The stape for every nursing mother is a great nursing bra or nursing tank with built-in bra. It will have openings that reveal all part of the breast, so the baby can nurse comfortably. If you use a regular bra or tank, it can be uncomfortable and you risk developing mastitis due to the pressure of the bra.
Do I really need to use one of these?
Perhaps not, I have heard of a few women who went bra-less much of the time. This absolutely did not work for me. I initially bought a couple of nursing tanks, so they had openings, but they didn’t provide enough support. This meant that as I moved around, the fabric would rub against my nipples.
Even though I had taken a breastfeeding course that covered latching and was all prepared to have a good latch, it just didn’t happen that way. And when the latch is bad, then you’re going to get sore nipples! Thankfully I saw a lactation consultant and got our latch straightened out. In the 4 days it took me to see her, my nipples were already cracked and bleeding. Wearing the loose nursing tank aggravated the problem.
Another problem was that I would leak milk. It’s quite common to leak in the beginning, because most women have a natural oversupply at the beginning. This is to really make sure that you have enough milk. In fact, most women have enough milk to feed twins or triplets! Later your suppy will regulate and you might not leak anymore, but at the beginning you will. So I used pads (I recommend the Lansinoh brand) to catch the milk. That way I only had to change my pads often, and not change my clothes every feeding. But, if you’re either not wearing a bra, or wearing a nursing tank that’s loose, like mine, it won’t hold the pad in place.
So, what is the solution?
At first I thought these problems (the rubbing and the leaking) were just part of the “pain” of breastfeeding and that we had to live with them. Once I started going out (and shopping) I experimented with other nursing bras and tanks and realized that it does not have to be like that!
I tried lots and lots of different brands including Medela, Gap Maternity, Bravado and many more. By a landslide, the most awesome nursing bra/tank was the Glamourmom nursing tank. Here’s why:
- It provides great support, even for the “well-endowed”, like me
- They come in many different colors, so you can match to your outfit or you can buy neutral tones to go with anything
- The latch is easy to use and can be done one-handed (while the other hand is holding the baby, of course!)
- The opening stays open while the baby is nursing without holding it (unlike the pull-aside openings which have a way of scootching back closed)
- The fabric is a stretchy, breathable fabric that is comfortable to stay in
- Since they are a tank, they cover your belly while you’re nursing. I did not want to be flashing everyone my post-baby belly, so this was fantastic. If you use a regular bra, you will have to expose your belly when you lift your shirt to nurse. I also experimented with a nursing bra+regular tank under my shirts to fix this problem, but this was too bulky (and hot, considering I live in Texas).
I probably have like 10 of these! It’s probably not necessary to have that many, but I suck at laundry so this is how I always have enough. I wear them every day (not nights, though, they’re too restrictive for that). They come in several varieties, including “long” and with lace on the bottom, but all of mine are plain, since I use them all more like bras, and less like tanks.
Of course, every woman is different and you might find comfort in another brand too. Still, though, perhaps you aren’t happy with your current solution, or you’re pregnant or just starting and need to make your first purchase. I strongly recommend you make Glamourmom’s nursing tank you next step. Every mom deserves to be comfortable and stylish!
