tailoring your nursing pad : by jean

ever since i had miles, i've been using lansinoh's disposable nursing pads.  for the longest time, it didn't make sense to get a reusable one since i would usually leak a good amount (especially when it was closer to my pump time),  and if you've been following our blog, you know i am THE dairy queen!

i only pump twice a day now.  i get about 12 oz. each time i pump,  so that's about 24 oz. per day-- not bad coming from pumping over 40 oz. daily!!  i think my body is finally starting to slow down so i'm not leaking as much and my boobs don't get as full as they used to.  there have been days when i would wake up and my nursing pad is completely dry.  i was feeling a little guilty about not being so green so i ordered a pack of TL Care 6 Pack Organic Cotton Pads.  the cotton felt nice but the problem was that they were completely flat.  the lansinoh nursing pad had a bit of a curve which was great because you didn't see any lumpy-ness when wearing it under your bra.  these reusable ones were not the case.  after much pondering, i decided to tailor my nursing pads. 

i cut two small triangles off of each side of the pad and sewed them back together.  you should sew them like straight lines going across-- not sure what the proper sewing terminology is.  now you have a pad that has a nice curve so it doesn't give your boobs lumps when you wear it.  voila!

boob sweat: by jean

yes, i said it. boob sweat.
i've never really had this problem until now.

the past few days have been a bit humid here on the east coast, and i'm scared of what's to come this summer.  at home, i stay away from wearing those lovely nursing pads as much as possible but in public, i stuff my bra with them because i know i will leak at some point.  it will soon get way too hot to wear pads under a bra, so for now i found a decent solution: get a lace bra with no padding (no, i'm not trying to be sexy).  i have one from the Gap, something similar to this below:

Rose lace convertible wireless bralette $29.99

i put my lansinoh nursing pad in the bra since this doesn't have any padding.  that way, there's at least a little less fabric! it makes me feel lighter than wearing my regular bra or a nursing bra and stuffing the nursing pads on top of that.

i also love my american apparel's interlock bra.

American Apparel interlock bra $10.00

i've had this since my pre-pregnancy days.  it's almost like wearing a thin tank/bra.  since its thin and not too tight, it expands with you as you "fill up" on breast milk without making you feel too suffocated.  if you are in need of more support, this is probably not the best solution but it will definitely be a lot cooler and lighter, which means minimal boob sweat!

for all the nursing/pumping ummas out there: how do YOU stay cool during the summer?