How to Create A Breastfeeding Capsule Wardrobe

Access all areas! Well, not *all* areas, but most.

One of the most often asked questions you guys have sent after Frankie was born was ‘what should I wear for breastfeeding?!’. And I hear you. Having a new baby is hard enough, but throw in the mix having to be able to whip out a nip at any old time, andddd the fact that you want to look and feel going doing it – there’s a whole lot of pressure on the wardrobe in the first few months of having a baby. I stopped feeding Frankie a few months ago, but throughout that year of feeding I learnt a lot about what works, and what doesn’t, in the outfit department. And you know what I found to be essential? Developing a little capsule wardrobe with items that work so they’re easy to put together in a pinch.

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Step 1: Gather the Foundations

The first place to start when putting together your breastfeeding capsule wardrobe is getting the foundations right – meaning having the right bras! You’ll need a few different types of bras for different occasions, all that need to have easy access built in – whether that be through an easy pull down design or clips at the top of the cup. For sleeping, I think a crossover, pull down design is the best option, making it easy and comfortable to feed lying down. Another great option is a maternity top that has an inbuilt bra. For going out, a soft cup clip maternity bra worked well for me. And for working out, I found that clip up sports bras were really supportive and user friendly. Sadly I didn’t find a strapless bra that was very useful for feeding – even though they are easy to pull down I found them often uncomfortable! A simple bandeau bra was what I opted for.

Step 2: Add Flexible Tops

If you haven’t been a separates kinda gal until now, breastfeeding may turn you! I found by far the easiest outfits involved tops with buttons and a nice pair of shorts or a skirt. Luckily button front styles are trending at the moment so it made it quite easy to get my hands on nice styles that weren’t too corporate looking. These combinations provide access, without you having to spend a lot on nursing specific outfits. You will find that lots of brands sell specific nursing tops (with zips or flaps that lift) but in my experience I found them a bit blah, and not something you would wear after you stop feeding. One caveat to this is that when you’re travelling it can help to have one of those lift flap tops with the double layers, as they tend to not show as much skin and are great in confined spaces like planes.

Step 3: Add The All In Ones

Dresses and jumpsuits are a nursing mother’s best friend, so long as they have a few key qualities. The best option is to go for styles that have a button front, as I mentioned above they provide easy access without feeling to much like you’re a walking maternity shop. You can also work with an off the shoulder style, so long as the top of it is elasticated to make for easy access. Not that with this style you’ll feel a little more exposed than with a button front or flap that lifts. Another great option is a wrap style, again, so long as it has a little bit of stretch or movement – you don’t want to have to unzip anything!

A few favourites from my capsule wardrobe!

One of the easiest things to do to shop for nursing appropriate is to use the term ‘button front’ on your favourite clothing website. Just make sure that the item you’re looking at actually has buttons that open!