Buying nursing bras

[Anonymous]

So I've heard that it is best to wait until after baby is born to buy your nursing bras - especially since I'm on the larger side as it is, am I'm sure I'm going to get a LOT bigger once my milk comes in. My question is - you have a new baby at home and you can't exactly run out to the store to find bras so...what do you do? Do you get fitted beforehand and then assume some growth?

Just one of the random things that popped into my head as I was trying to fall asleep last night...
Thanks!

[Anonymous]

wait until the baby comes. You can wear a tank top or something like that under your shirt for coverage, or the bra you're wearing during pregnancy. I've never owned a nursing bra that I liked, and have always used regular bras.

[Anonymous]

You will probably just be around the house in a shelf bra tank until you feel good enough to get out of the house. At that point, go out and get fitted for a bra (I like Nordstrom for that or the Breastfeeding Center).

These are the most "normal" nursing bras I could find and I like them very much (order a cup size larger than it says it is):

http://www.condessainc.com/ or http://www.bellamaterna.com/shop/

They seem expensive but you will be wearing the same ones all the time. I wasted money at Gap and Target and other less expensive places before finding these.

But if you are really big you might need those traditional full coverage bras in which case these are awesome: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/3009952.shtml

[Anonymous]

I bought 2 nursing bras b/f the baby & barely wore them. I ended up wearing the target nursing tanks pretty much everyday for a year (even under my shirts once I returned to work). I bought one nursing tank prebaby & needed to send my husband to target right away for more!

[Anonymous]

I second the nursing tank, rather than a bra, especially if you are larger-chested. They are MUCH more supportive. I was a C-cup pre-pregnancy, and am now an F-cup while nursing twins. The Target nursing tanks were useless for me- no support at all!- but the Bravado ones are fabulous. They cost more, but like a PP, if I had saved all the money I wasted on cheaper ones and just bought Bravado in the first place, I'd be way ahead. I'd say you could buy one before you deliver, and then get more after you settle into nursing a few weeks after the baby is born. The general rule is go up one band size and two cup sizes from your normal size.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Where are you delivering? At some hospitals (I know firsthand that Sibley does), the lactation consultants can fit you for and sell you nursing bras at the hospital after delivery. And the bras you can buy from them (Bravado, Medela) are high quality and sold at-cost. I paid $20 each for my Medela bras -- and I haven't found them lower than $39 online. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I'm a DD, went up to F while pregnant and first 3 months of BFing. The Bravado nursing tank was comfy but not terribly supportive (my girls have always been on the saggy side, maybe PP is more perky!). I was comfortable wearing it around the house but not out.

At Sylene's I got fitted for a couple of non-underwire bras and those work great - I just pull one side up when I want to nurse and they're more supportive than nursing bras.

[Anonymous]

Funny you should ask. I went to Nordstroms in Tysons Corner just yesterday and got fitted with a nursing bra. I brought my 1 month old DC along with me.

FWIW, Nordstroms is very mom/baby friendly with nursing areas in their restrooms. I think I might go live there the rest of my maternity leave.

[Anonymous]

I just had my baby a week ago and didn't buy any nursing bras. I have found that my size has changed since I was pregnant (band got smaller; cup size got bigger for days 1-3 from overall body swelling and then smaller). In the first days of having your milk come in, your cup size may also change based on when you last nursed.

I have found the Target nursing tanks to be comfortable enough for lounging around the house or a short walk around the block, but they lack the support I'd want for wearing under real clothes (I was DD before baby and am now a G or H and my girls are definitely not perky) . I also went to Sylene last week (on about day 5 after baby) and was in and out in less than 15 minutes with a nursing bra. It took her about a minute to fit me and the first bra she brought me fit perfectly. Once I'm sure that this is the right size, I'll probably order online from either breakoutbras.com or figleaves.com. Prices are a lot more reasonable than Sylene and they have very good return policies. Plus, once you are on the list, they send you oodles of discount emails.

I've also heard great things about the selection at the breastfeeding center. Would have gone there, but Sylene is 5 minutes away from my MIL's house, so I was able to leave baby/husband there while I ran to the store and back....

[Anonymous]

I did buy a couple of nursing bras before giving birth. I'm plus size, so I really worried about being able to find anything in my size in stores nearby. The nursing bra I wore the most was a Bravado bra. I was a little lacking in support but I was very forgiving in sizing.