Front Closure Bra for Nursing?

Updated on September 12, 2011
S.T. asks from Denver, CO
20 answers

I'm tired of wearing ugly nursing bras. But I'm still nursing. Last night it just hit me: why not just get front-closure bras? This seems like they'd work just as well for nursing, right? And they actually have cute styles/colors this way. I'm not looking for discreetness, by boy is 9 months old and flails all over the place, my days of quietly nursing him under a cover are long gone. I just go to a private room, or, 90% of the time, I'm at home. I'm just looking to be able to wear some cute bras (maybe even with matching bottoms?!?!) again and want the ease of being able to pop out the girls when needed. Thoughts? I can't be the only nursing mom who has thought of this, and I'm thinking maybe there's a reason nursing bras still work better?

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So What Happened?

To add more detail: I have gotten too small for my two really nice nursing bras I bought (Bravado Bliss I think) they were like 55 bucks each, they were great, but are now too big cup-size and rib-cage wise. Since my son is older, I didn't want to invest in more expensive nursing bras if I won't be wearing them for too much longer --- but I have no idea how much longer I'll be wearing them! I was thinking the front-closure would be good now and still be able to be worn down the road when I'm not nursing . . .

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D.K.

answers from Columbus on

I use regular bras with convertible straps and just unhook the strap and fold down. A front close would be about the same thing and easy to use too.

1 mom found this helpful

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M.M.

answers from Tucson on

I even use regular bras i just flip them down.

2 moms found this helpful
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R.M.

answers from Topeka on

My girls are both still nursing the grandsons and neither of them even wear a bra...they wear a tank top sort of shirt under their outer shirt...it gives them some support and makes for easy access when it comes time to nurse. Works great for them!!
I think they have the sort of tank tops that have that extra little layer of material...sort of a built in bra.

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A.C.

answers from Raleigh on

Im smaller chested b when not pregnant or nursing. I bought a bra from Victoria's secret that had no padding and was able to pull it down and pop my boob out the top. As far as front closure it is hard to wrangle em back in but if you're OK with that go for it. I had one front closure that I rotated in with my other bras. However it was a trade off of sexy vs function.

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G.L.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I nursed for nearly 7 years between my two little ones, and I, too, quickly ditched nursing bras. Expensive, ugly, and in my case, not supportive enough. I tried front closures, but the problem with front closure bras is that once unfastened they tend to sproing open and land somewhere under your armpits. Not useful for discreet nursing. I used to just wear a soft-cup regular bra I could pull down one cup of to expose a breast. Then I could avoid wrestling with an unfastened bra while also holding a curious, "helpful" nursling. I'd just stuff the breast back into the bra cup and be good to go.

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D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

Well, the first thought that came to my mind is that when you pop that front closure open both the girls are free and you are going to have to wrangle them back in when baby is done nursing. And if you use a nursing pad for the breast that's not being used at the moment, that's falling to the floor. But you could try wearing a demi bra and pulling the front of the cup down to accommodate baby.

I nursed both mine for 16 and 20 months respectively. I saved the cute bras for times when I could go out or have some alone time with my husband at home rather than when it was just baby and I.

2 moms found this helpful

G.T.

answers from Redding on

I always wore regular bras and just pulled the cup up over the top of my boob.

2 moms found this helpful

K.A.

answers from San Diego on

I tried a front hook bra from Victoria's Secret when my first was born instead of a nursing bra and found it to be a huge pain. You needed 2 hands to rehook it which was always hard to do with a child in your arms and really wasn't very discrete when I went out to have to reach up into my shirt so much to rehook it and get my breast all the way back into it.
After 10+ years of nursing and I can't even count how many nursing bras I was done with ugly bras!
I found the Bravado Allure http://www.bravadodesigns.com/shop/the-allure-underwire-n...
It fits really nice. The center is a really nice low cut so you can wear something with a bit of a nice lower neckline and not be showing off half your bra. It doesn't come in as many cute colors, it only comes in 3. But I really love them! I'm a 36DD(E) and they offer great support without covering my entire upper half.

2 moms found this helpful
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A.B.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I LOVE the Victoria's Secret racerback bra - it's so comfortable and I actually feel pretty even though I lost all of my chest. = / The racerback design also makes it perfect to wear w/tank tops.

I agree w/ the mom that said you couldn't close it one-handed, but I personally don't mind this nor do I find it to be a huge inconvenience, although I didn't have it when I was nursing at first and I didn't nurse in public. When I started getting smaller, I would just layer nursing tanks under my shirts - it was super easy to be discreet that way.

1 mom found this helpful

M.R.

answers from Rochester on

This was my recent problem--I'm nursing my third now (he's almost six months old) and he's 23 pounds and a "social" nurser (so anytime he thinks there's anything else going on, he's looking around and pulling off to turn for). I'm resigned to being totally exposed when he's nursing.

I also "outgrew" my nursing bras (or undergrew?) and was facing the miserable prospect of buying new ones to get me through the year. I decided to try on the bras I bought while I was pregnant and they actually fit and were comfortable and flattering. They are Olga ones that I bought from JCPenney on sale (I'm a 36 DD in regular sizes and a 34 D not pregnant or nursing, so I need support) and the fronts are stretchy enough that I can pull them aside even on the underwire to nurse. The material under the breast does prop them up a bit more while nursing, but it's actually kinda helpful rather than not. They're retaining their shape well, too. So you might try that as an alternative to actual nursing bras or the kind that open in front. If they close in front you'll have both hanging out when you're nursing.

So, for someone who was used to spending $38+ on nursing bras in each size as she lost weight (and I'm a budget woman!!), I was thrilled to be just as happy wearing regular bras. And yeah, matching sets would be awesome--I'll have to look for some of those. :)

1 mom found this helpful
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M.G.

answers from Chicago on

Target has some cute and sexy nursing bras for around $16!!! I wish I had these with my twins, but I wear them now with my singleton. And, I feel like they lift my breasts higher and I look better wearing them.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.L.

answers from Savannah on

I actually found a plain satin black front closure nursing bra at Motherhood. It was a bra that you would not be able to tell was a nursing bra at first glance. Because it was black I was able to pair it with some sexy black panties, but I am not sure if you are looking for something a little more colorful. While this had a front closure, it also had the hooks at the top to flip it down. I don't see why a regular front closure would be that bad, except that it takes 2 hands to clasp it and a nursing bra usually takes just 1.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.W.

answers from Denver on

I have four kids and gave up nursing bras 1 month into my first baby. I just hated them. They are ugly, the pads show through, they are not as convenient as one would think. Just overall not an attractive or a user-friendly thing for me.

Ultimately, on the day I chose to dump my nursing bra, I put on one of my regular old padded bra, when it was time to nurse I just undid the closure in the back, flipped the cup under, and my baby just nursed away. No one could tell what was going on, it was not hard, I can use any bra I want, and the best part is... no leaking... no pads. I actually have a harder time with the front closing just because both cups go flying under my underarms. I just like the back closure.

Just keep in mind that you want to go up in size if you use a padded bra. Your breasts shouldn't be constricted when nursing, you could get a yeast infection on your breasts or clogged ducts. I am normally a 34C and I go up to a 36D or DD when nursing. I also make sure my nipples are fully dry before I close back up. There is not as much breathing going on in a padded bra so that moisture just sits there waiting to torture you with a yeast infection.

Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

1 mom found this helpful

E.S.

answers from Dayton on

Oh goodness. That sounds miserable to me...but if it sounds ok to you...

Like Dori said, once you pop that closure and they are both hanging out there...no thank you! Lol!
You know when they make fun of boy babies and boobs...getting big eyed and excited-that IS my boy.
The hey day he would have w/ a front closure bra!
And I did the whole pulling the bra down thing w/ my first...again, no thanks. ;) I kept thinking she was going to wean and I didn't want to invest in a new nursing bra. Grrr. Those days were not fun.

Have you looked at the Elle Mcpherson bras? http://www.expressiva.com/store/Elle-Macpherson-La-Mere-N...

That one is so pretty! I would wear it even if I wasn't nursing!

HTH! GL!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

I never used nursing bras and breastfed both my kids.
I just used, Sports bras.
Real easy.

1 mom found this helpful

L.M.

answers from New York on

I use a couple of cute nursing bras plus regular bras that I shove the boob out the top of. I think front closure would be awkward to close back up if you're out and about with baby.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.R.

answers from Chicago on

I've been Nursing for 10 gizzilion years now, and I don't wear nursing bras. I get the maidiform bras from kohls and just pull them down. I do have a front closure also but it's not my favorite.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.B.

answers from Provo on

I LOVE the Spanx bras! Ok, honestly, they aren't the most adorable bras but they make the girls look great! I am just weaning my baby right now, and as he's #8, you can imagine I need all the help I can get. I can't stand that so many nursing bras just give one's chest an awkward look. The Spanx bra has only the clip in the front, no buckles or hooks or adjusters anywhere else-the straps are made of the same material as their shapers so it really molds to your body and gives a very smooth all over look-all while keeping everything nice and perky looking. ;)

1 mom found this helpful
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L.E.

answers from Provo on

I didn't read all the other responses so this may be repeat advice. I had the same idea when I had my first baby. When you try on bras, unhook and re-hook the bra one-handed. If it's too difficult, you may want to stick with the nursing bras for a while. Even though I'm small, I felt that I needed both hands to get back into a front-closure bra. I opted for padded nursing bras from Motherhood.

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