Boobs. Ta-ta’s. Breasts. Whatever you call them, they occupy a large part of your day if you’ve chosen to breastfeed. Even with my background in birth work, I was surprised to discover a few things along the way.
My first big learning curve was the mysterious sleep nursing bra. I had no idea I would need one prior to giving birth. The thought never occurred to me that I may leak milk and would need to wear nursing pads all of the time. These pads need to be kept in place somehow and that’s where the sleep bra comes into play. You basically will be wearing a bra unless showering if you have a copious milk supply like I do. The thing is, you just won’t know this until your milk comes in and regulates a bit after the first week. So buy at least one or two sleep bras before your little one arrives. My recommendation is Kindred Bravely cotton sleep bra. It’s soft, breathable and doesn’t scratch. My skin is very sensitive and I tried several others before coming to this one.
When buying nursing bras, size up at least a cup size or two from your pregnancy size. I know- that seems gigantic! But trust me, they keep getting bigger even if you thought your pregnancy size was insane. I went from a 32D pre pregnancy to a 32E during pregnancy and then a 32F or G while nursing. Things get kind of wild in this area. Forget the number/ letter and be comfortable. I recommend a proper bra fitting if you have access to. Not only will you be more comfortable with a proper fitting bra but you may also reduce the chance of blocked ducts as you won’t be pinched in all the wrong places and impede your milk flow. Give yourself the gift of a proper fitting and comfortable bra. My recommendation is Kindred Bravely Marvella Luxe . It’s wireless but supportive and can convert to a racer back.
And while you’re bra shopping, get one that you feel pretty in too. Because let’s face it, breastfeeding around the clock does not make one feel sexy. It does make you feel like a really tired cow though. So at least you can occasionally feel like the damn goddess you are in a Cosabella lacy bra that is also functional and pretty.
If you’re going to be working out/ wearing yoga pants while running errands, get the support you need with a nursing sports bra. I wear mine from Bravado basically half of the week and I’m not honestly working out that much. But a walk to the grocery store and back while carrying a big baby certainly counts as a workout in my opinion.
Oh and if you’re a pumping mama, add two hands free pumping bras. This can fit over your nursing bra and hold your pump flanges in place so you don’t have to do so manually. There’s no need to completely undress to put this on. Or, you can buy a nursing/ pumping bra like this one from The Dairy Fairy.
So, just a recap… You’ll need 4 types of bras and I’d suggest at least 2 of each depending on how often you’re doing laundry. (Daily? I’ve been pushing it to once or twice a week) Sleep bra to hold the breast pads in place to save you from a soaking bed, a good fitting every day bra that works well under a t shirt, a sexy little one, and a sports bra. Let me know what worked for you!
