Okay, real talk: I gave up on breastfeeding. It’s not to say I tried because, believe me, I tried. I ended up getting discouraged from lack of milk production, getting so busy I would forget to pump (shame on me I know), and the fact that Zelda decided after two weeks that she didn’t want to nurse off of Mommy. Feeding her from the beginning was a huge struggle. She’s one of those babies that when she’s hungry, she’s hungry yesterday. It was hard to get her to latch on when she’s screaming and crying so I, a new mom, committed what some would say is a cardinal sin in breastfeeding and started supplementing with formula. That may have played in a factor in her not wanting to latch anymore and if so, that’s on me. I gave birth to a 9 pound 8 ounce baby and she was just hungrier than smaller babies at her age.
But enough of that. Before I had her I was bound and determined to breastfeed. My mom breastfed me and my brothers. Plus I know the health benefits are extraordinary. I made sure I had nursing shirts and a couple nursing bras to make breastfeeding easier for myself and Zelda. But since I’ve stopped breastfeeding one would think I’d put those articles of clothing away for until I decided to have another baby, right? Normally yes. I mean, I’ve put away my maternity clothes until either I need them again or a friend of mine needs them. But I ended up gaining weight that didn’t go away after I had her (only kept about 20 of the 60 pounds I gained when I was pregnant with her so kudos to that). That being said, my normal bras aren’t fitting the best and some of my shirts are the same way.
My nursing shirt and my nursing bras on the other hand? Hands down the most comfortable things I own. The tank top is made from this super soft fabric and the bras don’t feel like they’re digging into my skin. It feels like a win/win scenario all around. The tank top is also super loose around the tummy section so it doesn’t feel like my stomach is poking out like the little timer in a Thanksgiving turkey and the bras support the girls without digging into my back and leaving painful indents from the straps.
Hey Chelsea. Why not just buy bras and shirts in your size? some may ask. And that’s true. I could just do that. But I also have to take into consideration the fact that after I pay bills and buy groceries/do laundry/put gas in the car, I really don’t have the extra cash to spend on clothes at this point in time. I work at Walmart. It may pay better than it did when I started three years ago, but it’s not enough to live comfortably. Plus with my plans to work out and lose weight, I feel like I’d be wasting money on clothing that may not fit in three to six months. While to some it may seem like I’m lazy, I’m just super broke. What extra I may end up with (which that in and of itself is rare) I spend on my daughter. Mommy needs new shoes for work? Nah homie. Baby girl needs some sleepers that fit her. Need work pants? Nah. Baby girl needs diapers/wipes. My daughter will not go without if I have any say in the matter. If that means I have to wait to get something I need, so be it. She comes first.
But to reiterate what I said previously, it’s also just the fact that they’re super duper comfy. Why fix something that isn’t broken, ya know? Why spend money on clothes when I have things that still fit and are comfortable.
Because Babies Don't Come With An Instruction Manual 