What to wear when you’re breastfeeding

There are lots of things people don’t tell you about breastfeeding when you’re new to it. They don’t tell you about the toe-curling 10 seconds at the start of a feed, about the mortification of telltale wet patches on your t-shirt, or about the days when it feels like all you’ve done all day long is breastfeed. And they definitely don’t tell you that when you need quick, discreet access to your boobs at any given moment, it’s a blimmin’ nightmare finding things to wear.

After the birth of my son, I surprised myself by fitting back into my jeans pretty quickly – but that was where the ’snapping back’ began and ended.  With a pair of huge, overinflated milk tanks strapped to my chest I hadn’t a single non maternity top that would fit, never mind flatter.  Shopping for new clothes was a nightmare – anything I could find that didn’t emphasise my flabby ‘mummy tummy’ didn’t have access for feeding, or vice versa.  Add a couple of summer weddings into the mix and I was officially in fashion hell!

Over the 12 months that I breastfed, I did come up with some top tips for dressing when you’re feeding, without looking like a frumpy matron and without flashing your flesh to all and sundry every time the baby needs a snack…

1.  A good nursing bra

I know I’ve said this before but a good bra really is the foundation of any outfit, even when you’re breastfeeding.  Good support will lift and shape your breasts, making you look slimmer and feel more confident – so don’t be fobbed off with the flimsy ‘trainer bra’ styles offered by many retailers, especially if you’ve got bigger boobs.  For everyday, I really loved Emma Jane bras when I was feeding, although I’ve recently heard great things about Freya as well.  As well as good support it’s important that you can open and close the bra cups easily and discreetly, and that the openings give good access so your baby can latch on properly.

2.  Breastfeeding vests and camisoles

After a good bra a selection of breastfeeding vests and tank tops is my number one must have for a breastfeeding mum.  My main concern when breastfeeding in public wasn’t really exposing my breasts – it was exposing my saggy, post-baby belly, and having a vest with nursing clips or a double layer tank top was a perfect solution as I didn’t have to lift it up to feed.  Depending on your personal style you can throw pretty much anything over the top – add a cute, fine-knit cardigan and sweet pumps for a classic, preppy look; throw on a check shirt and cowboy boots for a practical, dressed down feel or team with a skirt and fitted jacket for a more formal occasion.  I preferred to wear things that buttoned down the front for really easy access but anything fairly loose over the top will work.  If you do wear a jumper or even a t-shirt, the double layer tanks that you pop your boob through are probably easier than the ones with clips – too ugly to wear alone but super-convenient underneath other clothing.  And speaking of the ones with clips, next time around I am definitely buying one of these – complete with a full, built in bra and plenty of elasticated support for wobbly bellies.

3.  Dresses

When I was shopping for the aforementioned summer weddings, it never even occured to me that I might find a dress I could breastfeed in, so I opted for a skirt/vest/cardigan combo (which worked fine), but since then I’ve realised that it’s possible to buy specially made nursing wrap dresses with concealed access at the front.  There’s a very good reason why Diane Von Furstenburg got rich selling wrap dresses – they really can take you anywhere!  Dress up with heels and costume jewellery for an evening out, wear black for work or team with leggings, pumps and this season’s shrunken denim jacket for instant daytime cool – a definite investment piece.

4.  Pattern and colour

Colour and pattern are more important than you think when choosing your breastfeeding wardrobe.  When buying foundation garments like bras and tank tops it’s best to choose staples such as black, white and nude as these can be teamed with many other garments to form the basis of a capsule wardrobe.  These colours can be troublesome if worn on their own, however – white tends to be translucent which means that at best, people will see your breast pads, and at worst your boobs will leak rendering it totally see-through, while black is notorious for showing up milk stains and baby sick!  For this reason I tried to make sure my outer layer was a more forgiving colour or pattern – so a white tank under a stripy cardigan, for example.  Wearing colour is also a great way to lift your complexion, making you look and feel better even if you’re surviving on two hours’ sleep a night.

5.  Accessories

Whether you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, never underestimate the power of accessories.  Maternity and nursing wear have come a long way but let’s face it, they’re hardly haute couture – and when practicality is your top priority, sometimes style has to take a back seat!  Even the simplest of outfits can be brought to life with accessories and my all time favourite has to be the chunky necklace.  A bold necklace can turn a simple jeans and t-shirt combination into something considerably more trendy, and if like me your lactating breasts rivalled the size of your head, it can also help to play down their size.  For older babies, a chunky necklace is perfect for fiddling with as they feed, and this can help with a distractible feeder (of course, be careful they can’t pull bits off).  A trendy scarf or pashmina is also a great accessory that can be worn all year round and doubles up as a handy cover-up if you need one.  I must admit I steered away from statement earrings when I was breastfeeding as they got caught on everything and as Bubs got older they were just begging to be yanked.  I also loved wearing chunky bracelets and bangles but found it best to wear ones that could be easily switched from one wrist to the other depending on which side I was feeding from – otherwise poor Bubs would end up with an impression of my jewellery in the back of his wee head!  My final tip would be to invest in a gorgeous, oversized handbag – as a breastfeeding mum you don’t need to carry loads of ’stuff’ around with you – just a few nappies, some wipes and a muslin – so make the most of it!  I bought one of these travel changing mats from OiOi and slotted it into a big, buttery leather handbag (granted, not the Mulberry one I really wanted) and for me this was a practical, stylish solution.  If you really can’t survive without a nappy bag, make sure you pick a cool one that speaks to your personal style – remember, the bag is for you, not your baby!  M&P do some nice ones, I am a big fan of SkipHop and even Next have got in on the act.