# Need suggestions for strapless bra (bridesmaid gown), baby will only be 1 mo old



## mags (May 4, 2004)

OK, so I am going to be my best friend's MOH at her wedding. I will be about 4-6 wks postpartum, depending on when the baby shows up. So, I'm stressed out about wardrobe issues. Not only do I have no idea how I will look by the time of the wedding, BUT I will be nursing a newborn too. I went to one of the bridal shops on Friday to check out bridemaid gowns and I am sooo annoyed. NONE of the styles I tried on can accomodate a nursing bra. Some may cover up the nursing bra in the front of the dress, but the backs usually seem to be very low cut, even if I weren't nursing, I'd probably have to wear strapless bra to accomodate the dress. The bride said that I could get seperates (top and bottom) to help with my nursing situation, but basically the separates are just as bad as the one piece gowns, low cut in the front AND/OR back, so it still doesn't solve my issue. I'm basically at the point where I think that no matter WHAT dress I end up with, I will have to wear a strapless bra and have to partially strip in order to nurse. Do they even MAKE strapless nursing bras?

If you had to wear a strapless nursing bra and nurse a baby, I would love to hear suggestions. I am hoping to be able to wear lilypads to avoid bulky breast pads.


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

Could you find a dress form fitting enough uptop to go without a bra? Or a tube top underneath? My wedding dress was tight enough uptop that I went without. I could have nursed (but didn't have any nurslings) but a boob would have had to come out over the top of the dress.


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## mags (May 4, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mysticmomma* 
Could you find a dress form fitting enough uptop to go without a bra? Or a tube top underneath? My wedding dress was tight enough uptop that I went without. I could have nursed (but didn't have any nurslings) but a boob would have had to come out over the top of the dress.

I was thinking about that option too, but I'm a DD and I may or may not go up a size during that newborn period, depending on whether or not my supply evens out by then or not and how well the baby nurses. Sooo, I'm kind of afraid of feeling like I will feel like my breasts are falling out if I go that route. I'm thinking if I go strapless and find something with a built in bra, maybe I can unzip the back halway and fold down the bodice to nurse??? I just have no clue since I haven't been in this situation before and it's really the #1 thing stressing me out more than anything regarding the wedding, b/c I feel like there is not going to be any graceful way to nurse a baby while wearing a gown.


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

I was a G! And there probably won't be a graceful way, but there should be plenty of places for you to sneak away. Make sure you have someone to bring you food/drink and keep you company that is comfortable seeing all the boobie glory.


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## mags (May 4, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mysticmomma* 
I was a G! And there probably won't be a graceful way, but there should be plenty of places for you to sneak away. Make sure you have someone to bring you food/drink and keep you company that is comfortable seeing all the boobie glory.

Yeah, I have to call the reception place to see if they have anywhere private for me to nurse. The problem is the reception is at an indoor garden and at the time of the reception it may or may not be open to the public as well. I may end up having to nurse in the bathroom, which annoys me. If so, I'll have to drag the stroller with me to the bathroom to put my stuff on it. The lilypads are a PITA to use, b/c you have to lay them somewhere and my babies are always spitty...


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## littlemizflava (Oct 8, 2006)

i have done it nursing in a very fancy dress for a wedding. la senza bra with clear straps i need the susport. dress was long floor length and low cut in the front with very thin straps. i actually just did a flip out and nurse over the top this is very easy to hide if u feel the need rotf. i didnt worry about underwire since it was just for one day. oh ya it was a 36 dd i was wearing


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## mags (May 4, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *littlemizflava* 
i have done it nursing in a very fancy dress for a wedding. la senza bra with clear straps i need the susport. dress was long floor length and low cut in the front with very thin straps. i actually just did a flip out and nurse over the top this is very easy to hide if u feel the need rotf. i didnt worry about underwire since it was just for one day. oh ya it was a 36 dd i was wearing









Thanks, maybe I will go the strapless route. I did dig around the website of the reception place and it looks like the bride is supposed to get a changing room. So, hopefully that will be available as a (semi) private area to nurse at. I think I will still have to use that stupid hooter hider though, in case anyone walks in on me...


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## Leah_R (Oct 5, 2005)

I would not worry about finding a strapless nursing bra. I would just find a strapless bra that worked with your dress and was comfortable. It will be just as easy to pull the front of the bra down as it will be the dress.

I would bring a pretty ring sling that matches your dress. That way you can flip the tail over and nurse and no one would really notice.


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## calpurnia (Sep 26, 2004)

there are no strapless or halter shaped nursing bras available that i know of (but i am uk based). i attended a wedding as a guest at 3 weeks pp & it was a real struggle. i'd try to identify a dress that you can flip a boob out of the top off if i were you... hmm.


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## Twinklefae (Dec 13, 2006)

Look for something that has laces in the back and boning so that you don't need to wear a bra. Then you can flip over the top to nurse. Here's a pic of me nursing DS at my wedding:

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z...ed112of159.jpg

I suggest lacing, because it gives you the ability to change in size and have the dress accommodate it to a wider degree. I bought my dress before I found out I was pregnant.


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## jecombs (Mar 6, 2008)

Is there any way you can wear the gown for the wedding and pics, then just change into a nursing dress for the reception? I just can't imagine a way for you to participate in all the wedding activities and also nurse your newborn, while at the same time wearing a formal dress. When my DD was a newborn, she wanted to be attached at the boob for 30-40 min at a time. That would be a long time to be hiding away in a bathroom! It might more practical to change your dress and walk around with your LO in a sling to nurse. Just my $0.02!


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## MeepyCat (Oct 11, 2006)

In this situation, I would not do a hooterhider (because (a) I think they're more conspicuous than a nursing baby, (b) they look really hard to use - how do you get the babe latched on under there? - and (c) hate the name and won't buy them). "Pashmina" scarves tend to be on clearance this time of year, come in all colors, and are plenty big to provide modesty cover.

If you can do separates, can you get a skirt in the wedding color, and then find a matching or neutral colored nursing top? There are fancy maternity stores that have really pretty stuff.

Make sure you have comfortable shoes and enough diapers.


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## JudiAU (Jun 29, 2008)

La Lech League makes a strapless nursing bra. It doesn't offer a lot of support though. I had it for about six months before I figured out it was kind of a stupid thing. Seriously, a regular one works just fine. Just shove it down. =)

The harder problem is that formal strapless gowns tend to be boned and tight. I would be very wary of fitting one during pregnancy and in advance of nursing. Nothing I picked out in advance would have fit me!!! I wouldn't worry about the cut as much as the ability to nurse comfortably. Almost any bra will work if you can do it in private.


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## jmmom (Sep 11, 2007)

Has she thought about letting all of you do something like wear a short or long black cocktail dress, of your own choosing (although she can pick the length and maybe stipulate a few other things)? I did this, as did lots of my friends, and among other things it would mean that you could wait until after the baby is born to get your dress! I can get my hands on some pictures of what it looks like, if she'd like to see them.


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## peachopotamus (Feb 18, 2009)

http://www.duematernity.com/lalelestnubr.html

I'm not sure I would be up to MOHing when you're a month PP? A formal baby sling would be adorable and comforting to your LO, IMO. good luck!


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## mags (May 4, 2004)

Thanks ladies for the suggestions. There is a room where I can go off and nurse at. The wedding is REALLY late. 6pm ceremony, and then reception afterwards. I am hoping that since it is later, that the baby will nurse through the first half of the festivities and then sleep a bit. I do have a beautiful mama's milk silk reversible sling that I never got to use, so this babe will get to use it for my friend's wedding.









These are my choices of outfits...

http://www.jordanfashions.com/collec....asp?nCatID=10

The maternity ones are hideous and frankly I don't gain that much wt during pregnancy, so I would be swimming in a maternity gown postpartum. I'll probably have some jelly belly, but if I wear some sort of belly cincher I will be ok. I am thinking my best bet for a nursing friendly one would be this top:

http://www.jordanfashions.com/collec....asp?nCatID=10

As for finding a dress on my own, the big problem is that she has picked a not-very-common color... aubergine. So, it will be hard to find something that matches that color, esp since the shades can differ so much, b/c there are eggplants, plums and burgundy colors that are similar, but not quite the same, kwim?

I'm going to try to go to a bridal shop this wk that is a retailer for that brand and see if there is anything that will work. If the seperates don't work, I will probably just end up getting the same brand, but in a regular gown, so the color should match as long as I get aubergine. Either way, I'm going to have to strip to nurse, so I don't think a seperate makes it any easier than a one piece gown.


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## prettymatty (Feb 2, 2009)

Hi!
I just wanted to say congrats on baby coming up first thing!
Second I also picked Aubergine as my wedding colour about a year ago and there was NOTHING in stores resembling that colour - I was planning on having my bridesmaids get their dresses somewhere like Le Chateau. Anyways, they ended up having to go through a bridal store and then about 2 weeks after the dresses were ordered every store I went into in the mall had dresses in Aubergine.
Depending on where you live and how formal the wedding is, maybe you could go somewhere like Le Chateau.
I know that the Dessy & After 6 bridesmaids lines have gorgeous maternity dresses. Here is the link: http://www.dessy.com/bridesmaid-dres...tOrder=Default
Hope this helps and good luck!


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