Third-tri question about nursing bras: Is this a bad idea?

Dancer6978

I was contemplating getting a few nursing sleep bras for the nighttime but then buying some wireless regular (non-nursing) bras for the daytime.  Have you been using regular bras instead of nursing bras during the day?  If so, do you regret your decision? TIA!

katJude

I only wear regular bras and I wear bras with underwire.  I'm a 32F while nursing and I can't wear non-wired bras or my boobs would be down to my belly button.  With my 8 year old I realized that nursing bras made my boobs a funny shape and so I just wore regular bras and popped my boob out the top to nurse. I am doing the same with this baby and I don't regret it all.  I also absolutely do not wear a bra at night - I cannot imagine doing that.

Dancer6978

Thanks.  I thought I had to wear one at night because of leaking. (?) Is that not accurate?

zoieglow

Whether your bra is specifically for nursing or not, if you're leaking you still need to wear nursing pads. I never bought any nursing bras - my reguar ones work just fine.

FirefightersBride

i would just get the sleep bras...i havent been able to find a bra that fits otherwise. also nursing tank tops are a life saver

BinksMomma3016

I leaked, so I wore a very comfortble, thin nursing bra at night. I am 36DD. Anyway, I tried sleeping with just the milk pads stuck to my tee and it didnt work. By the time I fell asleep they were in different places and my shirt was wet!! No fun. I wore a nursing bra during the day and HATED it. My boobs sagged, and just looked gross. After you have a baby the last thing you wan to feel is unattractive

penguingrrl

What I have found works for me overnight is cheap, not very supportive nursing tanks.  They allow really easy access and have just enough support to hold pads in place because of leaking.  I prefer this to a sleep bra and pj top/t-shirt since it allows quick, easy access during nighttime feedings.

I use good nursing tanks as bras most of the time because I prefer to have my belly covered when I'm nursing in public.  At home I usually don't even bother putting a shirt over them.  I do own one traditional nursing bra and am not a huge fan, but wear it for certain things.  A non-nursing bra would never work for me because it would be too hard to pop a breast out of to feed her.  But, I wouldn't buy a nursing bra until a few weeks in when your supply is established because your size may change significantly (I was a 34DD pre-pregnancy and am now a 38H).

kcbrandle

I have found that nursing bras and tanks are the only way for me. I tried to wear a regular bra yesterday and while it worked out fine, it would be difficult to nurse in public with it- which is something that I want to be able to do.

In regards to night time bra/tank- I have found that if I only wear a t-shirt I leak like crazy.  I guess it's the compression- I either wear a sleep bra, nursing tank or regular sports bra with pads to bed.  I would def. invest in some nursing tanks, even some cheap ones- great for around the house and bedtime.

Bellisimo

I wore nursing tanks during the day.  Or nursing bras if I was going somewhere and wanted to wear something other than a tank.  At night I slept in sports bras.  I avoided underwires while nursing....and I never wore regular bras....always of the nursing variety.

erino&chrish

When I was pregnant, I thought nursing bras were just another way to get women to buy stuff.  Then after being home alone with a newborn who nursed 10-12 times a day at first (and I had a c-section so I was pretty immobile), I realized the importance of being able to one-handedly unclip the nursing bra and stick LO on the boob.  Now I pump, and my hands-free pump requires a nursing bra because it clips to the nursing bra clip.  I'd make sure to have 2 or 3 nursing bras (and if you only have that many have a TON of nursing pads because things get really messy at first), then buy non-underwire bras to use sometimes.  I even have a really nice underwire nursing bra that I'll wear for a couple hours if we go somewhere special and I want to look nice.

maryplu

Dancer6978:

Thanks.  I thought I had to wear one at night because of leaking. (?) Is that not accurate?

I've found that if you're going to leak at night, it really doesn't matter what kind of bra or support you've got on.  I don't wear nursing pads either because they're a hassle when I try to nurse at night (we co-sleep and it's easier to just whip it out).  I just wash my sleepwear everyday and our sheets twice a week. 

 Also, they are pretty expensive, but pea in a pod has these fabulous nursing night gowns that provide quite a bit of support and are easy to nurse in too.

GOOD LUCK!

meg1974

I have been at home most of the time since the birth, and my boobs are extremely small (size A pre-pg), so I haven't been wearing a bra. I have a nursing bra that I wear when people come over or when I have to go somewhere. I got one without underwire b/c all of the BFing info I read said to avoid those if you can.

I don't wear a bra at night, but I also don't have problems w/leaking. I only leak when I feed, and I just put a pad underneath the boob to catch it. The LC told me it's good to let them air out with some lanolin on them, so I do that at night.

Motherhood had a sale on nighttime bras a few weeks ago, so you might want to check it out if you are going to get one. 

mrs_rodney

I wear nursing tanks almost all the time.- mostly becuase of easy access,  If I'm just running errands or something, I wear the nursing tanks with a shirt over the top.  I have worn regualr bras a few times if I'm going to be gone for the day and won't be BFing for a while, just cause its nice to feel a little perkier sometimes!  But, in general, I find the nursing tanks and nursing bras much more convenient.  Im a 36C and really have felt like they offer enough support for me.  Not the same as my VS underwire bras, but good enough.

 Oh and at night- its nursing tanks, always!  Even with them, I still have some leakage issues sometimes if the pads shift.  I can't imagine going without anything! 

**Gretchen**

I think trying to nurse with a regular bra would suck, unless you got front closures. Then it wouldn't suck as much, but it'd still kind of suck for me b/c the side I'm not feeding on leaks, and I need to keep the pad there to soak up the leaks.

 

eta: I'd love to not have to wear a bra at night, but unfortunately, I leak like a siev, so I need something there to catch it. Even with that, i've leaked out of the pads and soaked myself. It sucks.

DarcyLongfellow

Wow -- I'm so surprised at how many ladies don't wear nursing bras! I can't imagine wearing a regular bra. My nursing bras are comfortable and don't look weird under clothes or anything. I have two from A Pea in the Pod and two Medela (from Gap). I wear sleep bras at night -- I'm a DD so I hurt if I don't have that support. I wore bras at night during pregnancy too because my boobs were sore.