Breastfeeding starts with clothing that can keep up with your breasts
Your breasts change more during breastfeeding than at almost any other time in your life. Milk comes in during the first few days after birth, your breasts become full and heavy, and their size can change several times a day depending on when your baby last fed. That is why what you wear next to your skin is not a minor detail when you are breastfeeding. A nursing bra should be able to be opened with one hand while you hold a newborn in the other, and it should provide room without constricting where your breasts are most tender.
Carriwell made seamless nursing wear among the first in the world almost three decades ago, and that is still at the heart of what you will find here. Seamless does not just mean an absence of seams. It means a bra that shapes itself to you as your breasts swell and recede, and that does not leave pressure seams against a breast that may already be tender. The collection here brings together exactly the clothing and accessories that make the many daily feedings a little easier. Darling, remember that you do not have to choose between support and comfort. You can have both.
How long is breastfeeding recommended for?
The Danish Health Authority recommends exclusive breastfeeding for around the first six months, during which the child only receives breast milk. After that, it is recommended to offer other food and to continue breastfeeding until around one year or longer, as long as it suits you both. WHO recommends that breastfeeding can continue for up to two years or more along with other food. These are recommendations, not requirements.
In practice, breastfeeding looks very different from family to family. Some breastfeed exclusively for many months, others combine breast and bottle from early on, and some breastfeed for less time than they had imagined. There is no right or wrong way in what ends up being your way. The most important thing is that both you and your baby are doing well. If you have any doubts along the way, about whether your baby is getting enough, or whether a symptom is normal, reach out to your health visitor or a lactation consultant. You are not alone with this.
How to find a nursing bra that fits a changing breast
Because your size fluctuates while you are breastfeeding, the best nursing bra is one that gives way instead of dictating a fixed shape. This is the idea behind the original seamless nursing bra, which stretches with your breasts, so it can be used through both pregnancy and the nursing period without having to be changed with every size change. If you only want one and use it a lot, it is also available as a 2-pack, so one is always clean while the other is in the wash.
If you have larger breasts and miss more lift and shape, a style with a little more support may be more comfortable in everyday life. If you want a smoother silhouette under your clothes, there is a nursing top with shapewear, which gathers and supports over the stomach at the same time. Regardless of what you choose, try to feel for two things: that you can open and close the cup with one hand, and that there is nothing cutting or pressing when your breasts are at their fullest. If you are unsure about the size, you can look at the bra size guide, as the measurement may well be in a different place than what you usually use.
Underwire or not when you are breastfeeding?
Many are advised to avoid underwire bras while breastfeeding, and there is a reasonable basis for this. A hard underwire can press against the milk ducts, and if it sits incorrectly or too tightly, it can unfortunately contribute to blocked milk ducts. Therefore, a wireless nursing bra is a safe first choice for most, especially in the early period when milk production is still finding its stride and your breasts are most sensitive.
This does not mean that underwire is forbidden. Some with larger breasts miss the support that a well-fitting underwire provides. The point is the fit: an underwire should rest against the ribcage without digging into the breast tissue itself. If you are unsure, start soft and wireless during the busy newborn period, and feel for yourself what your body needs when breastfeeding has settled down more.
Nursing pads for leaking milk
Especially in the beginning, milk often leaks on its own when it is not intended. The let-down reflex can be triggered by your baby crying, by heat, or completely on its own, and a couple of nursing pads in the bra keep your clothes dry and your skin more comfortable. You can choose between reusable nursing pads in organic cotton, which you wash and use again, or cotton nursing pads altogether, if you prefer a soft, breathable material against your nipple.
Change the pads when they become damp. A wet pad that lies against the skin for a long time can make a tender or cracked nipple more vulnerable, and a dry nipple feels best. It sounds like a small thing, but in a period with many feedings a day, dry pads are one of the things that make a difference to daily comfort.
When breastfeeding hurts
Breastfeeding should not hurt in the long run. A certain tenderness during the first few days is normal while your skin and nipple get used to the new, but persistent, sharp pain is a signal worth listening to. Most often, it is about latch technique: that your baby is not getting a deep enough hold on the nipple and a good part of the dark ring around it. If you get help with correcting the latch, many pains disappear on their own.
Cracked or tender nipples are also something you can soothe along the way. Rubbing a little of your own milk on the nipple and letting the skin air out helps many. If your breast is warm, hard, red, and you have a fever, it may be a sign of mastitis, and then you should contact a doctor or midwife, not wait. Darling, remember that pain is not something you just have to bite through because breastfeeding "should" work. There is help to be had, and it is completely normal to need it.
Nighttime breastfeeding and a bra you can sleep in
Most babies need to be breastfed at night for a long time, and that is completely normal. Nighttime breastfeeding helps keep milk production going, because the body produces most of the hormone that drives production in the early morning hours. Therefore, the nighttime feedings are not wasted, even though they can feel hard when sleep is scarce.
A sleep bra for pregnancy and nursing makes nighttime feedings a little easier. It is soft and wireless, fits easily around the body without constricting, and at the same time holds a nursing pad in place, so you do not wake up to a soaking wet sheet. A nighttime nursing bra is designed for exactly that balance between being able to sleep in it and quickly being able to offer the breast in the dim light without having to fully wake up.
Clothing that makes breastfeeding outside the home easier
Breastfeeding does not stop when you leave home, and clothing designed for it makes a big difference to how freely you move in the world with a baby. A nursing blouse with discreet access to the breast means that you can breastfeed at a café or in the car without having to undress halfway. It is not about hiding breastfeeding, but about making it something you can do calmly and effortlessly, wherever you are.
For home and the long days of maternity leave, a pregnancy and nursing nightgown and soft clothing are nice to have when your body is still healing and breastfeeding takes up a lot of the day. If you are considering whether you should choose a dedicated nursing top or stick to a nursing bra under normal clothes, you can read Carriwell's overview of nursing top or nursing bra and find the solution that suits your everyday life best.
Breastfeeding after a cesarean section
If you have given birth by cesarean section, breastfeeding may get off to a slightly slower start during the first few days, but it is fully possible to breastfeed, and most do so without problems. The challenge in the beginning is often more practical than hormonal: the scar on your stomach means that your baby cannot lie and press right there, and that it can be difficult to find a position that does not strain the wound.
Here it helps to try nursing positions where your baby lies next to you instead of over your stomach, for example the lying position on the side or with your baby under your arm. A pillow to relieve the pressure can make a big difference. Be patient with yourself during the first few days, where both body and breastfeeding have to settle down after a major procedure. If you need more about exactly this, Carriwell has gathered advice on cesarean section and breastfeeding.
Everything for the new nursing period in one package
If you need to get ready for breastfeeding before birth, it can be nice not to have to gather the pieces individually. The ready-to-nurse package gathers what you typically need from the first day, so you have it ready in your hospital bag instead of having to shop with a newborn in your arms. It takes one small thing off the list during a period where your capacity is barely visible.
Regardless of whether you prepare for a long time in advance or only get around to it when the baby has arrived, remember that breastfeeding is something you learn along the way, you and your baby together. There is no one who masters it on the first try, and that does not make it something you are doing wrong. Reach out to your health visitor or a lactation consultant when you are unsure. I wish you the safest and calmest start to your nursing time.
