Mom’s Most Supportive Friend: 5 Things To Look For To Fit The Perfect Nursing Bra

By Alina Szober

The burps, the leaks, the sleepless nights – and then the baby arrives! And when that little one gets here, a well-fitted, comfortable and easy to use nursing bra can be a new mom’s new best friend.

The ideal time to be fitted for a nursing bra is a few weeks before your due date. Because your breasts have been preparing to nurse during your entire pregnancy, you’ve likely experienced some fullness or size increase. Every woman is different as to when and how much she experiences, but purchasing a nursing bra close to your due date will give you the most accurate prediction of your nursing size. During pregnancy, you’ll only need a new bra if you find your pre-pregnancy bras getting snug or uncomfortable. If that happens, most women just choose to buy a nursing bra instead of a regular bra, since nursing bras generally give you more room to grow, and you’ll be able to use them after the baby is born as well.

When you’re trying on nursing bras, the first thing you want to make sure of is that the bra is sitting just right on your body. To do that, once you have the bra on, bend over, and reach your right hand into your left cup, cup your breast, and lift it into place in the bra. Do the same for the other side. This ensures that all your breast tissue is correctly placed in the cups, and none is being constricted by the bottom band or sides of the bra – which is especially important if you’re nursing, because constant pressure in one spot could lead to soreness or infection. And frankly, the girls need all the TLC they can get at this point!

Once you have the bra on, there are several things you can look for to ensure it is just the right size and fits your body well:

1) Scope out the rib band
The band should be sitting evenly all around (level to the floor) in the front and back. If you find it’s riding up in the back, first make sure the straps are properly released to your comfort; and if it’s still riding up, then try a smaller band size. You should be able to run one or two fingers comfortably under the band. If you can’t, the band is too tight – go up a rib band. If you can run more than two fingers, the band is too loose – go down a rib band.

2) Check out the straps
Adjust the straps to your comfort, so that they’re not digging in or providing support. A good test is to let them drop over your shoulders – the cups and rib band should stay in place without them. If they don’t, the bra is likely too big.

3) Make sure your cups don’t runneth over…or under
When looking at the cups, see if there is any gaping, puckering, or extra fabric. If so, the cup is too big, and you should try a smaller cup size. The cups should cover the breast fully. Breasts should not be bulging out of the top or sides – do a finger test at the top to make sure you have a little room. Another thing to look for is where the seams lie in the cups (if the bra has seams), and to make sure they run to the sides of your nipples for your comfort.

4) A new meaning to easy access
Another important thing to try is the nursing closures on the bra. They should be easy to operate once you get used to them (most closures take a few tries to get the hang of). Bend over and wiggle around a bit to make sure they don’t open spontaneously. Better to find out now, instead of when you’re leaning over to grab some cereal from the bottom grocery store shelf! Needless to say – don’t buy it if it does that.

5) Overall look and feel
Last but definitely not least, think about whether the bra is comfortable and if you feel supported. Is anything bothering you? Do you find any of the seams irritating or any of the fabric scratchy? Make
sure to move around in the bra to ensure it stays put (that the rib band doesn’t ride up, the straps don’t fall off). As well, put your top on over your bra, and look at yourself in profile to see your shape. Are you getting
the silhouette that you want? Do the nursing closures lie flat under your clothing?

And remember, today; you don’t have to sacrifice a stylish bra for comfort and function.

Alina Szober is the Marketing Manager at Bravado Designs Inc. Mom owned and operated, Bravado Designs holds over 17 years of combined experience and knowledge in the nursing apparel industry from its thousands of wear testers, mommy designers, and its fearless owners – one of which is a certified lactation consultant. Alina has been with Bravado for 4 years, time she has spent understanding nursing mothers in their own words, through Bravado’s proprietary database of over 80,000 moms.

Bravado Designs is also proud to be a sponsor of the Mommy News & Views Blogiversary Celebration. Stop by and visit their Review/Giveaway in our Blogiversary section!

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