With my first pregnancy, I wasn’t sure when to buy a nursing bra because I had heard my bra size would fluctuate throughout post pregnancy while breastfeeding. And that’s all true!
If you plan on breastfeeding your baby, I highly recommend finding yourself a good nursing bra! This is because:
- You need something that you can open and close quickly to nurse your baby.
- You’ll want something to hold nursing pads so you don’t leak through your shirt every time you nurse.
- If you find one that fits you well, it might just make you feel a bit more put together and confident during a crazy time in your life.
Here are some tips to help you find the perfect nursing bra:
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You can buy a nice nursing bra as early as 3-4 months pregnant.
For me, I found that my boobs were engorged and it’s biggest in the first 3 to 5 months of post pregnancy. By 6 months, I felt that I had breastfeeding down pat and I was making just enough milk needed for my baby and enough to pump. My size fluctuated the most in the first 3 months and went back to normal after that.
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A good nursing bra will have thin, soft cups and will have a bit of stretch near the clips at the top.
My first set of nursing bras had stiffer cups, like a regular bra. So when my milk came in, my bra fit nicely, but when my milk let out and my boobs were smaller, there would be a gap between my bra and boob. Avoid getting a bra with room to grow in, as you won’t get the support you need when your milk lets out.
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It helps if your nursing bra has a few extra hooks in the back.
Some normal bras just have 3 hooks in the back, but you will want your nursing bra to have plenty since your body changes during pregnancy and post pregnancy.
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When buying a nice nursing bra, you can size yourself just as you would a normal bra.
Nothing should be digging into your body or spilling out. The back band should be horizontal on your back. You should feel comfortable in it. And when you put a shirt on, you should feel supported and you should feel good with its appearance.
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Get a few seamless or nursing bras with no underwire to use at bedtime and in the first 3 months.
No need to spend a lot of money on bras that you’re going to wear a night. My boobs fluctuated in size during this time so a comfy bra with no underwire was great and it helped me learn and be more comfortable with breastfeeding.
My current nursing bra is the Waffles 3D Spacer Contour Nursing Bra from Cake Maternity. So far this bra is a perfect fit for me and I know I’ll probably use it everyday post pregnancy. The clips are easy to use. The cups are nice and soft so I can tuck them away while I’m nursing and it’ll grow with me because there are multiple rows of hooks in the back. I’ll most likely get a few seamless bras for the beginning and a few nursing tanks for sleeping. But for now, this nursing bra is something I really enjoy wearing now and I know I’ll love after pregnancy.
Get 10% off your purchase at Cake Maternity when you use my promo code: URBANMOM10
Thank you to Cake Maternity for sponsoring this post.
Amanda is a writer, photographer, videographer and a content creator with a passion for sharing stories. With her family of 5, they share experiences, tips and ideas that empower Moms to make memories with their families right here in British Columbia.
