The Right Nursing Bra
How to Find a Perfect Fit
Did you know that between 70 and 85% of women are wearing the wrong bra size? Oprah has done two specials on how to find the proper bra in an attempt to get women to stop buying multitudes of inexpensive, improperly fitted, uncomfortable bras in exchange for the right one! Oprah claims it will change your life, and, if you are more well-endowed than most, the right bra will make you look as if you’ve dropped 20 pounds. BBC America and The New York Times remind us that bras that aren’t fitted properly can make women appear heavier and cause back problems. Imagine, then, how important it is for pregnant and nursing women to wear the proper bra size. Improperly fitted nursing bras can add more challenges to breastfeeding and cause discomfort and pain. So if you’re pregnant, what do you do, and where do you go, if you want to get fitted for a proper nursing bra?
Tips for finding the best maternity / nursing bra:
- Find the closest certified nursing center or bra fitter. This is the best way to guarantee you get the appropriately sized nursing bra. Certified bra fitters will provide a personalized fitting (because no two women are the same) and follow-up support, if you need it, to ensure that you are comfortable. You can’t find that sitting behind a computer desk, and most retail shops cost about the same as any Internet site (even though the right fit is worth an extra few dollars).
- The band. The band of any properly fitted bra, whether it be for nursing or not, should sit below your shoulder blades, low enough so it supports you in the front. Also, consider that after you deliver, your dimensions will once again shift. If you buy a nursing bra that fits perfectly on the last (tightest) setting, the bra may be too loose after you have given birth. A band that fits on the loosest or middle clasp will give you room to tighten the band after delivery.
- The cups. They should enclose the entire breast. Famous maker demi-cup bras are not always the best for nursing.
- In the beginning, go for comfort. When you first start nursing, be open to many styles, but do not sacrifice comfort. You want whatever is most comfortable for you, so you can focus on the task at hand. Once you have been nursing for a few weeks, and you are comfortable, you can start to look at and think about more “stylish” bras.
- Underwire bras. Underwire nursing bras are NOT all bad. With these bras, however, it is even more important that you get the right fit. You don’t want an underwire poking or rubbing you while you are trying to feed your baby. Do NOT sleep in an underwire nursing bra; they can shift while you are sleeping and put pressure on your milk ducts.
- Custom sizes. If you have had trouble finding the proper fit in the past, or if you have large breasts, ask your certifiedbra fitter about custom size bras, in sizes that range from 36G to 48K. Remember, even if you get measured in one size, you might walk out the door with a differently sized bra. It is important to try each bra on, because every bra, even in the same product line, fits differently.
- For the fashionista. Nursing bras are NOT just white anymore. They come in colors like ice blue and leopard and also in different styles, such as tank tops and body silk and va-va-va voom! The most popular brands like Medela, Bravado, and Melinda G are even worn by many celebrities...check out Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Garner, Miranda Kerr for celebrity nursing wear.
So, treat yourself to a quality nursing bra that will give you the proper support during your nursing experience and help you to feel like the special person that you are, because you are doing the best for yourself and your baby!