Breastfeeding with big breasts!

[TimorousMouse]

Hi all, I'm looking for some advice from all my fellow heavy chested mummies out there.
My tiny human is 3 weeks, and I'm mainly breastfeeding with top up of formula at night/when needed.
I also suffer from rather large breasts... 38HH, and that was before the baby, I dread to think what they'd be measuring at now!
All the nursing bras I have found are mediocre at best at holding up the girls. And the breast pads are terrible at actually covering me!
Not only that, when the girls are untethered when I'm feeding the baby, they tend to point down... so when baby unlatches I end up with lovely wet patches on my thighs!
Basically I'm struggling to see how I could ever get to the stage where I could feed outside the house away from my towels and bra free living room!
Does anyone have any magical suggestion for bras or pads, or just something that will make me feel like less of a literal cow?

Drop one cup, tuckmuslin/shawl into bra under boob, pop baby on top of material, latch, pull scarf up around baby and over boob and baby. All dribbling and boob covered.

Try a rolled up muslin under your breast. Are you also shaping your breast so baby can get a good latch?

Don't worry too much about feeding out and about. In these early stages even small breasted women find that they need 3 extra arms and full boob out!

I would suggest getting to a breastfeeding support group where someone can see your baby latch and help you get more comfortable and confident.

Bravissimo do good nursing bras in bigger sizes so you can unclip on the go.

Btw formula top ups ... if you want to carry on BF then try to feed from the breast around 12-4am as this is when your milk making hormones are highest. Your baby may seem hungrier/more unsettled in the evening but this is normal breastfed baby behaviour and she is unlikely to need a top up, but if you're doing it to get a break, late evening is a little better than the middle of the night x

Which breast pads are you using? I found the lansinoh and tommee tippee ones to be bigger than boots / supermarket own brands and so offer a bit better coverage.

Muslin under the boob to prop it up, though I think this is a bit of a faff really, just pop a muslin on your lap, and have a spare so as soon as baby unlatches cover your self with the Muslin. I also just shoved them in my bra the first few weeks.
Good options for pads are lanisoh and also you can get ‘cups’ that will catch milk excess, these are great in the early days. If you sterilise them first you can also put the ‘leakage’ in a bottle.
As pp said, if you want to combi feed no judgement, do whatever works for you. But if you’re doing it because you think baby is hungry then you might be impacting your milk supply. These first few weeks she’s effectively putting in her order to the restaurant, so if she’s getting top ups elsewhere your body may not know how much she needs, they just seem hungry constantly at first and it’s hard not to panic, but if she’s having wet and dirty nappies and she doesn’t seem lethargic and she’s gaining weight try not to worry.

also you will stop leaking as much in a few weeks once your supply is steady and established. Definitely try find a support group near by too.

I would HIGHLY recommend Molke Original bras!! You'll break out a sweat putting it on, but once it's on those puppies will be secure!

It has a crossover front so you can pull each cup to the side to feed. Because it's much more robust at the sides and band I found that it lifted my boobs up higher when feeding (totally relate to the milk on legs), and covered side boob so I felt less exposed.

Again, you might break out a sweat getting a boob out at first and takes a little practice because there's not just a clip to undo. But the fabric loosens a bit after wear so it gets easier.

Here with you in solidarity

It's also worth saying that leaking milk will probably steady off or mostly stop around 12 weeks pp. Your milk settles in a bit around then and your body gets better at making it on demand. I stopped needing pads at all at that point with my first and at about 4 weeks with my second.

Out and about, I feed mine in the sling. Loosen it a bit and then you can use one have to hold your breast for the baby in a scissor grip.

Make sure you don't squish or manipulate your breasts too much when feeding it you'll get blocked ducts 🙈

Congratulations 🎉.

I'm not a pro, but came here to say...if your baby decides they only want to feed from one breast make sure you express the other or you'll end up like me with 4 cup sizes difference, that really is a pain 🙄 I just accepted I was going to be a cow mum, I used a nursing bra that unclipped, no underwire, no support. At 6 months PP I found a regular sports bra that sort of fits which has been a game changer. There is some overspill on one side but I wear a tight vest top over the top to keep the big boob from falling out.

It's been many years since I breastfed so unfortunately don't have any bra recommendations but do second what is mentioned up thread about the milk collection cups you can put in your bra which stops the leaking although over the place. Although don't do what I did and forget they are in there while leaning down to place your finally asleep daughter in her crib and have them empty all over her sleeping head!! 😂🙈

Hiya, I'm a J cup and breastfed for years, still am!
It is trickier for us outside the house but a good tip is layers. You don't have to invest in breastfeeding clothes, although they can be quite handy!
Vest top and a tee shirt over the top works well.
Lift up the tee shirt (that will hide the top of the breast, then pull down the vest top. Then you can pull just the nipple out. I couldn't find nursing bras in my size for most of my breastfeeding journey so I'd literally just pull that part of my breast out from my bra. I didn't use covers or anything, and this seemed comfortable enough and discreet enough, as it can be quite eye catching flopping an entire large breast out, let's be honest 😂

I have now found nursing bras in my size and they've held the test of time, very comfortable. I will see if I can find the brand.

Here to second Molke Original.

I'm a K cup...

Haven't worn an underwire now since I was pregnant. Just pull it down to feed, no need for clips or anything.

My relative is a lactation consultant, similarly endowed and did same.

Thank you so much everyone for the advice and support ❤️
It's so good to know there are big boob girls out there like me just trying to do this mum thing with a tiny bit of dignity 😂