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Choosing the Right Bra for Maternity and Nursing
Author: Melissa Maypole
Bellies aren’t the only things that grow during pregnancy. For better or for worse, your breast size will increase as well over the course of your pregnancy, and even after you give birth. To be prepared for these changes, you need to learn a little bit about maternity and nursing bras so that you can choose the right one for you. When it comes to these types of bras, there are three things to keep in mind: comfort, practicality, and size.
Comfort
Comfort is always an issue when it comes to bras, but it becomes especially important when you’re pregnant. Enough things will be uncomfortable throughout your pregnancy (think back pain and swollen legs) that you don’t need the extra hassle of dealing with an uncomfortable bra to boot. For this reason, it’s a good idea to try on several different bras first before choosing one that provides the most comfort. Once you find it, stock up to make sure you have an adequate supply, so you don’t end up doing laundry constantly. Once you start breastfeeding, you’ll want to wear a freshly laundered bra daily for sanitary reasons.
Practicality
While you may have chosen a bra for its aesthetic appeal in the past, now is not the time to think about how the bra looks on you. Practicality is much more important at this stage in the game. Don’t worry—you’ll be back into your lacy things soon enough; but for now, select a bra that will work for you and your baby. If you’re planning on nursing, you can go ahead a buy a nursing bra early in your pregnancy—that is, as soon as your breast size increases and necessitates buying a new bra. This will save you the expense of buying both a maternity and a nursing bra while getting you used to the bra you’ll be wearing after your little one arrives. You’ll also want to think ahead to ensure that the nursing bra you choose is convenient for you. For instance, the ability to open and close the flap with just one hand, without the need to look at the clasp, will help you feed your baby quickly and discreetly as soon as he’s hungry.
Size
Size definitely matters when it comes to maternity and nursing bras. Because you can expect your breast size to fluctuate, peaking right after birth when your milk comes in, it may be a good idea to buy a nursing bra that fits now, and one that is one cup size and one number size too big. That way, you’ll have a bra that offers plenty of breathing room when your breasts are at their biggest. It’s extremely important to have a nursing bra that fits correctly once you begin breastfeeding. If it’s too snug, it can put you at risk for plugged ducts and painful infections that can inhibit nursing.
There will be a lot of important decisions to make throughout your pregnancy, and choosing a maternity and nursing bra is definitely one of them. This decision doesn’t have to be a difficult one, however. Just follow the guidelines above to ensure you select a bra that suits both you and your baby-to-be.
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