Choosing the Right Nursing Bra: A Simple Guide

You'll feed your baby eight to twelve times a day. Sometimes more.

That's a lot of hours in the same bra. Getting it right isn't a small thing — it's one of the few comforts that's actually in your control.

What a nursing bra really does

It opens at the cup, so you can feed with one hand while holding your baby with the other. No pulling your top up. No unhooking everything in a waiting room.

It also supports breasts that are heavier than they've ever been, and it holds your nursing pads in place.

A regular bra can't do any of this. And an underwired one that digs in can press on your milk ducts, which is the last thing you want.

When to buy, and what size

Your size will change. That's normal, and it's the main thing to plan for.

Buy your first bras around 36–38 weeks of pregnancy. You'll be close to your feeding size by then.

Expect another change when your milk comes in. Around day three to five, your breasts get much fuller. This settles in a few weeks.

Measure yourself like this:

• Band: measure snugly around your ribcage, just under your breasts
• Cup: measure loosely around the fullest part

Do it in the evening, when you're at your fullest. Then check our size chart before ordering.

What to look for

• Wide, soft straps. Thin straps cut into your shoulders when your breasts are heavy.
• A wide band underneath. This is where most of your support comes from.
• No rigid underwire in the early weeks. Stiff wire presses in one spot and can block a duct.
• Clips you can open with one hand. Test it. Your other hand will be holding your baby.
• Breathable cotton. You'll sweat more than usual, and leaks happen.
• Stretch that allows for change. Your breasts are fuller before a feed and softer after.

How many do you need?

Three, at least.

One on you. One in the wash. One clean and ready. Leaks and spit-up happen more often than you'd think.

Many mothers also keep a softer, stretchier bra for sleeping — useful if you leak at night or feed lying down.

The fit test

Once it's on, check these four things.

• The band sits level and doesn't ride up your back
• You can slide two fingers under the band comfortably
• Nothing digs in, and there's no red mark when you take it off
• You can breathe fully and easily

If a bra feels tight anywhere, don't wear it. Pressure on one spot can lead to a painful lump.

Looking after them

Wash in cold water on a gentle cycle. Hot water damages the stretch.

Air dry in the shade. A dryer will kill the elastic within weeks.

Close the clips before washing so they don't snag.

Please call your doctor if

• You have a hard, painful lump that doesn't soften after a feed
• An area of your breast is red, hot or swollen
• You have fever or chills, or feel like you have flu
• You have cracked, bleeding or very painful nipples

These are common and treatable — but they need attention early, not later.

One last thing

A good nursing bra won't make feeding easy. Nothing does that in the first weeks.

But it takes away one small struggle, twelve times a day. And right now, small things count for a lot.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you have pain, lumps or trouble feeding, please speak to your doctor or a lactation consultant.