Are you a newly engaged bride to be and also a new mom and wondering how to manage wedding dress shopping? For brides in any life stage, wedding dress shopping can be a stressful experience with a lot of feelings and emotions. Add on to all those nerves trying to manage breastfeeding or pumping for your baby and it might seem like an impossible task to wedding dress shop as a newly postpartum mom.
At Lovella Bridal, we know every bride’s journey to finding her perfect wedding dress is deeply personal—and for new moms who are breastfeeding or pumping, that journey may come with a few unique considerations and many questions. Can you try on wedding dresses when you are a breastfeeding mom? Are there certain style wedding dresses that will make it easier to pump or breastfeed on wedding day? What should new moms expect when wedding dress shopping and how can they best prepare for their bridal appointments? Should you pump before your appointment? How should you approach this topic with your bridal store and bridal stylist?
Wedding dress shopping as a new mom is such an important—and often overlooked—topic, so today we’re sharing everything you need to know about wedding dress shopping and styling for breastfeeding moms. From what to wear to your bridal appointment to dress styles that support nursing or pumping on the big day, we’ve got you covered.
Video: Wedding Dress Shopping Tips & Finding the Perfect Wedding Dress for Breastfeeding Moms
If you are a new mom and a bride to be, you might be wondering how wedding dress shopping will go if you have to worry about breastfeeding your baby or pumping during your bridal shopping appointment. How will you find a suitable wedding dress that you can also pump or breastfeed in on wedding day? If you are a newly postpartum mom or will be when you shop for your wedding dress, tune in to our latest advice video sharing all the tips for wedding dress shopping & finding hte perfect wedding dress as a breastfeeding mom.
Timing Your Appointment
First things first, we highly recommend that our breastfeeding brides pump or nurse right before their bridal appointment. Wedding dress shopping appointments typically last about an hour, so feeding or pumping beforehand will help buy you some time and ensure you’re comfortable throughout the session. You’ll be trying on several dresses and moving around quite a bit, so minimizing the chance of needing to stop for a feeding can help make the experience stress-free.
Don't fret though if you need to take a break or things change. Bridal stylists are flexible and want you to have the best shopping experience possible so if you have to take a break to feed or pump, don't be shy about it. Communication is key so just let your bridal stylist know what is going on. In fact, it will be helpful to let the bridal store know ahead of time that you are a breastfeeding mom or might need to pump during your appointment and they may be able to schedule some buffer time around your appointment so you are not rushed.
It’s Okay To Go Braless
Many brides choose to go braless on their wedding day and just because you are breastfeeding does not mean this is not an option for you. The majority of wedding dresses are designed to be worn without a bra and will have plenty of support and structure without needing a bra, even for those brides who might be nursing or pumping.
If you already know you won’t be wearing a bra with your dress, we encourage you to try on gowns that way. Just be sure to bring breast pads with you to your appointment. These can be easily placed inside each dress you try on to protect the gowns from potential leaks. It’s a simple solution that works beautifully, and trust us, we’ve seen it done many times. You can also bring a strapless bra as a backup option if you are more comfortable that way.
Choose the Dress You Love—Not Just the One That’s Functional
When it comes to needing to breastfeed or pump on wedding day, there are unfortunately not a lot of bridal dresses that are going to make this an easy task. If you are nursing or pumping when wedding dress shopping or will be on wedding day, don't pick your gown based solely on what is going to be easy to feed in. All brides, even postpartum brides, deserve to look and feel their best on wedding day and walk down the aisle in a gown they love.
There are very few wedding dresses designed specifically for breastfeeding, and most wedding gowns are quite structured, which postpartum brides often love for the extra support. So rather than limiting your options to what might be easier to nurse in, we say: choose the dress that makes you feel your absolute best. When it’s time to feed or pump, simply take the dress off—just like we recommend when using the restroom in a wedding gown. It’s much more comfortable (and less stressful!) than trying to maneuver around a complex dress. Use the opportunity to take a quiet moment for yourself.
If your wedding dress has a lot of beading or any kind of embellishment, it might be uncomfortable for baby's skin so you are better off just slipping out of your dress and then putting your dress back on after feeding time or pumping is over.
Build Breaks into Your Wedding Day Timeline
When it comes to breastfeeding or pumping on your wedding day, planning ahead is key. We recommend working with your planner to schedule intentional breaks into your day—especially if you’ll need to pump or feed your baby between events. Have a cozy robe nearby so you can unzip your gown, relax for a moment, and take care of what you need before slipping back into your dress. Think of these moments as much-needed pauses to rest and reset.
Alterations Are Key
While wedding dress alterations are often essential for all brides, they are even more important for our postpartum brides. Your body changes so much after having a baby and your bust size is going to fluctuate quite a bit if you are breastfeeding or pumping. Alterations are going to be key as you get close to wedding day. You'll want to plan on starting alterations 2 months before wedding day so that your body is going to be more stabilized and likely won't change too drastically in those last weeks leading up to wedding day.
Don't plan on ordering your wedding dress in a size you hope or plan to be in 6 months or a year from now. Order your gown based on your body measurements at the time of your bridal appointment and dress ordering. It is so much easier to take in a gown during alterations than it is to come up with a solution for a dress that is too small.
Bridal stylist's tip: always size up, not down. It’s much easier to take in a dress than to let one out. If your weight or bust size continues to shift, consider a lace-up corset back. These allow flexibility to tighten or loosen as needed, but keep in mind they do take a little longer to get on and off. If you go this route, you can simply loosen the lacing, slip out of the dress to breastfeed, and then re-tighten—no need to fully unlace each time.
More Helpful Wedding Dress Shopping Advice
We hope you have found this advice helpful when it comes to knowing what to expect when wedding dress shopping as a breastfeeding bride. For even more helpful advice when it comes to shopping for your dream wedding dress, be sure to check out our past posts:
- How to Use the Restroom on Wedding Day
- What Brides Need To Know to Prepare for Wedding Dress Alterations
- Wedding Dress Size Charts Explained
- Is Wearing a Bra Necessary with a Wedding Dress?
About Lovella
If you're shopping for your perfect wedding dress, come visit us at Lovella Bridal in Glendale, CA. We carry wedding dresses in all sizes and styles, including plus-size bridal gowns and a full selection of veils and accessories. Lovella Bridal is the premier, luxury bridal wedding dress shopping boutique located in Los Angeles, California. Lovella features couture, feminine, modern and chic bridal gowns in all sizes from the best wedding dress designers. Schedule an appointment to find the wedding dress of your dreams at Lovella Bridal. We can't wait to help you!
About Wedding Fashion Expert
Our wedding dress shopping tips and advice are from Nayri, Lovella's own, in-house wedding fashion expert. Nayri is truly the expert when it comes to bridal fashion and wedding style. As the Wedding Fashion Expert, Nayri is the top bridal fashion stylist and the best-selling author of the book "I'm Getting Married And I Have Nothing To Wear," the ultimate guide to helping brides find their wedding day style and their perfect wedding dress. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel or listen to her podcast for more helpful and practical advice on wedding dress shopping.
