Dressing while breastfeeding: tricks, solutions and rules of elegance
After giving birth, breastfeeding remains the topic that generates the most anxiety among expectant mothers, above all due to the not always happy stories of friends and relatives: will I be able to breastfeed? Will I have enough milk? Will the baby grow well or will he need formula? Fortunately, all these fears are usually resolved in a positive way, especially if the mother is well directed by midwives and child nurses. But one thing we are never taught is how to dress while breastfeeding? Here are some tricks and advice from a mother who has faced this period four times.
Breastfeeding is a moment of total fusion between the mother and her baby, in which not only does the newborn feed itself, but above all it comes into contact with the smell of its mother’s skin, which for this very reason must never abuse of particularly “invasive” perfumes or cosmetics. It’s amazing how our baby, as soon as they put him next to us, has the innate instinct to look for our breast and to console himself with our milk and our closeness. Precisely for this reason, hospitals almost always require nightgowns that can be easily unbuttoned or with strategic cuts under the breast and specific bras, because during the first days the baby must be attached as much as possible, without the impediment of clothing not designed for feeding time.
Often we mothers, when we think of breastfeeding garments, imagine clothes and underwear that are not sexy at all , which only serve to “cover” and be functional for this new task, but fortunately for some years now, brands have adapted to the The need of a woman who with pregnancy and childbirth still doesn’t want to give up her femininity : just take a look at the maternity underwear by Envie de Fraise to understand what I’m talking about! The old hard and shapeless cotton bras with very showy hooks have in fact been replaced by much more elegant and light underwear with embroidery and fabrics – which have nothing to envy to non-pregnancy underwear – and can often be worn right from pregnancy, and then continue with breastfeeding and beyond. Even when it comes to colors, white is now just one of the possible alternatives, but for those like me who don’t give up on black or patterns, there’s no longer any problem.
Why, if these bras are similar to “normal” ones, should one choose a specific one for breastfeeding? Because, especially if we also breastfeed outside the home (and this often happens with a newborn, unless you decide to live in seclusion) the need is to focus on smart garments that allow you to discover only a flap of the breast and not the whole belly. This also applies to t-shirts and – even more so – dresses and there are other points to carefully consider.
Envie de Fraise nursing clothing is not only comfortable, as mentioned above, but also extremely safe: when in the hospital we are told to wear nightgowns with buttons, for example, this can be dangerous, because the button on a low-cut dress cost can easily detach and end up in the infant’s mouth. For this reason, neither the dresses, nor the pajamas, nor the underwear of Envie de Fraise designed for breastfeeding have parts that can be detached.
It is also good to buy very soft clothes, not just bras, because the breasts are extremely delicate in this period and inadequate contact can hurt. For the same reason, pay attention to the size: it is easy, when breastfeeding, to have to resort to an extra size and for this reason highly elasticized fabrics are to be preferred, especially during the first settling phase after the milk froth.
In terms of clothes, it is good to know that many of the maternity clothes are also suitable for breastfeeding : for example, the Envie de Fraise garments that I bought while waiting for my little one are all very practical even when breastfeeding, even the ceremonial ones, such as the green dress I already told you about in a previous post (LINK). This dress has a very soft fabric and it is enough to lower it on one breast at a time to breastfeed comfortably and discreetly in any place and on any occasion.
The nursing T-shirts on the site are also very cute (I chose the black one with white micro polka dots), very comfortable but also beautiful: I often use them as an under jacket even on formal occasions, with the advantage that I don’t have to unbutton them like a normal blouse for breastfeed!
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.