Nursing Top Rec's from BTDT Mamas

[saltyh2O]

Here's a query for those who have done the whole BF'ing thing before...anyone have any go-to nursing tops they'd recommend (outside of jammies I mean)? I had DS in July, in SC, so it was hot as a thousand hells in general when he was tiny and it'll likely be warm once again when DD makes her arrival. I'm thinking about being out and about and what a pain it was last time to feel good in my clothes while being able to get the top part situated easily a zillion times a day for feedings.

If you care....I don't care to have my belly hanging out when nursing, especially with PP muffin-top likely to happen at least for a while, so lifting up my shirt with nothing under it (even under a cover) is less than appealing once again. I also didn't love the nursing tanks I had from Target really either....hard to explain why, but the fit was poor (for lack of a better explanation). The only ones I kind of liked were much more fitted and wore more like a tighter cami/bra; I wore them under t-shirts so I could keep the belly covered but have easy access. I may try to get a few more, but they weren't cheap or cool temperature wise.

ANYWAY.....anyone have any other items they fell in love with when they were nursing?
 

[shmee]

I never had a lot of nursing tops, I just wore regular shirts with long tanks underneath. I would pull my top shirt up over my boobs, and pull my tank down under my boob, so that once she was latched, nothing was really exposed.

[jil]

I found last time that my favorite kind of nursing tops had a split opening just under the bust line. It is great because you can easily arrange it in a way that doesn't show much skin. And you're only wearing one layer so it isn't overly warm.
I got a top similar to this one from this company and it became my favorite
www.figure8maternity.com/item/1510113

I know a lot of people like nursing covers, in the beginning especially I found them to be hard to use and very hot. I ended up using an Aden + anais blanket (tied two corners together and slip over my neck) for any situations where I wanted more coverage. But the bustline opening nursing tops are really very easy to use without showing skin.
The ones I've seen tend to be pricey but figure8 maternity and milk nursing wear have a lot of sales and clearance items.

I tend to bargain hunt and hated spending so much on nursing tops, but we did EBF and I had a really hard time in the beginning I would've paid anything to make breastfeeding work for us! Also the pricey tops seem to have good resale value at consignment shops.

There are a few sewing tutorials for how to modify an existing shirt to make this opening, but I haven't tried this yet. It's on my 1000 point to do list.

The other thing I did was wearing lightweight stretchy tanks or tube tops under regular tops and pulling the undershirt down as needed.

Eta: I'm a slow typer. I see shmee already suggested the last tip. I second this!

[saltyh2O]

Thanks shmee & jil - totally embrace the tank+shirt combo and found that worked decently, even if it was a little hot (summer the South is brutal, even with all the AC rockin'). I think the stretchier, cami-style tanks from places like Old Navy worked best since the straps were thin, they were easy to pull out of the way and not too expensive (so I didn't sweat stretching them all to hell).

Regardless I LOVE the split opening tops you suggested and need to see if I can find a couple basics that won't break the bank. They'll get the most use while on M-leave and on the weekends so I don't need a ton. I liked these Barely There soft cup bra/bandeaus (Target) too a bunch. They were easy to manipulate and while I did go up a cup size, I didn't need major support in the way some ladies do.

I just hate sitting around nursing with my PP belly on display. Totally self-conscious about that part of my body anyway, and can't lie, even with all the hard work in the world, pregnancy does it no favors.

[entropicepona]

I loooove the Glamourmom tanks. They're sturdy, look really good, and have some really great sucky-inny stretch so that they really DO hold in the postpartum gut.

[mpiemont]

I have nursed 2 babies for 13+ months each and never owned an actual nursing shirt/top. I wore nursing tanks under everything and just lifted my regular shirt, I clipped the tank and that was that. If I needed the support if an actual nursing bra, I wore a thin cami over it and just pulled it down when I nursed. I prefer the coverage of a tank under a regular shirt because I'm covered up top above the boob and my belly is covered too- as opposed to a pull down nursing top that essentially has a stretchy neckline that exposes everything from the neck down.

[chemmom1]

I am also a fan of regular shirt over a nursing tank. I would also not love to have my stomach out while NIP; actually I think I care more about exposing my stomach than my breast The other option is simply a button down shirt. I already had to buy a bunch of maternity clothes, I didn't want to buy a whole nursing wardrobe as well!

[lgsdesigner]

I wore/will wear the Oh Baby by Motherhood tanks. They are sold at Kohl's. Very comfortable, they don't shrink after washing and are great to wear under a lose-fitted button down.

Link:

www.kohls.com/product/prd-1920002/oh-baby-by-motherhood-solid-nursing-camisole-maternity.jsp?ci_mcc=ci&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=98389593&CID=shopping15&gclid=CjwKEAiAxsymBRCegqiLzI7Q1S8SJADOgQrzIHwAKZWz7JSeDW3JqOySvoNtqIs4CRISEwgn2vom_xoCSprw_wcB

[saltyh2O]

Feb 5, 2015 14:15:42 GMT -5 chemmom1 said:

I am also a fan of regular shirt over a nursing tank. I would also not love to have my stomach out while NIP; actually I think I care more about exposing my stomach than my breast The other option is simply a button down shirt. I already had to buy a bunch of maternity clothes, I didn't want to buy a whole nursing wardrobe as well!

In reference to the above in red? ME TOO chemmom1! Seems silly, but it's true. I'm with you on the button-downs too, and wore them with a tank underneath happily when the weather cooled down some.

I'll have to check out the Glamourmom ones entropicepona and maybe the Oh Baby ones too lgsdesigner. I just don't like feeling like I've got on a ton of layers in the summertime and I'm not trying to rock a bra, tank AND a shirt too if I don't have too. Bring on the stretchy-lycra-keeps-its-shape-and-sucks-me-in-too tanks!!

[lolo918]

Thank you @saltyh2o, for this thread and ladies for responding! I had been wondering about these things, so it helps to have a reference point. I really like the idea of camisoles beneath a regular shirt since I had started doing this prior to pregnancy.

[saltyh2O]

Feb 6, 2015 8:26:12 GMT -5 lolo918 said:

Thank you @saltyh2o, for this thread and ladies for responding! I had been wondering about these things, so it helps to have a reference point. I really like the idea of camisoles beneath a regular shirt since I had started doing this prior to pregnancy.

No sweat lolo918! Or, as I've referenced here a few times, lots of sweat if I'm trying to layer up to nurse during an SC summer.....ba-dum-crash!