What have you found that works well. Or are some of your favorite styles of tops and places to shop for these. I am going to be staying home the first few months, but would like to look a little put together, if that's possible. And maybe even leave the apartment occasionally.
I'd love to see a post.
Oh the fun world of nursing clothing. And by fun I mean sparse and boring. But be that as it may, we nursing mamas still have to dress to account for nursage. So let's get down to basics.
1) Nursing Cover - Whether you're home with 8 million visitors coming to see the new baby or you're out and about running errands with the baby, you'll want to cover up when nursing. Well, not everyone does, but I prefer to. So you'll need a nursing cover. I never ever thought I'd be nursing in public but it turns out unless I pump bottles ahead of time or never leave the house, it just not possible to run around doing basic life activities of grocery shopping or meeting someone for lunch without having to feed the little hungry monster you've brought along. So nursing covers are a necessary investment. There are a whole slew of options and brands and I won't get into them all. I have the one below in gray. I like it because a) it's organic and I prefer an organic option whenever possible - not that I'm worried about the baby having non-organic nursing covers touching her, but it's better for the environment to get organically grown cotton - and b) I like that they're solid, plain colors. As I said, I was easing into the whole nursing in public thing and the last thing I want to do is draw more attention to myself with a printed cover. But that is just my hangup, you are welcome to buy a patterened cover.
Bebe Au Lait, $30 @
2) Nursing Bras - You'll need to invest in some good nursing bras. The last thing you want to do is take off your whole entire bra when you need to nurse. And you don't want to use one of your regular bras because a) just pulling the cup down repeatedly will ruin your bra, and b) pulling the bra up and having the underwire press against your breast will cause infections and other nursing issues. So look for actual nursing bras made to pull down or clip down. Whether you get a nursing bra with underwire or without underwire is up to you - most women find wireless more comfortable and underwire can lead to clogged ducts/infections, so I stick with wireless.
Target has a bunch of cheap options, but for some reason they won't let me save their pictures. Darn you Target!! I own a couple of the Gilligan & O'Malley nursing bras ($12.99 @) but they're not great in the support department and definitely feel super cheap.
A Pea in the Pod has a bunch, but I haven't tried them. I would imagine they make some good ones, as I've tried their sister brand Motherhood Maternity and liked them.
A Pea in the Pod, was $39, sale $18.99
Motherhood Maternity makes a whole slew of nursing bras. I own a few, but this one is by far my favorite. Nice and soft with great coverage and great support (even though it's wireless). I want to buy a million more of these.
Motherhood Maternity, $21.98 @ *
Elle Macpherson makes a line of nursing bras that are on the more expensive end. They are pretty gorgeous as far as nursing bras go. I got one on Gilt (yay Gilt sales!) and like it for prettiness, but prefer the Motherhood Maternity one above as far as support goes.
Elle Macpherson Intimates, $55
You'll also need a comfy sleeping nursing bra. I've tried some from the Gap, Motherhood Maternity, but my absolute favorite is the Medela ($19.99 @). I'm not sure if nursing sports bras are useful, but I think I'm going to give it a try now that my new jogging stroller has arrived.
3) Nursing tops - When it comes to nursing clothes, separates are your friend. Although I did find this one nursing maxi dress and this printed nursing dress, but I can't vouch for their cuteness. Aside from that random dress, the nursing clothing world is all about separates. There are two ways to go with this - dedicated nursing tops and nursing tanks. We start off with nursing tops. These are tops that kind of have a fake cami thing going and can pull down from the top to get at your breasts. No lifting up of your shirt necessary. Extremely convenient and easy to maneuver. Trouble is, they're mostly casual and not all that cute. But when you spend your days covered in spitup, drool, and other bodily fluids, washable cotton isn't that bad a thing. And the casual tees are just fine for grocery trips or whatever errand running you have going on with your little one. I even managed to find a few tops that wouldn't be so bad to meet up with friends in and not look like a frazzled doudy mom!
A Pea in the Pod, $49 *
A Pea in the Pod, $49 @
A Pea in the Pod, $39 @
A Pea in the Pod, was $85, sale $69.99 *
Old Navy, was $19.50, sale $18.50 @
Motherhood Maternity, $24.98 *
Motherhood Maternity, was $24.98, sale $19.99 @
Motherhood Maternity, $24.98
4) Nursing tanks - For when you're feeling more adventurous and want to add another layer to the mix, you can use a nursing tank. It takes the place of a nursing bra, and lets you wear your regular tops. Just put one of these nursing tanks on under your favorite shirt, and when you lift up your shirt to nurse, you're not exposing your midriff because you have the tank on. Yay!
There are lots of varieties of nursing tanks out there - laced, plain, and lots of different colors. They're available at the Gap, Old Navy, Target, Motherhood Maternity, and A Pea in the Pod, just to name a few.
But my very favorite two are the two I'm posting. Since going with a nursing tank means you're not wearing a bra, I really want some good support. Not all nursing tanks I've bought provide that. But these next two do.
This one is my fave for support and convenience of use, but the way the style is, you can't wear it with something open like a cardigan, it would look odd. But fine under any other regular top that would cover it.
And if you want to go with something that can show but also gives some good support, I recommend this nursing tank. It's pricier but well worth it!
A Pea in the Pod, $39 @*
@Available in more colors
*EWP Fave
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