Sewing for the Fourth Trimester

 By the time you are reading this Fabricista Blog post, I’ll most likely be a few days postpartum with my second child. After my first pregnancy, I had no idea what to wear in the transitional Fourth Trimester. There are so many unique challenges that arrive during this phase of life. Challenges include: accommodating a constantly changing body, nursing access, dressing rapidly while hoping to look half-decent, and comfort above all else. Thanks to my first postpartum experience, I learned which handmade clothes and items would be the most helpful. I set out to create a pair of comfortable, versatile shorts; a nursing-friendly top; and a new nursing cover. 

Make #1 Feel Pretty Pants and Shorts

My first postpartum essential is a pair of comfy, cool, stretchy shorts to carry me through the remainder of the summer and early fall heat. The Feel Pretty Pants and Shorts pattern from Ellie and Mac Patterns utilizes woven fabric perfectly, while an elastic waistband provides the stretch needed for added sizing flexibility. Fabric Mart had the ideal 100% cotton double gauze fabric for these shorts, so I ordered 3 yards along with matching thread. I also used about 2 yards of ⅜” elastic and fusible interfacing from my stash to make the shorts. 

The gauze is camel brown, the perfect neutral to pair with almost any other color I wish to wear. The Feel Pretty Shorts pattern does not come with pockets, and pockets are a must-have for stashing your phone and pacifiers, so I hacked the pattern a bit to add slash pockets to the front. I used the slash pocket pattern pieces from the Closet Core Carolyn Pajamas pattern that I already owned. 

To do this, I matched the two pattern companies’ size charts to try to find a pocket that would fit the shorts with minimal adjustments. After finding a similarly sized pocket, I reshaped the top of the shorts' front pattern pieces ever so slightly to match the pocket pattern pieces. I followed the assembly instructions from the Carolyn Pajamas pattern to complete the pockets. After I finished adding the pockets to the front of the shorts, I switched back to the Feel Pretty Shorts pattern instructions and followed them to the end with no other changes. 

Make #2 Gisella Oversized Puff-Sleeve Shirt

My second postpartum essential is an oversized puff sleeve button-up shirt. With 3 yards of a classic black and white 100% cotton gingham shirting fabric from Fabric Mart, along with buttons and fusible interfacing from my stash, I was ready to create the perfect shirt. I used the Ellie and Mac Patterns Gisella Oversized Puff-Sleeve Shirt and Dress Sewing Pattern. I intentionally made the shirt one size larger than my pre-pregnancy size to better accommodate future body changes. I also lengthened the shirt front and back pattern pieces by 2.5” because I didn’t want to risk the top being uncomfortably short. 

The cotton fabric is very lightweight and breathable, and the button closure will be perfect for nursing and pumping access. In my photos, you will notice that I left most of the buttons unbuttoned to accommodate my huge third trimester baby belly.  As my belly changes postpartum, I’ll be able to button the top and wear it however I prefer. I love how a classic button-up shirt can make you feel polished and put-together even if everything else in life is chaotic. I know that this button-up will not only be supportive for nursing, but also helpful for postpartum confidence. 

Make #3 Nursing Cover

My third postpartum essential is a nursing cover made from the leftover yardage of the 100% cotton double gauze fabric. For my first nursing experience, I had a heavyweight black cotton nursing cover, perfect for my son’s late fall arrival and winter nursing. This time around, baby will be born in the heat of summer, so a new nursing cover made from lightweight, breathable double gauze seemed ideal. A nursing cover can also double as a stroller shade, car seat cover, or light blanket, making it multi-functional.

After researching gauze nursing covers sold on Etsy, I developed a plan for how to make mine. I cut out a rectangle from my remaining gauze fabric 54” wide by 30” long. I enclosed the raw selvedge edges with a double-fold ½” hem. The bottom edge of the cover was hemmed with a 1” wide double-fold hem. For the top of the cover, I cut a 16” piece of flexible plastic boning from my stash. The boning is only ¼” wide, so I didn’t need to make a wide channel to slide the boning into, but for aesthetics, I made the channel ½” wide. After inserting the boning, I stitched along the center of the channel. This stitching helps keep the boning in place inside the channel. I also top-stitched the short ends of the boning inside the channel to keep them from moving at the top center of the nursing cover. 

Next, I cut out a strap 5 1/2” wide by 36” long. The strap was created in the same way as double-fold bias tape, with all raw edges enclosed within the strap's fold and then top-stitched. This method made the strap’s finished width 1 ⅜”. I cut 4” off the strap’s length to make a fabric loop to hold a wooden ring on the left side of the nursing cover. The wooden ring allows the long strap length to be adjusted by simply tying the strap to the ring. The strap and fabric loop were attached to the top of the nursing cover right next to the ends of the boning. This helps the cover stay open just enough to check on the baby while nursing. 

Final Thoughts

Navigating the fourth trimester is a wild, beautiful journey, and having a few handmade, thoughtfully designed pieces makes feeling like myself just a little bit easier. Whether you're sewing for postpartum life, preparing a thoughtful gift for an expecting mom, or just looking for breathable summer staples, I hope these projects inspire your next creation.

What are your go-to patterns for ultimate comfort? I’d love to hear your favorites in the comments below while I’m soaking up the sweet newborn snuggles!

SHAINA | @shaina_sews