I've always had trouble finding nursing tanks that work for me. Most nursing tanks with a built in bra do not feel supportive enough in my opinion. I really only like them around the house. For out and about I usually just use a nursing top of some sort, or a shirt that I can pull down at the neck. Sometimes I wear a cami under a shirt with a high neck, and then pull the outer shirt up and the cami down. That leaves me still needing to stretch the cami out and unclip my nursing bra too.
This leads me to my discovery of Undercover Mama tanks. When my daughter was about 7 months old I took my first flight with her. I really wanted to find something I could wear that was comfortable and discreet for nursing on an airplane. Pulling my shirt down at the neck works okay but it leaves my whole upper chest area exposed. Just pulling my shirt up exposes my stomach and back. That leaves the cami option but that's a lot of layers with a nursing bra too. So when I stumbled on Undercover Mama nursing tanks it seemed perfect. This is a tank that clips onto your existing nursing bra so there are no extra straps to unclip.
How it works
Undercover Mama is a strapless tank that attaches to any nursing bra with straps and clips at the top. It covers your back and belly. It comes with two kinds of clips, a plastic piece that can hook onto your bra strap and a tiny rubber band that slips over the strap. You can use whichever one works better for you.
little rubber loop that can attach to your bra
hook that attaches to your bra
You can wear this alone but it's really meant to be layered. You wear it under your shirt and then when it's time to nurse you can pull the outer shirt up, unclip your bra strap (which has undercover tank attached) and pull the bra strap and tank down in one piece. It is seriously so easy.
I used this the first time when I took that flight with my daughter and it worked great for nursing discreetly on an airplane. I don't think anyone had a clue I was breastfeeding.
The tanks are long and stretchy so they provide great coverage. They are mostly cotton with a bit of spandex. I bought one each in white and black but they come in over a dozen colors and patterns. They also offer a version with lace at the bottom. I would love to buy more colors but so far I haven't needed any because these have held up so well. Of course white and black also go with almost anything. If you are on the fence about sizing it is recommended to buy a size smaller than normal. Since they are stretchy and meant for layering; you want it to be snug.
Conclusion
I seriously hate the lack of support in most nursing tanks, so being able to wear my own bra and have a nursing tank in one has been wonderful. I love layering, and the cotton spandex combo is cool so it does not get too hot. I have recommended these to friends and everyone I know who has tried them loves them. Since these tanks are stretchy they can be used from pregnancy, breastfeeding and even beyond. There is also a way to attach them to your regular bra once you are done nursing.
For the price you can't go wrong. This would make a great baby shower gift too. You can find them on Amazon at a discounted price.