Gross But True: Why Post-Parturm Moms Will Love American Eagle's Boy-Brief Undies

One of my friends was complaining the other day about how no one really tells you all of the crazy stuff that happens while pregnant.  She was rather indignant, having just come from a third trimester pregnancy check-up where she had just been checked for strep...in an area...ahem....not normally checked for what I always think of as strep throat.  "You can get strep down there?????" she wanted to know.  "Since when??? And WHY does NO ONE tell you these things BEFORE you get pregnant?"

So in the spirit of full disclosure, I'd like to chat a bit about Aerie's (American Eagle's line of underthings) fabulous boy-brief.  This brief is cute, comfy, comes in a tons of different patterns, and sells 5 for $25. 

But the real reason I draw your attention? For post-partum use.

If you are typically a die-hard thong girl, or even a sexy bikini kind of girl...and you typically use tampons during certain times of the month....you might be surprised to find that your normal underwear, post-partum, won't cut it.  Why?

The Maxi-Pad.

Post-partum, most new moms will end up using, at least for several days (possibly weeks for some) maxi pads for the lochia (and YES - the word grosses me out, too).  For the first few days, the maxi pads required will be hospital-grade, diaper-like things that I've never even seen in stores.  "Super super super absorbent" doesn't even start to cover it.  "Depends for New Moms" is a much closer description. 

So if you tend to wear rather attractive underwear, not only will you NOT WANT to be wearing it during this time, but you'll quickly find that much of the nicer underwear is actually too small in the...ummm...crotch area to be able to easily fit a maxi pad.  

And here's where the briefs come in.  Aerie's briefs fit more like man-style tighty-whities, which are actually pretty cute on girls, and are also very snug.  These things hold everything in place, no strange items sliding around, and the...ahem...area in question is much wider than a typical bikini pantie (and obviously much, much wider than a thong), so the maxi-pad adheres easily.

And seriously - post-partum, you are dealing with a horrifying jelly-belly, new scars, boobs that look like lifesaving devices, torn up nipples and sleepless nights.  The last thing you need is to be stuck, for a month, with hospital's version of disposable sexy panties. 

You don't know what I'm talking about?  Oh....you will.

xo,

S

Comments

[nell]

great advice. And take everything home with you from the hospital. You paid (or your insurance paid)for everything so feel free to take home those diapers, wipes, spray bottle cuz you can't wipe down there. The hospital can not reuse any of it.

[Jen D.]

LMAO-love your descriptions on this post!

[Sarah]

I HATE tighty-whities on girls. (I hate them on men too.) And my husband agrees.

[Molly Dynan]

LOL, S! How true! Gilligan O'Malley cotton bikinis in black are my fav postpartum panties because they are super soft, cheap and a bit higher cut, which is nice if you end up with a c-section (I couldn't wear my fav Hankie Pankies, which I wore all the way through two pregnancies for weeks b/c the lace felt awful on my incision):

http://www.target.com/Gilligan-OMalley-Cotton-Bikini-Ebony/dp/B00192RS3K/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&keywords=gilligan%20%26%20omalley%20cotton%20panties&fromGsearch=true&sr=1-9&qid=1285185593&rh=&searchRank=target104545&id=Gilligan%20OMalley%20Cotton%20Bikini%20Ebony&node=1038576|1287991011&searchSize=30&searchPage=1&searchNodeID=1038576|1287991011&searchBinNameList=subjectbin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&frombrowse=0

[Molly Dynan]

Agh! Another postpartum indignity I would have liked to know about before hand: You know how your blood volume goes up by 50% when you're pregnant? Ever wonder where it goes? Well, it gets absorbed into the tissues throughout your body and then you sweat and pee it away (okaaay, fine. . . ), which translates to massive puffiness right after delivery, meaning, if you're anything like me, you may not even fit into sweats that were comfy even whilst pregers. Somehow this vital info escaped me TWO pregnancies in a row and, between a c-section incision and this crazy puffiness, I ended up in hub's boxers and/or pajama pants in the hospital both times. If I have a third, I'm going to make a point of finding a pair or two of super soft drawstring lounge pants that I'm able to pull up above the c-section incision and are about my husband's pant size (usually his pants and jeans actually fall off of me even when buttoned).

[Molly Dynan]

S., should we just do a post on the plethora postpartum indignities? Here's another one: bikini line. S. read someone who recommended a Brazilian before delivery. While I don't think you need to go that far, I do recommend a bikini wax before hand. Why? Otherwise you'll need to shave (or they'll give you a helping hand if necessary--yay!), but especially if you end up with a c-section, I would imagine that ahem. . . post-op hair growth would be very uncomfortable.

[Amy]

Cracking up over here--thanks everyone! The VS Pink line makes an awesome boyshort as well, with a nice, low rise, and definitely wide enough for that dreaded PP pad. Plus, they're low enough to fit under the belly for the end of pregnancy (http://www.victoriassecret.com/ss/Satellite?ProductID=1265311597232&c=Page&cid=1283342273924&pagename=vsdWrapper). But here's some total honesty: next time around, I'm just buying Depends for the first 3 days PP. That's the horrific time! Because...

@Sarah: Your husband isn't going to see ANYTHING down there, at least not for a couple of weeks! You could be wearing a trashbag. Trust me--you won't care whether they're cute, and those are a heck of a lot cuter than the oh-so-comfy disposable undies they give you at the hospital. By the point your hubby is invited back, you can transition back into normal underwear.

@Molly: I got some wicked PP swelling too--none of my shoes fit, and I had to take off my wedding rings (which fit perfectly through my whole pregnancy). I was wearing flip flops in the snow for the first 3 days! My UGGs finally fit by then, and I was back in regular shoes by a week. But WHOA. It was GROSS at first--oh, the cankles!

[Shana]

WHAT???? I thought the crazy post-partum bloat that I experienced with R was due to the freak-show horror that was his delivery!!! You mean I'll go through this again?????? With a scheduled, calm, C-section?

OMG. Pissed. Cankles is right. They sent me home in XL scrubs. Sigh.

But anyway girls - thanks for the comments and advice. I was worried that this article was veering a leeeetle too close to TMI, but Ok. I survived. :)

[Sarah]

True, nobody's going to see them - but me. Which is kind of the point, isn't it?

BTW, nobody required me to shave for either my c/s or my vbac.

[Anne]

I hate the word "lochia" too. Ick. And who the heck was lucky enough to have it for only a few days??? I had it for over a month with my first child and for 8 SOLID WEEKS with my second. Thank god I'm done having babies! (They're worth it, though.)

[Shana]

Anne - Have been meaning to thank you for this comment! I swear, I was dealing with this...stuff...for at least 6 weeks. However many websites online stated that women may experience the "lochia" for "a few days". My first thought was "what was wrong with me?"

Glad to know I wasn't the only one. :)

[Nicole]

Last paragraph had me laughing out loud! great reality check for pregger mommas! Oh the things you discover once you are in it for the long haul;) well done once again!