Wearing a bra while sleeping

Sally - posted on 10/02/2012

It depends on the bra. If it's tight or has underwire, probably and you'll really up your risk of blocked ducts and mastitis. (Those are a bad idea when you're awake too.) If it's loose and stretchy you should be fine.

They make "sleep bras" that are supposed to give comfortable support to well endowed woman and nursing moms. One of those should be fine if it's fitted properly.

I used to sleep in a slightly too big low impact sports bra when I was still leaking. I just had to be careful to put my breast back in before I fell asleep because the pressure of it dangling against the pulled down cup gave me blocked ducts.

If even a comfy bra is giving you trouble, just lay out a towel under you while you sleep. It may feel a little weird until you get used to it, but it's better than changing the sheets every day.

Shafaq - posted on 09/30/2012

why maria?

Shafaq - posted on 09/30/2012

i;ve low milk supply sometime i wear suporting bra sometime underwire bra but at night i used to wear supporting bra...what can i do to produce maximam quantity of milk for my baby

Marisa - posted on 09/15/2011

I have to sleep completely naked,

Barbara - posted on 09/13/2011

I don't currently breastfeed but I did all 3 children and I don't think it hurt my supply any. I had plenty of milk.

Cara - posted on 09/08/2011

My baby will be 7 months on the 12th and I am still nursing. I wear a bra 24/7 and my milk supply is great. Are you sure you are drinking plenty of fluids and eating well? Have you taken any meds or been on any BC's?

NutMeg - posted on 09/08/2011

For me wearing a nursing bra hurts my milk supply, besides I sleep in the nude and sleeping naked helps my breasts and nipples breath fresh air.

Ella - posted on 06/29/2010

it can cause mastitus. it puts pressure on the ducts.

Bras are very un-healthy. they do not allow your lymph to properly drain and function.

wear one as little as possible..

I have some links if you're interested.

GL

Lise - posted on 06/29/2010

Make sure it fits you well, and if you can go wire-free, that's supposed to help.

Tight bras and underwires CAN hurt supply, Do you have reasons to think your supply is low?

Stina - posted on 06/29/2010

While my milk supply was adjusting in the beginning, I wore a soft comfortable nursing bra to bed. I leaked so much sometimes I would stuff a cloth diaper inside instead of the usual nursing pads. Once my supply settled down and I stopped leaking as much, I stopped wearing bras to bed b/c I'm more comfortable that way, but I never felt the bra hurt my production.

Jennifer - posted on 06/29/2010

Sleep bras are great. I was too large to use a sports bra--even one that was a size or two larger wouldn't have had the give of a sleep bra. Good luck!

Kristen - posted on 06/25/2010

It never hurt mine, but I had a pretty good supply the entire time I was breastfeeding. I worn mine 24/7 except in the shower because I felt like I would leak although it rarely happened after the 6 month mark.

Maureen - posted on 06/23/2010

I LOVE my sleeping bras that I got, while I was still preggers, from Motherhood Maternity. I'm DD, so it's actually really uncomfortable to sleep without any support, even though I don't have leakage problems anymore because I've been nursing for so long. I either wear my sleeping bra (way more comfy than my daytime nursing bras) or a camisole.

Jen - posted on 06/23/2010

I wore a sleep bra for nursing. You can find them on ebay. Just type in sleep bra and then filter for nursing. They were great!! Very comfortable and didn't feel as constricting as a regular nursing bra. I also wore nursing tanks to bed. Neither affected my supply.

Christina - posted on 06/23/2010

I wore a sleep nursing bra for almost the first year after my daughter was born since I leaked quite a bit...the sleep bras are much more comfortable then wearing a nursing bra...they still offer enough support, but not so much that they are annoying at night...they're actually quite comfortable.

Deb - posted on 06/23/2010

Like other moms, I wore a bra sometimes, sometimes not (I'm only less than an A cup) so I could put pads in and reduce leaking. Like others, my 2 cents is not to wear underwires or any kind of bra that pinches you b/c I've had a clogged milk duct and a year later, mastitis, and boy is that awful. So, supportive *enough* but not restrictive or pinching. Also, some days I went without b/c I just needed to feel free, and if I remembered to put a couple towels under and over me before sleeping, they usually caught the drips.

Tiniko - posted on 06/23/2010

I am wearing a bra while sleeping upon doctor's recommendation n it is pretty convenient not hurting my supply at all.

Jennifer - posted on 06/23/2010

I don't know if it will hurt your supply any - I just found it terribly uncomfortable. I was a leaker too, though, and yeah...no one likes to wake up on wet sheets - my solution? I slept on a couple of prefold diapers (laid out under my breasts, of course) - it soaked up the milk like a charm...and I could stay comfortable. Hope that helps!

J - posted on 06/22/2010

Like many other mothers, I wore my bra at first because I leaked and wore pads; it was also a matter of comfort. I continued wearing a bra because it helped with comfort and night nursing.--It was always a wireless bra.

Ashley - posted on 06/22/2010

It shouldn't hurt your supply at all. I slept in a plain sports bra with nursing pads. Its much more comfortable than a nursing bra, and I hated waking up to a wet bed full of milk!

Pamela - posted on 06/20/2010

My daughter is 10 months and I now go bare at night, and during the day if I'm staying at home (with a shirt).
I read once that breasts are made for producing milk, not storing it (though they can store it of course) so now I don't often let my breasts get engorged, and the only time I normally leak is after a hot shower.

Jessica - posted on 06/20/2010

I wear sports bras instead of nursing bras cuz they are easier and way cheaper, but I have been sleeping in them the entire time and have not had any problems with my milk due to them. My son is 9 months old.

Wee Chi - posted on 06/19/2010

I am sitll wearing my bra, and my baby is now 18mths. Nope, I don't think it help or drop the milk supply. And still having the pad to prevent leaking all over.

Sarah - posted on 06/18/2010

I wear my day bras to bed b/c they hold my pads in place unlike my night time nursing bras which allow my breats to move about. Here's something odd--no leaking when I wear a snug bra, major leakage when I wear the night time nursing bra... hmmm. I've had no supply issues nor clogging... yet (I'm three months in). I do like my tanks that have a shelf bra. I did this while I was pregnant too because w/ a little support I wasn't rolling over onto myself (ouch!).

Miranda - posted on 06/18/2010

I also wear a bra to sleep to keep from leaking everywhere - and have since my first son was born 2 years ago (he just night weaned about 3 months ago in anticipation of his little brother's arrival, which happened 2 weeks ago). Wearing a bra at night should not hurt your supply. As with bras during the daytime, you need to make sure that it is the appropriate cup size because a bra that is too tight can lead to clogged ducts. Not only can they be painful, but they can lead to an infection called mastitis that you really don't want to have to deal with (doesn't impact breastfeeding, but is wicked uncomfortable for you!). So, as long as the bra is a comfortable fit, you should be fine in terms of milk supply.

Heidi - posted on 06/16/2010

I wear ones with out under wires DD came from Burlington Coat Factory. I do loosen the back a notch or two before I go to bed.

Mary - posted on 06/16/2010

Andrea, it depends how tight your bra is. I would definitely suggest a "night" nursing bra or tank top that will hold your pads, rather than a full on tightly fitting nursing bra. Binding can definitely affect your supply, that is what women do who want to bottle feed, they bind their breasts until the milk supply is gone. Or, for a few days until you get a night bra, just sleep on towels and let er rip! lol Not very sexy I know. :)

Jessica - posted on 06/16/2010

Any bra can be worn to bed, and as far as I've been told - you're in the clear as long as there are NO underwires. Which for me (a cup DD) is impossible to find a bra of ANY kind without an underwire... so I took them out. You could also wear a nursing tank. They have a built in slingbra inside them.

Andrea - posted on 06/15/2010

Thanks for sharing your experiences ladies...nice to know how other moms do it! I have a feeling I may be more like Julia as I've started to have more pain in my breasts so I'll just try a few things and see how it goes!

Sharril - posted on 06/14/2010

I've been wearing nursing tanks since my daughter was born without any problems. I found that she affected my supply more as her needs changed than any other outside source.

Dorothy - posted on 06/14/2010

i would say as long as it isn't too tight, you should be fine. i wear the nursing tanks, myself. i find that they are not as tight and restricting as regular nursing bras. very very comfortable. the only time i take them off is to take a shower! :)

Julia - posted on 06/14/2010

I found that wearing any kind of bra affected my boobs (dont know about supply). They were much more engorged and sore and lumpy when I was wearing a bra (at night). Now I dont wear anything on top and I have had an easy time since. I wear sleep bras during the day. Hope you find something helpful

Jessie - posted on 06/13/2010

the only time I take my nursing bra off is when I shower... I haven't had a problem in 11 months :)

Teresa - posted on 06/13/2010

A bra never had any effect on my supply... I always wore a bra and nursing pads for the 15 months I nursed my twins... and a little after til my body adjusted to no nursing.

I still wear a bra all the time w/ my son (2 years), but stopped wearing the pads completely probably 6 months ago since I stopped leaking quite a while ago. I would stop wearing the bra at night now, but I wear an unbuttoned jammie shirt for 'easier access' and I don't really want to be topless. ;)

Krystle - posted on 06/13/2010

It might depend on the bra. I find I have to wear a "looser" nursing bra at night than the day

Hannah - posted on 06/13/2010

One thing I will add here is that I had to buy a Sloggi top (or are they known as tank tops? The type that just pulls on) as my nursing bras kept giving me mastitis from wearing them to bed.

I suppose mine might nor have been the perfect fit, but I have heard it's good to allow your breasts to 'breathe' a bit!



I have got so used to wearing them to bed I still do, even though there is no need anymore. I'd just feel wrong without them! Luckily the days of waking up soaking wet and engorged don't last more than a few weeks.

Jessica - posted on 06/13/2010

I have also been wearing my nursing bra with pads to bed. If I don't then I leak everywhere!! There has been no change in my milk supply.

Lindsey - posted on 06/13/2010

My daughter is 7 mos old and I've worn a bra to bed since day one and it hasn't hindered my supply. I'm the same; I don't want to leak all over during the night. Without support I think I'd start to get sore.