Kindred Bravely Pumping and Nursing Essentials

I have the wonderful opportunity to work with Kindred Bravely to share some of their most popular pumping and nursing accessories, and I have to say, these have been a Godsend for a new mom!

First of all, I love the heartwarming story and purpose behind Kindred Bravely. This is a maternity and nursing apparel company started by a husband and wife team; the wife and mom Deeanne Akerson has two goals for this company: To create beautiful, comfortable, and functional clothing that nursing moms can easily wear, and to help build a community of mamas to help each other through the tough times. As the company explains it, “That’s why she named her company Kindred Bravely. Kindred comes from the kindred sisterhood you join when you become a mother and Bravely is because motherhood requires daily acts of bravery to raise loving and compassionate human beings.”

I am all for all of this! I hadn’t realized the need for a community of mamas before I gave birth, and since my little one has arrived, I have been CONSTANTLY texting my group of mom friends over every little question. Of course, I also have my own mom with me daily to help me through things. So yes, I do feel like I have joined a special sisterhood, and I love that this company celebrates that.

The Sublime Hands-Free Pumping & Nursing Bra

I wanted to focus on my pumping experience for this post, because that has been a completely new experience for me that required a lot of trial and error. Every mom and baby’s situation and breastfeeding journey is different. For me, I initially breastfed and pumped to get my milk supply up; once baby and I got into a comfortable rhythm breastfeeding, then I started pumping less. Now I pump only in the morning and nighttime. Once I get closer to when I need to go back to work or if I need to go away for the weekend, I will need to build up a stash of frozen milk for him to use. To prepare for that, I will start adding one or two more pump sessions per day depending on my milk output.

I am currently alternating between using the Spectra S1 and the Elvie pumps, and I use the Kiinde system for milk storage (future post to come reviewing and comparing pumps and storage systems). What I quickly found annoying was the incessant need to switch between bras. There was one bra for nursing and a separate bra for pumping, and it was tiring to constantly switch back and forth when I needed to pump vs. breastfeed directly and vice versa. I wished that there was somehow ONE comfortable bra that could do both.

Enter: The Sublime Hands-Free pumping and nursing bra. This bra (pictured above in nude) has 3 layers. The outermost layer is lightly padded so it’s appropriate to wear under clothing in public. The second layer has holes cut out for your pump parts to fit snugly, and the innermost layer peels away completely for direct nursing. The layers can be exposed by simple bra hooks at the top that are very easy to open and close.

This is a gamechanger! When I wear this bra, not only is it super comfortable so I can wear it all day, but I also no longer have to wear one bra for nursing and one bra for pumping. My old pumping bra was not comfortable enough for all day wear, and it wouldn’t allow for direct access for nursing, so I only put it on when I needed to pump. Now I can happily put that pumping bra aside, as I no longer need to change back and forth to feed my baby.

Please make sure to check the sizing guide to find your best fit, since you want a bra that can be tight enough to hold the pump in place, but not too tight that it’s uncomfortable. I like that the bra also comes with bra extenders so you can make the waistband larger or smaller as your postpartum body changes.

Another thing to be aware of is that if you need nursing pads for leakage, you will need to remove those prior to pumping, because they block the pump access. Not a big deal, IMO.

Davy Nursing & Maternity Pajamas

Every nursing mom needs some comfortable PJ’s because God knows we are up at all hours of the night to feed baby, especially in the beginning! Prior to receiving these PJ’s I was living in nursing tanks, which usually have a tight elastic band going all the way around the chest area. I was happy to find that these Davy nursing & Maternity pajamas don’t have the elastic band around the chest area! They are also made from this incredibly cozy and soft lightweight material that is comfortable for me and for baby when he rests against me. There is a 2 layer split design for easy access to breastfeeding, but the coolest part is that this top does not even look like a traditional maternity top because the split design is hidden. The cap sleeves and ruffled edges also add a fun little detail, a welcome reminder that I can wear cute yet functional clothing even in my sleep deprived, zombie-like state!

Interested in trying Kindred Bravely out for yourself? Use code TEA20 for 20% off your order! Right now there is a great holiday sale going on as well – the more bras you buy, the more you save.

Thank you Kindred Bravely for partnering with me on this post. I have been recommending these products to all my new mama friends!