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).
 Lunaire Pretty nursing bra WHITE 36D  US $11.99
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 Lunaire Pretty nursing bra WHITE 40D US $11.99
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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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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:
 Motherhood Maternity Nursing 5pc Bra Lot 38D Large US $12.01
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 NEW MEDELA NIGHT NURSING SLEEP BRA ALL COLOR SIZE US $18.99
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 NWT Medela Comfort Fit Maternity Nursing Bra Large NUDE US $27.99
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 4 nursing tank top cami bra lot sz large EUC larrivo US $8.50
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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 .
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Belly Bandit Original post-pregnancy tummy wrap Average Rating:  ReviewsI had C-section and this product is great it is gentle and has provided good strong support. This product gave me the abilty to be able to move around much sooner than I would have on my own. I can care for my baby instead of being bond to my bed. I bought this in a medium and five days after having my son I now need a small. It really took down the inches and has me on way to my pre-baby shape. The only reason why this product does not get a five star rating is because it will get a little wrinkly and loose its shape, its not too bad though. I liked the Belly Bandit. It did what it said it would, but it was difficult to get the right size. I ordered the medium first and it was too small. I decided to keep it and just ordered the large too. It was a good decision. I ended up using both. This belt does help with hiding the belly. However, with the constipation and incision pain, I cannot wear it too often. In addition, the size is very difficult to determine. I bought a small and could not wear it at the hospital. It fits now, but these are too expensive to buy two sizes... esp when you are only going to wear the larger size for a few days. I saw another belt at Babies R Us which was 1/2 the price. I would recommend that belt over this one. Any support is great while riding in a car. At first I was disapointed when I had come home from the hospital. I followed the sizing to a "T", but when I arrived home I couldnt get the band closed, in fact I couldnt even make the ends touch each other! Instead I wrapped my abdomen in ace bandage for about 8 hours, and tried again, that time it fit! And so far I love it, I have shrunk so much in the past 3 1/2 days. And for anyone that isnt used to the feeling of your stomach jiggling around while walking or driving, this makes activties much more comfortable! The only reason why I didnt give it 5 stars is because it folds and gets creases that I cant seem to make go away. Also because it can be seen very obviously under clothing that isnt very large on you, so I am not sure I would bother wearing it in public unless I was wearing a tent! ;) I have worn this type of item for four kids. After my fifth, I spent more on this band thinking spending more meant better design. The original is not comfortable for me. The fabric doesn't have enough give and it was way too expensive. I encourage everyone who is thinking about the concept to find something like this and use it...because it DOES work!! The only child that I did not wear one with, I was sorry, my stomach did not recover nearly as well as it did when I work a belly wrap. The first one I just bought at Babies R us.  |
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The worst part about the miraculous arrival of your long-awaited newborn is the disappearance of your rock-hard abs. Okay, they were the size of the average beach ball, but your pregnant tummy was hard, was it not? Lots of cultures deal with this floppy mass of atrophied muscle and fat (hey, it's not pretty -- I'm not trying to sugar-coat things for you!) with some form of binding... |
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Easy Expression Bustier Hands-free Pumping Bra Average Rating:  ReviewsMy life is so much easier now that I have this bra. I can take care of the baby is he is fussing or relax and read while I pump if he is asleep. They should recommend this bra in all classes for women that plan on nursing! I read the other reviews about size issues, but I didn't find these problems at all. I have a size large and though I probably could have gone with an extra large, I'd rather err on the side of tight. I use an Ameda Purely Yours pump with the larger size flanges and this bustier has been really helpful. I can easily work on my laptop or hang out with my baby while pumping. Plus since my pump can work with batteries, I can even move around and do a few chores while pumping. I don't know about the other hands-free options that are available, but I'm so happy with the Easy Expression Bustier that I purchased a second. I reviewed the sizing chart and ordered the proper size according to the chart and it is so tight it prevents my milk from flowing. It probably would be very helpful if you can figure out which size to buy. It takes some time to learn how to put the bra on by yourself, but once you get the hang of it, it is pretty easy. I am very glad that I have my hands back. I had no leakage issues and the bra is comfortable. Washing is easy as there are no wires so I just throw it in the washer. The quality is average and I don't think this bra will last very long. But then again, I'm returning to work in 3 months and so would not be using this for very long. The bra is pricy though, and I do wonder how it compares to other hands free nursing bras. I would recommend this product to others. The bustier works fine and well. But if I had to do it again, I'd spend the extra money and get the ones with the strap. I feel more support by having the straps. The bustier makes me feel like it's drooping. |
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The Easy Expression Bustier, with its patented zip-front strapless design, lets you achieve hands-free pumping - effortlessly. |
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BirthandBaby Sleep Bra Average Rating:  ReviewsI absolutely love this bra. I previously used a Medela sleep bra and at first I liked that one a lot too but after a few months of use it became stretched out and stopped providing any support. Not so with this bra. It is well made of a stronger material that is still supportive after a year of use. The material is soft and comfortable and most importantly in my book it stays in place. There is no riding up in the back. I also like that the elastic is enclosed in fabric, which adds to its comfort. I had no sizing issues as some reviewers mentioned. I am 36C and ordered a medium. 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. |
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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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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