Nursing Pads and Nursing Bras « Back to Group Discussions

[activealli]

I am starting to stock up for our upcoming baby girl and I am planning on breastfeeding again, though hopefully with more success (son was born with down syndrome, blocked intestine requiring surgery, delayed feeding until 2 weeks, weight gain issues, long nicu stay, etc). I had a horrible time finding nursing bras and usually ended up wearing sports bras 24/7. I am a 34A/small B pre preg and after initial engorgement to a C, I went back to mid B range. I found most nursing bras fit very poorly, or gave me pointy madonna boobs or didnt cover the super perky nipple-ness, or were so FULL COVERAGE that i couldnt wear anything other than a crew neck t shirt (I wear a lot of v-necks, but not low vneck, just regular ones. Any suggestions? I prefer wireless. I started with the Bravado nursing bras for the first few weeks of engorgement, and loved them, but after that I found them unattractive, too big and took up too much chest space? Just want a darn simple, cotton, good fitting nursing bra!

Also, any suggestions on nursing pads? I tried bamboobies and they always wrinkled, shifted and didnt hold much. Looking for something somewhat discreet and absorbant. I ended up using lasinoh disposables last time and they were the only thing that worked but trying to avoid the extra waste.

Thanks!

[MamanFrancaise]

I just bought 4 nursing bras from Motherhood Maternity. But I'm not sure if my selections will help you since I am a DD pre-pregnancy, currently an F and will likely be a G while nursing like last time. Not fun.

I got two of these: http://www.motherhood.com/Product.asp?Product_Id=982520361&MasterCategory_Id=MC29

One of these: http://www.motherhood.com/Product.asp?Product_Id=975400361&MasterCategory_Id=MC29

And one of these: http://www.motherhood.com/Product.asp?Product_Id=993470361&MasterCategory_Id=MC29

I also got a nursing tank with built-in bra which I LOVE.

[WindyCityMom]

I'm an A cup/ small B cup depending on where I'm at in my cycle pre-pregnancy (and currently, actually, because pregnancy does nothing for me in that department!).

During the early days, I get engorged to a full C cup, even a small D cup and oh my goodness is it painful.  I just wear nursing tanks.  My favorite are the ones made by Gilligan O'Malley at Target.. they're pretty cheap so I tend to get a bunch.  I also wear a sleep bra around the house (yeah, madonna boobs, but oh well) if I want to wear a "normal" shirt, but otherwise I just wear the tanks around the house with a cardigan over them or something.  When I'd take my older DD to activities, I kept the baby in the Moby wrap so no one could see my Madonna boobs anyhow.. perfect solution, lol.

If I was in a situation where I had to wear a "real shirt" I'd wear a regular bra.. I like the lightly padded maidenform bras.  They do have underwire but I personally have never had issues with plugged ducts from them.  Being small breasted, it's easy to pull the thin padding down to nurse.  I also tend to nurse over the top of my shirts.. I'm a tank top, jeans, and cardigan kinda girl.

[BRC_MacKenzie]

I love the target nursing tanks too. I only own one nursing bra (Bravado one with removable inserts that I removed because while they covered perky nipples, they always shifted when I pulled down to nurse and ended up looking all wonky) and pretty much wear those tanks under everything from tee shirts to sweaters/cardigans. I like the ones with a full round inner layer and not just the side pieces but both styles work.

I bought a set of wool nursing pads and love them but my set was kinda expensive considering I tend to lose them :-) so I also made a bunch of nursing pads from fleece and felt using these directions http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2009/04/homemade-nursing-pads.html and it is really easy. I traced a lid from a large yogurt container. They aren't very attractive but they worked well and were big enough that I didn't feel bunchy looking and because the felt was kinda clingy, they didn't shift much. I think I probably made about 20 originally but just found them all and only have 5 left - where did they go?

[judybean]

I need some new nursing bras in a Very Bad Way.  I'm a DD/E/whatever (and larger initially when all that milk comes in) and I do prefer underwire.  I had two of these Bravado Allure bras http://www.jilliansdrawers.com/products/formom/breastfeeding/nursingbrasandtops/bravadoallureunderwirenursingbra and loved them to pieces (um... just about literally... I think I still have the white and the black.. but... they're pretty ratty tatty from so much use/wear).  I got some nursing bras on Zulily a long time ago, but they don't fit for beans.  I think I got 36/DD (ish?) and they're *way* too small in the cup.  My boobs aren't huge in the least right now (well, compared to milk-filled ones) and they don't fit.  I tried one on and it's laughable :( (so.. if anybody wants them.. I'll send them FFS just so somebody else could use them... they're otherwise new).

I think I'm just going to have to convert my favorite bra (a VS one) to a nursing bra (saw a tutorial once... basically,cut the strap where the top of the cup meets the strap, then apply a snap there... then sew on a piece of fold-over-elastic along the armpit side of the cup from the back strap part to the shoulder strap... probably looks ridiculous written out... ).  But I have just One Favorite Bra right now :/  ugh.

As for breast pads, I've been working on trying to make some of my own because I can't afford any new ones ;)  I'm going to make up a bazillion in different styles and just see what works.  So far I've made some that are three layers of bamboo velour and backed with PUL and sewn in a circle (but I think they'll be too small... they'll not be for early use then I guess), I also think I'll make up some ginormous ones that are from a delightfully soft wool interlock that I have (because my Very Favorites last time were some merino wool nursing pads that were worth their weight in GOLD!).... and I'll make more with some more bamboo velour and a PUL backing in a larger size... and then just a bunch of straight up bamboo velour because they shouldn't all be backed with PUL and not so breathable I guess.

[Carson]

I like disposable pads too and think they have a place. My favs I made were PUL, a few layers of diaper cloth, then fleece next to the skin. I didn't contour, just made nice sized circles. The fleece kept me feeling dry.

For bras, I would check out target. I am a D+ but they have cute nursing bras in smaller sizes. I bought some from motherwear last PG and was happy with them.

[Flower of Bliss]

I live in Bravado Bliss nursing bras.  They don't have underwire, which is important to me.    I bought 2 about 2 years ago, and I've worn them daily since.  The foam padding is still in excellent shape despite regular use for nursing as well as daily use and weekly/biweekly machine washing.  They're a 32 F/G, which shockingly still fits, even though I lost 25 lbs in the year after buying them, then got pregnant, and weaned DD2 in the second year.  I lost some fullness when I lost my milk and DD2 weaned (at about 16 weeks), but I'm feeling full again, and realizing I'll likely need a larger size postpartum .  I may order a 32 H/I to have on hand...  Pre-kids I was a small 32A.

I really tried several styles and materials of cloth nursing pads with both kids.  My kids wore cloth diapers, I use mama cloth, I didn't want to wear disposable nursing pads for many reasons.  Sadly, the cloth never worked for me.  I soaked through them in no time flat.  The dampness against my nipples irritated them, which caused nursing issues too.  This go round I'm just accepting it and sticking with disposables.  I wore breastpads 24/7 for about 10 months both times (well, I started sleeping topless with a prefold drapped over my chest at some point in the earlier months), so I anticipate doing the same again.  Even after then, I would sometimes leak, and would sometimes choose to wear pads.  I use Johnson's brand disposables.  They aren't folded like Lansinoh ones, so they didn't show as much.

[katt]

I had 2 nursing bras with the first baby.  I dont' remember what they were, it was 5 years ago... I usually wait for about a month for my supply to stabalize and then spend a LOT of money on decent bras that fit.  I WISH i could fit into LLL bras or Target bras/nursing tanks.  It would make life SO much easier.  Oh, I VERY much prefer underwire, so i make sure to get ones that fit.  Let me tell you, finding a GG bra is not easy nor are they pretty.  :(  

I never leaked a lot.  Maybe 4 times while I was at home once.  That's about it.  I had a box of lansinoh pads and never used 'em.  fingers crossed it's the same this time.

[dmpkmom]

http://www.hotmilklingerie.com/ is supposed to have good variety of sizes. I always prefer ones w/ keyhole cuts rather than just flaps. pad wise, I can only wear J&J 100% cotton disposables. I probably could do washables but w/ thrush tendencies, no than you. J&Js aren't the thinnest so you might want to wear a slightly padded bra/thinnly lined or you can slightly note the outline.