I’ve been excited to write this post for awhile. Is that so ridiculous? But honestly, every time I’ve had a baby (three so far and currently growing #4), I’ve gone through the whole “what are the best postpartum pajamas?” debate in my head. Buying new styles. Reusing old ones. Tossing out the ones I saved because they were just too milk-stained. Dreaming about that perfect set; soft, easy to open and close, gentle on the postpartum tummy, accommodating to those insane postpartum night sweats.
Any of this resonating with you? Perfect. Because I have finally polled hundreds and hundreds of mamas over on my Instagram, put together all the opinions and feelings and thoughts and THAT is what we’ve got here. In my opinion, this really is the best roundup of postpartum pajamas you’re going to find, because it is not just my opinion. It’s all of ours.
So, let’s get into it.
But first – Who is The Labor Mama and Why Am I Here?
Hey friend! I’m Lo – also known around here and social media as The Labor Mama. I’ve spent my nursing career in labor, delivery, and postpartum, have birthed 4 of my own babies, have labored thousands of mamas at the bedside, have taught thousands of students online, and have even delivered a few speedy little babies with my bare hands (oops).
Here at TLM, I offer online classes about birth, postpartum, newborn care, and breastfeeding to empower you the way everyone should be. The education + support I offer gives you experience, evidence, and empathy; you’re getting all of my years of “clinical” RN knowledge, honestly combined with my real experiences as a mama and a nurse. These are not your average hospital classes (those won’t do it, I promise), and honestly, birth, postpartum, and breastfeeding don’t follow a textbook or protocol anyway. You need to know so much more than that!
If you want to connect with me further, head to Instagram. There are hundreds of thousands of us over there learning together daily.
A note: This post may include affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission (thank you)! Rest assured, this comes at no additional cost to you. You can read TLM’s full disclosure here.
Okay, so initially, I asked everyone the question: “What are your favorite postpartum pajamas?” And in some follow-up, I had someone say, “Can you ask about options with no buttons? I hate buttons.” So, I then zeroed in on that, and got a little more specific. And lastly, I wanted to discuss seasons a little, because postpartum in the winter may feel a little different than postpartum in the summer. So in this post, you’re going to see an overall look at your favorites, and then I’ll get into some specifics about style, time of year, etc.
What to look for in postpartum pajamas?
This may seem like a silly question, but if it’s baby #1, you’ve also never been postpartum, right? There are some obvious questions to answer here, like do you prefer sets or nightshirts? Long sleeves or short? Tank tops? Do you like separates? Are you going to be someone who doesn’t like the buttons?
And then specific to postpartum, there are considerations like breastfeeding or pumping accessibility, postpartum night sweats, a right fit for what a truly postpartum body looks like, the softness or feel of the fabric, and for some, a cesarean incision as well!
To be honest, there’s a little trial and error here for all of us. But, hopefully some of these suggestions can help you narrow in on the best options for you.
What are the best postpartum pajamas?
Ok, I’m just going to go one by one here, alright? I have not tried all of these, but I have tried/used well over half of them, so I’m including my personal inputs where ever I can!
Stars Above
Far and away, Stars Above is the brand that showed up THE MOST in the polls that I’ve done. It wasn’t even a contest. I’ve worn these as well, and I can attest to how soft they are. I also love that they have a ton of options, and that they are so, so affordable. When looking around, check out the ‘Beautifully Soft’ and the ‘Perfectly Cozy’ options.
Button-Up
- Button-up short-sleeved and shorts
- Button-up short sleeved and capris
- Button-up short-sleeved and long pants
- Button-up long-sleeved and long pants
- Button-up long-sleeved and shorts
Cozy Separates
- Long-sleeve shirt and shorts set
- Beautifully Soft Pajama Shorts (I LOVE these; so soft/amazing on the postpartum belly)
- Perfectly Cozy Jogger Pants
Honestly, I am not surprised at all that these are the fan-favorite. They have a ton of options, they really are all incredibly soft, and again, the price is too good to beat.
Kindred Bravely
Kindred Bravely was definitely right up there with Stars Above. And again, it’s not a surprise because they have a ton of options as well. They also have gone all in on the bamboo sleepwear, which is always incredibly soft, forgiving, and nice and cool on those sweaty nights. I think it’s pretty hard to NOT find something there that will work for you.
If you buy anything from Kindred Bravely, make sure you use the code THELABORMAMA15 to save 15%, okay?!
Button-up
- Button-up short-sleeved and shorts
- Button-up long-sleeved and long pants
- Long-sleeved button-up nightgown
- Long-sleeved Henley nightgown
No-buttons
- Short-sleeve pull down set
- Long sleeve pull up set
- Tank top nightgown (clip down)
- Tulip-hem Night dress
Ekouaer
This brand snuck in there a lot and surprised me a bit. Not because it isn’t great – it is – but because most find it on Amazon and I’m never sure how much everyone knows about all the great things that you can find on Amazon. However, they a have a website too! I’d look there before choosing from the Amazon options, because they have a TON.
Sunday Sleep Set
This favorite is from Old Navy, and is one I have not tried yet. I feel like their maternity line has just gotten better and better, and everyone’s love for this postpartum pajama set proves that! The full set can seem pricey up front, but check out the details! You get a nursing cami, a set of pants, a button up shirt, and a set of shorts. So you can mix and match as your heart desires!
Gap: The Nursing Shop
Super simple basics here. The Gap: Nursing Shop uses their nice, stretchy model fabric, which def feels cool and forgiving postpartum. Nursing camis, sleep dresses, and long-sleeved pant sets. There was a lot of love for Gap nursing camis with a favorite pair of lounge pants too.
Moonlight Eco Short
Ok, I love these sets and Nordstrom always sells them year round, which is a plus to me. They do change up some of the prints occasionally, but there are always options for you. I think the reason they may not have show up in quite as many comments is price. They aren’t crazy expensive, but I am going to guess a lot of people choose a similar, but more affordable option like the Stars Above set.
I have used these and I can attest to their value, that they definitely hold up, and that they are super soft! So, yes, I recommend taking a peek, and if you can snag them during the Nordstrom Sale, even better!
Soma Cool Nights
Soma is a brand I have not tried yet, but I’ve definitely heard of it. One of the adjectives that continually showed up in the comments about Soma (especially the Cool Nights line) was how soft their options were. I can say that they don’t really have nursing/postpartum specific options, but they have tons of button up sets (both pants and shorts and short-sleeved/long-sleeved).
Sunflower Motherhood
Want to shop small? I got you! Sunflower Motherhood offers some of the classic contrast piping basic nursing sets, with the cute addition of a tiny hand-stitched ‘mama’ over the breast pocket. Andrea, who runs the shop, is absolutely lovely. And honestly? Whatever fabric it is they choose to create their pjs- I love it. It is stretchy, soft, the perfect amount of heaviness/thickness, but still feels really cool.
I truly love my set from the shop. If you want to snag PJs, or anything else (look at the MAMA sweatshirt) from Sunflower Motherhood, make sure to use the code LABORMAMA to save 15%!
Cozy Earth
It’s true, Cozy Earth can be pricey. But, hang on. I have a code that saves you 40%, so their super soft pj sets are suddenly not so bad. And I can personally attest to how soft they are, their quality, and how good they feel on the postpartum body. I also think the fit really well through pregnancy too, so absolutely, snag them now if you’re pregnant and get a feel for them!
The code for Cozy Earth is CE-THELABORMAMA for 30% off (the biggest discount they offer) – and it works for the whole website. So, if you want to go for it and get sheets (they’re amazing) or that jogger set (it’s one of my favorites), do it!
Lake
Ok, I’m putting Lake at the bottom of the list only because of price. They are pricey, but their quality is top-notch. I had some friends buy me a nursing pajama set and a robe as a baby shower gift, and they really are really, really nice. If someone wanted to spoil you a bit, Lake could be it.
Ok, that’s the summary, from all of those mamas on my IG, of favorite pajama sets! They’re loosely ordered from most affordable to most pricey, but don’t forget I’ve got some partnership codes tucked in there that can save you a good amount of money for a lot of those brands!
Now, let’s get into some specifics and break-down some collective thoughts on the best postpartum pajamas a little bit more.
Are there postpartum pajamas without buttons?
Alright, here were some thoughts on the no-button postpartum pj question. This list is a collection of pull-down or pull-up shirt or night shirt options or cozy sets. A few of the options are the nursing clips, which I do think are a lot easier than buttons, but some still don’t want any type of fastener at all.
- Stars Above Perfectly Cozy set
- Kindred Bravely nightgowns
- Shop Plain Jane set (I have a set from when they did a Solly Baby collab and it’s great!)
- Ekoauer
- Motherhood nightgown (this one has nursing clips)
- Gap nursing nightgown (this one has nursing clips)
- Lake pima tank gown (this one’s a full pull-over, so would be tough if nursing/pumping)
- Soma Cool Nights (the no button options are not nursing/pumping friendly)
- Magnetic Me
Favorite postpartum separates for sleep and lounging
When I polled, there was a decent number of people who chimed in that they like wearing separates and aren’t into all of the matching sets. Most shared a favorite set of joggers, pajama pants, or lounge bottoms, and then a nursing tank they really liked. I’m listing the bottoms that got mentioned the most and then the nursing/sleep tanks that were mentioned the most – and then you can do the mixing and matching.
Cozy bottoms:
- Stars Above Bottoms: Beautifully Soft Shorts and Perfectly Cozy Jogger Pants (I have both of theses and LOVE them).
- Aerie Ribbed Foldover Pants
- Old Navy Foldover Pajama Pants
- Seraphine Joggers
Favorite tanktops (nursing):
- H & M Nursing tanks
- Gap Nursing tanks
- Bodily ‘Always-On’ Nursing Tank: I love Bodily’s bras and their nursing tank. I found them with my 3rd baby and they will absolutely be a fav with the 4th. Guaranteed. You can also use code 10LABORMAMA for 10% off $90+ site-wide.
- Larken Signature Tank: This is my absolute favorite. No clips. Maintains its stretch so well. Nice and long. I LOVE this nursing tank. Love it. If you can snag the essentials package, I LOVE that Larken X bra too. Seriously. And, you can also use code THELABORMAMA10 to save 10% off site-wide.
Postpartum pajamas and cozies honorable mentions
So the brands below only got mentioned once, but I felt like I could not leave them out. I have actually not tried any of them. But, if you’re striking out with some of the favorites I discussed prior I would check some of these out. The price range here is wide. The Walmart brand is super affordable, while the brands like Wear Mama Lux and Storq Sleep are a bit higher end and pricier.
Best postpartum pajamas by season
Really practically speaking, I think what you bring to the hospital for those immediate postpartum days is NOT seasonally dependent. Typically, we keep the postpartum hospital room pretty warm (year-round) to make sure baby’s temperature stays where it needs to, so I always advise layers. You can do seperates, sets, nursing nightgowns, whatever you want! I’ve had a TON of patients live in a nursing bra and those lovely mesh undies too. I do think having a light robe, for both hospital and home, can be really nice, so def toss one of those in your bag.
Do you still need a hopsital packing list? I’ve definitely got one I can send you! You can snag yours right here.
But of course, once you go home and actually need some clothes around the house, the seasons (and where you live) can impact what you may want to wear. My 100-year old house is freezing in the winter and hot-hot in the summer, even with heat and AC. And I’ve had a baby in every season (#4 is due in the Spring, so that will round it out), so I’ve been postpartum in all the temperature ranges!
Tips for every season
My best pieces of advice, Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer? 1) Tank tops and bras can feel a bit cold at night; even in the warmer seasons I sometimes found that my shoulders were freezing in those middle-of-the-night feeds. I keep a light robe nearby for that reason. 2) Postpartum night sweats can wreak havoc on what you’re wearing and how you’re feeling. I do love the bamboo style clothing that dries easily. I also keep an extra tank or set on my night table and have definitely had to change at night. 3) The only season I’ve ever really liked long sleeved tops (at night) is in the dead of Winter. The combo of a warm baby on the chest and postpartum night sweats usually meant I was pretty warm, so personally, I wouldn’t recommend a ton of long-sleeved options (or, wear a good nursing/sleep bra under that shirt and then you can easily just shed the shirt when you get hot).
The takeaway on postpartum pajamas
There you have it! From hundreds and hundreds of other mamas (and me!), these are the brands and options that are most loved! I’m sure you’ll see there is a big price range here (and of course, quality goes hand in hand with that at times), but I also want to point out one last time that Stars Above, far and away mentioned the most, is one of the most affordable options! Don’t forget that I have some codes scattered through for some other great brands (ahem, Bodily and Larken ?) that can save you some money as well.
What do you think? Which ones have you used? What am I missing? Let me know in the comments and I’ll try to keep this listed updated with your inputs too! xx- Lo
More resources (and freebies!) for you to take a peek at:
- Comprehensive Birth Plan and Birth Priorities templates
- A complete Third Trimester Checklist
- The RN + mama of 3 Ultimate Packing List
- The Labor Mama online birthing classes for every family
A note: This post may include affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission (thank you)! Rest assured, this comes at no additional cost to you. You can read TLM’s full disclosure here.
