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Does breasfeeding mean the end of looking good - please help!

13 replies

shouldIbecrossaboutthis · 09/11/2012 17:01

So my DS is 5 weeks old and I've shifted a fair bit of weight and i'm in that horrible no mans land where very little of my old clothes fit me and even if they did I'm not sure they'd suit my shape now or be practical for feeding in :(

I'm 5ft 2, 32J boobs, probably a size 12. My shape used to be curvy, but my waist is less defined since DS, hoping once I start exercising it will come back, but until then I need to get a few cheap basics. I'm 28 by the way so none of this Boden/M&S mumswear please :P

I've never done well in winter with all the chunky knits but this year is going to be even worse with 32J boobs to content with! I usually wear shorts/skirts with thick tights, skinny jeans, and basic tops usually layered, scraves, blazers etc. I'm not very trendy Grin.

Please HELP ME!

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bigpants103 · 09/11/2012 17:59

I think when breast feeding layering is the way to go. I only discovered when i had dc2 that if I wore a top that I could pull down like a vest, then a top I could pull up it avioded the whole stomach baring issue. I normally wore a vest with a floatier top but a tight top still works. Also liked a cardigan or scarf to cover up even more.

I was never bothered where i fed but still liked to be discreet and the layers seem to make you have to reveal less flesh.

I. love dresses but found them harder to feed in. I once wore a tight dress to a christening, totally forgetting about feeding and ended up sitting in a room in tights and no dress to feed.

If you get a wrap dress you can sometimes pull it down. Depends on what sort of dressses you wear.

Don't see why you can't wear what you wore before if that's what you want.

I'm large of boob and still find some longer jumpers can be flattering. The chunkier ones I have to be more careful with.

I love h&m long vests. Primark do every single colour long sleeve top for about £3.99.

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Zwitterion · 09/11/2012 18:13

Yes to layers. I like the H and M vests - not spaghetti strap ones - the thicker strap ones. I wear these pretty much every day with a slouchy sweater (not too chunky) or long sleeved top, with jeans or cords. Given up on dresses for now, although I love them.

Sounds like you can pretty much wear what you did pre- pregnancy. Skinnies, vest, top over. Or just a vest, blazer and scarf to cover up whilst feeding if you want. Sounds v stylish to me.

Make sure you're wearing a good bra too. I like Freya but Anita comes recommended on here.

And, you're only 5 weeks pp so give yourself a bit of a break too whilst your body gets back to a sort of normal. I'm 6 months pp and only just back to pre- preg weight, shape has changed again too.

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shouldIbecrossaboutthis · 09/11/2012 21:07

Thanks both for the help, the problem is all the tops I have seen online are silly high neck ones which with the norks, is no go! Maybe I need to get into primark & H&M. Do they still do those long sleeve v neck tops with poppers, I had loads last year thinking about it.

So do you wear 2 tops, pull the base layer under your boob and the top layer over your boob? I don't know how I'd get the top under my boob without a lot of tugging, I did buy a Breast Vest which sounds like the same sort of thing.

Bra wise, I was fitted at Bravissimo and my fav one is panache.

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Murtette · 10/11/2012 07:34

You could get a couple of breastfeeding vests from somewhere like JoJo which have slits in them which you push your nipples through to feed but, personally, I found unclipping the bra, aligning the slit with my nipple, pushing up jumper & latching on baby was a real faff. Just wearing a vest top was much easier as, in one swift move (DC2 is almost 6mo & I did this with DC1 too so have plenty of practice), I can unclip my bra, push my vest down with the bottom of my hand whilst scooping my breast up & over the top so, at this stage, I'm sat there with my breast just hanging there but that's OK as its covered by the top layer jumper and then I just get DC2 and pretty much use his head to push up the jumper as I latch him on.

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IceNoSlice · 10/11/2012 07:48

Yy to the layering and skinny jeans thing. Before you get back in your jeans, jeggings are a good 'in between' option. H&M do 2 packs of nursing tops for £20 (in maternity section) and i think they're better than the jojo ones. Nice cardigans are easier than jumpers for warmth.

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bigpants103 · 10/11/2012 08:20

Yeah I used to pull a h&m vest down under my boob and then lift my other top up. It does eventually stretch the neck line but at £3.99 they can be replaced. Having said that I still have some of my vests three years on so it doesn't ruin them straight away. I agree jeggings are the best option straight after having a baby or leggings. You can probably lose about 10lb before a pair of jeggings become too big especially if you get them snug to begin with. Primarks are about £8 so not expensive to replace .

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Claxonia · 10/11/2012 09:25

I manage to breastfeed in this dress www.greatplains.co.uk/product/Woman+Sale/J1BD6/Stockholm+Cowl+Dress.htm by sort of pulling the draping at the neck down.

I like it as it is really comfy and you can dress it up or down with heels/flats and jewellery etc.

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SilverSixpence · 10/11/2012 13:38

I will have the same problem soon so have been looking at nursing tops and dresses. I know I don't need specific nursing clothes as I didn't buy any with DS1 but think it will make me feel more comfortable . Besides all my normal clothes will be too small for a whole and are mostly tunics wih no front openings. I don't like the ones with an obvious opening below the bust though.

I bought this top which is nice quality jersey fabric and long.

Also considering getting this dress in charcoal/purple (it's cheaper on another site but can't find link right now) and this pink dress.

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hettie · 10/11/2012 13:55

you need a really stretchy (and slightly bigger than normal) vest top- I'd try M&S as it will have a few options so you won't have to drag yourself around the shops (plus it usually has good cafe and baby changing). Put this on first and then any jumper/top on top. Hook the jumper/top up and the vest down. Depending on the style the baby might get covered in quite a bit of jumper, but they don't seem to mind.
As for style of top....I'd go slash next and draping or you could try a shirt/tunic?
like this

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mummysmellsofsick · 10/11/2012 17:02

If your baby is 5 weeks your boobs might well shrink a bit once your milk supply settles down, mine did, I'm almost back to normal size again at 12 months and still feeding 3 times a day and all night

For me, proper bf tops were really helpful, I tried the layering thing but always found it a pain

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shouldIbecrossaboutthis · 13/11/2012 11:57

I got some jeggings, managed to squeeze into a size 12 which are a touch too small, but hoping I will slim down at some point so thought I would get more wear out of them that the 14. Also got some basic tops from H&M and a cardi and now I'm off to Primark. I do feel like I'm wearing some sort of uniform though as I bought the same tops in a few different different colours!

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MrsHoarder · 13/11/2012 12:03

I'm still a size bigger than usual on top at 6 months but wearing to bf (right now)a primark stretchy vest and a stretchy long sleeved t. Got loads in different colours and can wear my usual choices in skirts/Jeans/leggings/cardis/scarves.

Got the same cut of tops because it y reduced shopping time if I only tried one on.

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