Here's What You Need To Know About Wearing A Bra While Breastsleeping

The thing I look forward to most when I get home is taking off my bra and releasing the hostages. I wasn't always able to do that when I was breastfeeding for fear that a heavy boob would go rogue and leak — I felt that keeping my dynamic duo intact with a bra was the best thing to do. I often wore a comfy, cotton, nursing bra to sleep while I breastfed my kids, but it was kind of annoying and I wondered, can I wear a bra while breastsleeping? Would it hinder my breastfeeding abilities?

Breastsleeping is a combination of breastfeeding and co-sleeping, and it's amazing. Without breastsleeping, I would have lost my sanity, because it allowed me to get peaceful rest and sleep, knowing my baby was right next to me, and fed. The only bras I could bear to sleep in were the soft ones that I could just pull down under my boob, and then pull up when I was done nursing. I never had a problem, but I'm sure that some bras are better than others.

International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Tania Archbold tells Romper that wearing a bra while breastfeeding is a personal preference, as long as it's not too restricting. "You want a well-fitting bra that isn't too tight or restricting because you don't want to pinch off any ducts, leading to plugged ducts," she says. Archibald also suggests using a towel to help with leaking and to keep a towel under your sheets to protect your mattress

Safely breastsleeping with your baby is key. If you do wear a bra, just make sure there are no loose components that can entangle your baby, or get in their face, like straps that unhook or extra fabric

So as long as your boobs are not in the clutches of a tight, duct-pinching bra, and you follow safety precautions, it seems that breastfeeding and breastsleeping in a bra are a matter of preference. Wear a bra or don't — do what feels comfortable for you and your dynamic duo.