When I thought about having kids, I didn't give much thought to this topic: underwear. I dutifully bought some "granny panties" for my hospital go-bag. My mom supplied a full pullover nursing bras. I'd read your breasts will still change size after your baby is born, and the best time to get sized is seven-to-ten days after birth. Well, that never happened. And after an episiotomy for my 9lb, 7oz son? Forget thongs. Those granny panties became the go-to.
With my son taking his time learning how to latch, I rarely put on a bra. I couldn't stand the feel of them on those poor, raw nipples. Slowly but surely, my undergarments became drab, dull, and boring, boring, boring.
Then, when my son was six-months-old, we discovered I was pregnant again. Oh, boy.
Although my son did wean when I went back to work, I still didn't make time to update my underwear. There were just too many excuses available: I'll be on leave again soon; we shouldn't spend the money; who knows what will happen to my boobs, anyway? I remember underwires being pretty darn uncomfortable, so forget that.
Those poor, shapeless bras were getting pretty worn out by the time Emma was born. But now I had a fifteen-month-old and a newborn. Bra and panty shopping were not topping the priority list. But as the weeks wore on, it became more and more apparent that these undergarments were just not cutting it anymore.
My first foray back into the world of proper underwear happened at, of course, Wal-Mart. Sexy, right? I checked out the size chart and got confused. One of the babies started crying, so I grabbed a comfy looking sports bra, a new pack of undies (bikini this time—better, right?), and called it done.
My daughter was eight-and-a-half months old before I made it in for a proper fitting. Sans kiddos, I tentatively entered the store. At the time, I thought the sales lady might like to hear my whole saga. Her disinterested look said otherwise. But to her credit, she was friendly and very helpful in bringing my under-wardrobe back to the correct century.
My husband was pretty ecstatic when I returned with my new purchases. And yes, I can breastfeed in these "normal" bras. It's a bit more difficult, but seeing the girls in the right hemisphere does make it worth it. As an added bonus, my posture seems to have immediately improved some. Maybe this will even help with the back pain! Time will tell.
And those granny panties and droopy bras? I'm very happy to tell you they are gone forever. Probably.
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