Finding the right bra fit is hard enough, and with pregnancy and babies it becomes almost impossible. There are so many things to consider in shopping for a great fitting nursing bra. You may even be still pregnant , trying to guess what your size will be when you are nursing your new baby. You also need to decide whether you will be nursing full time or, as this affects your bra size as well. It may come as a surprise, but every woman's body reacts a little differently to nursing and pregnancy, so some go up a half a cup size, some go up 2 cups, and others hardly any. When you are shopping for your first nursing bra, try to follow these suggestions. It is especially hard to know what to expect if this is your first baby. The best guidelines say to wait to as close as possible to delivery, so you can be closer to the correct size bra. Since you are nursing, you will expect to have milk starting in 2-3 days from delivery. As soon as your milk comes in, your breast size will get a huge temporary increase. However, as your hormones settle down a bit, and your milk supply gets more stable, your size will also stabilize.
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Of course, your size will fluctuate during the day as you milk, so it is best to get something that will stretch and be comfortable while still supporting your heavier breasts.
The next guideline is to wait to buy most of your nursing bras until after your milk gets well established, maybe a few weeks. You will not need but 2-3 bras at most initially. The best advice may be to try several that you think you will like, but be sure they are stretchy enough to fit your uncertain size. Many rave about the Bravado Original Nursing Bra. It comes in 12 different size combinations; 4 band sizes and 3 categories. This bra has a wide T back design and no hooks in the back, so you can sleep in it if you want to.
Sleeping in a bra is very important during this time, and you can find some nursing bras that are just for night time and sleeping. One bra, called the Majamas Easy Bra may be a fine choice for a sleep bra. This bra has a simple style. Pull down for nursing and no hooks in the back. The Easy Bra can be found in organic cotton, which makes it very comfortable for night time use.
Now that you have made it through the first few weeks of nursing, you will likely want to find a bra that gives you a bit more support, for wearing under t-shirts and other tight fitting clothes. A brand called Melinda G has a great selection to choose from. The Melinda Tee Shirt Soft Cup Nursing Bra is an excellent choice and will give you a clean look. As you may know, underwire bras should be worn seldomly due to the risk of mastitis, and this bra gives excellent support without the underwire. It stretches really well and can accommodate a range of cup sizes. Now if you happen to be on the larger busted side, Melinda G does carry an underwire version of this T-shirt Nursing bra. As with the Tee Shirt soft cup bra, the underwire version has a great smooth look and you can wear it under those thinner shirts, such as tee shirts, now that you don't need those maternity t shirts anymore. It comes in a large range of sizes 34C to 38F and the band size is specific, so you need to wait until you have a pretty good feel for what is the right size for you. There are hooks on the cup that will allow for some adjustment for cup size.
As you may have suspected, there are also some great bras to help you get back into shape at the gym. Bella Materna is a highly respected manufacturer of bras and they have a great selection of Nursing Sports Bras that can stretch and accommodate up to 2 cup sizes for your normal fluctuations as you get back into shape. They are made from the Italian Lycra fabric that is so quick drying. It does have a 4 hook fastener in the back to give you maximum support and a clip for nursing access.
Some people love the way this bra fits so much, they want to wear it even after they stop nursing.
Nursing a baby requires many adjustments to your life and your clothing. Getting the right nursing bras will help makes those adjustments just a bit easier. Breastfeeding is worth all the inconveniences!
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