing the baby out with the maternity clothes, but this is it.  I never get to feel a baby kicking inside of me again.  I never get to hear "it's a boy!" or "it's a girl!" again.  The next time I hold a brand new, hours old baby that is literally a part of me, it'll be my grandchild


So I stood there, looking at the clothes that I got so sick of over the past year, and I had a big old cry, and I felt really old.

I'm sure there will a point when knowing that we're Done will be a big relief, but right now it's a lot more bitter than sweet.

In other news, nursing tops are a total scam.  I found a couple white t-shirts in the bin with my other non-maternity clothes that had small stains on the front...  you know how white t-shirts are.  Instead of throwing them out, I cut slits over the boobs.  Now I can wear them under regular t-shirts and not flash the world when I nurse the baby.  This is good, because the bin with the nursing tops and the nursing bras has gone missing, and because the commercially available nursing tops are like $25.00 a piece.  The layered look is still in, right?

Anyone know how to convert regular bras into nursing bras?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Amy - I don't know if they will work for you, but I found some jogging bras in my nursing size and wore them instead of the "nursing bras". I was able to pull the nursing side up or down as needed and found it infinitely easier than any hooks or straps or velcro that the nursing bras had and since I wasn't actually jogging, I didn't worry about purchasing the "best" jogging bras I could find - I think I bought mine at Target. I think your t-shirt idea is genius. My favorite nursing joke was the nursing nightgown - for me the most ridiculous garment ever as my breasts and the slits in NO WAY aligned and I wound up donating them ASAP.

Amy said...

Interesting idea about the jogging bra! None of the ones I have fit right now, so I'd have to get a larger one. That sure sounds more comfy, anyway! I feel a trip to Target coming on, as soon as I feel a little better.

Heck, I may cut slits in those, too. :)

Anonymous said...

Would a shelf bra cami under a shirt serve both purposes? You could pull up the shirt and the cami down on the nursing side, still leaving the rest of you nice & covered. As long as you can get away with the minimal support provided by the shelf bra then I think you'd be set.

As for the being done part? We don't know if we are, so I'm treasuring (well trying to at least) all the little wonderful moments about being pregnant. Now as for the clothes? Well I'd have a bonfire if I didn't know how much others can use them. :)

Amy said...

The girls need a little more support than a shelf bra has to offer... Although that might be really comfy on the days when we're just hanging out at home (and less awkward than the braless "they've fallen and they can't get up!" look!!).

Heidi said...

I am so with you. I cried over the maternity clothes (well, not that pair of grey slippery pants, which I considered burning until I realized they were likely flame retardant); I cried over the cradle. I really cried over the onesies all three of my kids wore. Knowing it's The Last Time is bittersweet.

Wait until you get rid of the crib. He was ready; we were prepared. But the night we moved our baby (no more are possible) to the Big Boy Bed, my husband and I retreated to the kitchen and cried into large glasses of Scotch. We so weren't ready.

You never are.

Cate said...

I know, it's rough! There are pregnant women galore around me and I'm definitely feeling the pain of NBPA (Never Being Pregnant Again). However, I am also very relieved to not have to start over again with a newborn, and I'm really happy relishing my girls' childhoods.... I have decided that I want to be around babies and pregnant women to fulfill that desire. Once my girls are old enough (like late teens), I am going to train to become a doula. :)

Amy said...

Ohhhh the crib. *sob* Scotch will help. :)

Cate, you'll be an awesome doula!!!

morganna said...

I hate buying bras, so I never bought nursing bras -- just sports/jogging bras and lifted the side I needed. Mine were from Target, too.