The Best Clothes for Pumping: A Poll
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Update: We still stand by this advice on the best work clothes for pumping milk, but you may also want to check out our new page on tips for pumping at the office. This threadjack also includes a lot of great advice from working moms about which clothes they wore to pump at the office.
Ladies, let’s take a poll today on pumping habits, and the best clothes for pumping. How do YOU pump? Bra on, bra off? Shirt pushed up, shirt opened?
For my $.02, I have always found it easiest to pump with a nursing bra and a nursing bustier — so for me just pushing a simple shirt (t-shirt, sweater, whatever) up around my neck is easiest.
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However, I know a lot of readers have commented that they just wear regular bras and will get undressed all the way (even pumping in sheath dresses!), and others love wrap blouses and dresses (I’m guessing you guys are omitting the hands-free bustier?). Do you feel less naked with your shoulders covered? So let’s discuss:
Psst: we rounded up a ton of great bras for pumping and nursing:
As of 2024, readers love nursing bras from Bravado, Cake, Natori, Elomi, and Kindred Braverly!
(Pictured: There’s a great sale on this Pleione faux wrap blouse, one of the reader favorites for pumping — some colors are up to 70% off, marked as low as $20. This black and white is higher at $40, but I love the versatile pattern — great for hiding a host of stains, leaks, and more. The blouse was $68, but is now marked to $19-$40 at Nordstrom.) Pleione Faux Wrap Blouse
Sales of note for 5/8/25
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – Up to 50% off select styles + 15% off fragrance (exclusions apply; ends 5/11) + give $150 in gift cards, earn a $25 promo card (ends 5/13)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your full-price purchase + extra 40% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 40-60% everything + extra 25% off
- Eloquii – $25+ select styles + extra 45% off all sale
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off must-have styles + extra 50% off select sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything + extra 50% off clearance
- M.M.LaFleur – Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 25% off all tops, pants, jeans, and shorts + 25% off all markdowns
And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
this topic is so interesting topic about to wearing clothes while feeding child thanks for sharing this great information with us.well done keep sharing
I could use some encouragement if anyone’s reading. We’ve been TTC for over a year now without a single late period. The closest I’ve come to thinking “maybe” is when I got my period in the evening instead of the morning. Now I am technically one full day late, as in it was supposed to come yesterday. I haven’t taken a test but my temperature was lower this morning than yesterday morning and slightly lower yesterday than the day before. It’s still a bit above my “normal” though. Based on the temps, I am guessing that I’m not pg., but for some reason I just do not want to take a test. Like, I am afraid of having it confirmed or something. It’s very irrational, especially b/c I know most people rush to take tests as soon as they feel anything. I think it’s driving my husband a little crazy because he is definitely the “we should just find out” type. He would obviously be fine with waiting a few more days, so it’s not like a pressure situation. I guess I am just looking for some thoughts as to whether I should just do it and how to deal with the disappointment of not getting the result we’ve been wanting again if that happens.
I have been wearing a nursing tank under a crew neck sweater pretty often lately. I like not having to deal with tucking in a top and its easier not to deal with a regular bra. I love the support of bravado nursing tanks but now that I’m almost back to my pre-pregnancy weight the tops are too loose around my tummy to function as a smooth under later. Does anyone have other nursing tanks to recommend that are as supportive as bravado but slimmer through the waist?
I will either pull up a shirt or unbutton. I am totally ordering those Freemies…Thanks for the recommendation! This will further cement my new secret identity: double-o-breastmilk.
I have an office with a door I lock. (Technically I put up a sign and block the door from the inside.)
I always wear 2 pieces (no dresses), with a camisole and nursing bra. I strip off the top, pull down the cami and bra, and use a hands-free pumping bra (the Simple Wishes one is so much better than the Medela one).
I voted it doesn’t matter because none of the other choices described what I usually did. When I first started back, I wore a nursing bra, a nursing tank, and a shirt I could push up. I hated having my stomach exposed, so I had to have a shirt on that would keep it all covered (my tank). Then I would strap on a Simple Wishes bra over the nursing bra and tank. It was a bit cumbersome, but really only took about 2 minutes to change. I always kept a warm cardigan on my chair. You pump less if you’re cold!
After a few months, I started wearing just one shirt or dresses that I could easily unzipper, and I made the switch back to regular bras. So I’d just unzip, let the top of my dress sit around my stomach, pull down the real bra, put on the Simple Wishes bra, and throw on a cardigan.
At home when I pumped, I rarely used a hands-free pump. But I always did when I pumped in the car just because of the movement. I loved pumping in the car and wish I had tried pumping while commuting, but I just didn’t think I had the coordination to drive and pump!
I’ll wear pretty much anything to work if I know I’m going to be in my office for the day. I have an office with a door, so getting totally undressed never bothered me (except when it’s freezing outside!) If I know I’ll be pumping “on the go” (in a courthouse, the car, a spare office at a deposition, etc.) I’ll make sure to wear separates, so I don’t have to be totally undressed.
I don’t like the shape of my nursing bras under most clothes, so I just wear a regular bra. I made my own hands free bra by clipping two holes in an old sports bra for the pump parts, which feels more secure to me than the bustier.
I voted I prefer to pull my top up, but this is what my answer does mean. I found pulling up a top easiest, but unbuttoning or completely removing the top worked fine too. I did not want to completely disrobe.
A caveat to the “it doesn’t matter” option – it matters to a degree. I always wear separates (no dresses), because while I don’t mind stripping my shirt, I really won’t sit around with nothing on at all.
But man I miss wearing dresses.
Good morning ladies, on the topic of pumping and nursing, does anyone have recommendations for nursing pajamas? I am due in April and I wanted to buy a few pairs of nursing PJ’s to take to the hospital. Thanks in advance!
Freemies in a nursing bra and a wrap dress or other top that lets me put my Freemies in from the top. I get so sad on the rare occasion I have to use a traditional pumping system and have to be half-naked in the office.