A lot of new mothers post beatific photos of their blessed arrival snoozing in a DockATot, a snapshot of what can otherwise be a period in time which is as special as it is sleepless. Others, meanwhile, document the newborn journey by uploading mirror selfies of their postpartum underwear like Suki Waterhouse. Posting on Instagram, the model-actor captioned the photo: '[T]he fourth trimester has been… humbling! [T]he postpartum period has been filled with exhilarating joy, so much laughter, tears, soo many hormones! I’m proud of everything my body has achieved and proud of the kindness and grace I’ve given myself during this recovery period.'
As her sign off, Suki actually credited the postpartum underwear she's wearing - 'ootd: @fridamom pants!' - a brand that is almost guaranteed to send mums everywhere on a little trip down memory lane. For the uninitiated, Frida Mom is the parenting brand that's behind some of the most beloved products on the market for anyone with children like the Snotsucker, a 'baby bogie buster' that gently removes mucus for easier breathing, and the Grow-With-Me Training Toothbrush. It's the brand's postpartum recovery section, however, that gets people really excited. (The first thing you see when you open its website is, 'Trust us, your vagina will thank you.' And from the first-hand experience of friends, I'd say that's pretty much sums up how people feel about these postpartum disposable pants, which you can either buy as briefs or boy shorts.)
They're quite simply the gold standard when it comes to postpartum recovery, especially if used in combination with the brand's Instant Ice Maxi Pads, as they're, 'soft, seamless and breathable to keep pads (and everything else) in place, without squeezing or pulling'.
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Frida Mom's Disposable Postpartum Underwear, which comes in a pack of eight pairs, is designed to make your recovery that little bit easier. With a high-waist cut that won't roll down over your incision if you've had a C-section, and a super-stretchy fabrication that means it will keep pads and any other recovery layers in place comfortably, it's not only a hospital bag essential but the self-gift that you absolutely deserve in the early weeks of your fourth trimester.
I bought my sister a pack of the briefs after a friend recommend them and to say that she became a devoted wearer is something of an understatement. Quite simply, she didn't want to take them off. 'They were by far my best postpartum buy - the midwives couldn’t believe how much better they were than what you get at hospital. They are incredibly comfortable and supportive - and make you feel a little more 'together' at a time when you are otherwise quite fragile. I wore them for about six weeks in the end - way longer than I needed to!'
Natalie Hammond is Grazia’s Senior Fashion News Editor. She loves winter, hates summer and can often be found writing about the weather (and what on earth to wear).