June 25, 2009

Is It Possible To Get Pretty Nursing Bras That Work?

Right after you have a baby is not the time when you are generally feeling your sexiest, right?  But still as women, we always want to look pretty, even if we have to wear functional nursing bras.  So can bras for nursing be both pretty and functional?  The answer is absolutely - YES!

First let's tackle functional.

Here is what to look for a pretty nursing bras.

Does your nursing bra fit well?

No matter how good your bra looks, it needs to fit.  If you are unsure about how to fit your bra correctly, check out this post on how to fit a nursing bra.

Is it easy to operate?

This question makes your bra sound like a piece of machinery, but it is important.  The nursing flap needs to be able to open one handed without a lot of hassle.

Is it comfortable?

You should always look for seamless nursing bras (or at least is should have no seams over your nipples).  This is very, very important.  Your nipples may be sore already from nursing... you don't want to make matters worse.

Is it supportive?

Your nursing bra should be very supportive and not leave room for a lot of motion.  This will make you much more comfortable in the long run.  This is particularly important if you are well endowed.  You can read more about plus size nursing bras here.

Once you have all of these bases covered then you can go for pretty.   These are some of my favorite pretty nursing bras (I love lace). 

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How Many Nursing Bras Do You Need To Buy?

Like many women, I have a lot of bras. I just like them I guess. But nursing bras are a different matter all together. How many should you buy when you will only be using them for about a year?

I think that the best tactic is to start out with two or three (don't forget to measure yourself for a good fit ).  The reason is that after you've been nursing for about a month your size can change pretty dramatically.  So to start out with get two for daytime and one sleep nursing bra, and then measure again in a month.

After that (and when you know you are going to stick with nursing) buy more.  My personal preference is to have at least 4 bras for daytime and several for night, with at least a couple of them being nursing sports bras, because I like to work out.  But mostly it is just personal preference.

When it comes to actually buying the nursing bras, there are two things that I always tell people to look for.  The  first is comfort, which is very, very important when you are nursing and the second is the nursing opening itself.  Is it easy to use, or difficult?  You want to be able to open your nursing bra with just one hand to make nursing your baby easy.

Finally, when you are considering how many nursing bras to buy, you will want to think about you and your lifestyle.  If you are really good at keeping up on laundry, you can buy fewer.  But keep in mind that new babies are exhausting and you may not keep up on things quite as well as normal during the first few months - this is pretty common and nothing to feel bad about.   If you think that is the case you will want to purchase more bras.  So you will need at least 3 to start out with and then 4 to 8 depending on your personality. Get the best nursing bra you can afford and you won't be disappointed.

Congratulations on your decision to breastfeed!

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What Maternity Nursing Bras Are Best?

Maternity nursing bras (like all other bras) come in great styles that are comfortable, functional, and pretty, but also come in styles that hurt, are uncomfortable, and ugly.  How do you know the difference?

My answer?  Shop on Amazon.  CLICK HERE to go to Amazon's nursing bra section.

The reason that I like Amazon is because they have such user friendly customer reviews AND they have free shipping on a lot of their products.  I love saving money and their site is really good for that as well.

For most women this Medela Nursing Bra (from Amazon) is a good choice.

Medela Comfort Nursing Bra Medela Comfort Nursing Bra
List Price: $30.00
Average Rating:

Reviews

Not a bad nursing bra. The best I have found so far. The fabric is pretty thin (reminds me of the top part of a pair of nylons) and the straps are a little weird. They are really wide for my small frame and fold over on each other. Wears like a sports bra. Better than anything else I have but still searching for something I love.

I LOVE these bras! They're super-soft and comfy, with just the right amount of stretch. The clips are easy to do one-handed, always a plus. My only gripe is that they are so full coverage, so the top shows under many tops. One way to get around this, though, is to wear it as a layering top since it looks like a racerback tank top. Highly recommended.

I got 2 when I have my first baby, now I am on my 2nd and I am getting more!! I love it cause it's "Light Support" if you are looking for something with more support, this might not be the one you want to go for. I am a 34 DDD/E and size Large fits me well.

This bra is so comfortable and gives enough support to wear throughout the day and its still great to sleep in as well! I love it!

I generally don't like to wear "sports bra" type of bras when I'm not working out as I find them to be uncomfortable and binding. But this bra suprised me and has been really comfortable to wear all day and for sleeping. Nice fabric that seems to wash up well - I washed with regular load in a delicates bag and line dried. Easy to open the snaps to nurse. I agree with the reviewer that it is a hassle to pull on - if you nurse your baby skin to skin a lot and take your bra off, I would suggest finding something easier to pull on and off like the Blue Canoe Jane's plus cup which is less supportive but super comfy (and can be put in the dryer).

This bra comes in several different sizes and in black, white and beige. It also is one of the highest rated nursing bras on Amazon.

To view more nursing bras at Amazon - CLICK HERE ,

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June 24, 2009

Where Can You Find Nursing Bras For A Larger-Chested Mommy?

When you are a woman who has been naturally endowed with large breasts and need larger nursing bras, it seems like you can't find anything to fit at all. This is especially true since your breasts will tend to get even larger when your milk comes in.  Ebay and Amazon are both great places to find plus size nursing bras that actually fit. If you are unsure of how to fit your bra here is a post I did with a video showing exactly how to fit nursing bras.

Here are some large cup size nursing bras from Ebay that are available now:

Ebay has a huge selection of nursing bras in really hard to find sizes and good prices.


Here are some of the best nursing bras from Amazon
.

Easy Expression Bustier Hands-free Pumping Bra Easy Expression Bustier Hands-free Pumping Bra
Average Rating:

Reviews

You can't beat this product for the price. I had a pump that a family member lended me, so I was not about to buy a new one just to get the 'hands free' feature. I have found this product to be a lifesaver while I pump at work. My co-workers barely notice I am gone because I can continue to work with my laptop. Every working mom needs this bra!

This product simply will not work for large breast woman - the halter would need to have straps for it to support anyone of a d cup or above. I would not recommend purchasing in this situation. I do have a friend who believes this a fantastic item however she is smaller up top and it works fine for her. She can multi task excellently. My myself it was a pure waste of money.

As a working mom of a 4 month old, the act of sitting there holding the pumps for 20 minutes three to four times a day was driving me insane. I would pump only one side so that i could use my other hand but that makes things twice as long. I also believe my anxiousness to hurry up and finish would reduce my supply as well. As soon as i tried using this pumping bra, i was catching up on magazines, using both hands for a meal, checking emails on my phone - and suddenly 10-15 minutes goes by and I'm done! AND i'm pumping more out because i'm not rushing myself anymore. I'm a 36b and the medium size is very tight - but i'm afraid the next size up might get loose over time, so i'll just hold on to this one. Instead of wearing it like a bra, i keep it with my Medela backpack pump and strap it over my nursing bra when its time for pumping. I laughed when i saw these online, but now they've become essential to my pumping routine. At least it comes in black though, so it's not obvious right away what it is... :)

I have ordered two of these bras. They are the best invention since sliced bread. I had to exclusively pump with my baby girl due to latching issues, and I would not have survived without this bra. The bra also held up incredibly well. The only reason I bought two was so I could wash one while using the other. Neither one has fallen apart yet. A must have for exclusive pumpers!

I was about nervous about sizing, which seemed to be an issue for a fair amount of customers. Ultimately, I trusted the website sizing calculator and got a medium, despite being a fairly small woman who usually takes an xs in almost everything. Admittedly, however my breats are DD at the moment (up from a B). It was the right size more or less, and the item is easy to wash and dry for renewed structure. It works best freshly washed. I pump a lot so I really needed something like this. highly recommended! I used the Ameda purley yours.

The Easy Expression Bustier, with its patented zip-front strapless design, lets you achieve hands-free pumping - effortlessly.

BirthandBaby Sleep Bra BirthandBaby Sleep Bra
Average Rating:

Reviews

This is just what I needed. A comfortable, mildly supportive, easy to operate at 3am sleep bra. Doesn't get all bunched up or twisted - very well made and washes very well.

I have been looking for a simple leisure bra to replace my worn out Rhonda Shear ones from HSN, which don't seem to be available anymore. I ordered this bra, even though I am not pregnant or nursing, in a 2x and it's perfect. It may not give you a fashion silhouette, but on those days when you don't want to pack yourself into the torture chamber, it's a winner. Soft, comfortable, true to size, and a great price--I'm ordering another.

I love this nursing sleep bra. Terribly soft and size is true to form. Washes great as well.

This bra was not a functional nursing bra. The cotton is too stiff and it needs flexibility in the material to be effective.

This bra is very comfortable to sleep in, although the material is too thick for my liking. The medela bras are a lot thinner. Because of the thick lining under the bust, it takes forever to dry.

Bravado! Original Nursing Bra Bravado! Original Nursing Bra
List Price: $35.00
Average Rating:

Reviews

So frustrating, the sizes on this page are NOT what you get! You will wind up getting shipped a PLUS SIZE bra, even though it does not say that anywhere on this page. Shame on the seller for doing this - its so annoying. I see now that other have written reviews and had the same experience. FYI - the bra, if you get it in the CORRECT size, is AWESOME. I have 1 and therefore thought it would be so simple to just order another one in the same size. Instead i'm wasting my time returning it, grrr.

I received a bra that looks like a classic sports bra that is straight across the top. The photo shows a bra that looks more like a typical bra. The bra runs small and the elastic digs in. But I still wear it because I have yet to find a comfortable nursing bra that provides enough support. This bra is definately supportive.

I had high hopes for this bra with all the rave reviews but I don't like it at all. The shoulder straps are just way too short for me (I'm 5'9). I've never, ever had a problem with straps being too short with any other bra as you can always expand it more to fit. But even at full expansion the straps are just way too short for me and therefore cause the bra to ride up and causes discomfort on my breasts, something you don't want while nursing! I'll keep looking for the perfect bra for me, so far I can't find it!

pros: easy to put on; one hand clip; nice soft fabric; cons: not enough support; drop-cup design is not the most comfortable one; bottom line: kept it for a laundry day, but will be using medela's softcup nursing bra as a main one.

I wear a 42DD and ordered this in an XL. Overall I'm very pleased with the bra. My only wish would be for thicker straps. I think I needed to order it in a plus size to get thicker straps, but I'm not sure. It is a really comfortable option for someone looking for a nursing bra without an underwire. I removed the pads that came with it, though. They are a little lumpy and uncomfortable. And I use these bras with my Medela Freestyle handsfree breast pump. It was difficult to get the pads back in the right place when I was putting the bra back on after pumping. I would definitely recommend this bra!

The Bravado Basic Nursing bra has a distinct cross over cup design, with drop down cups that fasten to the straps with press studs. It has a wide under elastic providing even weight distribution and under-breast support and doesn't ride up or slip.

One of the things that I like best about Amazon is that the bras are rated directly by the customers, so that you know exactly what other peoples experiences are when it comes to bras. It gives you a lot more confidence with what you buy. There is always a nursing bras sale at Amazon too.

Some of the things you should look for when it comes to nursing bras are:

What does the lining of the bra look like?

You want the inside of the bra to be smooth soft and seam free.  Your nipples will be tender for a while and you want a bra that doesn't rub against them.

What is the nursing fastener like?

You should be able to unhook and rehook the fastener with one hand, because you will need to when you have a hungry, crying baby.

Does the bra have wide supportive straps?

This is really important for fuller busted women.  The bra needs to have wide supportive straps so that you can protect both your breasts and your back.

Whatever nursing bra you decide on, be sure to get one that fits correctly.  It will make your nursing experience much easier and much more enjoyable.  Congratulations on your decision to nurse your infant!

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June 20, 2009

Getting The Proper Fitting Nursing Bra (Be Happy, Be Comfortable)

Have you ever seen the Oprah shows where women are wearing the wrong size bra and then get the right size bra?  It's pretty incredible the difference in their looks and sometimes even personalities.

With nursing bras, fit becomes even more important.   As every woman who has had a baby knows, your bras size can change a great deal from before pregnancy to after the baby is born, and you need to have nursing bras that really fit.

A good fitting bra will go a long way toward making you more comfortable when you are nursing your baby.  Luckily fitting nursing bras uses the same technique as fitting a regular bra, and is really easy to do yourself.

Step 1. - Determining Band Size

Take your tape measure and measure directly under the band of your current bra (right under your breasts.  Write this number down.

If the measurement is even, add 4"
If the measurement is odd, add 5"

This is your band size.

Step 2. - Determining Cup Size

Take your tape measure and measure over the fullest part of your bust then write the number down in inches.  The difference between this measurement and the band size is your cup size.  Here is a chart to help.

 

0"-1/2" AA
1/2"- 1" A
2" B
3" C
4" D
5" DD or E
6" DDD or F
7" G
8" H
9" I
10"

J

 

Here is a video that shows you exactly how to take the measurements.

 

 

 

 

Having great fitting nursing bras is as simple as these two measurements.  You can either do the measurements yourself or have a bra fitter do them for you.  You can find quality bra fitters at many major department stores.   Whichever way you go, you will have a great fitting comfortable nursing bra.

 

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