When you’ve emerged from the newborn bubble, it’s natural that you want to get out and be a bit more active.
Exercise is not only healthy for your body, but your mind, too.
When it comes to getting back into exercise, you want to ensure that you have the right support. Sports leggings that are suitable for postpartum are smooth, stretchy pants that can be forgiving and flattering to your recovering body.
That being said, you should never feel pressure to exercise if you don’t yet feel ready and should listen to how your body is feeling.
Keep reading to find out the best sports leggings for postpartum.
OUR TOP PICK
The Letsfit High Waisted Workout Leggings for Women are flexible and supportive!
These leggings feature a tummy-controlled waistband that helps contour your body shape and flattens the stomach to help you show off your figure.
The Lesfit leggings allow you to maximize your movements with a gusset crotch that features interlocking seams to minimize rubbing and chafing, providing you with maximum comfort at all times.
Pros:
- Versatile - These sports leggings are perfect for yoga, running, your favorite sports, or everyday use.
- Breathable and moisture absorbing - The breathable fabric is able to stretch with your body, and helps to remove moisture quickly, no matter what kind of a workout you put them through.
- Non see-through - These yoga pants are designed with the right kind of stretch that is non-see through, yet offers all the support and compression your tummy and butt needs after having a baby.
Cons:
- One customer noted that the packaging of these particular sports leggings could be improved.
EDITORS CHOICE
The STELLE Women’s Capri Yoga Pants with Pockets Essential High Waisted Leggings are stylish and comfortable!
These leggings feature a stylish high-rise fit and tummy control design to provide you with the postpartum support that you need when you get back into working out again.
The STELLE leggings are made out of sweat-wicking, highly breathable fabric, ensuring that you get the most out of your workouts without getting too hot!
Pros:
- Squat proof - These leggings are of good, thick quality and are entirely squat proof, so you don’t have to worry about them going see through in the gym or when you’re out and about.
- Side pockets - These leggings come with side pockets that are perfect to store all of your essentials, such as your phone and keys, safely whilst you work out.
- Versatile - Great for a variety of purposes, whether it’s running errands or working out!
Cons:
- One customer noted that the size guide for these leggings meant that they came up larger than expected.
BEST VALUE
The Dragon Fit High Waist Yoga Leggings are non see-through and are made out of quick-drying fabric that is breathable and stretchy for your comfort.
The strong elasticity allows you to stretch freely and contours the natural curves of your body whilst providing the support you need!
These sports leggings are made out of 88% polyester and 12% spandex that offer a smooth, low friction performance every time you work out.
Pros:
- Versatile - Sport pants with pockets perfect for yoga, running, dancing, and any type of workout, or are perfect for daily wear.
- Pockets - These sports leggings come with a handy pocket to safely store your phone, wallet, or cards when you’re exercising wherever you are.
- Supportive - These leggings feature a high rise waistband made with tummy control that provides you with the support that you need as you exercise.
Cons:
- A few customers noted that they didn’t like the waistband on this particular set of sports leggings.
RUNNER UP
The Hi Clasmix high waisted leggings feature an elasticated fit and curve hugging shape, making them a staple to your postpartum workout routine!
These full-length leggings with tummy control provides you with support while working to stay in place when running, jumping or exercising.
These leggings are made from 92% polyester and 8% spandex to give you freedom of movement no matter what you’re doing.
Pros:
- Versatile - These leggings are perfect for all types of occasions, from exercise to everyday activities such as grocery shopping or meditation.
- Available in multiple sizes - From sizes 2-12, or 12-20 to choose from, there’s plenty of options.
- 4 way stretch fabric - Four way stretchy fabric provides maximum comfort and protection during every pose and movement.
Cons:
- A few customers claimed that they had trouble with the seams of these leggings coming undone after significant use.
RUNNER UP
The CAMPSNAIL High Waisted Leggings are built for durability and comfort, so getting back into an exercise is as seamless as possible.
These leggings are incredibly comfortable and feature a 4 way stretch material that promotes both compression and support.
The CAMPSNAIL leggings are squat proof and non-see through, with an ultra-stretch fit that slims and conforms with each pose, movement, and contour of your body for the most flattering fit!
Pros:
- Squat proof and non-see through - The ultra-stretch fit that slims and conforms with each pose, movement, and contour.
- Good value - These leggings come as a pack of 4, so you’re fully stocked up for your new workout routines.
- High waisted - To provide you with tummy control and the support you need after having a baby, these leggings are high waisted.
Cons:
- A couple of customers noted that the fabric that these leggings are made out of can be quite hot to work out in.
Best Sports Leggings Postpartum Buying Guide
There are a few things to consider when purchasing sports leggings for postpartum, but it mainly comes down to support, material, and durability.
When you’ve just had a baby, the fashion market can seem daunting and feel isolating for a new mother. Bearing this in mind, it is important to note that not all sports leggings that are suitable for postpartum are marketed as such. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t wear them! The main thing to make sure is that they are soft, comfortable, and supportive for your recovering body.
Check out the factors below before making your purchase.
Support
The most important factor to consider when purchasing sports leggings for postpartum is the support that they are going to provide. When you have just had a baby, the level of support you’ll need is likely to depend on your delivery.
However, that being said, even the simplest of deliveries can still be incredibly hard on your body, and you’re going to want to make sure that you have the best possible support when it comes to exercise.
That being said, you’re going to want a pair of sports leggings that are going to support you through your workout. A lot of sports leggings are made high waisted with tummy control to offer you the support you’ll need once you’ve had your little one.
High waisted leggings provide support when you’re exercising in that they’re tight and keep everything tight in all the right places, not only working to keep everything in place but giving you confidence, too.
Alongside this, you can also buy sports leggings with a focus on compression. Postpartum compression garments can be worn after giving birth to increase circulation to aid wound healing, reduce swelling and reduce post-pregnancy related aches and pains.
A premium compression fabric should be super stretchy as well as offer breathability and moisture-wicking performance properties to keep you comfy, cool and dry, just like your normal activewear does.
Fabric
Another important factor to take into consideration when purchasing sports leggings for postpartum is the fabric. When it comes to choosing the right fabric for you, it will largely depend on your personal preferences and the type of support you require when working out.
However, that being said, it helps to know what is out there to make an informed decision. Below are a few common fabrics you’ll find when looking for sports leggings postpartum.
Polyester leggings - Polyester is a hydrophobic fabric that is water resistant and sweat-wicking, making it a very popular choice for activewear leggings. However, polyester does tend to harbor smells fairly easily.
Spandex leggings - You’ll regularly find pairs of sports leggings with at least a percentage of spandex (commonly known as Lycra leggings, or elastane leggings). That’s because spandex is renowned for being stretchy, contouring the body to offer a flattering fit.
Nylon leggings - Nylon tends to be really durable, lightweight, doesn’t tend to wrinkle, and is easy to care for. That said, it can have a tendency to shrink sometimes, which means it’s always important that you remember to look at the specific wash and dry care instructions on the pair of leggings that you’re purchasing.
Whichever fabric you decide to opt for when choosing your leggings, make sure that they are suitable and comfortable for the type of exercise that you hope to be doing.
Durability
When buying sports leggings for postpartum, something you’ll need to consider is the durability. You don’t want to invest in a pair of leggings that aren’t going to last, you’ll want a product that you can regularly use and withstands the test of time with no hassle.
A handy way of finding out whether a product is durable or not is to check the product reviews section. If a customer has experiences with the product, good or bad, it is likely that they will let you know whether they’d recommend the product in the product reviews section.
Although problems occur that are often outside of the brand’s control, such as products being lost or damaged in transit, the way that they rectify the issue reveals a lot about the brand. You want to invest in a brand that has good customer service, so that when a problem arises, you can easily have it fixed.
If customers consistently leave bad feedback, then you’ll need to weigh up the negative reviews with the positive ones. Always do your own research and make sure that you’re happy with the product reviews section before going ahead with your purchase.
Intended use
Another factor that you’ll want to take into account is the intended use for your sports leggings for postpartum.
Although sports leggings are often marketed as being versatile and are suitable for many types of different exercises, there are certain types of leggings that are generally perceived to be more effective than others. Take running and yoga, for example. Running is a high impact exercise, whereas yoga is a low impact activity.
As running is high impact, the leggings you’ll need for running need to be of a certain kind of fabric for you to be able to run comfortably.
Running leggings should be tight, and you will need to look for a compressive pair of leggings, especially after giving birth, as it provides you with the support that you need. Alongside this, running leggings should be made out of a breathable and moisture wicking fabric to ensure that you don’t get too hot and sweaty when you’re out and about exercising.
On the other hand, yoga is low impact, and thus, yoga leggings don’t always have the same attributes as running leggings. Whether you can run in yoga leggings, then, will depend on the fabric.
If your yoga leggings are compressive and have moisture-wicking properties, then you’d be fine to use them interchangeably for both types of exercise. However, if they are comfortable yet aren’t tight enough to stay up whilst you run, then you might need to look elsewhere.
This is why you need to take the intended use of your leggings into consideration when making your choice, as some leggings are better suited to certain exercises than others.
Length
Something you’ll want to consider is the length of your workout leggings. Although this largely will depend on your personal style and preferences, you’ll also want to consider how hot you are likely to get when you’re exercising. The season you’ll be wearing these leggings in, therefore, can also be a factor for deciding length.
Some people prefer to have a mixture of lengths, including full length or three quarter length leggings to accommodate for different types of weather.
Once you’re back into your exercise, you might find that you want a few pairs in your wardrobe just so that you’re prepared and don’t have to be doing laundry every time you feel like working out. Nothing feels better than a new pair of sports leggings. If you have the kit ready to go, you’re far more likely to get out there with a new lease of motivation.
Whichever length you decide, take these factors into consideration and do your own research to make sure that you’re happy with your choice. You’ve got this!
Frequently Asked Questions
When can you work out after you have a baby?
Generally speaking, it is advised that you should wait until you’re 6 to 8 weeks postpartum to start a proper workout routine. However, the answer to this question largely depends on you and how you’re feeling. Having a baby is tough on your body, and everyone is different.
A good way to get back into exercise is taking short walks with your baby. Spending days inside at a time can make you feel like you’ve got cabin fever, especially if you’re used to living an active lifestyle. However, that being said, you shouldn’t feel pressured to exercise if your body doesn’t feel up to it.
Be patient with yourself, your body created a life! You’ll be ready to exercise in no time if you remove the pressure from yourself and simply enjoy easing yourself back into it by setting realistic goals and being positive about the future. You’ll only have a tiny baby for so long, so make the most of it! The exercise will come soon enough.
How do you find the best postpartum activewear?
Although it can be overwhelming to begin with, there are so many postpartum activewear options out there, you just need to know where to look.
While ultimately it comes down to personal preference, the best way to find out which postpartum sports leggings are the best is to ask other pregnant or postpartum mothers!
If you’re new to motherhood and also don’t have any friends with babies you can read reviews on maternity product pages, ask for advice in pregnancy forums, or even scour through Instagram to find the best postpartum activewear.
Doing your own research is essential to finding the perfect postpartum activewear for you. Who knows, you might be surprised and find yourself a new online community to share stories and ask questions about motherhood.