Breastfeeding milestones - a step by step guide to what breastfeeding bras you need

When you find out you’re pregnant for the first time, you’re overcome with joy and excitement. However this can all change once baby arrives. You can suddenly become overwhelmed with sleepless nights and breastfeeding demands. Let’s not kid ourselves, breastfeeding is a combination of all things amazing and some damn hard work.

Hotmilk Lingerie have helped to simplify this task by giving you a run down on what to expect when breastfeeding and the essential breastfeeding bras and items you need to make breastfeeding less daunting.

Pregnancy

During your pregnancy your breasts can become a lot bigger than you’re used to. It’s at this time you should get yourself fitted. A good rule of thumb is typically to buy one band size bigger and one cup size bigger to allow the bra to grow with you. Measure yourself with the Hotmilk size guide or visit a store to find your right size. If you’re unsure about your size, there is a Hotmilk fit quiz, this will help determine what band size and cup size you should go for.

Your beautiful bundle has arrived

From the day your baby is born, your breasts are working overtime. During those first 3-5 days it takes a while for them to start producing actual milk. Instead they are creating ‘liquid gold’ also known as Colostrum. During these first few days you often feel like your baby is receiving hardly anything from you. But rest assured, they are getting all the nutrients and vitamins they need from your ‘liquid gold’ and it’s common for your baby to actually lose weight in the first week or so. However, if you have any concerns, do consult your midwife or doctor.

Your baby will most likely feed for the entire time they are awake and quite often you’ll feel like your baby feeds and sleeps 24 hours of the day. Your breasts are doing an incredible job right now, however they can become very swollen and sore, especially once your milk arrives. The one thing I urge you to buy is a seamless bra. These are downright god sends during this time. You should opt for something soft and stretchy that can be worn with or without breast pads - should you need. It will also need to be able to stretch up to three cup sizes so no matter how big your breasts get when that milk comes in, this bra will fit you.

Hallelujah…your milk has arrived

Your breasts became hard and uncomfortable and finally your milk arrived to satisfy your hungry baby! Now the fun really starts. It can be quite a juggling act to get the hang of breastfeeding. Knowing which side to feed off, wondering whether your baby is getting enough or how to stop leaky boobs in public are all things that go through your mind. The next 3 months are an important learning time for your breasts. Essentially your baby is putting in a milk order for the remainder of your breastfeeding innings. This is often why babies can suckle on your nipple for long periods of time without actually receiving much milk. They are actually just telling your breasts to keep it coming and produce more milk.

Because your breasts are doing such an incredible job, it’s really important to make sure your bra is giving them the support they need. We recommend 3 bras and commonly use the phrase 1 on the body, 1 in the wash and 1 in the drawer. It’s definitely worth purchasing some nursing pads too, to help with leaky boobs. During this time you should look for bras with soft cups and ones that can stretch with your breasts as they fill and empty with milk during breastfeeding.

3 months on - you’re a feeding like a rockstar

Woohoo, you’ve made it through the first 3 months and you finally feel like you’re getting the hang of this breastfeeding thing. By this stage your milk supply should have settled down and you won’t have that feeling of fullness so much. This can often lead to mums feeling like they aren’t producing enough milk, which is often not the case. If you let your baby tell your breasts how much they needed during those first few months, your breasts will have responded and will produce just what your baby needs.

Your breasts should more or less be back to the size they were before you had your baby and you’ll find nursing pads won’t be needed as much. This means it’s time to go out and treat yourself with a sexy new nursing bra.

One final note.. You can do this; we believe in you! it’s not always easy so ensure you have support around you through this incredible

Find out more about Hotmilk Lingerie here