We spoke with Sarah Kallile, fellow mom and founder of Lunnie, a community-led brand for postpartum mothers that seeks to make nursing bras that empower women in their postpartum journey to feel pretty and powerful.
A common pain point for new moms, especially once they get back to leading multifaceted and busy lives, is how frumpy nursing bras make them look and feel. Finding bras that are supportive and comfortable enough to wear all day, but that also allow moms to feel femenine and sexy without compromising on function while nursing can have a big impact on how long moms are able to continue breastfeeding and pumping.
You can watch our entire conversation with Sarah on Instagram or continue reading to learn more about why we think the right nursing and pumping bra matter in terms of reaching your breastfeeding and pumping goals.
What’s the most important feature in a nursing bra?
The first thing to know is that you may breastfeed and pump for way longer than you think. The CDC and WHO recommend that moms exclusively breastfeed for at least 6 months and continue to breastfeed their babies for 2 years at least. Therefore your nursing bra should be comfortable and make you feel powerful.
Comfort is the main reason why you need a nursing bra to begin with. Nursing bras make it easy to breastfeed without having to undress or stretch out your normal bras. A common recommendation is that your nursing bra not have underwires, because those can constrict your breasts, which will change in size and shape sometimes within hours, while breastfeeding and pumping.
Another feature that often goes overlooked, is that your nursing bra should make you feel powerful. This is something that doesn’t matter as much in the beginning because you are home and are dedicating all of your time and effort to your baby and healing from birth. But once you get back to a busy life, wearing a beige boring bra can really hamper your outlook for the rest of the day. Which in the long run also hinders your will to continue nursing.
A proper bra will make nursing and pumping compatible with your life and can contribute to you reaching your breastfeeding and pumping goals.
When should I purchase a nursing bra?
The third trimester in pregnancy.
Your breasts are some of the first body parts that change while pregnant, and they will start to produce milk as early as 8 to 12 weeks into pregnancy. This means that by the third trimester of pregnancy they will have reached a size close to what they will be while breastfeeding and pumping. Nursing bras are designed to allow breasts to grow and not constrict or pinch your skin. So the third trimester is a good moment to buy a few nursing bras that’ll allow you to be comfortable during pregnancy and you’ll be able to get good use of them after the birth of your baby.
When should I buy a pumping bra?
Whenever you are ready to begin pumping regularly or even in your third trimester if you want to be prepared!
Whether you have problems with latch or are planning on going back to work full time outside of the home, a pumping bra becomes a necessity once pumping becomes an integral part of your breastfeeding routine.
The Lilu Massager + Bra is a one pumping bra that not only holds flanges securely in place, so you can pump hands-free, it also compresses the breasts so that you can empty your breasts more fully, effectively allowing you to establish, maintain and/or increase your milk supply while pumping.
How many nursing bras do I need?
Most moms end up buying 5-10 nursing bras, as they wear them everyday while breastfeeding and pumping. Keep in mind that some breast milk will leak in between feedings or pumping sessions, so having several will make your life easier.
As for pumping bras, since moms usually only wear a pumping bra while pumping, you really only need 1. For convenience, when needing to wash your pumping bra, you can get 2. But a good quality pumping bra, like Lilu’s, can even last you for multiple nursing journeys.
Use code LUNNIE15 at checkout for $15 off your Lilu Massager + Bra. Offer valid until April 30th, 2022.
Lilu is a Women’s Health company building tech-enabled devices to empower new moms. Our first product, the Lilu Massage Bra, mimics compression massage, so you can empty your breasts fully to establish, increase and maintain your milk supply. Pump up to 50% more milk each session, all while going hands-free.
Introducing the revolutionary Lilu Lactation Massager Bra - designed to make your pumping sessions more efficient and comfortable than ever before. With our lactation massage cushions, you can experience the benefits of hands-on compression motions recommended by lactation experts, without using your hands. Our bra holds the cushions securely in place, massaging both breasts while you pump, helping to increase milk flow and maintain your milk supply.
