Izzy's Mum

I first wrote this article for our local NCT magazine (Coo & Babble). I’ve adapted it slightly and put it here to share with everyone.

My first daughter Izzy was a bit of a milk-monster and wanted feeding every 2 hours for 40 minutes at a time. I didn’t want this to stop me getting out and about, so finding nice clothes to go out in that still enabled me to breastfeed was essential, especially as we went to three weddings before she was six months old.

I’d like to share with you some of the tips I have picked up to give you appropriate clothing for any occasion that will allow you to breastfeed comfortably.

Essentials

There are a few staple items that every nursing mother should have in her wardrobe that can be used in a wide variety of outfits.

Firstly get yourself a good nursing bra, and get it fitted properly. You’ll feel more comfortable if it fits right, and you’ll look better too!

Secondly, you can pick up nursing vest tops with built-in support and nursing openings quite cheaply from a few places on the high street, and of course Izzy’s Mum. Get one in black and one in white and they can be worn under other tops or dresses to make them suitable for nursing, or even on their own on a hot day!

Everyday wear

There are some great tops out there made for breastfeeding, with ingenious (and subtle) access to your boobs. There are a few on the high street from shops, but you can some find many more options online (including us of course). Get a few of these – it’s much better than simply wearing a baggy t-shirt. They can be worn with jeans for everyday wear, or dressed up a bit with a skirt or nice trousers.

Weddings and Special Occasions

There are a number of options for dressing up while breastfeeding, and I’ve tried them all.

Firstly, there are loads of nice dresses made specifically for breastfeeding, although you’ll probably have to go online to find them. I picked up a lovely purple dress with nursing access for a wedding which looked great and worked well. The downside of this is unless you’re dressing up a lot, you may not get much wear out of it. You can of course wear a dress bought for brestfeeding after you finish nursing – many are lovely items of clothing in their own right.

The second option is to dress up a breastfeeding top with a nice skirt or trousers. This is great because you may be able to use clothes you have already in your wardrobe, and your choice is a lot less limited.

Finally, you may be able to find a suitable dress (or you may have one already) that will work when combined with one of your nursing vest tops. I found that crossover or wrap style dresses (particularly ones with a bit of stretch in the fabric) work really well for this (and of course applies to crossover/wrap tops as well). The great thing about this is you can use this dress again after you’ve finished breastfeeding.

Pashminas and Scarves

Whether it’s a special occasion or just a trip to the park many mums will find a pashmina or other scarf useful. You can use it as part of your outfit, or just for a little privacy when latching you child on. This is particularly useful in the early days.

There are specially designed breastfeeding ponchos and covers, as well as breastfeeding scarves such as the Mamascarf which also provide support for your baby. These are available in pretty much any colour you can think of so can easily be matched to your outfit.

Whatever option you chose there are loads of ways you can stay looking great and fashionable while breastfeeding. Nursing is not an excuse to hibernate for the first few months of your baby’s life so get out there. If you send us photos of you in your favourite breastfeeding-friendly outfit we’d love to feature them here.

Some of you have already noticed that we have launched our site! If you haven’t already seen it, go and take a look.

We will be tweaking the site over the coming weeks, and of course adding more products. For now we have the great Mamascarf nursing scarves, a great range of breastfeeding tops from Canadian company Momzelle, and a growing range of nursing necklaces from Lait D’amour.

In other news we’ve also got a more memorable address on Facebook. You can now find us at www.facebook.com/izzysmum.co.uk. While you’re there why not become a fan (if you haven’t already).

Our shopping site is still under development, but I am pleased to announce we have stock of our first product, and it’s available for sale now on a temporary order page.

From the first time I saw the Mamascarf, I knew it we had to stock it. It is a scarf which supports your baby while breastfeeding, and is great for feeding in public as it folds away to virtually nothing, and it provides cover so you won’t draw attention to yourself.

I wish I had known about this great product when Izzy was first born. Even the boldest new mother will find it unnerving feeding in public for the first time, and if , like many others, you require a support cushion to support your baby and it takes time to latch her on, it can be hard to be discreet. This scarf solves both those problems.

What makes this product even better is that it was designed by Keira, a breastfeeding mother here in the UK.

The Mamascarf is available now in three colours for only £17.95 + £1 P&P.

The shopping site is coming along well, and we also have a great range of nursing necklaces on their way soon. Watch this space.