3 Clever Hacks for Wearing Nursing Pads without a Bra while Breastfeeding
As a new exhausted mama, the last thing you need is to be uncomfortable in your clothes. But what can you do with leaking breast when you decide to go braless? Not to worry, here are 3 simple hacks for wearing nursing pads without a bra and feeling comfortable.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, you may find your breasts enlarged. Some moms need a well-fitted nursing bra to support changing breast anatomy, while others can not stand wearing a bra because they can’t stand bra touching their ribs.
If you are a small chested woman, you can quickly get away without wearing a bra during pregnancy.
But after the birth of the baby (for some women during late pregnancy), when your milk comes in and starts leaking, you need to wear nursing pads and a nursing bra to prevent leaking of breast milk and support your heavy breast.
However, the choice of nursing bra plays a massive role in preventing common breastfeeding issues.
A nursing bra that is too tight or an underwire bra or bra that puts too much pressure on your breast may result in clogged milk ducts and even mastitis.
So, if you are someone who has never worn a bra before or decided to go braless postpartum, you are doing yourself a favor and preventing potential health issues.
But going braless comes with another problem. How are you going to wear a nursing pad without a bra?
Yes, nursing pads do need support from a bra to keep them in a place. Even when you use nursing pads with adhesive, they don’t stay in place without a well-fitted nursing bra.
So, how are you going to wear nursing pads without a bra? Worry not, mama; this article talks about 3 simple ways for wearing nursing pads without a bra, so you don’t have to lose your freedom.
Recommended readings
- Can you take Hair, Nail, and Skin Vitamins while Breastfeeding?
- Postpartum Affirmations for Breastfeeding Moms + Printable
- 7 Actionable tips to make breast milk fattier
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Is it okay not to Wear a Bra during Breastfeeding?
Going braless during breastfeeding totally depends on your comfort level.
If you have never worn a bra before and are comfortable handling your enlarged breasts plus leakage, you don’t need to wear a bra during breastfeeding.
However, your breast will weigh significantly more when you start producing milk postpartum. Wearing a good-quality nursing bra will help prevent breast sagging.
Many moms who decide to go braless during breastfeeding worry about their breast leaking day and night and how to wear nursing pads without a bra.
Let’s talk about 3 simple ways to wear nursing pads without a bra.
3 Clever Hacks for Wearing Nursing Pads without a Bra
If you decide to go braless, the following are the options you have to wear nursing pads without a bra.
1. Nursing Tank Top
A nursing tank top is a great option if you don’t want to wear a bra and are worried about leaking. The nursing tank top comes with built-in pouches to hold the nursing pad in place.
For this purpose, this maternity nursing camisole and this Cami sleep tank top are great. They are beautifully designed, very soft, and comfortable.
They are made of cotton and a bit of Spandex to give it the stretch needed to accommodate the fluctuating size of your breast while breastfeeding.
Because these camisoles are made of cotton, you will feel comfortable wearing them all day and even at night.
I pretty much survived on both brands during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Both camisoles are very flattering in shape and have elastic on the bodice that supports your breast without a nursing bra.
They have a little built-in inner pocket to insert a nursing pad to keep them in place.
Overall, I loved camisoles from both brands, and they are perfect for wearing nursing pads without a bra.
If you are looking for a super comfortable sleep camisole or tank top, then I highly recommend this Bamboo Lounge nursing and maternity tank.
These tank tops are super breathable and lightweight. The built-in shelf bra with fixed padding makes nursing in the middle of the night super easy.
I practically lived on these tank tops day and night while I was breastfeeding.
For those mamas who are pumping, I highly recommend getting Sublime hands-free pumping and a nursing tank top.
The patented design of this tank top features a unique Easyclip so you can wear them while nursing, pumping, or both at the same time.
This double-pumping tank securely fits all standard pump flanges, so you do not have to worry about leaking while pumping or nursing.
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2. Braless Nursing Pads
Braless nursing pads are made of medical-grade silicone and can be worn without a bra.
Unlike traditional nursing pads with adhesive for clothing, Lily Pads stick to your breast and exert pressure on the nipple to prevent breast milk leakage.
So, basically, it prevents leakage rather than absorbing it.
Lily Padz is comfortable, breathable and since they stick to your breast, you don’t need a bra or camisoles with a built-in bra to keep them in place.
And if you wear them according to manufacturer instructions, you won’t have a wet shirt in public, guaranteed.
However, you shouldn’t wear braless pads day and night. Because they are designed to prevent leakage by employing pressure on your nipple, it is highly likely that prolonged use of it will cause clogged ducts, mastitis or may contribute to thrush.
Another caveat of using Lily Padz is the possibility of squirting milk when you take off the pad for breastfeeding because of pressure build-up.
These braless nursing pads are great for going out for shopping or special occasions or wearing a special backless dress, but prolonged use should be avoided.
Lily Padz is a great addition to your maternity wardrobe as braless nursing pads in addition to nursing camisoles but do not use them day and night.
3. Ta-Ta Towel
Ta-Ta Towel is a nonadhesive, strapless, stretchy bra alternative for women who don’t want to wear a bra.
It is stretchy cloth cups that go on your breasts, and stretchy cups are connected by a cloth band that goes behind your neck.
And there is absolutely no underwire and no constricting the ribs!!
This one-of-a-kind towel bra is made of stretchy terry cloth and cotton to support your need and prevent boob sweat. Check out this clip to get an idea of how to wear Ta-Ta towel.
I wish I knew about Ta-Ta Towel bra when I was breastfeeding. They look incredibly comfy, and you can keep nursing pads in the towel cups to absorb the leakage.
FAQs
Should you Wear a Bra to Bed when Breastfeeding?
It depends on your comfort level. If you have never worn a bra to bed before, then you don’t need to start wearing a bra to bed when breastfeeding.
But if you are worried about leaking breast milk at night and want to prevent loads of laundry, you should wear a well-fitted nursing bra to bed.
If you don’t want to wear a bra to bed but are worried about breast milk leakage overnight, wear a nursing tank top with a built-in shelf bra to hold your nursing pads in place.
Alternatively, you can lay a bath towel on a bed and sleep over it to prevent breast milk from leaking on your bed sheet.
What to Wear to Bed when Breastfeeding?
You should wear whatever feels comfortable to you. Because nursing mothers have to feed their babies every 2-3 hours at night, it is best to wear something that gives you easy excess to your breast.
The best options to wear to bed when breastfeeding includes nursing pajamas, nursing gown, and nursing sleep bra tank.
They are designed to give you quick access to your breast for nighttime feeding.
One thing that you need to consider before getting your nursing nightdress is the material. You want to get something that is made of cotton rather than polyester as it will help keep you cool at night.
Can you Wear a Regular Bra while Nursing?
If a loose-fitted regular bra does not compress your breast or is not tight around your ribcage, you can wear it while nursing.
Unlike a Nursing bra, wearing a regular bra won’t give you easy access to your breast while breastfeeding.
Also, you should avoid wearing a regular underwire bra while nursing as it can cause an issue with milk flow and supply or create other complications like clogged milk ducts.
Does Not Wearing a Bra Increase Milk Supply?
Milk supply works on the supply and demand cycle, and there is no direct correlation between not wearing a bra and increasing milk supply.
Yes, it is true that when you are relaxed and comfortable, you let down breast milk better.
On the contrary, wearing an ill-fitted bra that is too tight and compresses your breast will cause certain complications like plunged milk ducts, mastitis and even cause an issue with milk flow and milk supply.
Conclusion
I hope this article has given you enough ideas for wearing nursing pads without a bra. Nursing camis with built-in cups to hold nursing pads are your best solution to go braless while breastfeeding.
I also like the unique design of the Tata Towel. It can be super comfortable to wear during pregnancy and breastfeeding as there is no constriction on your rib whatsoever after wearing it, and it can hold nursing pads to prevent breast milk leaks.
Before you go, check out this post on when to wear a postpartum belly wrap if you want to shrink your waist super fast after giving birth to a baby and how to naturally shrink uterus postpartum.
