Brief Transitions. The Luxury of Mesh Undies.
“Take as many pairs of the mesh undies as you can get from the hospital before you’re discharged.”
Words of advice from everyone I know who’s ever given birth
I’d heard, prior to giving birth, that moms also leave the hospital in a diaper and that the mesh undies from the hospital were clutch for surviving those first few days.
I didn’t really know what I was in for, but I was prepared to hoard my hospital stash. Then, a few weeks before delivering, I met Mary Clavieres, founder of Brief Transitions.
Mary has her own line of mesh undies–ones that you can buy and use freely, rather than having to smuggle and ration.
When she found out I was expecting, Mary graciously gifted me a couple packs. I put them in my hospital bag and then didn’t think much about them again until my little peanut arrived.
My hospital bathroom was stocked with 2 kinds of mesh undies. So, my strategy was to use those up first and then move on to the Brief Transitions.
These fit well but the material was not exactly comfortable.
These were a super soft material but the fit was saggy and made me feel like an 85 year old MAN.
On the day I was going home, after the most satisfying shower I’ve probably every taken, I broke out my pack of BTs and tried a pair on. Oh. My. Gawd. Why had I waited? Why had I suffered through two whole days of hospital undies?!? (For the record, those two days felt like two weeks, and I went through multiple pairs so in my sleep-deprived stupor, it seemed way longer). These were SO much more comfortable.
Here I am, 30-hours-pp-still-looking-6-months-pregnant, rocking my BTs.
The material is soft, light and airy, and they fit like a dream – hugging your hot postpartum bod in a lightly supportive way, without being even remotely tight or restrictive.
After pushing a baby out of your lady bits, there’s not much that feels comfortable. But these do – and I never wanted to take them off. These would make excellent, though admittedly not so glamorous, baby shower gifts. These are the things moms really need.
I actually felt pretty satisfied with myself, knowing I had a more luxurious pair of disposable undies than @chrissyteigen and @jennymollen…
So, having converted into a diehard fan, I circled back with Mary to talk with her more about her amazing company and product:
Interview With Mary Clavieres
Photo credit: Kim Lorraine Photography
Tell us a little about Brief Transitions. What inspired you to develop this product?
Brief Transitions are mesh underwear for women after childbirth and surgery. They have also been referred to as magical and life changing.
It all started when my friend told me to steal mesh underwear from the hospital. Having had a baby a few months prior, she explained to me that the mesh underwear were instrumental for postpartum recovery. Fast forward to my emergency c-section and the birth of my first daughter. I was sent home with extra supplies from the hospital, but I still ran out of mesh underwear. I asked my mom to find me more and sure enough, they weren’t available for purchase. She ended up buying me oversized granny panties. They were large enough, however, the elastic in the waistband dug into my side and put pressure on my midsection. I had to cut into the waistband to relieve the pressure while I was still swollen. I was so upset that I ran out of mesh underwear, but I had to make do with what I had available to me.
For those that don’t know about mesh underwear, they are super stretchy and don’t have an elastic waistband. This allows them to be pulled up and over a c-section incision and provides extra comfort when your body is swollen after childbirth. They aren’t limited to c-section recovery. Women that have vagnial births also find them helpful because they hold large pads in place while your body discharges fluid after delivery.
Months later, I happened to think about those mesh underwear again and asked myself why they aren’t available for women during such a transformational time in their lives. Why don’t women have essential items available to them at such a pivotal time in their lives? That was the initial prompt that led me to think more about mesh underwear and how I could make them available to women for their postpartum recovery.
Fast forward a few years and I now work on Brief Transitions full time. I left my corporate job.
What was your biggest takeaway or lesson learned when trying to develop them?
My biggest lesson was that not everyone will be willing to speak with someone just starting out even if you believe in your mission and your business. Large companies are already busy with their business and current clients, of course. This doesn’t mean that you need to quit, but it does mean you have to work that much harder to go after what you want. I had to speak with six suppliers before I found one that was willing to work with me. Had I stopped when I was told ‘No’ the first time, I wouldn’t have a business today.
How are these different than what you get at the hospital?
It really depends on which hospital you go to. Brief Transitions are sturdier than most hospital underwear. They have a more supportive pattern while most hospital underwear have holes and a loose pattern so the fabric feels flimsy. Brief Transitions also comes in black, which I find helps women feel more confident with themselves during their recovery.
Where can we purchase them?
Brief Transitions are currently available on Amazon.
What can we expect to see next from Brief Transitions?
We have a few things in the works! One of the latest projects includes upgraded branding so stay tuned!
Join the conversation!
Instagram: @BriefTransitions
Facebook: @BriefTransitionsForWomen