the two best nursing bras ever

usually i do a throwback thursday post on mint arrow's instagram, just to let readers get to know me. but today i'm going to post one here, since it goes along with what i'm talking about today.

this is our very first family picture of all 3 of us, taken about an hour after our little girl was born. best. day. EVER.

yesterday one of my friends, who just had a beautiful baby boy, texted me asking what my favorite nursing bras are. let me just say that nursing was one of the hardest things i've ever done (physically) in my life! it is super painful. and horrible. for the first 3 weeks. and then it gets better. and you don't even notice it. and now i actually love it. i would've NEVER believed i'd eventually say that when i first started out. but it does get better and easier so, hang in there christy and all you other nursing mamas just starting out! people who tell you that “it shouldn't hurt if you're doing it right” and “it's not that bad” need to be sent to the funny farm. it hurts like hell. but it's worth it. by the way, if it doesn't work out for you to nurse, i totally respect that. and i get it. i thought about quitting on a daily basis when i started out. my mom didn't nurse any of her 4 kids and we all turned out just fine. 

onto the nursing bras. i bought about 5 or 6 different kinds to try them out and see which ones i liked best. well, save your money and just buy these 2 because they're all you will ever need!

for sleeping:
this Lamaze Cotton Spandex Sleep Bra for Nursing and Maternity
is the best thing ever. 

it's super inexpensive, only $18 on amazon and it's a prime item!
if you haven't had your baby yet and are wondering which bra to pack for the hospital, this is the one. you don't have to know your exact nursing-boob size to buy this, just make a guess according to what size you are now and go maybe a cup or two up to account for milk. if you are lucky (ha) and get engorged like me, this bra will be the only thing that won't make that whole process even worse! it's extremely comfortable and will give you just enough support without causing you extra pain. also essential if you ever get a clogged duct which, lucky me, i get those all the time too! i have a trick for those that maybe sometime i'll share on the blog. anyway . . . 

while the lamaze sleeping bra is extremely comfortable, you will need a “real” bra for going out, wearing anything other than your husband's sweatshirt, etc. this is the one that i swear by:

Le Mystere Women's Sexy Mama Nursing Bra  

this nursing bra, unlike a lot of others, actually has a little shape  and will mask those awesome nursing pads that you get to wear around everywhere. it's also highly functional for actually nursing, which a lot of others i tried were not. you can buy it at nordstrom but it's way cheaper on amazon. you can measure yourself pretty easily at home but if you're worried about getting the fit right, go to nordstrom, or even a victoria's secret, and have them measure you. and then come home and order the right size from amazon. i had nordys and victoria's secret measure me, just to be sure, and they both gave me the same size, which i came home and ordered in this bra, and it was spot on true-to-size in this bra.

when i first started out nursing, these Lilypadz Reuseable Nursing Pads were sent straight from heaven. my friend courtney told me about them and they were a LIFE SAVER. they allowed my sad little cracked and bleeding nipples to have some relief while i slathered them with newman's ointment (you will want to ask your dr. for a prescription for this if you are cracking/bleeding and need some relief! lansinoh cream did jack squat for me). anyway, the cotton ones at first were way too harsh and these, like i said, saved me.

while we're on the subject, these Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads are the nursing pads i use now. there's nothing amazing about them but they do the job and are affordable since you go through SO MANY. you can even get them on subscribe & save for 20% off if you have at least 5 items that month. 

if you have any other nursing questions for me, please don't hesitate to ask! if you have a favorite nursing bra or product, tell us about it!