LilSugar

Helpful Tips For Buying a First Nursing Bra

LilSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:00:53 -0700

Shopping for a nursing bra should be as thrilling as a trip to Victoria's Secret! The "uniboob" contraptions of the past have been replaced by comfortable, cute and easy-to-use undergarments that are as fashionable as they are functional making the task of choosing a bra easier than ever. We recently sat down with some experienced sales help at Destination Maternity to discuss what expectant mamas should look for in a nursing bra. While the experts recommend getting fitted in person, there are a few simple steps that can be taken at home if you choose to place your orders online. Before packing your hospital bag, check out these tips.

Don't wait until the last minute. Get fitted for a nursing bra approximately two weeks before your due date. This alleviates the need to send a clueless relative to the store to guess what size and style bra you need.
Support is key. Look for bras with enough support to keep your girls from bouncing around too much.
Avoid the bulge. Breasts should not bulge out of the top or sides of the bra, even at their largest, most engorged state.
Make room for the pad. The bra should have enough room to hold your breast and a nursing pad comfortably.

To see the rest of the tips, and a step-by-step video guide to getting the proper measurements, read more.

Go up a size. Purchase a bra one cup size larger than your pre-delivery measurements say. This will leave the proper amount of space for your breast once your milk comes in.
There's a three bra minimum. Having three nursing bras in your possession will allow for one to be in the wash, one to be on you and one to be ready to go.
Buy good nursing bras. There is a reason some bras cost more than others – they last and wear longer, meaning less stretch, fewer clasp breaks and more elasticity.
Sleep on it. Sleep bras keep breast pads in place and help alleviate some pressure from the back during the overnight hours.

Bringing Sexy Back: Oh la la Nursing Bras

LilSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:00:55 -0700

Hot mama Maggie Gyllenhaal slipped into some sexy lingerie to shoot Agent Provocateur ads just six months after having her daughter, Ramona. But, the actress who opts for time with her daughter over fame and fortune brought sexy back while nursing. She told David Letterman she traded her stretched out beige nursing bras in for hot pink, leopard and black and red piped bras ($110) once she discovered that the store sold them. Paired with matching undies ($85-$120), the star said she felt great.

Bringing Sexy Back: Elle Macpherson Nursing Bras

babysugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:00:36 -0700

Any new mom will tell you dealing with the logistics of feeding your baby are more important than how your breasts are costumed, but that doesn't solve the great nursing bra dilemma. You still have to worry about leaking, accessibility, comfort and adjusting to life as a lactating woman. Usually, all that criterion leaves little space for style or sexiness.

Luckily, we mothers have former supermodel and mommy Elle Macpherson on our side. Her nursing bras, which retail for about $62, aim to be "as sleek and sexy as your pre-maternity bras." The cups are made of delicate lace with a cotton lining.

Elle Macpherson Intimates Maternelle Maternity Bra, Light Pink - $55.00	Elle Macpherson Intimates La Mere Maternity Bra, Black - $62.00
Elle Macpherson Intimates La Mere Maternity Bra, Nude - $62.00	Elle Macpherson Intimates 'E71135 Maternelle' Soft Cup Nursing Bra - $55.00
Elle Macpherson Intimates "Maternelle" Nursing Bra - $55.00	Elle Macpherson Intimates 'La Mere E71196' Nursing Bra - $62.00
Elle Macpherson Intimates Maternelle Maternity Bra, Black - $55.00

Designer Breast Pads: Ga Ga or Gag?

LilSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:00:53 -0700

Nursing bras have become sexier and more stylish through the years, so why shouldn't the items we place in them be better looking? Visit almost any drug or baby store and you are likely to find a display of boxes of white disposable nursing pads or neutral colored washable ones.

Two moms who were tired of the drab-colored pads that sat in their bras thought it was time to add some life to these breastfeeding necessities. Using their design skills, they updated the absorbent items and launched Posh Pads ($10 per pair), colorful, washable breast pads made from organic cotton flannel and bamboo.

Would you invest in these designer breast pads to stick some style inside your nursing bra?

Avoiding and Healing Thrush While Breastfeeding

babysugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Thrush is a term that women rarely concern themselves with prior to motherhood. Defined by A.D.A.M., thrush is:

A yeast infection of the mucous membranes of the mouth and tongue. Thrush is caused by forms of a fungus called Candida. This organism lives in your mouth and is usually kept in check by healthy organisms that also live there.

Like many fungi, thrush thrives in warm and moist environments - making baby's mouth and mommy's breast a perfect breeding ground. If undetected, thrush can lead to mastitis.

To see the tips I was told on healing and preventing thrush when my baby girl got it, read more.

To avoid getting it altogether, nursing mothers should try these tips:

Tend to the nipples - especially if cracked and bleeding.
Avoid eating too much sugar.
Get some rest and try not to get too stressed.

If you think you have thrush, you should consult your doctor. In the meantime, practice these pointers:

Air dry nipples after each nursing period.
Switch nursing pads after each feeding.
Wear all cotton bras and clothes and wash in hot water often.

Source

Phone Numbers to Pack in Your Hospital Bag

LilSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:00:47 -0700

You've packed your bag with everything from your favorite pillow to socks and nursing bras. Arrangements for the dog to be walked and mail to be collected have been made. But before you head to the hospital to deliver your bundle of joy, make sure you've got all the phone numbers you need to notify certain people and departments of the birth. Check out our list of six phone numbers (not just those for friends and family) that come in handy. Source

View Slideshow ›

Back to Basics: What Do You Know About Breastfeeding?

LilSugar — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 05:00:57 -0800

If you ask a woman to describe the experience of breastfeeding, you are guaranteed a varied response. Some call it amazing, others admit it's painful but worth it, some say that they'd never do it again, and a rare few believe in it so deeply that they would breastfeed a sick child (I am talking about you, Salma Hayek!). What do you know about breastfeeding aside from your immediate emotional response to the topic?

Do You Know Your Breastfeeding Basics?	Do You Know Your Breastfeeding Basics? Part Two	Four Ways Mothers Share Breastmilk
Bringing Sexy Back: Elle Macpherson Nursing Bras	Do You Know Your Breastfeeding Tools?	Five Remedies for Breastfeeding Ailments

Lilsugar Week in Review

babysugar — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 06:00:46 -0700

It's been another big week on lilsugar. We tested your fever knowledge, showed off some sexy nursing bras and even quizzed you on the ABCs of pregnancy. Were you paying attention to everything else we covered? Take this quiz and find out!

Take the quiz

Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me? Pumping Prison

babysugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 05:00:29 -0800

Mothers who have pumped know the dreads of sitting up alone in the middle of the night to unload their liquid gold when they'd rather be in bed. While pumping is a learn as you go process, the restrictions and the time commitment it required surprised me.

I felt like a cow hooked up to my milk extracting machine and imagined cutting one of my old bras up to hold the contraptions so I could at least check e–mail or surf the net.

To see how to lighten the pumping load, read more.

Near the end of my nursing days, I ran across the Easy Expression Pumping Bra that is made just for this purpose. It costs $34 and had I known about it sooner, I would have been willing to pay even more for the freedom it allows. It gives the pumping mama the ability to go about her business using both hands. She can read a book or flip through a magazine. I am certainly going to buy one of these when I have another baby.