7 Best Postpartum Underwear, Tested by New Moms

Bodily calls the All-In Panty the “most comfortable maternity-to-postpartum and C-section panty”—and our tester and survey respondents agree. The All-In Panty is this year’s Best of The Bump winner for overall best postpartum underwear for the second year running, thanks to its comfy fit, just-right support and high-quality material that delivers for a range of shapes, sizes and deliveries. (See all of this year’s Best of The Bump winners.)

The high-waist fit and wide elastic waist band sit well above your bump without pinching, while the smooth, lightweight micromodal fabric is designed to feel good on your skin. "I love the material and how breathable it is. It’s very soft and fits me just right," said our postpartum tester Katherine, who also noted that the fabric held up well in the wash. The underwear is also OEKO-TEX certified, so you can rest assured it’s free from harmful substances.

Just as important, these undies deliver on functionality. A wider-than-typical gusset offers more room for those bulky postpartum maxi pads, so you don't have to stress about leaks. And the stretchy, ultra-flexible material works with your transitioning postpartum body; things won't feel uncomfortably tight around your belly or thighs if you're dealing with some residual swelling, yet the light compression fabric doesn’t skimp on support.

To top it all off? At $16 a pair, these postpartum panties are cheaper than many competitor brands—which is great, since if you’ve just had a baby, you've probably got a few other new expenses in your budget right now. They also come in several fun colors, along with basic black and nude. Katherine gave the All-In Panty impressively high marks across all testing categories, making this a truly top-tier product at an affordable price.

Size range: S to 3X | Fabric: 93% micromodal/7% elastane | Washing instructions: Machine wash warm, tumble dry low | Color options: 4

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Nyssa FourthWear Postpartum Recovery Underwear, our Best of The Bump winner for best C-section underwear, is also celebrating its second annual win. If you’ve had a C-section, you’re going to need postpartum underwear with a high waist that sits well above your incision. But this innovative pair of postpartum undies goes a step further, with a genius 360-degree pocket designed to hold ice or heat therapy at the site of your incision, around your back or, for vaginal births, between your legs. Small wonder, then, that our product tester Rachel, who underwent a C-section, gushed, “I’m obsessed with this underwear.”

To make your life easy, you can order the C-section underwear in a bundle with Nyssa’s reusable ice and heat pack, which are a perfect fit for the pocket and contoured to fit your curves (although if you've already got your own ice and heat packs, you can use those too). Rachel said the cooling and heat pads were “incredibly helpful for recovery” after she had her baby. “Not only did I have a C-section that needed icing for pain, but I also developed postpartum hives and an allergic reaction to the surgical adhesive, which was soothed so well by the cool pad,” she told us, adding, “I loved that using the slit on the underwear held the hot/cool pad in place without /[it] being directly applied to my skin.”

The buttery-smooth, thick-yet-lightweight fabric also helped Rachel feel supported while still offering plenty of movement. "This underwear is so supportive without being restrictive. It has just the right amount of hug and stretch," Rachel told us. And because it's totally seamless, you won't feel any weird poking, digging, or irritation (including around your C-section scar). With such a glowing review, it’s no surprise that our product tester gave the underwear top marks for comfort, fit and quality. “[Whether I was] sitting, standing or walking around, it felt extremely weightless and I did not feel the need to adjust, nor did I feel uncomfortable wearing it,” she said. “I was highly impressed with the quality of this underwear.”

Size range: XXS/XS to 3X/4X | Fabric: 85% recycled polyester/15% spandex | Washing instructions: Machine wash cold, tumble dry low | Color options: 1

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For those who want to minimize the number of single-use maxi-pads you go through in those first postpartum weeks, absorbent underwear offers a welcome solution. But can you really trust leakproof undies to withstand those early heavy-flow days? Enter the Proof Leakproof Bikini, our Best of The Bump winner for best leakproof underwear for postpartum.

Proof’s patented Leak-Loc absorbent core technology holds the equivalent of four regular tampons, while pulling moisture away from your body to keep you dry and comfortable. With a 10 out of 10 score for effectiveness, rest assured these undies really work: “I was initially nervous about the absorbency, but I was pleasantly surprised,” said our product tester Genesis. “After hours of wear, I experienced no leakage at all.” She liked the freedom of not having to wear large pads, which, in her experience, are often visible through your clothes. “It also stays perfectly in place, unlike a pad, which can sometimes slip from side to side in your underwear,” she added. (You can experiment wearing them with or without a pad, depending on your needs.) “The bikini provided excellent coverage and protection, allowing me to sit and move comfortably throughout the day.”

The mid-rise bikini cut is definitely a no-go if you're still recovering from a C-section incision. But if you were cool with under-the-bump bottoms during your pregnancy, you'll feel good in these, which earned 10 out of 10 ratings for comfort and fit from Genesis. And if you’re concerned about cleanliness, don’t be! “Washing them was a breeze,” says Genesis. “I simply tossed them in with my regular laundry, and they came out perfectly clean and intact,” she said, adding that the material felt soft, smooth and super durable. “It seems like it's gonna last me a while!”

Size range: XS to XL | Fabric: 75% nylon, 25% spandex (outer), 100% cotton (body lining), 100% polyester (top lining), 68% polyester/28% cotton/4% acrylate (interlining), 100% polyester (bottom lining) | Washing instructions: Machine wash cold, hang or lay flat to dry | Color options: 3

Sometimes, during those hazy postpartum days, a good hug makes all the difference. And HATCH's seamless, high-waisted brief feels like a supportive hug around your healing belly in the best possible way, earning them a Best of The Bump award for best postpartum compression underwear. These compression briefs are supportive and just firm enough without being overbearing. Our product tester Aliez awarded the briefs a 10 out of 10 for effectiveness, and summed it up this way: "The compression is just right. It holds everything together but to the point where it’s not too tight either."
The stretchy modal fabric is plenty soft, and the generous cut (rated 10 out of 10 for fit) offers plenty of coverage that won't ride up. In fact, Aliez told us that the material "is actually so stretchy that I could've gotten a size down.” This flexibility made it “super easy to put on,” and she “loved the quality and material […] It seems like it’s going to last me a while!”

You can opt for basic black or cream, but there's also a soothing mauve and an offbeat orchid, because why can't underwear for new moms also be kinda fun? And when underwear works as well as our product tester says this one does, a little style is a welcome bonus.

Size range: S to XL | Fabric: 84% modal/13% nylon/3% elastane| Washing instructions: Machine wash cold, line dry | Color options: 4

Made of a soft but substantial cotton blend, these high-waisted undies are made with curvaceous moms in mind. Our product tester wore them after a C-section birth and gave them high scores across the board, including effectiveness, quality and comfort. “I loved the high-waist style; it was comfortable and seemed natural on my body,” she said. “The material was nice and comfy. I wore them for long periods of time before changing.”

The fabric is stretchy enough to fit the contours of your body, while still offering just the right amount of compression and support for some mild smoothing action. The ultra-high waist is just right for C-sections too. “The light compression didn't bother my incision or my postpartum hematoma and made my shape look a little nicer,” our tester said.

Even better, that comfort doesn’t come with an uncomfortable price tag: At less than $30 for a two-pack, these undies are less pricey than some of the offerings from the other big maternity brands, so you can stock up on a few extra pairs.

Size range: 1X to 3X | Fabric: 63% cotton/23% nylon/14% spandex | Washing instructions: Hand-wash | Color options: 2

At around $7 per pair, the undies in this Best of The Bump-winning five-pack cost considerably less than many of the other options out there. But they don't skimp on performance, comfort or style, and the material is legit sturdy. And while the low price point is a major plus, our product tester Julie said the performance was so good that she would “pay more for these if I saw them at the store.”

The silky rayon-spandex blend feels soft to the touch and offers a solid amount of stretch. It's thin rather than bulky (no wedgies or visible panty lines!), but still substantial enough to keep pads and ice packs from moving around. “I had to get a stitch while giving birth, so I have to wear a pad and an icepack and this did so well at keeping everything in place,” Julie commented, giving these Kindred Bravely undies a 10 out of 10 for effectiveness, fit and ease of use. She was also a fan of the lace trim and the choice of colors—a little touch of style that postpartum underwear doesn’t always prioritize.

Another plus? They're fine to toss in the washer and dryer (and the fabric won't start to pill, Julie happily reported). Plus, the five pack means you won’t need to constantly do laundry—which is amazing news, since you probably have other things on your mind besides running loads right now!

Size range: S to 1X | Fabric: 95% rayon/5% spandex (body); 100% cotton (lace) | Washing instructions: Machine-wash cold on gentle cycle and tumble dry low | Color options: 7

Convenience counts more than ever when you've got a new baby. So if you'd rather just go the disposable route, we get that. And these single-use undies, which double as a pad, certainly fit the bill. At a little under a dollar per pair, these Best of The Bump-winning wear-and-toss panties deliver maximum absorbency and plenty of comfort for an affordable price. “They're very absorbent and thick,” our tester Melissa noted, and can handle both bleeding and urine leaks. Plus, the ultra-thin core is designed to absorb liquids quickly to leave you feeling dry and fresh.

While Melissa found these disposable undies excel in performance, she also loved the fact they don’t sacrifice comfort. The stretchy waistband, form-fitting cut and silk-like fabric feels like real underwear and can adjust to your rapidly changing body. “The waistband is very soft and not too tight on your postpartum belly,” Melissa shared. “With sensitive skin on my stomach after delivering, these felt very nice.” That soft waistband also “adjusts to fit just right,” she added. Just keep in mind that the undies come in regular (not maternity) sizes, so you'll need to factor that in to find your perfect fit. If your pre-pregnancy size was a medium, for instance, consider getting a large.

Size range: S/M to XL | Fabric: N/A | Washing instructions: Disposable | Color options: 2