Best Nursing bras and clothing? Help!

Re: Best Nursing bras and clothing? Help!

• TeacherVicky member

  December 2013

  With DS1, I didn't buy a nursing bra until after he was born and my milk came in. Until then, I simply used a sleeping nursing bra with nursing pads. Once my milk came in, I got fitted and went ahead and bought a few nursing bras. I plan on doing the same thing this time around as I won't spend money on a nursing bra until after my milk comes in and I know what size I am (I went from a 36C to a 38E). I used nursing pads for the first few weeks and mostly at night, but then I stopped. However, I didn't leak much, and everyone is different. 

  
  

  Somehow, in the 13m I nursed DS1, I never nursed in public, so I am of no help there.

  
  

  My favourite nursing bras were the Bravado Bliss, they had a good amount of padding. I had one from Motherhood and I hated it.

  
  

  You still have a lot of time to figure this out and get prepared. Again, I wouldn't buy nursing bras until after.

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• cMichelle0423 member

  December 2013

  I LOVED the nursing bras at target. The Gilligan and O'Malley ones.. they're cheap and comfy. I was only able to breast feed for like 3 months but I had to wear nursing pads 24/7. ESPECIALLY if I was going to be out in public and couldn't pump or bf. Also, I'd recommend getting nursing pads with a plastic lining. I made the mistake in buying the think NUK pads the first time and soaked right through them AND my shirt. There are also nursing camis that make it easy to just pull down to feed so you don't have to worry about exposing your belly/back when out and about.

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• dmurrie member

  December 2013

  I had a tough size to fit for nursing bras... 34I. So the expensive brands were my only options. I had a couple Anita that I liked and a Goddess I loved. They were very supportive. I used nursing pads all throughout (partly for leakage and partly for any nipple showing issues.). My favorite disposables were Johnson and Johnson. The Medela were terrible! They felt and sounded like paper. For reusable, I liked the Gerber ones.

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• rboisvert member

  December 2013

  I was a huge fan of the Bravado nursing tanks.  I didn't really wear nursing bras that often since I still had to layer a tank and another shirt too.  The Bravado tanks are fitted like a bra (band and cup size not S,M,L) so they are just about as supportive.  I would grab a few cheap nursing tanks (like the target ones) to have in the hospital, those first weeks at home then go from there, you really have no way to judge what your final size is going to be, plus it will change again as your supply regulates.

  

  
  

  
  

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• FemShep member

  December 2013 edited December 2013

  A few other hints, OP:

  -Don't buy a nursing bra/tank until later in your 3rd trimester; your breasts will likely change quite a bit between now and then *and* once your milk comes in

  
  

  -Only buy one or two to try out; as mentioned above, your size will change, and you might find that what sounds good actually doesn't work for you.  Fortunately, it's easy to find nursing bras and tanks at mass-market stores like Target and even easier to order them online.

  
  

  -Don't waste your money on a nursing cover.  Even if your LO tolerates being covered while nursing (many don't; would you like to eat under a sheet?), a swaddling blanket works just as well.

  
  

  -Don't stress too much about NIP.  I NIPed frequently.  I may have occasionally flashed a nipple as baby was latching on, but even if you were staring, the most you could see is my baby's head and a small amount of top boob that is less than I've showed in bathing suits and formalwear.  Baby has to eat, and if someone has a problem with it, they can go take a leap.

  
  

  -If you're at a mall and need to nurse, Nordstrom's has the very best lounges.  They usually have great sofas, it's quiet and private, and clean.

  

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• Rosebean member

  December 2013

  I like PPs tips, but I have one as well. Consider buying a nursing bra that you will be comfortable wearing to bed at night. You will need something to keep the nursing pads in place. I had bought a sports bra version from motherhood maternity and I bought it a size up so that it was fitting loose enough not to drive me bonkers (I prefer sleeping bra less). Otherwise, I had other bras from motherhood maternity. The staff there convinced me to buy two in the size that fit me at the time of my pregnancy, and others that were a size bigger for post partum. I never needed the bigger cup size. I am an A cup, and barely fit in the tops of the bras, so by the time my milk came in, I had actually filled them out properly. They did let me exchange the bigger cups later though... As to shirt, I just used regular tshirts at home that had a stretchy neckline. I would just yank them down and wore zip up hoodies. Don't waste your money on nursing shirts.

  

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• blushingbride_08 member

  December 2013

  I'd wait until after your milk comes in. I went from a 32dd to a 36E pushing F. I'd just get a roomy sports nursing bra just to keep the girls in place in the hospital. I do like motherhood maternity bras with no underwire. They are easy to unsnap and inexpensive. The only bad thing is they stretch after awhile. I needed to replace mine after 6 months.

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• laurmar21 member

  December 2013

  I personally would maybe get 2 nursing bras before baby is born.  You will want to have a couple on hand since getting out of the house with a newborn is very difficult, especially as a new mom (at least it was for me!).  Motherhood Maternity has some really nice ones.  I would get a more comfortable "sporty" one and then also one to wear with nicer shirts.  The sporty ones are so comfy, but they dont' look nice under dressier shirts.  I didn't get any special camis or shirts... some people do... but I didn't think it was that big of a deal to nurse by just lifting up my shirt.  You probably won't nurse in public anyway, until baby is decent at it.  I used on of those "hooter hiders" when nursing in public and then it doesn't matter if you are lifting your shirt anyway.  I know it sounds daunting, but once you get the hang of it, it's no big deal at all!  You will do great!

  

   

                           

   

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