Updated 26 October 2026. General information, not medical advice. If something does not feel right, speak to your midwife or GP. Prices, sizes and returns checked on each brand's own website, or a UK retailer, on 8 October 2026.
What ours are: boxers for women in 95% bamboo viscose with 5% elastane, soft from the first wear. Wide flat waistband. 6 or 9 inch leg. UK 8 to 30. 60 day guarantee, and a free size swap on your whole first order.
At a glance
Maternity knickers and postpartum underwear: the quick answer
Quick answer: after birth, wear high-waisted disposable maternity knickers for days 1 to 7, then soft, wide-waisted reusables with a pad until around week 6, then whatever is comfortable. For pregnancy, and after the first fortnight, our pick is Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them): a wide flat waistband you can wear pulled up above a C-section scar, and a 6 inch leg that covers the thighs so they glide instead of rubbing, in UK 8 to 30 at £20 a pair, or £13 a pair in a 7 pack. They have no absorbency, so wear a pad with them while you are still bleeding, and if anything does not feel right, speak to your midwife or GP.
- Days 1 to 7: Frida Mom High-Waist Disposable Postpartum Underwear, £11.99 for 8 at Boots when we checked (usually £14.99), one size for a 70 to 110cm waist. For the lowest price, Tesco's disposable Maternity Briefs are £2 for 5.
- Weeks 1 to 6, with a high waist above a C-section scar: BABYGO Postpartum Knickers, £11 a pair or 3 for £25, in dress sizes 6 to 22, with a gusset made for postpartum bleeding.
- Absorbent pants instead of a pad on lighter days: WUKA's Postpartum Stretch Set, four pairs for £70.16 in its sale (usually £77.96).
- Pregnancy, and after the first fortnight: Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them, our pick), £20 a pair or £13 a pair in a 7 pack, in UK 8 to 30.
- Cotton from the high street: H&M's MAMA 2-pack High Waist Cotton briefs, £11.05 for two in its sale (usually £12.99).
Prices checked on each brand's own website, or a UK retailer, on 8 October 2026. Prices and stock change often.
Try Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts
£20 a pair, or £13 a pair in a 7 pack, in UK 8 to 30 at one price. Free UK delivery on every order, a free size swap on your whole first order, and a 60 day guarantee: full refund, worn or not.
Why you can trust this guide
★★★★★ 4.7 out of 5 from 336 reviews of Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts, and about 2,500 customers since 2021.
- Who wrote it: Phillippa and Matthew, the founders of Flissie. We have designed and sold women's boxer shorts from Derbyshire since 2021.
- Our bias, stated: we make Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts, one of the options here. We do not make disposables, absorbent pants or compression garments, and for the first week you want one of those, so we recommend them. Every product here, ours included, has a Cons line.
- No paid placements: no brand paid to be included, and none of the links earn us money.
- How we compared: price, fabric, sizes, where the waistband sits, how each holds a pad and what happens if you have worn them, from each brand's own website or a UK retailer on 8 October 2026. General information, not medical advice.
"The material is very lightweight and breathable, and the sizing/fit is perfect. Love the colours!" Amalie, United Kingdom, verified buyer, August 2026
Nobody tells you how much underwear matters when you are pregnant, and even less about what happens after. You need different things at 30 weeks than in week one, and different things again once you are walking properly.
We make bamboo boxer shorts. We do not make disposable knickers or compression garments, and for the first week you want those. They are recommended below anyway, because a guide that only points at its own product is not a guide.
What you need, and when
| When | What works | What to skip |
|---|---|---|
| Pregnancy | A size up, worn over or under the bump. The longer leg handles the chafing that comes with a changing shape | Anything with a narrow waistband cutting across the bump |
| Days 1 to 7 | Disposable maternity knickers for the bleeding, high-waisted | Anything you would be upset to ruin |
| Weeks 1 to 6 | Soft, wide-waisted reusables alongside a pad | Narrow elastic, anything that digs |
| Week 6 onward | Whatever is comfortable. Most people want their own clothes back by now | Rushing into pre-pregnancy knickers |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
The most common mistake is buying one type and expecting it to cover the whole thing. Most people end up with two or three, and the disposables are only for the first stretch.
The brands, compared
Eight options people weigh up, in the order you would use them, with what each publishes and costs. Prices, sizes and returns checked on 8 October 2026. We make the last one, so read that row accordingly.
| Product | What it is | Waistband | Best for | Price | If you have worn them |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frida Mom High-Waist Disposable Postpartum Underwear | Disposable, microfibre and spandex, mesh-free and latex-free | High waist, designed not to roll down over an incision | Days 1 to 7 | £11.99 for 8 at Boots (usually £14.99) | Disposable, so not applicable |
| Tesco Maternity Briefs | Disposable; Tesco's page says they contain latex | Not described | Days 1 to 7, on a budget | £2 for 5 | Disposable, so not applicable |
| BABYGO Postpartum Knickers | Reusable, 71% Tencel modal, 22% nylon, 7% elastane, three-layer gusset | High waist that sits above the incision line | Weeks 1 to 6, and C-section recovery | £11, or 3 for £25 | Cannot be returned once opened |
| WUKA Postpartum Stretch Set | Absorbent period pants: two Super Heavy pairs (up to 60ml) and two Heavy | High waist | Lighter days, instead of a pad | £70.16 for 4 in the sale (usually £77.96) | One item refundable within 40 days of purchase |
| Kindred Bravely High-Waisted Postpartum Underwear | Reusable, 95% rayon, 5% spandex, cotton gusset, room for a pad | Wide lace band that sits above the hips or incision | Weeks 1 to 6 | $36.90 for 5 on its US site, which does not ship to the UK | No returns or exchanges on underwear at all |
| Bodily All-In Panty | Reusable, 92% modal, 8% elastane, wide gusset for a pad | High waistband that clears a C-section incision | C-section recovery, in the US | $15.85 a pair on its US site, which ships to US addresses only | No returns on underwear |
| UpSpring C-Panty | Compression brief; some versions have a silicone panel over the incision | High-waisted | Compression after a C-section, if your midwife agrees | Listed on Amazon UK; we could not confirm a UK price | Check the seller before you buy |
| Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (ours) | Boxer shorts in 95% bamboo viscose, 6 or 9 inch leg. No absorbency | Wide flat band, mid-rise, can be worn pulled up | Pregnancy, and after the first fortnight, with a pad while you are still bleeding | £20, or £13 a pair in a 7 pack | 60 days, full refund, worn or not, and a free swap on your whole first order |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
For the first week, buy Frida Mom or a supermarket equivalent. Disposables are the right answer while bleeding is heaviest and we do not make them.
For a reusable high waist in the UK, look at BABYGO. Kindred Bravely and Bodily are often recommended for C-section recovery, because both sit clearly above the incision, but when we checked on 8 October 2026 neither shipped to the UK from its own website: Bodily ships to US addresses only, and Kindred Bravely points UK buyers to Amazon UK. Neither takes underwear back, and nor does BABYGO once a pack is opened, which on a garment you cannot try on is a real risk.
Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts are for pregnancy and for afterwards, not for the first fortnight. No absorbency, so you still need a pad early on.
Maternity knickers during pregnancy
Maternity underwear, maternity knickers, pregnancy pants: whatever you call them, the job is the same. Somewhere around the second trimester, normal underwear stops working. The waistband either rolls under the bump or cuts across it, and neither is comfortable for long.
What to look for: a wide, soft waistband rather than a narrow band of elastic, room to size up, and enough length in the leg if chafing has started. Over-bump and under-bump are both fine and it is genuinely personal preference.
Sizing maternity underwear: size up if you are between two sizes, if your usual underwear already feels tight, or if you want room to keep wearing the same pairs later in pregnancy. Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts come in UK 8 to 30 at the same price, and the swap on your whole first order is free, as long as you try one pair and send the rest back unopened.
The chafing part surprises people. Weight gain and a changing shape mean thighs that never touched before might start to, often in the middle of summer. It has nothing to do with size and it is very common.
I am currently pregnant with my second child, and I wish I had come across these sooner. They are so soft and comfortable I wear them all day long, they have stopped my chafing completely. My belly has grown and they still fit.
Louise, UK, verified review
Disposable maternity knickers for the first week
For the first few days, disposables are the right answer and almost everyone underbuys them.
Lochia, the bleeding after birth, is heaviest at the start. The NHS says it will be quite heavy at first, so you will need super-absorbent pads, and that it carries on for a few weeks, getting lighter until it stops. It also says to use pads rather than tampons until after your 6 week check. In those first days you want something you can throw away, not something you are trying to rescue in a sink at 3am.
What to look for: high waisted, a wide gusset that holds a maternity pad without shifting, and a soft fabric rather than the mesh you get in hospital. Buy at least two packs.
Frida Mom's high-waist disposables are microfibre and spandex rather than mesh, and are cut high specifically so the band does not roll down over an incision. Supermarket own-brand disposable maternity knickers are considerably cheaper and largely fine: Tesco's Maternity Briefs were £2 for 5 when we checked, in small, medium and large, though Tesco's page says they contain latex.
Where boxer shorts fit
Most postpartum underwear is built for one job, absorbency, and gets retired the moment you stop needing it. Boxer shorts are the opposite. People buy them for pregnancy or recovery and then keep wearing them.
Through pregnancy. A size up, over or under the bump. The waistband is wide and soft rather than a cutting band of elastic, and the longer leg handles the chafing.
Through recovery. Wide flat waistband, no narrow elastic, soft bamboo viscose against skin that may still be sore, and a leg long enough that nothing bunches when you are moving carefully.
And afterwards, for a reason nobody warns you about: postpartum thigh chafing. Your shape changes, sometimes for a long time. Thighs that did not touch before might now. Add walking with a pram in summer and you have a friction problem you have never had to solve.
A 6 or 9 inch leg puts a smooth layer between your thighs so they glide rather than catch. We cover the mechanics on our anti-chafing shorts page.
What ours are: 95% bamboo viscose with 5% elastane, soft from the first wear. Wide flat waistband. 6 or 9 inch leg. UK 8 to 30, every size the same price. What they are not: absorbent, so in the first days you still need a pad.
I bought the black 9-inch leg in a large to accommodate my pregnancy bump. They are really silky soft and breathable, exactly what I wanted to avoid chafing. ... I will hopefully be able to wear them throughout the pregnancy and post-partum.
A.P., UK, verified review (reviewer earned a reward for a future purchase)
After a C-section
A caesarean incision sits low, usually along the bikini line. What makes underwear uncomfortable afterwards is almost always the waistband: a narrow band of elastic sitting directly on the scar, digging in every time you move or sit down.
The usual advice is to go high, well clear of the incision. That is why high-waisted knickers and C-section recovery briefs exist, and in the first week, when you are managing bleeding too, disposables are the practical answer. Our C-section knickers guide goes through what to wear week by week.
Where ours fit. Flissie's waistband is wide, flat and soft rather than a narrow band of elastic, and the boxers can be worn pulled up so the band sits above the scar rather than on it. Several customers have told us this is exactly why they work for them.
The band of my pre-pregnancy knickers would sit directly on top of my scar, making it uncomfortable. Flissie bands sit above my scar for extra comfort.
Customer feedback
The one thing they do not do: there is no built-in absorbency, so in the first days you still need a pad, and disposables are easier while bleeding is heaviest. That is about absorbency, not fit.
And fit varies. Where a scar sits differs from person to person, and only you know how yours feels. If they are not right, the first-order swap is free and the 60 day guarantee means you can try them properly rather than guessing.
Also worth looking at: BABYGO's Postpartum Knickers for a high waist that sits above the incision, Frida Mom disposables for the first week, and UpSpring's C-Panty if you want compression, which is worth asking your midwife about first. Bodily and Kindred Bravely are popular in the US, but neither ships to the UK from its own website.
Reusable postpartum knickers
From roughly week two, most people want to move off disposables.
What to look for: a soft wide waistband, a gusset wide enough for a maternity pad, and cheap enough that you do not mind if a pair gets ruined.
BABYGO's Postpartum Knickers are built for this stage, and are sold from a UK website.
Absorbent postpartum pants have the absorbency built in, so you can skip pads on lighter days. WUKA and Cheeky Wipes both sell postpartum sets: WUKA's Postpartum Stretch Set is four pairs for £70.16 in its sale, and Cheeky Wipes' High Waist Postpartum Support Pants are four for £49.95. Modibodi's UK maternity collection was empty when we checked, with its Postpartum Control Brief on clearance at £15.50. They cost more up front and can save on pads over six weeks.
Plain high-waisted cotton knickers are the unglamorous answer and they work. Buy a multipack one or two sizes up, in black, and do not think about it again. H&M's MAMA 2-pack High Waist Cotton briefs, in 95% cotton with a cotton gusset, were £11.05 for two in its sale when we checked.
Kindred Bravely, Bodily and UpSpring: the US brands, from the UK
All three come up in most lists of the best postpartum underwear, and most of those lists are American. This is what we found when we checked on 8 October 2026.
Kindred Bravely High-Waisted Postpartum Underwear
Bodily All-In Panty
UpSpring C-Panty
How many pairs of each do you need?
- Disposables: two packs, roughly 20 pairs. You will use more than you expect in week one
- Reusables: five to seven pairs, so you are washing every two or three days rather than daily
- Normal underwear: do not buy any until week six. Your size and shape are still changing
What nobody tells you
Buy bigger than you think. Postpartum swelling is real and it takes weeks to settle.
Black, every time. For obvious reasons.
Keep a spare pair in the nappy bag. Accidents happen for longer than you expect.
Pre-treat stains with cold water, not hot. Hot water sets blood.
Check the returns policy before you order. Several postpartum brands do not accept underwear back at all, which matters when you are buying blind at 38 weeks.
You may need a bigger size than pre-pregnancy for a while, and that is completely normal.
What we will not tell you
We will not tell you Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts help you heal, support your core or ease swelling. They are not a medical or compression garment. You will see postpartum underwear sold with claims like those, from scar healing to swelling. Your midwife or GP is the person to ask about your wound, your bleeding or your recovery.
We will also not tell you bamboo viscose is antibacterial or hypoallergenic, although you will see it sold that way: the antimicrobial compound sometimes cited for raw bamboo does not survive the viscose manufacturing process.
Where we are not the answer
- The first week. Disposables are easier while bleeding is heaviest, and we do not make them.
- You want the absorbency built in. Ours have none. Absorbent postpartum pants such as WUKA's let you skip a pad on lighter days.
- You want compression. We do not make compression garments. Ask your midwife first, then look at a compression brief such as UpSpring's C-Panty.
- You want a high waist. Ours is mid-rise, so it sits above a scar only when you wear it pulled up. BABYGO's Postpartum Knickers and Frida Mom's disposables are cut high.
- You are a UK 6. Ours start at UK 8. BABYGO's small covers dress sizes 6 to 10.
Not sure about the size?
Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts run from S (UK 8 to 10) to 3XL (UK 28 to 30), all at the same price. If you are between sizes, size up, and if the size is wrong, we swap your whole first order free. Every order has free UK delivery and a 60 day guarantee: full refund, worn or not.
When to speak to someone
Postpartum bleeding that suddenly gets heavier, passes large clots, or smells unpleasant, and any incision that becomes hot, red, swollen or starts weeping, all need checking. Speak to your midwife, GP or health visitor.
Maternity knickers and postpartum underwear: your questions
Can I wear these during pregnancy?
Yes, Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) can be worn through pregnancy, and a lot of customers do. Take a size up so there is room as your bump grows, and wear them over or under it depending on what feels better. The wide soft waistband does not cut across the bump the way narrow elastic does, and the longer leg puts a smooth layer between your thighs, where chafing often starts when your shape changes.
What is the best postpartum underwear?
It depends on the week. For days one to seven, high-waisted disposables such as Frida Mom's, £11.99 for 8 at Boots when we checked. For weeks one to six, soft high-waisted reusables with room for a pad, such as BABYGO's Postpartum Knickers at £11 a pair; Kindred Bravely and Bodily are popular too, but neither ships to the UK from its own website. For pregnancy, and after the first fortnight with a pad while you are still bleeding, longer-leg boxer shorts such as Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them), £20 a pair, in UK 8 to 30.
What underwear should I wear after giving birth?
Disposable high-waisted maternity knickers for the first few days, then soft wide-waisted reusables for the first few weeks, then whatever is comfortable from around week six. Most people use two or three types rather than one.
How many pairs of postpartum underwear do I need?
Around 20 disposables for the first week, and five to seven reusable pairs after that. Buy more disposables than feels sensible.
What is the best underwear after a C-section?
The thing that matters is the waistband. A narrow band of elastic sitting on the incision is what hurts, so you want something wide and soft, worn either well above the scar or well below it. High-waisted knickers and C-section recovery briefs are built for this, and disposables are easiest in the first week. Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) have a wide flat waistband and can be worn pulled up above the scar, which is what several customers have told us works for them.
Can you buy Kindred Bravely or Bodily postpartum underwear in the UK?
Not from their own websites, when we checked on 8 October 2026. Bodily says it ships to addresses within the United States only, and Kindred Bravely does not ship internationally from its site; its UK page points buyers to Amazon UK. Neither accepts underwear back. For a high-waisted reusable sold from a UK website, BABYGO's Postpartum Knickers are £11 a pair, and Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) have a wide flat waistband you can wear pulled up above a scar, in UK 8 to 30.
Are disposable or reusable postpartum knickers better?
Both, at different stages. Disposables for the first week when bleeding is heaviest. Reusables from week two, when you would rather not be throwing something away every few hours.
How long will I bleed after giving birth?
The NHS says bleeding after birth, called lochia, carries on for a few weeks: quite heavy at first, so you will need super-absorbent pads, then lighter until it stops. Use pads rather than tampons until after your 6 week check. If you lose blood in large clots, or it suddenly becomes very heavy, tell your midwife straight away.
Can I wear normal knickers after birth?
Eventually, and there is no rush. Most people find pre-pregnancy underwear uncomfortable for several weeks. Buy a cheap multipack one or two sizes up rather than forcing the issue.
Why do my thighs chafe now when they never did before?
Because your shape has changed, and thighs that did not touch before now might. It is very common in pregnancy and after birth, it is not a sign of anything wrong, and a longer leg helps, because it puts a smooth layer between your thighs.
Can you wear boxer shorts after giving birth?
Yes, once you are past the first fortnight, when disposables and knickers built to hold a maternity pad do the job better. Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) have a wide flat waistband that can be worn pulled up above a C-section scar, and a 6 inch leg that covers the thighs, in UK 8 to 30. They have no absorbency, so wear a pad with them while you are still bleeding, and speak to your midwife or GP if anything does not feel right.
What are the best maternity knickers for pregnancy?
Ones with a wide, soft waistband rather than a narrow band of elastic, room to size up, and enough length in the leg if chafing has started; over-bump and under-bump are both fine. Our pick is Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them): a wide flat waistband and a 6 inch leg, in UK 8 to 30 at £20 a pair, or £13 a pair in a 7 pack.
Should maternity underwear go over or under the bump?
Wherever feels more comfortable, as long as the waistband does not dig in. The wide, soft waistband on Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) can sit beneath your bump, and the fabric moves with your changing shape; size up if you want more room around your bump.
How do I stop my thighs rubbing when pregnant?
Put a smooth layer of fabric between them so they glide instead of rubbing. A boxer short with a longer leg does this, and it helps most under dresses and in warm weather. Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) have a 6 inch leg in all 8 colours, or a 9 inch leg in black and pine green that sits just above the knee.
Should I size up in postpartum underwear?
Usually, yes: postpartum swelling takes weeks to settle, so buy bigger than you think, often one or two sizes up on your pre-pregnancy size for a while. Check the returns policy before you order, because several postpartum brands do not accept underwear back at all. Flissie women's bamboo boxer shorts (we make them) come with a free size swap on your whole first order and a 60 day guarantee, full refund, worn or not.
Sources
Prices, sizes and policies were checked on each brand's own website, or a UK retailer, on 8 October 2026. Prices and stock change often, so check before you buy. We have no commercial relationship with any of these brands.
- NHS: How soon can I use tampons after giving birth? (bleeding after birth, last reviewed 25 April 2024)
- Boots: FridaMom High-waist Disposable Postpartum Underwear (8 Pack)
- Tesco: Medium Maternity Brief 5 Pack
- BABYGO: Postpartum Knickers
- BABYGO: C-section Knickers
- WUKA: Postpartum Stretch Set
- WUKA: delivery and returns
- Cheeky Wipes: High Waist Postpartum Support Pants
- Modibodi UK: Postpartum Control Brief
- Kindred Bravely: High-Waisted Postpartum Underwear Pack
- Kindred Bravely: return policy
- Kindred Bravely: international shipping
- Bodily: The All-In Panty
- Bodily: FAQs (shipping)
- H&M: MAMA 2-pack High Waist Cotton briefs
