Oh hey there, friends! I'm sorry about missing last week. Little Miss wanted some extra loving and we've been figuring out some things on our end with all the craziness going on.
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Today, I am going to share my little arsenal of nursing clothes and accessories. When I first began my breastfeeding journey, I had put little thought into what I would actually wear when I breastfed. I had originally planned to just wear a nursing cover. Now, before I continue, I want to say that I am not suggesting you have to cover up while you breastfeed. If you want to nurse without a cover, you do it mama! I had only ever been exposed to nursing under a cover, so this is the image I had in my head. Once I began my journey as a nursing mother, however, I realized how much of a pain those covers can be - especially if your baby hates them like mine does.
Bras
When building my nursing wardrobe, I started with bras. I had read that regular bras could inhibit your milk supply and definitely did not want that. I also worried about finding a bra that would be supportive and not completely hideous. Maybe that sounds shallow, but I wanted something that I wouldn't mind wearing outside of the house. My checklist items were coverage, accessibility, and support/comfort.
I stumbled across these nursing bras late into my second trimester. I was looking for something that I could wear to work without hurting my boobs, while also being comfortable. These hit all of my boxes. I wore these bras throughout the rest of my pregnancy and lived in them for two months postpartum. The bras are supportive without underwire and provide the option to remove the padding for less coverage and pressure while your nipples adjust to breastfeeding.
Whether you are planning to pump when you return to work or exclusively pump, you are probably going to want a pumping bra. At first, I was convinced I would just hold my flanges... It didn't take long for that to change. For the first few weeks of my daughter's life, I had to exclusively pump so we could track her input. Holding flanges while holding a squirmy newborn was difficult to say the least, not to mention how tired my arms got holding those in place for 15-30 minutes. This pumping bra was my saving grace.
We are going to be potentially TMI honest for a minute. There is a slit in the center, just at the top of the areola for the flanges to go through. This slit does not close, which makes it impractical for leaving the house for risk of having a nip slip, but mamas, when it was just my husband and I, having the ability to wear a bra and slip my nipples out without them rubbing against anything was a welcome escape. (Side note: Please invest in nipple butter. You could even use coconut oil like I did. Don't be stubborn and wait like I did. Save yourself the agony!) On top of having the slits for pumping, this bra also doubles as a nursing bra, which was perfect once we were able to start nursing.
Clothes and Accessories
Nursing clothing is going to rely on your comfort level and preference. Many mamas I have spoken with swear the best way to nurse in public is to wear a camisole or nursing tank under any shirt so that you have to layers. While I have used this method and do like it, I also find it to be difficult as half of my shirt ends up bunched at my daughter's face which distracts her.
There are countless nursing clothing options out there but most were either too expensive or just not "me". Then, I discovered a few shops on Etsy made nursing clothes that were adorable and affordable!
The first shop and site I discovered was Nursing Queen. I scrolled past this shirt because I did not think it was nursing shirt at first glance. What I love about this shirt is the discrete zipper. You can unzip from both sides and both zippers go all the way across, making it customizable to your baby's preference.
While we are talking about this picture, peep the incredible Nursie I bought from Sugar and Sprout! Most people invest in a nursing pillow at some time in their nursing career. I had one at the beginning and worked wonderfully, but now that my daughter is bigger, she is not a fan of it. She wriggles and fights until I give up and put it to the side. I still wanted something that would help support her and save my arm a bit -- enter, Nursie. You just put your arm through it, rest baby's head on top, and you are good to go. The best part? Baby isn't going to knock it out of place if they move. On top of having adorable products store owner, Emily, is an incredible woman! She sells nursies, bibs, accessories, even "un"paper towels! Why are you still reading? Go check out her shop!
My final must-have comes from Snazzy Mama Boutique, run by mama and wife, Mama J! Mama J has exactly what I needed: a t-shirt!
(Forgive the funny picture, but Little Miss was not having it as we tried to showcase what is so great about this shirt.)
From the front, it is a typical t-shirt with a super cute pocket. Underneath, there is a button hold the bottom layer together. The top layer (the t-shirt layer) acts as a cover while baby is nursing. You can pull the fabric to the side or slip baby through! This is great for me because it provides all of the benefits of having a cover without feeling like I am going to suffocate my baby. On top of that, it is ridiculously comfortable!
So, there you have it -- my nursing arsenal! I live and breathe these few items, using at least one every single day. Now, I want to add that this arsenal changed as my breastfeeding journey did. When I was exclusively pumping, I added a couple of pumping bras and didn't worry as much about nursing clothes because I wasn't nursing. The first few weeks of nursing and adjusting, I definitely didn't worry about clothes because I was trying my best to adjust to being a mother for the first time.
Everyone's journey is going to look different, just as everyone's nursing arsenal will. You do you, mama!
What are some essentials that you have in your nursing arsenal? Am I missing out on something? Let me know in the comments!
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