Nursing Tops

Nope - I bought one for when I was on an airplane and in really close quarters. Other than those trips I never wore it or felt like I needed it. It's easy to be descrite once you get the hang of things.

E

Hi M.,

I bought a few tops and spent about $150 from Motherhood.com. I found that my pregnancy tops were more comfortable and easier to operate than my breastfeeding tops. I guess it depends on whether or not you work and if you need to spend money on work clothes as well.

Hope that helps!
A.

Nursing Bras- Elle Macpherson bras from www.figleaves.com worked well for me. I believe the website had a decent exhange polithe cy. Also Bravada brand bras worked well for me. The back of the Bravada bra looked like a tank top. Slipped over me in lieu of a hook and eye closure. All nursing bras need to be tried on because you don't really know your expanding/deflating size. So check those return policies before buying online. Otherwise buy the bras ont eh economy at some mother-baby shop until you find one that works for you. PLan on paying big bucks for your bras, but you will use them 24-7.

Nursing Tanks- They look cool in a photo, but right before and after your baby latches on they are totally exposing. Yeah they are comfortable and convienent but a little too revealing for public use. Note I didn't realize this when I was nursing my first child, but when I saw a fellow nursing mom walking aroung with her baby latched on...it was too revealing for me. So I stuck to tanks only in the home from then on.

Button-down shirts- again they are easy to get to, but you are totally exposed right before and after your baby latches on.

T-Shirts or sweater or pull-overs- AWESOME. Just lift up one side and go. No need to cover with a blanket/shawl. Once your child "disconnects" the t-shirt falls right over your nipple. Then you can jsut reconnect your nursing bra through the top of your shirt when you get a chance.

Save your money on the nursing clothes and spend it on good nursing bras instead.

Additionally, nursing pads never kept me dry overnight/ however long I got a chance to sleep in one shot. I just padded myself with a washcloth/baby bib for each side and reused those night after night. I still used pads throughout the day.

Happy nursing. Enjoy your little one.

(I nursed my two kids 9 months and 12 months respectively.)

Hi M.,

I have a 5 1/2 month old daughter. I bought a lot of nursing tops before she arrived. I used them quite a bit at the beginning when I was new and "getting the hang of it." Now I find it quite limiting to only use nursing tops. I have found my technique now for using any top.

I must add though, that at home, I LOVE my nursing tanks. I love the ones from motherhood.com. As soon as I come home, I put one of these tanks on. So, in my experience it was helpful to have a few "going out" tops when I was new and felt exposed, but I don't recommend investing a ton of money in them until you try one or two for yourself. Also, get at least one nursing tank to see how you like it. Oh, I love the motherhood ones because they are loose along the torso. VERY helpful when you have recently given birth! Happy shopping and congratulations on your little one. :)

L.

I nursed my daughter for her first year. I never felt that nursing tops were necessary. I had one and only wore it once. I felt kind of over-exposed in it and just not comfortable. Regular shirts are fine, you just pull them up on the side you need to. I know a couple of other ladies who thought that nursing tops were an un-needed expense as well.

M.,
I absolutely loved my nursing tops especially if you are nursing in the summer and you can get the tanks with the straps that come down. It is just much easier to feed this way. Plus you dont have to pull up your shirt and expose your back and tummy to all around you. They are nice when you are out.
C.

Hi M.,
II nursed all 3 of my children, and i always had nursing tops, mostly for when we went out, it's sooo much easier than lifting your shirt to feed your baby!! So, i say, go for it!!

M.-

I bought a few nursing tops before I had my first baby. After her birth I found that I never used them. Although they are created to be more convenient and with easier access for nursing, I found it to be cumbersome and difficult to use the openings. It was much quicker and efficient to just lift my blouse for nursing. Most of my nursing is done in my home, so I don't have to worry about being discreet. If you are in public, it is definitely much harder to manage a nursing blouse while trying to manipulate it under a blanket or other privacy garment. Also, I found that nursing blouses tend lack any sense of style. As I new mom who was struggling with baby weight, I found that I desired clothing that didn't make me feel "frumpy". The brunt of the story is that I spent money on a specialty item that I never used.
Good luck to you and your baby. Motherhood is wonderful!

I've nursed 3 up until they were around 12-15 months, and I would definitely go with a nursing bra. I've watched my friends who didn't want to spend the money or mess with trying to buy some... they looked awkward trying to get ready to nurse, and then when they were finished- trying to put themselves back together. (Especially in public!)

Here are some tips on buying: Spend the money on a good one. When you try one on, try fastening and unfastening with only one hand...if you can do it fairly easily, then you've found a good one ;) (Or just take it into consideration if you are ordering it over the Net.) I'd suggest you get one without an under-wire, I believe they aren't good for breasts, especially nursing ones. Make sure that it fits snug around your chest- this is where your bra should hold the weight, not the shoulder straps. I'd also suggest cotton, if possible.

Good luck, and "Good for you" on giving your child a great head start!

I wouldn't buy any at all. I had two nuresed children (13 months and 17 month long)and I had not one single nursing top. I also just had 2 nursing braws. With #2 I even did not use them and just pushed the regular braw (bigger size than usual) up. Was less hassle than finding the hook.

Good Luck!

one suggestion nobody else has mentioned is men's a-shirts (muscle shirts/wifebeaters). I have small enough breasts that I could just stretch the armhole over enough to unlatch my nursing bra (a MUST in my book for the first months at least!) and nurse. When I was done it was easy to latch my bra back up and pull the undershirt back into place. Worked a lot like a nursing tank, but I could have both the support of a bra and the coverage of a tank, for just the cost of a pack of undershirts. If you're larger chested, I've heard many women cut two vertical lines in the front of an undershirt, and that works well also. I never used a blanket while nursing this way because nobody could see anything! I had a couple of nursing tops, but rarely used them, fwiw.

about me: nursed my first wherever he needed it (including in the catacombs in Rome!!) for 18 months, currently expecting baby #2.

They were definetly a help, even if you don't plan to nurse in public. Just around the house it is convient and easy.

I never used them for by three kids. I always had a nursing blanket with me in public, that I made that was large enough to grow with the baby. I would suggest getting one to see if you feel comfortable with it. If it covers up what you want it to cover when you are nursing.

About me: I have three boys. Two of which I nursed for a year each. My last one I nursed for 18 months. I felt very comfortable nursing in public. We are currently stationed in Misawa, Japan.

Nursing tops are great for the first few months while you get the hang of nursing. After that, you don't need them. I like Glamourmom tanks for post-partum/early nursing. Get a few of those. They are very supportive.

Motherwear.com has a nursing dress called On-the-Go Wrap Dress. It is very flattering for post-partum, comes in brown or black and is suitable for almost any occasion. It is going to have in the first few months.

A Belly Band is also a good idea. It can be used over your pants for the first few months of pregnancy to make your regular clothes last longer and then after birth, you can use it to keep your stomach covered while you nurse. You can also just layer tank tops to keep your stomach covered.

Bottomline, you can get by without nursing tops, but they make things easier in the first few months.

Hi. With my first one I didn't own any nursing tops. With my second I had them and I loved them. They were so much eaiser. I did not like to show my belly so it was nice that the tops covered that up and was descreet for nursing. I highly recomending have a least a couple of tops on hand. Oh most of mine were from Motherhood and they have some really cute styles. You can also find them cheaper at motherhood.com on clearence and on Ebay! Hope this helps.

I found some were worth it and some were not. Look at the design of the top and your lifestyle. I had one that split in the middle that I love and it make nursing in public and on the plane so easy. I had another one that made it more private without a cover but it was HOT. We live in Okinawa Japan so the climate is hot and humid for a large part of the year. It was not worth it most of the time. Just find things that are comfortable and non staining.

I breastfed my daughter for 2.5 yrs and could not have lived without a few good nursing tank tops. In my opinion...it's all you need. I would layer them under other shirts and then when you lift the top shirt...the tank provides coverage for your side and back. I spent bit of money on mine...$40 each, but I am a D++ cup and needed some heavy duty support and these were great!! Made by Leading Lady....can purchase ( i think) at www.bosumbuddies.com . Target also has some now, but I haven't tried them, but have some B cup friends who are very happy with them. Good luck and Happy Nursing!!

I find nursing tank tops most helpful. I layer them with my "regular" clothes and they cover my belly while I pull up the shirt I'm wearing. I have a few nursing tops, and they were helpful in the early days, but I don't wear them too much now. I ordered the tank tops I like best from Target.com.

Hi! I can't really say for sure because I've never used them, but I have nursed my children a combined total of over 2 years and never needed one.
I think sometimes, with certain awkward shirts, it is helpful to wear an undershirt so that you don't have to have your whole back and belly hanging out. They make nursing tanks and I have a few of those that are good for that purpose. I don't actually use them all that much either, but it is handy to have one when I feel like I'll want some extra coverage.
It's really easy, actually, to nurse without flashing anything at anyone once you've gotten pretty used to the process. Nursing bras are a must, though.
A well placed blanket is really all you need when you feel like people may be able to sneak a peek.

M.,
I was a frugal new mom. I didn't know what to buy and didn't want to spend a whole lot of extra money for something I really didn't know how long I would actually do. I also had to go back to work after my 6 weeks of maternity leave.

I just continued to wear my old maternity shirts when we went out because they were big enough and comfortable. I used a blanket to cover up.

It's all in what you want and how you feel about nursing in public. It also depends on the baby. If they are demanding and fuss a lot when they are hungry, you may want to go with a nursing shirt if you know you are going to be busy.

You may also want to look into a nursing "shawl" It's got buttons/snaps to help keep it over you and baby, then you take it off, fold it up and go. A little more effort to put on when baby is really hungry, but I've seen some moms use them in public.

Have fun nursing. It's a great experience and very healthy for you and baby.

I liked the privacy of the nursing tops. I was able to nurse in public without lifting my shirt or having to unbutton. I really liked them!

Not neccessary... Nursing bra's yes hehe... I bought one nursing top and I might worn in twice so far. Reg shirts work for me I just throw a recieving blanket over us.

Hello,

I have a 6 month old and I am currently nursing. I have never bought a nursing top. I do, however, wear a slip top over my bra.

Hope this helps.

I used them but I was picky about the ones I bought. I did not like the tops that had 1 opening int he middle but preferred the ones with the side openings. I bought all mine at Motherhood maternity while in the states. I didn't always use when out and about, mostly when I was around my dad as he was kinda squeamish about being around me when i nursed.

I nursed my son for 9 months and used them about 1/2 and 1/2. With my daughters I used them more but I nursed 1 for a little over 3 years (she just recently weaned) and my other turns 2 years old next month (no weaning in sight with her though). With nursing the 2 it was nice to have the nursing tops for me.

My son is 11 weeks old and for the most part I just wear regular shirts. However... I do have 3 nursing tanks which I LOVE! I wear them to sleep at night because they are so much more comfortable than nursing bras. I also wear them under cardigans which is great because I can just open the cardigan and nurse. You can get them for a really reasonable price at Target or Walmart. I would definitely recommend the nursing tanks to any mom planning on nursing. Also, if you don't already have one I would also recommend a nursing cape. They are so much better than a traditional blanket and I am able to nurse anywhere very privately. I love it!

I am currently nursing my 3rd child. I have bought different things each time. I have some nursing sweaters I bought for the first one from motherwear.com. They were great with the cold weather. I also have some tops from motherhood maternity. The ones I have were great, but I did not wear them all the time. This time I did get some tanks from target. I sleep in them and they are great. I also bought a nursing cover up from Amazon.com (bebe au lait). I also think a good t-shirt pulled up on the side you are nursing on is good. Once you get the hang of nursing you can get your baby on quickly and they are usually big enough to cover you up! Good luck and Happy nursing

They aren't really necessary but very convenient. I liked that many have the flap you lift up so I would just use that flap to cover the baby's face and didn't really need an additional blanket. They aren't the most fashionable but neither is letting your fat hang out when you lift up your shirt all the way up to breast feed.

It appears that so many said the same thing, but I can't repeat it enough. The nursing tanks are the BEST! I have some from Motherhood and Target, but the I don't care much for the Motherhood ones. I wear them under my regular shirts and don't have to worry about exposing my post-baby flab. I nursed my daughter until she was a year and my son was born six months after that so I have definitely gotten my money's worth.

I have nursed 4 babies. I found a loose pullover or a button down is sufficient..that way there is no need to purchase clothing that cannot be used later. Keep a small blanket with you as a "cover up" and you are on your way...less is more!
B.

Yes they are worth getting. It made it a lot easier when you had to nurse in public. When I was nursing I wished I could have found more then one in the area I lived at the time, eight years latter I see that they are easier to find.

I like some of them, the tanks were the best becasue the can go under other shirts and only the area over your breast comes unlatched so they are very discreet. They also hold the nursing pads very well. My favotie was the shawl that you just threw over your neck and it had a peephole at the neck so you could see the baby without lifting or moving the shawl. This worked wonderful when I just wanted to wear my normal clothes and was much cheaper than a ton of nursing tops. Hope this helps!!