I wrote Part 1 of Bras here on how to measure yourself during pregnancy. The consensus among my friends is to buy comfy and cheap bras when you’re pregnant — you’re likely to never use them again.
Now….onto Part 2…..everything you EVER wanted to know about nursing bras.
I called Courtney Baros, co-owner of Be By Baby! with Kathy Poehlmann, to run through my list of questions. I exclusively pumped with my first child, so the world of nursing bras was very new to me.
I’m pregnant again and planning to nurse the “traditional” way. What is a nursing bra and why do I need one?
A nursing bra is a bra that offers support and comfort but primarily it’s used to make it easy to nurse (because it unsnaps quickly). When you use just a regular bra it tends to stretch out and doesn’t fit and support you the way it should.
Are there different types?
There are five, Courtney explains:
1. A sleep and leisure bra (shown below right) – not for support but for nighttime and “around the house” to hold breast pads in place.
Majamas Leisure and Sleep Bra
2. A nursing tank — a shelf bra is built into the tank. Women wear these as a bra and also as a layer under another shirt. When you lift your shirt to nurse, the tank covers your postpartum belly and keeps you warm.
3. A transitional bra – a bra that is going to stretch and grow with you. It’s going to be a little bit stretchier in the cup and band. They are good if you are prone to breast infections. Women can wear these a couple months before they deliver and beyond.
4. A regular nursing bra (shown below left) – non underwire – has a regular cup and is sized just for you.
5. Underwire nursing bra – Courtney says: “It’s what I call the veteran mom nursing bra. Your breasts really need to settle into nursing and not be engorged. If the wire slips and presses into the milk ducts, you can have some real issues.”
Bravado Non-Underwire Traditional Nursing Bra
When should I get measured for a nursing bra?
Before you give birth you should come in for a transitional bra. Two to three weeks after baby comes and when your breasts are soft in between feedings, we will measure you for a regular nursing bra. It’s always a guide and not a hard and fast rule because every bra manufacturer is different.
The important thing, Courtney said, is that you’re measured AFTER your milk comes in and once you’ve established a good nursing relationship. Avoid getting measured when you’re engorged.
What can I expect when I get measured?
We talk to every women and ask, ‘How old is your baby?’, ‘When did you last nurse?’ and ‘What do you want in a nursing bra?’
We then take you in a dressing room and measure you. (More details here.)
We look at fit, we look for the band to be parallel to the floor, we make sure you’re not spilling out or that the bra isn’t pressing against you and we make sure the band is on the loosest hook because bands tend to stretch.
You really need to be sensitive to what a nursing mother is going through. There are a lot of specific things to consider — such as pain or leaking — to make sure she’s taken care of and advocated for.
What are your most popular brands of nursing bras?
Bravado – they carry a great transitional and molded cup bra
Elle MacPherson — one of Courtney’s favorites!
Majamas Sleep Bra – a Chicagoland company that sells nursing bras and clothing for moms
Nummies – carries a great molded cup bra with a plunge
What options do you have for pumping moms?
La Leche League Hands Free Bra for the exclusive pumper (pictured below)
Two bustiers: Medela Easy Expressions and Simple Wishes. With the bustiers (pictured below), you unclip your nursing bra, snap down the cups and zip the bustier over.
Any other advice for nursing moms?
A lot of women are surprised at their growth. There are some women who don’t change at all. (Courtney went up five sizes, while Kathy only went up one.)
I find a lot of women are surprised when they go over a DD. We do see a lot of women who are over that and that’s extremely normal. We go up to an L cup here. Your body is doing exactly what it’s supposed to be doing and you should celebrate that.
Editor’s Note: Be By Baby! carries more than 82 styles of bras. Of course, there are many more places where you can buy nursing bras in Chicagoland. Other include: Belly Dance Maternity, Motherhood Maternity, Preggers, Bellybum Boutique, Nordstrom and Schwartz in the north suburbs.
Please call in advance to confirm that they will fit you. Many stores just sell the bras.
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Nordstrom was great. I went the day before Anna was born (unplanned!) to get fitted. I bought a bra 1 cup size larger than I was at that point. It worked wonderfully, gave adequate support, and despite its underwire, I never had a problem with ducts. The bra lady there said as long as it fits properly and does not cut through your breast tissue, the underwire is not a problem. Worked great for me! Wasn’t one of the brands mentioned, but I can’t recall it now. Started with an A, I think.
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