Breastfeeding Tools You Won't Want to Be Without

"It is helpful to have a few nursing bras or 'sleep' bras that mothers can wear under hospital gowns and around the house," says Jan Ellen Brown, RDH, IBLCLC, with The Nursing Mother's Place at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. "Some mothers also will purchase a few everyday nursing bras ahead of time since they may not be shopping after the birth for a few weeks. Most nursing bras allow for growth and expansion as well as the ribcage shrinking after delivery," Brown adds.

Nursing bras can be found in various sizes and styles, including underwire and seamless. When selecting a bra, allow room in the cups for nursing pads which keep leaking milk from damaging your clothing. Purchase more than one bra and look for bras that are easy to unhook and unsnap—ideally using one hand.