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For the best feeding experience at home and in public for both you and baby, here are the essentials for your breast feeding wardrobe

- SALLY MICHENER

There once was a time when a baby, a breast, and an experienced granny were all that was needed to feed successfully! As families drifted apart and breastfeeding declined, the supply of knowledgeable breastfeeding helpers dwindled. If problems arose… well, there was always someone eager to give baby a bottle.

Commitment runs high among today’s breastfeeding mothers. And because more women are now breastfeeding in a variety of medical situations and lifestyles, numerous aids and clothing items are now available to make breastfeeding easier and more enjoyable. (Just have a look at the massage pads in our Best Buys for Moms!)

Your breastfeeding wardrobe should include the following:

• bras for breastfeeding (at least three)

• breast pads

• clothes in which you can breastfeed discreetly

• a baby sling

SELECTING THE RIGHT BRA

Special bras for nursing are designed with a flap on the cup which is opened for feedings. Here’s how to choose and use the right bra:

Before birth, purchase one or two bras that are one numerical size and one cup size larger than you’re wearing while pregnant, to allow for breast enlargement when your milk appears. When your milk is established and your breasts reach post-engorgement size (usually around the second week), purchase three bras (one to wear, one in the laundry, one on standby).

Be sure your bras fit comfortably enough in the cups to accommodate the change in breast size as your breasts fill before a feeding; tight-fitting bras encourage breast infections.