Other Uses for Your Nursing Top

In true multi-tasking form, I was on my way to the bathroom the other day with a pile of change and some ones (I was stopping by the cafeteria next), when I realized the pockets on my pants are faux......I don't even want to get into the reason that manufacturers choose to make faux pockets on pants....I looked at my options and decided the best one was to utilize my nursing top. We've all stored cash, a credit card, an ID in our bras, etc. So why should a nursing bra be any different? Well the only difference is that the nursing top I had on is extra awesome for coin storage.....which made me want to blog about nursing tops.

When I was 38 weeks pregnant I went into this awesome store that only carries stuff for nursing moms. They have pumps, covers, bras, tanks, shirts, sleepwear, pads, you name it they've got it. The sales lady recommended I get one day bra and one sleep bra....and then she pointed me to the nursing tops they carry. She obviously realized I was tall, so she said 'we have a section of long nursing tanks too'. Score! The brand is G.lamourM.om. They are a tad expensive, but sooo worth it. I just bought one at the store and now that I have had a couple months working this whole breast feeding business, I wonder why I ever got those two other bras. I should have spent the money on two more tanks. Nursing bras are great....if you have a nice tummy. My stomach looks like I was mauled by a tiger and there is still a little pooch to it. All in all, not the most attractive aspect of me right now. Nursing tanks provide the critical boob access, but keep your tummy covered. Wearing an overshirt or cardigan lets you hide your boob. Anyway I started out with those minimal supplies. Three options. But from there I started building. I found two white (why on earth they make nursing tops in white is beyond me, they get so stained!) tanks at a consignment sale. They were about two sizes too big, but for $4 each I couldn't resist (cheapskate). Then I bought a $20 Moth.erhoo.d nursing tank from Babi.esR.US. Even with four tanks and two bras I was doing laundry every couple of days due to extreme leakage, a messy eater (I won't name names), etc.

So what have I realized thus far in brand comparison? You get what you pay for. The Glam.ourM.om tank was $44, but in my humble opinion they are totally worth it. First off, they are nice and long and they keep their tight elasticity. So when I wear my maternity jeans they hold them up. Similarly there is a lot more to the boob support portion of these tops. The inside of the "flap" (fold down part for feeding) is lined with a mesh material and has holes so you can insert pads and it will hold them still. I use cloth pads most days because I am a hippie and they are washable/reuseable. The cotton is thicker as well so it conceals the fact that you are wearing pads. The other tanks I have make me look like I have tiny dinner plates in my shirt. This tank also has a heavy elastic band to support these gigantic ladies and there is an inner cotton "sling" that holds your boob when you lower the flap to feed.....look at their website to figure out what I am saying. The M.otherh.ood tank starts out feeling like good support but as the day goes on my boobs are saggy. Obviously the two white tanks I got don't offer any support either and they are short so I always feel like I am reaching under my shirt to pull them down.....I have retired them to sleep duty.

Since the discovery of my preferred nursing tank, I went back and purchased two more (present to myself... I'm so thoughtful).They are the same price at the store as they are online and I wanted to support local business, yada yada yada. If I could make some color recommendations, avoid white! I have a black one, a sage one and a chocolate one.....mmmm chocolate. Nothing really hides milk stains that well, so that is why sporting something over the top is nice. Although with this summer coming up, I am just hoping I have less leakage and Jack cleans up his eating skills so I don't have to wear something on the top. I noticed on the website they have all sorts of other colors and a few patterns. Um fun! I plan to try to make do with what I have, but i am super tempted.

Obviously one of the vain woman concerns I have is what my boobs are going to look like after a couple of kids. They weren't like super amazing before or anything, but I don't want them to be competing with my belly button for a race to the ground. So I have deduced that spending $44 on a nursing top that I will wear for a year isn't too much. Hell that is reasonable compared to bra prices. I know there are lots of more reasonable nursing tanks out there, but this humungous boobie owner thinks its better to splurge on something you'll like wearing than be thrifty and worry about your friends dubbing you "Natalie Long-Boobs" someday.

*Note I was not paid to endorse this brand, but if they want to send me some free loot I am totally for sale! hehehe.