A hands-free pumping bra gives moms more flexibility, letting them pump at their desks, in the car, or whenever they need to—without putting everything on hold.
You can make your own pumping bra or invest in a ready-made hands-free option. It’s your call.
1. Make Your Own Pumping Bra by Cutting Holes
A sports bra usually works best for this. Put a mark on the spot where your nipple is, then cut a vertical hole on that spot. The hole should be just big enough to squeeze the breast pump horn through.
Afterward, you can sow around the hole’s edges to ensure it doesn’t tear further than you want it to. And there you have made your own hands-free pumping bra.
2. Make Your Own Hands-Free Pumping System “Bra for Pumping.”
(Taken with permission from Kellymom.com)
Begin with two elastic ponytail holder bands. (Rubber bands may be substituted but are not quite as sturdy and may break with repeated use.) The ponytail holders are inexpensive and can be purchased at most discount stores.
Two elastic bands.
Overlap edges.
Two overlapping elastic bands.
Loop the two elastic bands together to form a “figure-eight.”
Figure eight elastic bands.
Pull the knot tight.
Elastic bands with a loose knot.Elastic bands with a tight knot.
Meet “Mimi,” my model for this demonstration. If Mimi looks a little sad, it’s because she’s made of brown paper packaging tape. She’s my homemade dressmaker’s dummy, formerly used for fitting clothing when I’m sewing. She’s a few years old and a little out of shape after a few years of sitting down in my basement. She needs a good bra fitter, but she’ll have to do. 🙂 Please ignore the markings. They indicate landmarks for sewing purposes.
dressmaker’s dummy wearing a bra.
Prepare the bottle. Then loop one end of the figure-eight band around the funnel.
Elastic band around the funnel.
Hook the other end of the figure of eight over the clasp on the nursing bra.
Elastic hooked onto the nursing bra.
Position the pump funnel over the breast. The bra can be adjusted up around the funnel to help support it, and the mother’s shirt can be positioned around the top of the funnel, which will also help support the funnel and bottle in place. As the bottle fills, the weight of the bottle provides additional stability.
The weight of the bottle provides stability.
For bras that fasten in the center or otherwise do not have compatible clasps to fasten the loop over, it is still possible to use this system. Before positioning the bottle funnel, loop the figure-eight piece around the bra strap as shown.
Figure eight elastic looped around the bra strap.
Wrap one loop around the bra strap and pull through the other loop.
Pull it through the other loop.
Pull the loop through.
Pull the loops taut.
Pull the loops taut.
Now proceed as before, fitting the open loop of the elastic holder around the bottle and positioning the bottle over the breast.
Position bottle.With a nursing shirt.
Bottle in position with a center-fastening bra.
This photo illustrates hands-free pumping using the elastic band method and a nursing shirt. When positioned around the funnels, the nursing shirt (or any shirt) helps hold everything in place.
A nursing shirt helps to hold it in place.
All ready to pump with your hands-free pumping bra. As you can see, this method can be pretty discreet, especially if the mother has a nursing shirt. Any regular top can be adjusted down around the top of the funnels to give privacy as well. Note that the photo shows pumping one side only, but the method is ideally suited to pumping both sides simultaneously, pumping one side, or even pumping one breast while nursing the baby on the other breast.
I’m Tracy Behr, a qualified wellness and nutrition coach, breastfeeding advocate, and homeschooling mom of two. For over sixteen years, I’ve been helping mothers navigate breastfeeding challenges through my website breastfeeding-problems.com I combine evidence-based knowledge with real-life experience to help parents feel more confident in their breastfeeding journey. I’ve experienced firsthand that breastfeeding isn’t always as easy as we expect. When I had my babies, I faced my own challenges and quickly saw just how much support and clear guidance moms truly need. That’s why I started this website—to share what I’ve learned, offer encouragement, and help other moms feel less alone on their breastfeeding journey.