nursing tops/bras

shakencat

Hi There,

Im new to all this (due in the next few weeks!)

I am hoping to breast feed, but am quite scared of how to do so in public (silly i know!)

Are there any tips from breastfeeding women?

are there certain brands that are better to wear than others?

my baby will be born early may, so covering up night be slightly harder to do during summer (bar a cardi to cover if chilly)

Really lost with all this, everything i google is quite expensive,
if thats the cost, grand, but there has to be affordable places too!
especially for basic wear!

bee06

I don’t bother with the nursing tops. I did get a few on Asos but I find them very fiddly. What I do instead is wear a vest top under my normal t-shirt or whatever and pull the vest top down and the t-shirt up. I use these vest tops from H&M because the strap is adjustable like a bra and is elastic so nice and stretchy. They are only 5 Euro as well. http://m2.hm.com/m/en_ie/productpage.0355569001.html

For bras I got a few cheapish stretchy ones to start with because I didn’t want to buy anything expensive before my supply settled at about 6 weeks. They’ve actually done me now for 3 months and I’m now getting around to buying proper ones. Everyone in the breastfeeding Facebook groups I’m in recommends Hot Milk bras. This website has them for a reasonable price. https://www.nursingbra-shop.co.uk/search.asp?types=HotMilk

You can measure yourself. Here’s a good guide for that. https://www.cibii.co.uk/bra-measuring-guide/

For breastfeeding in public, I was quite nervous about it when I was pregnant as well but I found it grand in the end. I didn’t go out much at the start for various reasons so I was well practiced at getting baby latched etc at home first and was comfortable enough that I’d be able to do it discretely.

For general breastfeeding advice Kellymom is a really good website https://kellymom.com/category/bf/

The first 6 weeks are intense but it’s so worth it once you get through them!

catrionanic

Great advice above!

I second the one-up-one-down clothing. A vest top underneath which you pull down a little, and another top above which you pull up a little. Unclip your nursing bra and voila - you can breastfeed in public with exposing literally zero flesh! (Baby’s head covers the nipple)

Scarves are also handy at first. And some mothers like to drape a muslin cloth over their shoulder to cover baby’s head while feeding, although I always found that more of a faff.

I was very nervous feeding in public at the start. I first did it when he was around two weeks old, in a quiet corner of a coffee shop with my sister. First time was the worst and it got much easier from there.

I fed for 13 months, and fed in public at least a couple of times a week, often more. Never once did I have anybody stare or make a comment (apart from one old man who came up to tell me that I’m doing a wonderful job, am very brave, and that it’s the most beautiful thing in the world). I was always nervous about somebody saying something and how I would respond, but it just never happened.

Now when I see women feeding in public, I smile and them and say, “good choice”.

It’s kind of like the first time you get behind the wheel of a car. You’re worried and nervous and scared, but once you get going it’s no bother at all... in fact, I always felt very proud to be a small part of making breastfeeding more visible and normalising it.

Best of luck!

shesty

You can get a top called breastvest.These are basically string tops but with no material over your bra.Now they are a bit pricey for what they are (15eur I think?) But I bought a couple last time and found them very handy.You just wear them under your top, like a normal string top, but there are less buckles and straps to fidget with!!I also used H&M maternity strap vests.My problem was that all my babies were late spring/summer and I used to get really hot and sweaty in the H&M ones, around my breasts and underneath because there is so much elastic and bits of material....and naturally, you sweat a lot when BF initially!!So I used both types of tops.I did have some breastfeeding tops, mostly to start me off, but meh, I wouldn't think they are absolutely necessary.I'm thinking this time, some shirts (lose cotton ones) from H&M and the like could be very handy, with string tops.
Used M&S maternity bras myself as I found them most comfy.They are pricey but worth the investment.
I discovered too late last time that Ikea do really big muslins which are ideal for out and about if you want to cover up a bit.Normal sized ones don't really cut it!They are fidgety but might get you used to doing it the first few times.Make sure whatever you get is a light material because again, summer baby, it gets hot!

scarepanda

I went with the one up one down top combo as well. Surprisingly iv found Penney's nursing bras the best so far, i'm nearly 20 months in now and they are still my go to's.

When in public I also used a muslin cloth to cover baby. I have to use nipple shields so it can be a bit fiddly, depending on baby's humour and it just gave me a little extra time and comfort, reducing the risk of flashing anyone (not that anyone really cares anyways). I just tucked it under my bra strap and off we went.

Iv never had any negative comments about nursing in public. Few people will say anything, but you may notice you'll get approving nods or smiles from people, men or women. That's my experience anyways.

It took me 6 weeks to nurse in public, and it happened by accident (I forgot to bring a bottle of expressed milk with me!) But it was grand. I would advise on your first time, go with some one you trust for a coffee or something. Find a semi private area and off you go. The person with you is there to give you any help if you need it, but most importantly to distract you when you are nursing so you don't go into your head worrying about stuff.

Best of luck!

rainbow kirby

I'm mostly wearing one up one down tops - just bought a load of Primark spaghetti strap vests. I don't bother with a cover. I'm on nursling #2 so no worries about public feeding this time, #1 fed for nearly 16 months. No negative comments and I've literally fed everywhere from a London bus to the Vatican basilica.

shakencat

i went in today to try get some bra's, and the lady said come back in about two weeks and get measured
wasted effort !!
now im on the couch because i seem to have done my walking quota (hips seem to flare up!!)

shesty

M&S have a tendency to do that, in fact they practically insist you come back after the birth - I've just insisted they measure around the end of the pregnancy.
I know they are trying to do the right thing but it annoys me a bit too.I don't have time to be coming for bra measurements with a newborn.

bee06

It would have been a waste of time for me to get measured when I was pregnant. My boobs only got slightly bigger and I wore my normal bras. I’ve gone up 3 cup sizes since I gave birth.

I didn’t get measured though. Definitely don’t have time for that! I did it myself on boobs or bust and ordered online.

jlm29

I got those night time bras in mothercare. Crop top kind of jobbies, and I wear them all the time. There’s nowhere local that does nursing bras, and I’ve just never made it to a decent shop further afield!

As for nursing wear, I wear a vest top under my clothes too, but I do have a few bits from the boob range, which are pricey, but worth every single penny. I have a couple of hoodies, which are on their third baby, and they’re still in fairly good condition. I found them great for the early days when I wasn’t confident, because there was no faff at all. This time around I bought two vest tops, and I find them great for under a shirt or a cardigan or something!

shesty

I got some.of those nightime ones for this time round, they look comfy.I hate wearing a bra at night but I leaked SO MUCH at night on my second, I need something...

cbyrd

shakencat wrote:

i went in today to try get some bra's, and the lady said come back in about two weeks and get measured wasted effort !! now im on the couch because i seem to have done my walking quota (hips seem to flare up!!)

I did the under vest thing too it was by far the easiest.
Plus, for your hips, if you put a pillow between your knees at night time it really helps.
Best of luck with your new baby

spottybananas

I use h&m sleeping bras, I absolutely hate the fiddly clips on actual breastfeeding bras. With top up/top down usually, I also have a lovely h&m breastfeeding top, some custom made breastfeeding hoodie type tops which are just the best, and shirts etc. I've never used a cover, a light scarf when it's cold or when baby was tiny and bobbed on and off.