Hi everyone. I'm 8 mons pregnant and thinking about things I'll need directly after my daughter arrives in May. I'm looking at nursing bras, but don't know what size I'll be or how much I need to spend to get something decent--i.e. to get sufficient support to maintain as much shape as possible. I used to be a C cup and have gone up a band and cup size or two during pregnancy. I have a couple of questions: 1) what others' experiences have been with sizing changes during breastfeeding? and 2) whether nursing tanks/shirts and nightgowns are really necessary? I am modest about being exposed in public, but my sis got me a Hooter Hider (very cute drapey shawl thing to wear over the shoulder & breast) to use while feeding out & about.
Thanks so much! I'm a planner and want to be prepared before the birth and inevitable exhaustion.
I went up a couple of cup and bra sizes while i was pregnant. Best thing to do is go into a place like victoria secrets and they can measure you. Its what i did after i had my baby and later after i was done nursing.
Congrats on Mommyhood! I nursed both of our little ones. I never found nuring bras to be very helpful, I always thought They were hard to hook and such. I acutally just used regular shelf bra tanks for k-mart and wore those under my regular tops, that way if you needed to lift up your shirt your tummy stayed covered and I just pulled the tank under my breast so baby could have access. If you want to buy a nursing bra chat with the ladies at "Motherhood" they were always really helpful. Ps Gordmans carries a line of clothes from motherhood and from what I remember they were slightly less expensive!!!
The brand and Target is really supportive, but it only goes up to a DD. The Motherhood Maternity Outlet store at The Legends has a HUGE selection of nursing bras, tanks and nightgowns. The women there are very helpful and will help you find the right size. Also, Victoria's Secret has nursing bras for sale online! They're super sexy, but only go up to size DD.
During pregnancy my breast went up a couple cup sizes and a couple sizes around by the time I gave birth. Almost a week after I gave birth my bra size went down a cup size and a size around, and now I would say I am back to my pre-pregnancy bra size. (I am currently nursing and my daughter is 9 months old.) My two favorite bras are from Target. I tried the gowns at night and didn't care for them. Instead at night I either sleep in a sports bra type nursing bra or a tank top with a built in bra. They do sell nursing tanks, that I have always been curious about trying too. Good luck and congrats on the new baby!
With my daughter I literally stopped at a specialty bra shop on the way home from the hospital. There's just no way to predict your size. Just know that the day your milk comes in - don't freak out! Your boobs are going to be gargantuan. But they will go back down to normal size.
I had a couple of nursing shirts but found them to be a pain and didn't use them. I am very modest and found a blanket worked fine if I "pinned" it between my back and the back of whatever chair I was sitting in.
A tank top with a bra would not hold or support my size. I'm a C/D cup pre-pregnancy... a DD now and was horrified to be told I was like an F or something afterward (in the nursing bra world that's like a DDD I believe). I don't know if there are specialty bra stores in this area - I lived out of state where they carried special brands and sizes. I definitelyl recommend spending the money and time shopping for something you'll be "dealing with" several times a day for a long time.
I went from a 36C to a a 38DD during pregnancy, and it has stayed pretty much the same. I haven't nursed my girl for 5 months, and my breasts are still the same biggness.
So, I used the sports nursing bras ALOT, and also nursing camis from Target. I did not have much leaking problems, but if you do, the best nursing pads are Johnson and Johnson, but you will want a structured, padded nursing bra to wear them with out in public because they show through because of their thickness.
I stayed home for the first six months. The nursing camis were just great. I bought several and just wore them under my everyday clothes and also for a bedtime shirt.
I got my nursing bras at the Motherhood Maternity store. You can try them on before buying and the clerk there was very helpful. I highly recommend also purchasing a couple of the nighttime nursing bras too. They don't have underwire in them and you can just pull them to the side to nurse, rather than having to undo a clip. Also, the washable cloth breastpads are MUCH more comfortable than the disposable ones. I found the disposable ones to stick to my nipples and be a little painful to remove, plus irritating to the nipple. The cloth ones can be found anywhere that breastfeeding supplies are sold. As far as the clothing for nursing moms, I never had any of the shirts. I did have a nursing gown that was comnfortable and pretty, I wore it in the hospital for when visitors came. However, I didn't find it to be necessary. If you have the Hooter Hider, I think you'll be fine for coverage while nursing in public.
I was barely a B cup before pregnancy and was astonished that when I started nursing my newborn son, my breasts were bigger than my son's head! There is no way to know how big you'll be after you give birth - and your breasts will be even bigger when milk comes in a few days later. I liked nursing bras for the convenience, but even more important are the nursing pads. I had no idea that when your baby is nursing on one side, the other side is leaking milk. Wear nursing pads at all times - a wet shirt is pretty embarrassing! And leaks can happen anytime, anywhere! The first week or so of nursing can be awkward, but once you get the hang of it, it's the fastest, easiest, most convenient and most rewarding way of feeding your baby. Best of all, it gives you 20-minute moments of one-on-one quiet, relaxed baby time when you don't feel guilty that you aren't taking care of something else! Good luck with your little one!
Hi Marantha, First, congratulations on your upcoming birth! This is such an exciting time for you and your family.
As for nursing bras, I'd go to the Mommy & Me store at Shawnee Mission Hospital. This is a teeny little store packed with SO MANY things that are great for breastfeeding. I'm a double D and I found that they had a nice selection of good quality nursing bras (not the kind sold at Motherhood) for the ample-chested ladies. They'll measure you accurately and help you pick a couple that will suit your needs. They're also just such a great resource on breastfeeding that I think you'll find the trip well worth $3/gallon gas! Good luck.
I am a working mom and I find the nursing tanks are very comfortable and convenient. I don't mind nursing in public and at home with guests over and the tanks provide a lot of coverage. I just purchased my tanks at Target since I am not so well endowed! I went from a B to a D then back down to a C after a month or so. The tanks seem to do the trick. I did get a nursing tank from Glamour Mom and it is quite supportive. But the cotton ones seemed more comfortable to me. I did purchase a few nursing bras, but really don't use them that much. The tanks allow me to use my regular clothes instead of having to buy nursing shirts.
I think that buying the special shirts is more a waste of maney than helpful. Button-down shirts are great because you can just open a button or two at the bottom when nursing. As for getting the right bra size, I would get what fits you now, because they will get bigger, but usually only when you're ready to feed the baby.
Congratulations! My son will be 3 May 31, and I miss the baby stage already.
I went from barely-B to a size D during nursing. My favorite...nursing tanks. Thay were great. Comfy, easy to maneuver, worked into whatever outfit I was wearing. Good luck!
Hi Marantha I can't help much with the sizing changes since I'm barely a B and didn't go up to much with breastfeeding... but as for the sleeping bra's/tanks... I used a soft sleep bra from motherhood and I loved it!!! It was super soft and comfortable and I had a lot of problem with leaking, so I could put a pad inside so my sheets would be soaked in the morning. As for the breast feeding night gowns... I don't think there necessary. At 2 in the morning in the dark you don't want to be fussing with the holes... I just hiked up my shirt. Who care at 2 in the morning in the dark in your own home! As for going out... I just used a blanket and I did like having a couple of nursing shirts to wear if I was going out to the mall or something but you certainly don't need a whole wardrobe of them.
Okay, I can tell you are getting probably more information that you actually wanted from this thread, but I'm going to add my story as well. I was a larger cup size to begin with (32DD) from the time I was in high school, so when I got pregnant.....well, let's just say I went up another cup size from about my 3rd month on. I was buying from a lactation store where I lived at the time that carried larger sizes. I also asked them to please predict what size I would be when I was finally breastfeeding, but they obviously said that they couldn't predict that. They did suggest I buy a couple of the nursing bras that are for sleeping or just laying around the house. These are are not necessarily a specific size, but cover a few cup sizes and are stretchy. If you have that on hand, you should be able to make it until you can get measured for the new bras you will need. Just know that you are still in for a lot of changes when it comes to your bra size. I topped out at a 34J. Yes, they do actually make that size. But after about 4-5 months of nursing and the baby starts to eat some cereal, etc., they slowly start to decrease. I do think I had an extreme case, but you will end up will several sizes of nursing bras by the time you are done breastfeeding. I would absolutely recommend that you invest in good nursing bras. You will want something supportive and easy to hook with one hand. As far as the other stuff you are talking about buying, the nursing shirts, etc., I wouldn't. I know others like them, but if you have the Hooter Hider, you don't need both. I had someone give me a couple hand-me-down nursing shirts and I never wore them at all. I would wait if I were you. I am a planner like you and it is nice to be prepared for anything, but save your money and see how you do with the Hooter Hider. If you feel like you still need the nursing shirts after that then you can get some. No need to spend money where it isn't needed.
I have a hooter hider, too, and love it, so I recommend it. It is large enough, light weight enough, and stays on since it is around your neck, love it!! I also recommend the nursing tank tops. I wear one almost every day under my clothes and it is so convenient as it then allows your belly to not show while nursing (even if you use the hooter hider, it is nice to feel covered up in that area). My bra size didn't change too much, but I know others that they changed dramatically. It was suggested to me by a friend to wait to by bras until AFTER my milk came in to see what size I would be. You still need one or two after deliver, so I bought nursing sport type bras that it didn't matter what cup size I was. I bought mine at Motherhood Maternity and my nursing tanks at Target. Hope this helps!!
P.S. I am a planner, too, and let me just say there is NO WAY you can fully prepare for your child....especially the exhaustion and all the emotions you'll be feeling....nothing like it in the world!! Best wishes!!
The lactation specialists at my hospital, St. Luke's, helped fit me for a nursing bra after I had my baby last August. They can tell you what size you'll need and help estimate how big your breasts will be once the milk comes in. I got a regular bra from them and a sleep bra. I didn't really get that much bigger during my pregnancy, but was up about a cup size once my milk came in.
The regular bra was bravado! and the sleep bra was medela and both were super comfy. I also bought a couple black and white nursing tank tops from Targe for about $16 and lived in those.
I waited until after I delivered & my milk came in to really shop. My favorite bras were ones from Target. They were "shelf" nursing bras, kinda like a sports bra. They also have nursing tanks, which will be great for you in the summer. Walmart may have some too.
My mother in law did buy me a bra that was 1 size up before I delivered & that still fit. Don't buy underwires - can cause clogged ducts.
If I were you, I would go out & buy many different kinds, then take them back when your milk comes in & you know what fits you best.
Jessica
While I was nursing I relied mostly on nursing tanks. They helped keep my belly covered when nursing (very handy if you have to pull up your outer shirt). As far as sizes, I only went up one size for a nursing bra from what I was before. I prefer the soft cup ones since they expand with you as you swell/shrink during nursing. Unfortunately I never did find one that was a great fit, i.e. looked natural under things. I also invested in a couple of sleep bras, which I also used during the day when I was just bumming around the house. If you get the kind that overlap in the front it makes for easy access during nursing.
Hi Marantha, I'm due in about 1 week and I just went through the same thing. I had been told to wait until I was about 8 months pregnant to get nursing bras. I went to Kangaroo Kids on Manchester Rd. to get my nursing bras. The ladies there are very helpful and will size you, answer any and all questions for you and help you find the right kind of nursing bras for you. The bras I ended up getting I'll be able to wear for a very long time and they're the most comfortable bras I've ever worn. Neither have underwire (I've heard that's bad for you especially if you're planning on breastfeeding), but both give me lots of support and I'm a 40 D at this point. Anyways, check them out, they're awesome. They're located in Kirkwood, probably 3-4 miles east of the West County Mall on the right. (they sell used baby/kid stuff as well as a lot of maternity/nursing stuff for moms)They also have a cafe there with great food for us pregnant women! The chocolate gooey butter cake is incredible:) Good luck.