~JFF~ Is Anybody Else Freaking Out About Swimsuits?

I have an amazing vintage inspired one from walmart. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Suddenly-Slim-by-Catalina-Women...; I love it. I even bought it in red, and it makes me feel beautiful, which a swimsuit never has before.

Land's End is the way to go. I always get compliments on my suits..

Sometimes I get a really good top from Land's End then find a cute bikini brief bottom on the cheap from Target. I have a lot of mix matched suits...but have some good staples from Land's End. I have a really cute one now that has a kind of hot pink, aqua blue paisley print and has draw strings on the sides. It scrunches up a bit to hide the tummy.

Good luck swimsuit shopping!

Not yet.
But I'll need a new one.
Dropping 55 lbs means I have nothing that fits anymore.
But I still have a long way to go before I'm out of the Plus sizes.

landsend.. but be real.. a mom who has had kids will never quite get the body back that she had before..

it is all good.. the babies are worth it..

.... You are just self conscious about your body shape, because you recently had a baby.

But ya know what? There are also, many body shapes and types, REGARDLESS if a woman had a baby or not.
There are 23 year olds, who are slim and have a tummy paunch. Or a flabby rear end.
So what.
And they never even had a baby yet.

Here in Hawaii, so many people walk around in bathing suits, all the time. Women in all shapes and sizes. And they are themselves.
But the ones that get joked about... are the ones that look like they are trying to pick up guys, with super scanty bikinis. Egad.
The "big" women, walk around comfortable in their own skin. In their chosen bathing suit. You can tell, that they are not self-conscious.
And that, makes them fine.

Land's End, with mini swim minis. Coverage doesn't mean you look like a grandmother.

other vote for lands end. I love their skirts! Hubby loves their tops :-)

Swimsuits have come such a long way from the itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka dot bikini days!

I love the full-coverage of two pieces now and recommend Land's End.

Heck, even Target and Wal-Mart have great pieces.

Good luck.

Land's End swimsuits are very well constructed, provide good coverage, and are great to actually swim in. Yes, many of them are "mom suits", but they are really cute mom suits, which is why so many moms I know buy them. I'm a curvy size 16, and their swimsuits are some of the only ones I've found that have tops to accommodate and support a 40DDD that don't look like an engineering project gone wrong.

Miraclesuit also makes some very pretty swimsuits, well-constructed for reining in a softer middle, giving an hourglass shape, and drawing the eye upwards.

stop stressing and embrace your body. You don't have to be some societal ideal size 0 to look hot in a swimsuit, even a two piece. I have seen bigger woman (size 16, 18) look amazing in swim wear.

but to answer the question, they do make affordable swim wear that is slimming around the tummy, look on line at sites like walmart, they have some cute stuff. I got my slimming swim dress from walmart.com. Because even though I can look at other woman and see them as beautiful, like so many of us I am way harder on myself.

Not for years since I started buying Lands End suits!

I saw a darling suit the other day- it has a short skirt around the bottom, not a g-ma looking "skirt", but a cute, flirty skirt. You could pair it with whatever top you would like (halter, bandeau, etc.).

I think the skirt helps to balance things out. You could also pick out whatever suit you like and find a fabulous cover to wear with it.

(Tankini's don't do it for me either.) I am freaking out over my winter-white skin! I need some sun!

Have a great summer!

ETA: Thanks, E S. for the jog of my memory- the cute suit WAS at Target! I normally wouldn't think to buy a suit there, but they had a huge selection. Maybe I should go back and get it... :)

Yes (freaking out). However 1-pieces seem to be back in style. My SIL and I both found cute one pieces at TJ Maxx. Dillards, Macy's, Lime Ricki all have cute ones as well.
I think your best bet is to try on quite a few till you find one you feel comfortable in. A lot of the one pieces have rouching (not sure how to spell) and the gathered material helps hide a poochy belly.
In the meantime, I would work on increasing your water intake. I personally have a goal sheet I mark off daily because otherwise I forget. Drinking a ton of water helps you not feel hungry. It really works. I also have been trying to eat "clean". If you eat very healthy, low calorie foods, you can eat a ton and get the vitamins you need but still reduce bloating. I still cheat and consume some sugar, usually at the end of the day when my willpower runs out, but since I am eating healthy the rest of the day, I come out ahead. Also, you could start going on a daily walk. Walking fast for about 30 minutes burns 200-300 calories and helps strengthen your stomach, legs and bum muscles. I would imagine if you make those 3 changes, you will lose at least 5 lbs and feel a lot more confident in your suit. Good luck!

You really just need to loose the 5 lbs. You can do it! I know you need nutrients because you are BF but you do not need any simple carbs / sugar in your diet. Don't kid yourself. Cut the sugar, loose 5 lbs and get whatever bathing suit you want😀

I'm hoping swim middies (think turn of the last century) come into fashion before I have to get face-to-face with a pool.:)

I agree with the Lands End suggestion. (That's where I'm going-- to the land's end and deep into the water to hide! Just kidding!)

My SIL has the coolest suit, it has rooshing (not sure how to spell it either) in the middle at an angle and then only one shoulder strap, it's very very cute! Hers is black and you really aren't even aware of the rooshing (only way my stinking iPad will let me spell it) it just looks like a cool style. Very modern but vintage at the same time! Not sure where she bought it but I have seen Beyonce wear something similar in one of her videos. If I were you, I would keep an eye out for one like that!

Buy a Miraclesuit and be done with it.

Target carries the "love your assets" line by Spanx. Looks like they run around $50, which is significantly cheaper than most of the "tummy-tamer" lines in department stores. Good luck!

My dr told me that the 300-500 extra calories breast feeding women are told to consume is just to MAINTAIN your weight. He said if all women went back to thier normal(and healthy) pre pregnancy diet, consuming the same amount of calories, than virtually all women would go back to pre pregnancy weight rapidly. Most of the weight we lose after having a baby is liquid-extra blood and fluid built up during pregnancy and the stubborn last 10 pounds is fat storage for baby.

You have gotten some great suit ideas :). I just got back from a fab vacation to the beach in Mexico and I am not a skinny girl at all at the moment! You know what I realized? We all pretty much look the same :). Skinny girls have cellulite just like larger gals most of the time. I actually got a really cute suit but it just wasn't as flattering or comfy as an old faithful, so I sent back the new suit, rocked my old one, and felt great. I wore some cute earrings to the pool, waterproof mascara, lipgloss and sunglasses and I felt great, not frumpy and not fussy. I found a cute coverup and was all over our resort in my cover up, suit and flip flops. So I said all that to say, it sounds like you just have a little belly flab and you are just going to realize how awesome you really look! I know you are going to find a cute suit, have fun!

I've not bought a Lands End suit, myself, but plan to when I need a new one. If you sign up for their email I'm sure you'll get a great discount (probably 30% off) within a week or so.

Get a suit with Rouching. If it can hide my two ost,IRS and G tube it can certainly take care of you.

Lands end from sears or catalog??

Target. I just went there and intended to just get new bottoms for a tankini I can't find the bottoms for and got a new tankini top. The one I have flows a little so it doesn't point out "hey, belly here!" (Mine is because I have a small frame and had an 8lb baby and haven't gotten my abs back where they ought to be.)

You only need about 500 extra calories per day for nursing, and if your child is now more than a year old, I think it's OK to cut back a little and/or increase your activities. Eating well for nursing doesn't mean you have to literally eat for two. Focus on good food not portion size. If you cut out the empty calories, you will still be providing for your child AND be doing better for yourself.

I've found some great shape-enhancing swimwear at JC Penny.

I too am freaking out about swimsuit season. Going to Vegas in July so I know there will be a lot of pool time. That's why I started my protein-kickstart diet today. And of course someone HAD to bring donuts to work. KILLING ME!