Four Friends of Fussy requested a repeat of the breastfeeding edition. I know a little bit about nursing. I have spent 5 of the last 10 years nursing a baby. Here is a little background info about my thoughts on the topic.
- I do not wear nursing clothing, use nursing bras or cover-ups.
- I have casually and/or accidentally bared a breast or two in most of the states up and down the eastern seaboard.
- I have learned to squeeze in the backseat of the suburban and lean over a carseat to nurse a crying baby. You are welcome, random truckers.
- I believe businesses who suggest women nurse in a dressing room or ~gasps~ a public restroom should be shamed.
Now that I got that of my chest (hee, hee) let’s talk about fighting the nursing frump.
Truth One- Most nursing bras on the market are garbage.
Your breasts need support! When wearing a bra, you should not be able to tuck them in the waist band of your pants.
Buy a well-made and supportive bra. I never use ‘nursing’ bras. Those hooks, and panels are a nightmare. Why would you want to have your hand up your shirt in public fiddling with a bra? I just pull one side of the bra up a bit to nurse the baby.
Truth 2- Nursing clothes are ugly.
Unless you are ready to shell out tons of money for designer tops, clothing with ‘peek-a-boo’ panels are horrid. Imagine a poly-cotton fabric in a color that God never designed, that is loose fitting, over-sized with extra panels of fabric?
Agh. A nightmare mixture of frump.
You will see catalogs with beautiful nursing tops. Do not be fooled. Have you ever seen a new mom look like this?
OK, I never looked that good, but that’s not the point.
The point is to wear normal fashionable shirts. Do not buy cheap clothing because you think you should. When you nurse the baby there is a wonderful way to lift your shirt without exposing the dreaded accordian-style muffin-top belly.
Truth 3- You can make your own belly cover.
I have a great trick to avoid undershirts with those dreaded extra panels. Remember extra panels = extra bulk. Just say no to extra bulk!
Buy a quality camisole. Do not just buy a cheapie at Tar-chay. Buy a camisole with a bit of strech and thick fabric. I like the ones from athletic stores. They are breathable and hold all the jiggilies in place. It will need to be a bit longer than most so it can be tucked into pants. We don’t want any plumber views, K?
Now put it on and carefully cut the section that covers the girls. This way you will have your belly covered when you pull up your top to feed the baby. Sure, it looks funny and your husband will laugh and make jokes, but it works!
Are you Fighting the Frump? Please leave your URL in the comments so we all can read!
Love, Alli
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh.Honey.yes. I’ve been nursing for almost 18 years (how bizarre does that sound when I see it in print?!?!) as I have nurtured and lactated for our crew of 8–and gotta say–the..ahem…design aesthetics of nursing bras leave MUCH to be desired. The girls definitely need good field containment, but please…
LOVE the cami idea–I hate when I am nursing the twins and my washboard belly NOT appears as if a third elongated breast has emerged around my mid-section. I love the idea of a cami-cozy hiding all the lovely stuff around my middle!
Blessings!
Ooooh, I’ve always done the cami thing. I don’t cut holes, but I always double-layer when I’m nursing. Nothing could be more simple! Top shirt goes up, top edge of cami comes down, and it’s a no-flash, easy-as-pie way to nurse … and I nursed my youngest for almost 14 months.
~Brea
I love you
! I nursed all three of my kids, my youngest for 22 months. I swear by the camisole thing myself, although I LOVED the nursing cami I got from target. It works similar to a nursing bra, but gives the belly coverage of a cami. Best part? It was like $18, when everyone I knew got something similar from some online store for $50. I loved it and will have more of them should I ever have more kids.
Sounds like you pretty much made your own bella band. :^) I don’t know how much those quality camisoles cost, but Walmart online has their version of a black bella band for $15 with free shipping to store as an alternative way to use this idea.
Seriously Fussy, where were you when I nursed my four babies?…The cami with slits is genius…no wait, you my dear are a MAMMARY GENIUS!
Bwhahahaaaaaa
I’m sorry, but some of us need more support than what a cami can provide. heh.
My fav nursing tops are the ones that look like this:
http://www.boobdesign.com/boob_eng.html
But someone made for me from 2 old navy T’s that they used to construct the same design. I’ve also got some clasps to convert regular bras into nursing bras next go round.
PS Lane Bryant has good bras for the big girls for not too much dough if anyone feels like converting.
YES!! This is great! I found a decent nursing bra at a professional bra store, but otherwise I agree with you!! And I second what a previous commenter said — I love the nursing tanks from Target — that way your belly is covered. And what’s with the nasty nursing tops? I bought a couple after my first daughter was born, but they were more incovenient than anything! And they’re usually make you look even more frumpy! But considering I’m almost through nursing my 2nd (she’s 11 months) I am really looking forward to getting a quality professionally fitted bra. Great post!
I am part of the double up with a bra and nursing tank set. I have been nursing for 18 months now, and the girls got a little overexcited for quite awhile there – I never knew the letters of the alphabet went over D, did you? Anyway, I needed a lot of support, and went for the nursing bra with the Target nursing tank overtop and then a shirt…I also like the Bravado nursing tank with the fully built in bra. I bought it a size too small for better support (or maybe it was denial?)
I definitely plan to keep this mommy pooch under wraps. I am much more worried about it peeking out than if I accidentally play a little peek-a-boob!
The tail of a ring sling works well to cover up too, depending on how old you child is. I find Sweetpea is too big for us to be comfortable that way lately, so I just use my shirt to cover everything up, and if I’m lucky, she doesn’t lift it up for me.
Great post! I am pregnant for the first time and have loved your posts on maternity clothes and now nursing bras!! I have found a great place to get long and durable tank tops is from downeastoutfitters.com…they have a plethera of colors!! Thansk for the great info!!
That’s pure genius! Wish I’d thought of it with my little man… Next time!
Thank you Fussy! I’ve really been struggling with the nursing frump and I love the ideas–I’ll be giving the tank-slits a try soon because I am oh so tired of the t-shirt and jeans with the unsupportive and uncomfortable nursing bra. I love my little girl and am happy to be able to nurse her but I knew there had to be a way to make it more fashionable!
And to any random truckers out there, don’t be surprised if you see a brunette mom doubled over in the back seat of a highlander trying to nurse a screaming baby on the trip home from Wisconsin–you can thank Fussy!
HAHA! Loved the post and can totally relate. Although, I cannot use a regular bra when nursing. I honestly have tried. I pretty much quadruple in size upon the birth of my baby so you can imagine the luggage I carry up there. I have enough milk to feed 3 babies, seriously. (this is a proven fact). Anyway, if I used a regular bra and just pulled it up over “it”, the pressure of the bra pushing on that girlie would cause a fire man’s hose spray of milk. Plus it would cause the nip to protrude quite contrarily and perhaps in a geographical location not condusive to the baby’s location. I HAVE to use a $50 supportive nursing bra but here’s a tip: THE BRAS WITH PLASTIC CLIPS ARE FAST, QUICK AND DONE WITH ONE HAND — NO MESSING AROUND. So, when in the market for a nursing bra, look for those.
Oh and your cami idea?! GREAT!!! I will def. try that when we decide to have another baby.
Yeah, unfortunately just pulling up the edge of your bra doesn’t work for some of us who get HUGE when we are nursing! That just stretches out the bra more so it’s worthless. I found some at Motherhood Maternity that were almost identical to my Victoria’s Secret bras yet they were nursing bras (and for half the price). They were fantastic AND comfortable!
Other ladies have said what I was going to–I just cannot wear a cami and lift the edge of the bra…*the girls* are no longer A) as “perky” and “springy” as they once were, after 5 children, B)they are too big to do that with if I want adequate support. No way, no how (although I can do it for sleeping, I cannot do it for walking around during the day type wear…)
And if you can do it, beloved Mrs Fussy, after 5 little menfolks, welllllll, WTG! You RAWK da Howze!!!! ;-D
But I am glad some of you can! LOL
Well, let’s just say that the idea of trying to slip one out from under is a painful thought. I am a 36G normally,(an underwire is a must) and what they will be while nursing, I do not want to guess, but for me, a drop down nursing bra cup is a MUST!
That being said, most people will have no trouble with just flipping a bit down. I have a friend who uses a demi bra, and flips down the top part to nurse.
Love the tip on camis, I have a couple anyway, and I just need the center front to be intact for modesty, so I plan to slit away! OH! and if you have a maternity belly band thingy, they are nice for tummy coverage while nursing, if you aren’t wearing a cami.
I love the idea on the cami’s. I am definately going to take that into mind in another four months when this baby is born. This will be my first baby..and thus never before have I attempted to breast feed…
Great idea on the camis. I will have to try that with the next one. {almost done nursing my 3rd child now} I will have to admit the whole regular bra thing never worked for me either. I would be another squirt your eye out when I tried it kind of girl because I too never knew there were letters in bras over a D until I nursed my kiddos. Crazy! Thanks for the tip and I am new to your blog and will definitely come back.
I’ve only nursed one baby, but I found a method that worked for me:
Elle McPherson Intimates nursing bras (beautiful, great support, and easy-peasy) and a “hooter hider.” I got mine as a gift, made by Aloha Baby, and I’m going to copy it and make more for my next baby. Google it-they are great. Lightweight, secure, discreet, you can see your baby but no one else can… I could go on and on!
Geez! Where was this info years ago?
….my youngest is 3……and there are no more chicks hatchin’ from this hen…. (although, I would love another little pumpkin….hmmmmmmmmmmmmm—the brain is sizzlin’ now).
Wow. This is a truly innovative idea! I’m definitely going to try it!
Oh, and I have done the leaning-over-the-car-seat thang more times than I care to remember.
Oh man. Nursing bras have gotten SO much better than that thing lately..
Yeah, that whole “herewe have a SPECIAL sequester place or you to nurse so no one can see you EEEEW!” thing always weirded me out. My last year of college my school put in a “nursing station” in the women’s locker room at the gym. I’m sure they did this in an effor to be a more lady-friendly extra-PC work environment. But, dude, it’s already a locker room with plenty of wrinkly old faculty returning from the shower – can’t we stand a little breastfeeding?
That is seriously brilliant. It could be your next big entrepreneurial gig…nursing camis!
Why dont you make some and sell them? I would buy one!
Just found out I am pregnant so I’m getting excited about all these things!
I’m weaning my 3rd…I tried cutting slits under the sleeveless arm holes and wearing a cute jacket over the tank…the tank was a little loose due to this alteration, but it worked for when I needed it.
Now, with all the milk gone, the problem is finding the right bra to make me look like I never nursed! Any suggestions! Do they still make the push-up water bra?
I live in my nursing camis–seriously! BUT, mine are from Target–and I love them. I have no fear that someone will see my stretch mark covered, stretched out belly when I’m feeding baby koala!
As someone whose measurements began in the mid-40’s, I constantly suffer bra issues. Most stores, whether selling bra’s for work(nursing), sport, or play, stop at around 38, so have a small selection going up to 40, but where are the 44DA nursing bra’s I ask? Why is it that those of us who seriously NEED support, can’t find it?
Ditto for nursing clothing. XL fitting about a 16 to 18. maternity clothing too for that matter.
Really, I might have nursed longer if I’d found undergarments or overgarments that fit me and were fit for purpose.
Okay, I have a question. Where exactly do you place these little slits? Toward the outside of the breast, so you stick your nips through at nursing time, then just move them back front and center when you’re done? ‘Cause if I make the slits directly over the nips…dude, man…..my husband would make jokes about my headlights being on.
I forgot to say I’m nursing my third, who is 16 months. Nursing bras are such a headache, but I do have two cami nursing bras (from Target) that I’ve had since nursing my second. Most nursing bras don’t last me more than a year because I’m pretty rough on them, but these from Target have made it through two babies now. But then I only wear them during the winter because they’re stinkin’ hot.