Little man is 7 weeks old now; where has the time gone!? Actually, much of it has been spent sitting on the couch watching Netflix and breastfeeding. Not many complaints here, though. My wonderful husband has done a great job with most of the cooking and house upkeep so that I can feed Gabe and keep him happy. Plus, I get to stare at his sweet face on cuddle him. And steal lots of baby kisses, don’t forget about those.
It has been nice, though, that he has started going longer between feeds. It’s nice to have a little break!
Breastfeeding for a new mom can be a bit of a surprise (at least for me and those that I have talked to). Much of the time you expect it to be such a natural thing, but it can be hard work! Between getting that baby to latch correctly, worrying about supply, and having sore and sensitive nipples, it’s no wonder our breastfeeding rate is one of the lowest in the world. Having said that, nowadays there is so many resources available to new moms that can help. Le Leche League and hospital run courses are just the tip of the iceberg – just do a Google search!
Get through some of the tough patches and the benefits of breastfeeding make themselves more clear. Besides the health benefit of the milk itself, the amount of money we save, and the bonding experience, I really think little Gabe would cry much more if it wasn’t for breastfeeding. We are lucky that so far, he has never been inconsolable. If he starts to cry, it is usually because he is hungry. If he is crying for another reason, then breastfeeding automatically fixes the problem. Nothing the boob won’t fix and it’s always a pleasure having a happy baby.
My biggest breastfeeding problem currently? Trying to find clothes I actually want to nurse in (and can afford)! I think I have finally found the solution: altered camis/spaghetti-strap tanks with a nursing bra under a loose or stretchy shirt. This makes nursing easy and discreet and way cheaper than buying specialty nursing clothes. Sometimes nursing tanks don’t offer much support; by altering these tanks it is easy to choose the support you want by wearing it with a nursing bra.
All you need is:
- a thin-strapped tank top, preferably without a shelf “bra” (like these for $2.80 at Forever21!)
- Scissors
- Needle and thread
Easy!
All the tanks I used were fitted, so there was no droop in the back. It is so easy to nurse in any top!
The Life of Lulubelle 
genius!
Awesome! Great graphic with the tutorial – I pinned it!
Thanks!
Thanks so much for posting this! I am due in 2 months and am already dreading the wardrobe change that will need to occur! This looks so simple though, and it will be a huge lifesaver!
How does the tank stay up in the back? Do you have to constantly readjust it?
I buy them fitted, so it doesn’t sag in the back. They go under clothing, so I don’t want them to be too loose anyways.
This is a great idea! I like clip-on nursing tanks but not spending $25 on them. Thanks for the idea!
What do you do with the strap in the back to keep it from coming down?
I find that if they are fitted enough, they don’t fall in the back. I have a couple that are loose, that slip a little, but it’s usually not much if an issue.
I and my sister-in-law have both just recently started breastfeeding and have been lamenting about the lack of clothing choices for us, especially because we are both smaller women. I bought some nursing tanks at Target yesterday, without trying them on since I had the baby, and come to find out, they are huge on me and won’t work. You may have just provided the perfect solution to my problem. So glad I found this on Pinterest.
Thanks! Yea, most nursing items are maternity as well, which really throws the sizing off!
This is brilliant!
Awesome idea! I will be doing this! Could you do the same alteration for the back of the singlet and slip the loop over your bra strap to keep it up?
I don’t think that would work since there would be no way to get the loop onto the bra strap? I find that if they are fitted enough, they don’t fall in the back.
Could put a snap onto on the back where the loop ends come together.
This is awesome! What a simply brilliant idea!
We are compiling resources for mommas-to-be and breastfeeding mommas. Come link up your favorite relevant posts: thirty-one10.com/motherhood/milking-it-you-want-me-to-do-what-to-my-boobs/
Thanks for sharing this!
Pingback: Breastfeeding Tube for 75 Pesos! | StartUp Mommy
Pingback: Baby Sneaker 2.0 36 Week Update | The Girl With The Pink Sneakers
for everyone who has questions about the back its just like wearing a tube top shirt you dont need straps to hold it up. thats why you have to get a fitted shirt so it isnt so lose to fall.
If your tank top isn’t fitted enough and you’re worried about it sagging in the back, you could always add a little bit of elastic across the top of the back to pull it in a little too. 🙂
Love this and working on some right now since my first little one is due in just a couple weeks!
You are a genius! Thank you, thank you, thank you!