A FASHIONISTA’S SECRETS TO DRESSING FOR BREASTFEEDING WITH STYLE

When I was enormously 9 months pregnant, I wanted two things. I wanted to hold my baby and I wanted to be able to tuck my shirt in again. I hadn’t given dressing for breastfeeding a single thought.

After my baby was born, I realized that tucking your shirt in is highly overrated. You may think wearing a shirt is overrated when you are pulling your breast out multiple times in a day to feed this ravenous little person.

Every woman wants to look her best. But let’s be real, it can be challenging looking put together when you are dressing for breastfeeding. Fashion choices can seem limited. And who has the time to think too much about it?

A few tips for dressing for breastfeeding will have you feeling stylish and put together.

Truth be told, it can be challenging getting your teeth brushed before you head out the door. Does chewing mint gum count? Asking for a friend.

Sure, there are all those cute nursing clothes. But many mamas don’t want to invest a whole lot of money in too many of those.

You may be asking yourself, “What special nursing clothes do I need and how can I make the most of the clothes in my closet?”

“Do I even need special nursing clothes?”

Keep reading and I’ll tell you the secrets to looking put together, even when you feel anything but. I’ll let you know what nursing clothes that only but the most creative women can live without.

 

A NURSING TANK TOP IS YOUR SECRET WEAPON WHEN YOU ARE DRESSING FOR BREASTFEEDING

A nursing tank is the one specialized piece of nursing clothing I highly recommend.

The beauty of the nursing tank top is that you can layer them under anything. You pull up your shirt and your mummy tummy is still covered. Voila, you have a nursing top!

Kindred Bravely makes tank tops with a built-in nursing bra. Gotta love a two-for-one!

If it’s stretchy enough around the top, any tank can be a nursing tank top.

This Kindred Bravely Sublime Hands Free Pumping Tank allows you to do hands-free pumping. How fabulous is that?

 

NURSING BRAS

You really need some nursing bras. You need quick and easy access to the girls. I’ve seen moms try pulling a regular bra up but that puts a lot of pressure on the breast. That is something that can lead to clogged ducts. So, you’ll definitely want to avoid that.

Related Post

How To Clear A Clogged Duct (Including A Little Known Way)

Comfort and convenience are the names of the game when choosing a nursing bra. They don’t have to look like they came out of your grandma’s closet either.

Nursing bras have come a long way. Some are so pretty that you may even want to wear it when you are finished nursing. While that might be a stretch you have to admit that these bras are pretty.

These made by Cakye are very nice and they come with a bra extender.

Curve Muse also has some very attractive options.

There are a number of multi-tasking bras that have hands-free pumping capabilities built right into the bra design.

You have so many that you can choose from. Whatever you choose, make sure they are easy to latch and unlatch. Practice doing it with your eyes closed. When your hands are full of baby you won’t be able to focus on that hook.

You’ll also want your nursing bras to be made of absorbent and breathable material. Leaky breasts are a fact of life for most breastfeeding moms. Nursing pads help but they aren’t foolproof. I can guarantee that some milk will end up on your bra.

 

NURSING SLEEP BRAS

I used to wonder why someone would need a sleep bra. Then I was trying to latch my bra in the middle of the night in the dark and said, “Yea, that’s why.”

A sleep bra is made of super-stretchy material so you can just pull it down. That way you don’t have to fumble with hooks or clips in your half-awake state.

This one is made by Kindred Bravely.

You may have noticed that I recommend a lot of Kindred Bravely items. That’s because their products are high quality and they have an awesome variety.

Even if you don’t normally wear a bra to bed, you’ll want to when you are breastfeeding. You need something to hold bra pads in place.

Leaking doesn’t stop just because you are sleeping. In fact, the middle of the night is when you make the most milk. That’s because of higher prolactin levels. But, I digress.

You can get nursing bras at so many places.

• Amazon
• Target
• Nordstrom
• Kindred Bravely
• Even Victoria Secrets!

 

CLOTHING DESIGNED FOR NURSING

The other thing that has come a long way are nursing clothes. Some of them are super cute! These are some items that do not scream “I’m a nursing clothing item.”

I would wear any of these things today, and my breastfeeding days are long over.

Undercover Mama is a favorite of stylish moms. When you check out all their cute clothes you’ll see why.

 

WHERE TO BUY NURSING CLOTHES

Brick and Mortar stores that carry nursing clothes are few and far between. There are a few places where you can shop in person when you are dressing for breastfeeding. But the real selection will be shopping online.

• Undercover Mama
• Nordstrom
• Macy’s
• PatPat
• H & M
• Belly Bandit
• Target
• Sweat and Milk

 

BEST NURSING CLOTHES TO PURCHASE

If you want to invest in some nursing clothing, these items are some good choices.

Nursing shirts. Look for things that you can envision wearing when you are no longer nursing. Depending on the climate that you live in you may want both short and long sleeves. They even make nursing hoodies!

This Breastfeeding Hoodie With Pockets by Bearsland comes in 24 different colors and prints. I love how it’s longer and would look perfect with leggings. It’s available in sizes small to XX-large.

If you wear dresses the options get into serious cute and fashionable territory.

This PrettyGarden Jumpsuit is not specifically made for nursing, but it has a snap at the neckline with make is breastfeeding-friendly, and it’s so adorable and looks so comfy.

This dress is another winner from Bearsland.

 

CLOSET SHOPPING WHEN DRESSING FOR BREASTFEEDING

When thinking about what you can wear when you are dressing for breastfeeding you will definitely want to check out what you already own. Most mamas don’t have the budget to purchase an entire new nursing wardrobe.

This is when you need to take a look at what is in your closet. You may be packing some things away for a while. If your plan is to nurse into toddlerhood you may even want to make a visit to a consignment shop. It doesn’t hurt to make some cash off of those clothes you’ll need to say bye-bye to.

Deciding if an item of clothing is going to be breastfeeding friendly will depend on not only the item of clothing but the size of your breasts.

Breastfeeding friendly tops will be things you can pull up and are either loose or stretchy.

T-shirts, sweaters, knit tops, these will all do a great job of giving you good accessibility to your breasts when it’s mealtime. Practice before you need to feed. There are few things that are worse than trying to pull out your breast when you have a hungry baby and your shirt is too tight.

Button-down shirts may or may not work. If they are loose you are probably good to go. If they are very fitted you will either be uncomfortable or need to unbutton your shirt all the way.

The other thing to consider is the time it takes to unbutton, and the logistics of hanging on to your baby while you are buttoning. Especially if you are planning to go out, you should practice at home first.

Wrap and cross-over shirts and dresses tend to be very breastfeeding friendly.

 

NURSING PATTERNS FOR BREASTFEEDING

Some of you mamas know your way around a sewing machine and can whip up some nursing clothes in no time.

If you are not an experienced seamstress but capable there are some easy peasy patterns out there. This is one of those times when Pinterest is your friend.

 

NURSING PJ’s

If you sleep in a t-shirt then you can skip over this section.

If you like to sleep in pretty nightgowns you’ll want to think about how accessible it is. If it has buttons down the front it may be accessible, but let’s do a reality check. Who wants to be buttoning and unbuttoning in the middle of the night?

The Kindred Bravely Lucille has a pretty lace detail and comes in four different colors.

 

COVERING UP WHILE BREASTFEEDING

Some moms don’t want to invest in any nursing clothes or think too much about what they choose to wear. When they are out and about they just use a nursing cover. Or nothing at all. (More on that in a minute).

There are a variety of nursing covers. I can’t say I am very pro-nursing cover because to me they look like a neon sign pointing to what you are doing, inviting more looks or stares. Also, some babies find them very distracting or it makes them hot. If you use one and it works for you then you may want to skip over this part.

I do think these Infinity Nursing Scarves are pretty cool because I love that it can be worn as a piece of clothing you would wear anyway.

The Hicoco takes multi-tasking to a whole new level. It can be worn as an infinity scarf, used as a nursing cover, and as a car seat cover. It’s available in five fun colors and prints.

This is a super chic look. This nursing cover is made from modal which is so soft and breathable. It can be worn as a poncho or as a scarf when it’s not being used as a nursing cover.

A kimono makes a great nursing cover.

This Criss Cross Nursing Top is not really a scarf, but I think it is a super cute look, so I had to include it.

Related Post

DIY Nursing Top Tutorial

 

NOT COVERING UP

Some moms don’t cover up. Nursing is a natural thing so there really is no need to cover up. To these moms I say, you go mama! The more we see women breastfeed, the more it gets normalized.

IMO people who get bent out of shape when they see a nursing couplet just need to get over themselves.

I thought it was the best thing ever when this model breastfed her baby on the runway during a fashion show.

 

CLOTHES FOR WORKING AND PUMPING

If you work in an environment where you have to wear a suit and you want to wear a nursing top for easy pumping access I recommend simple tee’s. Solid colors are going to give you the most professional look. However, patterns and prints will hide milk stains if you spring any leaks.

It’s a good idea to have a spare shirt on hand in a neutral color for any serious issues. The other lifesaver in case of milk stains on your shirt is a vest. If you wear a suit or just a jacket you can always button it.

A lot of the dresses I have shown you tend to the casual side. There are dressier, more business-appropriate options.

 

WORST THINGS TO WEAR WHEN DRESSING FOR BREASTFEEDING

A dress that you have to pull over your head or that zips up the back. The problem with these is obvious.

Avoid wearing anything that is really tight and would be uncomfortable for you to get your breast out.

 

GO FROM FUNCTIONABLE TO FASHIONABLE

There are some quick and easy ways to not only be able to breastfeed easily, but to look really great when doing it.

Have several scarfs and throw one of those on. I don’t know what it is about scarfs, but they seem to instantly turn you into a fashionista.

Put on a jacket. Casual hoodies are for home. Anything from a denim jacket to a blazer will make you look more put together.

Cute shoes! There are a multitude of adorable flats if you are not into heels and it’s just a fact of life that cute shoes ups your fashion game.

When you are at home, you can rock your yoga pants to your heart’s content. But when you are going out or going to have company, remember my motto…”Life is a big event. Dress for it.” (And yes, I came up with that on my own.)

 

FINAL THOUGHTS ON DRESSING FOR BREASTFEEDING

Although looking stylish and fashionable when you are a nursing mom may take some time, thought and maybe a little cash, today’s mom has plenty of options. Have fun with this special phase of your life!

 

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