Clothes to Pack for Travel as a Fashionable New Mother

The first rule of fashion as a new mother is that you WILL be spit up upon, constantly. But beyond that, what must a new mama remember about travel packing in order to be both comfy and chic?

Here are the 5 principles of new mother travel fashion, illustrated by a lavish Florida photo shoot with Milk Nursingwear, during which I went a liiiiiitle over the top…

1. Pack stretchy things.

You will be bending, twisting, and contorting with your baby. Stiff fabrics will make you angry. My favorite travel combination is a tunic or nursing dress like the one in this photo, paired with leggings and a cardigan, all in stretchy and soft fabrics. The leggings and cardigan can be removed as needed… like if you wind up on a beautiful Florida beach!

2. Pack strong clothes.

You will be rubbing off spit-up all the live-long day, and doing laundry whenever possible, so the fabric of your duds must have the fortitude to endure and not pill.

3. Drape for shape and access.

In the months after giving birth, wearing drape-y layers that gather under the bust but skim past the post-baby tummy can greatly help a new mama feel pretty. I love the dress in this photo shoot because there’s another benefit to the draping: an easy access slit to the “nursing area” is hidden in the folds of the torso!

This is glorious, since the only other way a nursing mother can really wear a dress without a plunging neckline is to don leggings or shorts underneath. And what’s glamorous travel without flowing dresses?

4. Embrace softness.

Since becoming a mother, I can’t get enough soft, cottony clothes. My favorite travel fabric used to be wrinkle-free, easy-dry synthetic, but lately I can’t stand wearing synthetic because it feels scratchy. Cottony comfort is now queen!

5. Think versatility.

My #1 travel packing tip has always been, “Pack things that are also other things.” A simple black tank top can be an undershirt, shirt, pajama top, and more, and a cute dress like the one pictured here can be dressed up for a fancy night out, or dressed down for frolicking on the beach at sunset. Because let’s face it: The more nights out AND sunset beaches we can have, the better!

There you have my fashionable travel mama tips! What more do YOU have to add to this list?

This “Cocktail Nursing Dress” was generously provided by Milk Nursingwear (a treasure trove of nursing dresses and nursing tops), but all opinions and over-the-top photo shoot poses are my own.