Breast feeding tops and bras advice

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Hi,
I'm 4 weeks into breast feeding and find I’m faffing with a clip bra that unclips at the top to pull the cup down and then manoeuvring that underneath a nursing top that pulls to the side. I’m also using breast pads due to leaking and struggling with how to hide them during feeding! Feel like I’m faffing with different layers to be discreet but there must be a trick I’m missing?! Why do the nursing tops seem to have a different method to the nursing bras?

Congratulations on your baby!
It’s a fair point. I never bothered with nursing tops as I too found them awkward. I preferred a t shirt or jumper that could be pulled up on one side and then the bra unclipped. By the time the baby is latched on it hides anything below the level of the jumper anyway.

I usually would pull the breast pad out if it was exposed and replace it in the bra after I’d finished feeding from that side... I found after 6-8 weeks (mainly as the babies were less fidgety and more efficient at feeding), it was easier to do subtly in public. Good luck!

I swear by Molke for BF bras, I just pull down and whack a boob out! I find them very comfy, no fuss and give me good shape/support with large boobs!

for tops, I actually find BF friendly tops way more faff. I prefer the one up one down method. I wear a thin cami top from M&S tucked into my jeans & a normal tee over the top of that.

you can slide your hand under the tee and pull the boob out from the bra and vest while the tee keeps you covered. Then pull up the tee enough to feed baby. Best top keeps your belly covered.

If I’m out and about I’ll also wear a long cardi or zipped up hoody style jacket on top, which you can position to further cover to shield from onlookers

hope that makes sense

Hopefully this better illustrates what I mean

Hop on over to the Can I Breastfeed in It? Facebook group. Loads of advice on how to feed in all manner of regular clothes.

Molke for bras . Then a vest top , then another top . Lift the over top, pull the top of the molke down , and neckine of the vest, then conceal your breast with the bottom of the over top.

I used to do the two layer method but used a pregnancy bump band instead of a vest top so it sat just under my bra. Discreet and less of a manoeuvre.

Look up modibodi, they do breastfeeding bras with period pants - so they absorb a bit! Depends how much you need to catch, they only absorb a bit, but it's better than nothing. For not showing breast pads, I just folded the bra down over it - but it was messy and after a few months I just stopped caring. Also wear dark patterns and carry a spare t-shirt around for yourself.

Definitely give up on nursing tops - just need the clip bra (or tank top as pp said if you want to cover your stoma) and a normal top - I wore t-shirts and button dresses.

Congratulations.

Im nearing 2 years and still wear the pull on crop top style bras at home and just pull them down. They're comfiest and easy to wash but do nothing much for shape so have other ones to wear out but at that age i didnt care about shape as baby was always attached to one.
Never bothered with two layers, high waisted clothes meant very little was on show and I was always boiling hot with baby on me so I just used to wear my standard clothes and pull them up. I have a few nursing tops that have two layers but always ended up covered in milk with them.