Nursing Bras for Every Body

By Lindsey Borchard

I have come to learn that being pregnant will make you an excellent researcher. I research everything from strollers, to baby wash, and now I am starting the search for nursing bras. I might be knee deep in bras at work and in the lingerie industry but I still have no idea about what makes a good nursing bra. Last week I was at Curve New York, which is a trade show for the lingerie industry. This gave me the opportunity to talk to nursing bra companies and get an up close look at what I have in store for me and my lingerie drawer. But first lets talk about some guidelines I have learned about nursing bras and finding the right one.

1. My number one piece of advice is to wait as long as you can to buy them. I just started my seventh month and I probably won’t buy any until I am at least eight and half or nine months pregnant. I will also wait till after I have the baby to get more since I don’t really know what my size will be.

2. Check the companies you are currently wearing. A lot of lingerie companies make their own nursing bras, you might not have a lot of selection but if you like the company and like the way the bras fit then start there.

3. Buy a few different styles. Just like your everyday bras there are different styles of nursing bras. Molded, unlined, wired, or non-wired, you have many options to chose from. Figure out what you like and try a few. I plan on getting an unlined for everyday and possibly a good non-wire one for around the house and at night.

4. Don’t be afraid of the size. Remember you want to maximize comfort during this time, so you really need to get over your fear of being the size you are. Remember this isn’t forever and you’ll be way happier in a bra that fits and is comfortable then in a smaller size. I started as a 36E before I got pregnant and I am already a 38F or FF. Just like your weight, height or age, It’s just a number and you don’t need to tell anybody if you don’t want to.

Now that you know your basic guidelines lets talk about brands. Below are some companies I talked to personally and some I found doing my own research. I plan on trying some of these in the next month and letting you know how I personally like them so stay tuned…

For everyday basic’s, Elomi, Anita, Le Mystere, and Belabumbum are my brands of choice. I plan on trying on the Anita for my wired option. It seems like they have great styles in Nude, white and black color options. Same with Elomi and Le Mystere, so it will all come down to fit and style preferences. I have read several places that Belabumbum are great for non-wired. They also have fun colors and prints so you get to feel a little sexier wearing them. They look super comfortable so I am praying one of their styles will work for me.

Freya, Panache and Elle McPherson all have nursing bras in their collections that I want to try. I am interested to see if they are similar to the styles that are non-nursing bras. I love these brands because the nursing bras are pretty and their designs I feel are to make a woman feel sexy during this time where they might feel out of control of their body. I will say I will probably start wearing these bras after I get the nursing thing down and not right away. Due to comfort and the fact I won’t know my true size till after a few weeks of nursing.

As for the companies that only do nursing/maternity bras, I cannot wait to try Cake Lingerie, Hot Milk, Royce, and Bella Materna Lingerie. All of these companies specialize in maternity lingerie and all produce gorgeous styles. Some don’t even look like nursing bras.

Cake Lingerie was a company I heard of before but didn’t know much about. I was lucky enough to talk to one of the owners of the company, Keith about these beautiful bras. He showed me how their bras work and it amazed me. They have 6 different hook levels so their bras will grow with you as you change sizes. GENIUS! Also the center part of their bras curves up so it’s comfortable for that growing belly of yours. Something I appreciated since I am carrying really high. They also have many options in their collections such as wired, non-wired, molded, unlined and they are even introducing a sports bra this Fall.

Although I haven’t personally talked to anybody from Hotmilk, I got some great information from their website. Hotmilk bras are designed to give you all the support you need in a wire-free option– even in larger cup sizes. YAY for me! They also use technologically advanced power fabric and wider than usual cotton-lined straps for extra comfort. All Hotmilk bras have either concealed seams or seams designed to avoid the nipple area and therefore the risk of chafing. Double YAY! Plus all their designs just like Cake Lingerie are GOREGOUS!

Ok, so Bella Materna I heard about through The Lingerie Addict, and I am thoroughly impressed. All their product are made from high quality materials that are certified to be free of toxins for moms and babies and 90% of all items are made in the USA, if that’s important to you. They are all about catering to you from pregnancy, nursing and post nursing by turning their nursing bras into regular bras after baby. What more can you ask for? Not to mention they have gorgeous styles and everyday options in wired and non-wired styles.

For me having a game plan will make this journey a lot more fun and stress-free. In the next 6 weeks I plan on going to a major department store like Nordstrom to try a few of the bigger brands on and also to my local maternity shop. Don’t be afraid to spend as much time as you need and trying on everything they have. Also make sure wherever you buy they have a good return policy, in case you realize it’s not the right fit or style for you.

Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks and I’ll let you know which brands I personally like and will be buying for myself. Until then don’t worry too much if your breasts keep growing or you feel like there are no bras that fit you anymore. Remember you’ll have lots of options for bras and none have to be ugly. Start doing some research now and by the time you have to go out and buy them you’ll be a pro!