Do maternity clothes work for breastfeeding?

If you’re expecting, you may have to-do list that seems never-ending. Get the nursery ready. Stock up on diapers, baby wipes. Find a car seat, a stroller…the list goes on. Then you may be trying to make a call about whether to breastfeed or formula feed. Often times what you wear postpartum doesn’t even cross your mind until those postpartum days hit. And when they do, who has time to shop? If you’re like many moms new to breastfeeding, you may find yourself scrambling to find the best clothing for nursing and pumping.

Some moms may be able to wear maternity styles on their pumping or nursing journey. Many mom may use the two shirt method and lift-up to gain access when they need to feed. I did that at first, but then things got more complicated (like when I ran errands, went to church or just wanted to be out and about, especially as my son got older). That’s where nursing clothes really came into play and can be a game changer! And now there are some styles that double as both maternity and postpartum (with built in access for breastfeeding). Winning!! 

How breastfeeding clothes work

Breastfeeding clothes allow you to nurse without exposing your stomach, back, sides and breasts. Basically, they have hidden openings near the breasts for easy access without having to lift up your entire shirt from the bottom. They come with several different openings but the majority either have lift-up flaps or hidden zippers. 


This mom is nursing her baby using hidden zipper access. Lift-up flap access also allows you to nurse or pump by lifting up your shirt or sweater. 

Nursing clothes with lift up flaps are super easy - just pull up the cropped layer and pull aside the underlayer and your nursing bra or nursing tank. The top layer acts as a cover. Then there’s hidden zipper access (which is my go-to)! At first you might think this would be too hard to do with a wiggly baby but it's totally possible to open one-handed. Plus the hidden zippers are so hidden! You would never know the top or dress was designed for nursing, meaning you could wear it long after your nursing days.

>>> BLOG: How breastfeeding clothes work for feeding your baby on the go 

This dress has hidden nursing access for new moms, but is also designed to be work during pregnancy. 

What's the best dress for maternity and postpartum?

Finding styles that work both for maternity and postpartum can be like finding a diamond in the rough. But, it is possible and this dress is one example. This is Nursing Queen’s Holy Grail dress. It comes in black and lilac and has hidden zipper access on both sides. Did I mention that this dress looks amazing on every BODY! The material offers lots of stretch and the zipper pulls for nursing can be hidden in an attached belt. This style is great for moms looking for a beautiful dress during their pregnancy and also a dress that allows them to nurse and pump anywhere.  This is just one example of a dress that works for moms during their pregnancy and during their nursing journey. 

Above: This mom is showing how the hidden zippers work in this design for easy breastfeeding access.  Below: The Nursing Queen Holy Grail dress in purple.