Breastfeeding and clothes

[puglife15]

Talk to me about Breastfeeding and what you wear - do you do one up one down or buy special nursing clothes? Im still not squeezing into many of my my pre preg clothes but don't want to buy loads of new stuff... But I feel gross and awkward wearing a uniform of stretchy vest and long drapey cardigan with maternity jeans. One up one down makes me tense as I end up holding up the top with my arm in an uncomfortable position.

Most of the nursing clothes I've seen are either a) black which makes me look ill, b) deeply not my style eg wrap dresses, or c) with not big enough openings for comfortable feeding.

Inspiration needed please!

[Luckystar1]

I did up and down. M&S do these brilliant camisoles in their underwear section that are lovely and perfect for the job.

My tops I used to just tick under my arm?

I do have tiny boobs though so if I did flash anyone they probably didn't have the microscope necessary to see anything!!

[LBOCS2]

One up, one down. With a normal bra that I tucked under my boob. If the top top isn't drapey then it should sit on the shelf provided by your boobs, or at least mine did (although I'm particularly blessed in the norkage department).

[Gracey79]

I got a few feeding tops from h&m they are quite mumsy. I think I just rode it out until weaning, I remember around 9m he was only feeding first thing and before bed (and most of the night) but it meant I could wear normal non boob clothes

[FreeButtonBee]

One up one down here. Although I am v fond of the uniqlo heattech scoop neck thermals. Ultra fine, really stretchy so can pull under boob easily. Also really like a ludicrously expensive lulu lemon post yoga drapey cardi thing which buttons on either should but swings round the body. Can shove baby under without undoing anything. Will find the link. But then I have three under 4 so have accepted the sportswear as every day wear mindset as it means I don't flash my arsenic boobs on an hourly basis chasing them all.

[SnozzberryWibble]

I wore £2 Primark cami vests under a normal top and did the up and down thing too. Still wear them as an additional layer actually as I'm always cold and they're cheap enough to buy one in every colour and never run out!

In the Summer I also wore lots of stretchy v-neck dresses and tops which can easily be pulled down on one side.

If you do the vest thing you can basically wear any normal items of clothing. The only thing you can't wear are dresses that cant be pulled down at the top, as if you cant pull them down, you can't exactly pull them up and show everyone your knickers!

[Junosmum]

One up one down, I don't like exposing my tum or flipping my boob out the top.

Primark is your friend here, lots of £2 vest in a variety of colours and loose tops to pull up. Nursing clothes are a faff, ugly or unnecessarily expensive. Plus, what if you don't get on with breastfeeding and you've spent loads on nursing tops.

[Junosmum]

Oh, and I tuck the 'up' top in to itself (at the neck, like a napkin-bib!).

[puglife15]

I think I need some tighter/ less bulky tops to do one up - thanks.

I like the tucking idea!

[catsofa]

Try Purpless - cheap, lots of colours, work well for me.

[villainousbroodmare]

www.boobdesign.com/shop/i-am-looking-for/tops-maternity-nursing
Not cheap but v good.
The T shirts with the horizontal overlapping slash are the ultimate in unobtrusive feeding - very few people even noticed what I was doing.

[NickyEds]

Tbh I think bf does just restricts what you can wear! I've always done the vest under a top thing but have found that the top top has to be really quite stretchy to feed comfortably so I lived in jeans, vest and stretchy plain top....sometimes I'd go mad and put on a cardi. My dd is now weaned enough that she doesn't feed when we're out and about so I've bought a couple of more fitted tops but now they just get covered in weetabix/snot/dribble etc so maybe it's kids in general rather than bf specifically! I'll never wear a fitted white shirt again.

[LordTurner]

I've been wondering about this. For 4 weeks I've been wearing tracksuit bottoms (section scar!) feeding vest from H&M and a cardi. Now I'm venturing out in public a bit more it really doesn't cut it!

I'm going to try the one up one down method but might take a bit of practice. What sort of bra do people wear? I wore a crop top sports bra throughout my whole pregnancy as it was comfortable and I don't have any nursing bras. I've been relying on the feeding tops so far with the built in support but being honest with myself they are not really suitable for the public! do I just go to Mothercare for nursing bras? Or somewhere else?

[puglife15]

Lord Turner not cheap but bravado body silk nursing bras are really really comfortable. The only thing is they are cut quite high so you'd see them under a low cut top.

Does anyone wear shirts with a vest underneath?

I've just ordered some dungarees too although think I may look like a Wally in them...

Will check out Boob, thanks for the rec. Anyone tried Topshop nursing clothes? I have a voucher but don't love any of the styles.

[LordTurner]

Thanks Pug I'll take a look. Comfortable is a priority! I'm never sure how much to spend on maternity/nursing stuff. It gets worn to death, but for a relatively short period of time.

My sister spent 6 months feeding in vests and shirts and looked great - it's not a look that really suits me but on the right person looks like 'proper' clothes but is also practical. She wore it with skinnies, leggings and skirts or tights and shorts and looked great.

I saw someone in dungarees yesterday and they looked amazing btw! She had a white gypsy style floaty blouse underneath.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Jojo mama bebe do some nice tops/dresses. I got some unworn bargains from eBay.

[squizita]

There's a facebook group called "can I breastfeed in it"... personally I dodge nursing clothing, I find most of it hideous and like a middle-class-frumpy-mum caricature.
Managed using vest/top, scarfs, wrap tops, shirts and zip fron tunics very well for over a year.

[squizita]

Oh and like a scabber I wore Primark nursing bras and Mothercare crop tops a lot. M&S best for comfort - the slightly foamy ones.

[Spudlet]

I use H&M long vest tops under other tops, and roll the top top up so it stays in place. I have got a couple of shirts, they work well with a vest too.

I haven't bought any nursing clothes as such, I have one maternity dress with nursing panels that I've worn but generally, I just wear normal tops (I have bought some new ones of those as a 'not pregnant any more YAY' pick-me-up). I just ditched the maternity jeans in favour of a normal pair two sizes bigger than normal which feels pretty good. I recommend it!

Main thing is I don't wear anything I wouldn't want to get milk on - all my new tops are cheap tops from eBay or the supermarket

[puglife15]

Thanks - I feel a trip to H&M / Primark coming on for some cheap stretchy vests.

I am still not keen on the idea of wearing a tighter top over it though, not with my current giant leaky boobs and jelly belly!

[Spudlet]

I find if I roll a looser top up, I can sort of twist the looseness behind me back and lean back on it so it stays up, if that makes sense? Once the boy is in, it doesn't matter to him too much if it falls on his head, the little guzzler!

If I just hoick the top top up, it gets in the way much worse.