Which bra to choose when you’re pregnant?

One of the questions that comes up the most on on-line forums and in discussions among mothers is this:

"I’m pregnant and I need to choose a new bra, I’m planning on breastfeeding, so I’d like to get a bra that will work for me both now and after the birth, what size should I take?"

A common kernel of wisdom says to choose a bra that’s one size bigger in both band and cup: if you usually wear 90-C, take a 95-D.

This approach is risky, however, because each woman evolves differently. It’s true that most will gain a cup size, but not all. And the bra band issue is even more complicated: during pregnancy, the ribcage gets bigger, and most women go up one or two sizes (for example from 95 to 100 or 105). However, the ribcage in most women gets smaller very quickly after birth, and most women go back quickly to their pre-pregnancy (or early pregnancy) band size.

Here then are my recommendations on this subject.

When should I buy a nursing bra?

Measure yourself regularly throughout your pregnancy (bust and under-the-bust) to see if you need a new sized bra. It’s common not to realize that your current bras are too small, and it’s a shame to be poorly supported just at the moment when the breasts are so fragile.

If you need to go up in bra size (for most women it’s around the end of the first trimester), you have a choice: a "normal" bra or a nursing bra. All the rest being equal, a nursing bra is often more expensive than a "normal" bra, but the advantage is that you can ideally wear it after birth. I say "ideally" because a nursing bra bought at the end of the first trimester won’t necessarily fit in the early days and weeks of breastfeeding (because your bust will possibly get bigger between now and then) BUT you’ll certainly be able to wear this nursing bra later in your nursing. For example, once you’ve started weaning, your breasts will go down in size and you’ll be happy to pull out of your drawer the nursing bra bought at the end of the first trimester, which once again will fit perfectly!

If you’re in your second or third trimester, a nursing bra becomes more and more the logical choice, because the closer you are to term, the more your breasts will be the size they’ll be when you’re nursing. Starting at the 6th month, if you need a new bra and you’re planning on nursing, you should get a slightly evolving nursing bra, one that accommodates two cup sizes (like two of the Bella Materna models that we carry, the almost anytime nursing bra and the ruched clip nursing bra) and has four hook positions in the back. In most cases, this flexibility will allow the same bra to fit well whether it’s the end of pregnancy or the beginning of breastfeeding.

However, beware: "slightly evolving" doesn’t mean "I’m taking one that’s too big so that it will fit me well later." Wearing a too-big bra that doesn’t give you adequate support, just because it might fit you well later when you’re nursing, isn’t a good idea. On the one hand you don’t know how your breasts are going to evolve, and on the other hand, the principal goal in buying a bra during pregnancy is to have good support during pregnancy, a period of extreme fragility for the breasts.

What to choose for the beginning of breastfeeding?

For the beginning of breastfeeding, buy only the bare minimum, because your needs will evolve. The bare minimum for the first weeks is three bras, of which one can be a simple sleep bra: one to wear, a clean one to replace the one to wear, and one that’s in the wash.

During the first weeks of breastfeeding, your breasts will be very sensitive, and will evolve quite a bit. Your breast size will vary quite a bit, sometimes from one hour to the next, as your milk comes in and the quantity produced adapts to your baby’s needs. So for the first weeks you should choose a nursing bra that’s very soft, flexible, and extendable, to adapt to your changing body shape and size while still offering good support: a supple sleeping bra, a nursing tank top with built-in bra, or an evolving nursing bra (which accommodates two cup sizes and has four hook positions in the back) would be a good solution. Choose models that are simple, comfortable, and above all easy to care for: during these first few weeks you’ll stain your bras quite a bit (milk coming in, unexpected overflow, strong letdown, etc.), so choose fabrics that wash easily and dry quickly.

After the first few weeks of nursing, your breast size will stabilize. That’s the time to measure yourself again, to evaluate if you need a new bra size. It’s also the moment when you can, if you so desire, "invest" in your nursing lingerie?chose several models, try something a little sexier in satin and lace, test underwire, etc.

And underwire?

Ah, the question of underwire! A few years ago it was practically impossible to find nursing bra models with underwire. They were considered dangerous, because they were perceived to increase the risk of mastitis (by pressing on breast tissue and milk canals). Today there are several nursing bra models with underwires on the market (we carry a few), and some women swear by their support. But other women are scared of them.

Some recommendations:

*It’s difficult to know ahead of time if you’re going to like underwires during your breastfeeding period. Even if you’re used to underwires in "normal" times (including while pregnant), you might be surprised to learn that you don’t tolerate them well during your breastfeeding period. So don’t buy underwire models during pregnancy.

*If you choose an underwire model, be sure that it has extra-flexible underwire designed for breastfeeding, and be sure too to choose high-quality brands. A bra is a technical item as well as a fashion item, and it’s difficult to produce quality at budget prices, and a poor-quality nursing bra with underwire could provide inappropriate support and trigger mastitis.

*Wait until your breast size has stabilized before buying an underwire model. That way you’ll know for sure that the bra will fit you well.

*At first, wear an underwire nursing bra only a few hours a day, to see how you react, your comfort level, etc.

If you’re not sure of the size or model to choose, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d be delighted to advise you : contact@mamanana.com.