Sunday, October 11, 2009

dressing up the twins

Nothing about my beautiful baby depressed me after her birth. One thing that did make me sad, however, was the realization that I was going straight from maternity clothes to nursing clothes for at least another year. I needed to invest--yet again-- in some new shirts that actually fit me (pre-pregnancy too small, maternity too big) and that have easy access for my little guzzler. People tell you that when your milk comes in that you can expect to gain another 1-2 cup sizes...which is terrifying if your prenancy has already swelled you to a 36E-F!

I knew I was in trouble when I realized that it's close to impossible to find nursing bras in my size, much less anything cute! *sigh*

When you are this well-endowed, it's really hard to find shirts that allow for easy feeding access (many of the slits in nursing shirts are too small for me) and that are stylish at all (so many are just out-and-out dumpy). So far, the best two brands that I've found are Aimee Gowns for dressing up and Momzelle for dressing down.

Aimee Gowns only has one style of nursing shirt in both a short-sleeved and a long-sleeved version. It is incredibly comfortable and the fabric has a beautiful sheen to it that makes it stand out as a dressy top. The short-sleeved version is a little bit more flattering because of it's cute fluttery cap sleeves. It comes in black or a deep ocean blue. The long-sleeved version comes in black or a deep garnet, perfect for the holidays. What I like most about this shirt is that you can choose between a hidden opening below the boobs to lift up for feeding/pumping, or the v-neckline can be easily pushed aside. The fabric stretches, but bounces right back and doesn't get stretched out. I usually wear a scarf or a shawl around my neck at work, though, because the neckline is pretty low.

Above photo by Emily Rumsey @ Mamabella Photography

Aimee Gowns also carries ultra-comfy nursing nightgowns and pajamas that I love. However, to call them "bra-less" (they do) is an absurdity if you have the size problem or any leaking issues.


Momzelle is a Canadian company that makes comfy, cute, and simple nursing tops. They make public breastfeeding so much easier, as the openings have enough fabric that you can really hide everything that the baby's mouth isn't covering. The only downside is that they are a little pricey ($45 for a basic t-shirt), but, in my opinion, they are worth it. My first order from them took a while to ship (from Canada), but the customer service was super friendly and they said they'd had some trouble with the U.S. mail but were working it out. My second order arrived in three days, so apparently they did, in fact, work it out.

Nothin' is hangin' out while Ruby is feasting!

The only nursing bra that I have found that fits properly, is comfortable enough to wear to sleep, and doesn't get stretched out from feedings is the Bella Materna Anytime Nursing Bralet. It is by far the most expensive bra I have ever owned, but considering that I had burned through three cheaper ones in a month after Ruby's birth because they got so stretched out, this one was worth the splurge. The material pops right back into place after each feeding!

The best part about these tops and bras is that they are cute and simple enough wardrobe staples that they aren't just going to get packed away in a box (like my maternity duds) after breastfeeding is over.

1 comment:

  1. I like your blog and am reading back... I cannot recommend Glamourmom nursing tanks highly enough! I, too, was alarmed at the brand new 36Gs I was sporting and the options for nursing bras just sucked. These tanks keep everything covered and have enough support to not bother with a bra (seriously!). They have changed everything for the better, 'cause now I can just pull up any shirt, even non-nursing shirts and know that my tummy is covered buy the tank -- thank goodness! Anyway, keep up the great blog and Ruby is a cutie!

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