Any Recommendations on Nursing Bras?

I just finished breastfeeding my youngest for 13 months. With my first I had a horrible problem finding decent, comfortable attractive nursing bras. She was born in July so I know where you are coming from. So before my youngest was born (in May) I looked and looked. I found some great ones but they were out of my budget and most did not come in larger sizes, I do not really even remember what they were. But then I found a great choice at Sears. I can think of the brand but they had underwire and no wire selection, padded, unpadded, etc. They are basically just the plain style, nothing fancy. For me they looked a lot like the regular bras I wear, but had the drop cups. You could check it out if you have Sears near you. I couldn't find them online, just in the store. and they were inexpensive!! I wore underwires and it did not seem to affect my breastfeeding, not sure how bad it is but never affected me.
Good Luck!! and Congrats!

2 moms found this helpful

During the first few weeks, I practically lived in Motherhood's sleep nursing bra. I'm a small chested person so it gave me enough support for day or night and it's a soft, stretchy fabric so it stays comfortable even if you're becoming engorged. http://www.motherhood.com/Product.asp?Product_Id=97540036....
For going out, I really liked a nursing bra that I bought at WalMart of all places. I think it was a Playtex and it only cost me about $10. It fit well, was comfortable, and it didn't give me a droopy shape. It did have underwire which I have read is a no-no but I never had a problem with it interfering with milk production or anything like that. It looked like a regular bra and it was fine under t-shirts. I would only wear it if I was leaving the house and then back to my comfy sleep bra. :)

2 moms found this helpful

I HATED nursing bras with a vengeance.

I preferred to use sports bras and pull them down. I nursed my son for the first year using nylon sport's bras (including night time feedings and several rounds of pumping during the day while working). I was using the same method with our daughter until I had to start chemo (month 3).

Other people I knew swear by nursing bras. I just never found any that supported me well. So, sports bras seemed to give me the support and comfort I needed (as well as access for the baby).

Good luck with baby #2!

1 mom found this helpful

I went to A Pea in the Pod (ours is inside Bloomingdales) and found a wonderful, supportive, non-wire bra. It's full coverage, but not huge straps or anything Grandma-like. It was pricey, but I got 2 and have been very happy.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi highly recommend going to the Women's Center offered by your hospital if you have one. I bought a few off the rack nursing bras from Motherhood Maternity and I think even one from Babies R Us and they were horrible! Then I went to my hospitals Women's Center/Boutique and the lady there was a Godsend. She fit me for the right nursing bra. Yes, it was $50 for each bra...but SOOOO worth it! The gals that work in these womens boutiques are pros, they've seen it all, and know what we are going through.

1 mom found this helpful

I ordered all my bras online. These are the sites i really liked:

http://www.breakoutbras.com/ (they have a nursing/maternity section)
http://www.motherwear.com/ (they have all kinds of nursing tops, too)

Both were GREAT about taking back things that didn't fit and sending a quick replacement. I recommend them highly.

P.S. underwires can cause plugged ducts which can lead to mastitis

1 mom found this helpful

I LOVED the La Leche League nursing and pumping bras. It had two different stages, one for pumping, one for nursing. It was very supportive!

I have also had terrible luck w/ nursing bras! I have one from motherhood that is ok and that I use for the first month or two while I am really engorged and nursing a lot and really need the convenience of a nursing bra. After that I just switch to a Victoria's secret non-underwire bra. I can't remember what mine is called but when I went in there were very helpful and I found one that worked. Its easy to just pop my boob out of the cup to nurse. It has much better support, shape and fit than any nursing bra I've found.

Elle Macpherson soft cup bras! They are worth the cost as you will wear them daily. They are not Grandma bras and the little lacy part that may show with deep V-neck shirts look like your wearing a cute camisol underneath. Buy a couple different colors. http://www.pumpstation.com/pumpstation/dept.asp?s_id=0&am...

It is so hard to find a supportive nursing bra! The one that has worked the best for me is the Elle Macpherson "Maternelle" nursing bra. I got mine at Nordstrom.

If you're a larger size like myself, the Goddess 511 is light, non wire and extremely supportive, but is kind of ugly and white with the wide straps you wanted to go without. I happened to snag a really cute nursing bra at my local boutique on clearance that would be perfect for summer (thin straps, no wire and very thin fabric) but I'm afraid it's too small for me, so I have it buried in my underwear drawer. I second the praise for the Target nursing tanks -- I forget what they're called, but I have a gray and brown one and am seriously thinking about buying more, they're so comfy. I live in them at home. Gilligan & O'Malley! that's the name.

Good luck!

Hi! In the past I got my nursing bras from Target-- not support, uncomfortable. I got one from Bravada (I think I got it on Nordstrom.com) that has lace in the back, is attractive, comfortable and supportive with thinner straps. It was expensive but worth it! I have also heard that Elle Macpherson nursing bras a great and cute--also available at Nordstroms. I am a DDD while I am nursing and a D+ normally.

I HIGHLY recommend and cannot say enough about glamourmom nursing tanks. I wore them all the time while I was nursing. They are very comfortable and allow you to nurse without showing your belly. I preferred the extra long tanks. A bit pricey, but worth every penny. The website is www.glamourmom.com

Great question!! I'm a DD when nursing so talk about trying to find support...ugh. I'd seriously spend $100 on one bra and wear it every day for the next year and a half if it was fabulous. ;)
My baby is 12 weeks old and I've been wearing nothing but sundresses since she was born - so I'm having the same tank top problem as you. I got two Duo Maternity bras at JC Penny that are quite supportive and they're cut just like a normal bra. I was surprised at the selection they had there and they were under $20 (on sale, but they have sales all the time). Other than those I bought a couple of packs of tank bras at Wal Mart and wear them under my sundresses that have spaghetti straps. If I wear 2 I get enough support to go out in public. ;)
I had underwire nursing bras with my first and I had problems with clogged ducts on the days I wore them...or at the very least I got pretty sore around the outside of my breasts. Maybe worth it for a special occasion.
I have yet to find anything with "lift".
I hope you find something great!! If so, be sure to post it because there just doesn't seem to be anything wonderful in the line of nursing bras out there.

you must check out the Bravado nursing tanks. I lived in them after my third. Their regular bras are fantastic as well. The tank actually has their basic bra sewn right in. So even if you are a D cup, it is supportive enough, super comfy, & stylish. Best of luck!

I wore nursing tanks. They had a built in bra, but they were not very supportive. I am pretty small (as a nursing mom, that was the only time in my life I've had a cleavage) so they were great for me. They look like tank tops, but they have the little clip on each strap so you can just whip it out when needed and re-clip when through. Just google nursing tanks.

I skipped the bras and used nursing tanks all spring/summer. When it was chillier or I needed more coverage, I threw on a short sleeve sweater or zip up hoodie, etc. I love the Bravado line. It's pricey but the reviews are right - worth every penny, supportive and they hold up well wash after wash. They run small so if you are in btwn two sizes, go up. You can get them online at Target.com or Bravado.com (same price). BTW, Congratulations!

Victoria's Secret should really make a nursing bra! The Body by victoria IPEX bra that they have is really supportive and has no underwire. I have used that bra for about a year now and still nurse my son who is 21 months today. When I was nursing him more consistently, I wore bras that I bought at A Mother's Haven in Encino. They really do have the best selection. You might want to consider wearing a nursing bra for the time being until your milk supply tapers down and then go back to a regular one.

I'm big Medela fan.

I think they sell them at Gap and Babies R Us now. I don't know the name of the daytime one I wore, but it was somewhat pretty, held up for nursing two different kids each for a year+ and was super comfortable and easy to open/close.

At nightime, I HIGHLY recommend the Medela Sleep bra. It's sooo insanely comfortable for sleeping in and yet still kept me from leaking even when my milk was just coming in and going crazy. I recommend you get a size bigger than you think you need though. THose seem to run small.

Enjoy!
-M

I wore underwire! I don't think there's anything wrong with it. (just not to bedtime, of course) It is SO much more flattering with a molded cup. I wore the ones sold at Motherhood Maternity. There are some nicer brands from the European market you might try too.
I was on a mission for better bras with my 2nd child too... it is sad how little selection there is in nursing bras. I WONDER if you can have a regular bra altered by a seamstress to add a nursing strap/hook? If you try it let me know...I am SO curious!

Motherhood Maternity has a FANTASTIC nursing bra, its called the t-shirt nursing bra or something like that. im not sure if you can wear it with tank tops, because i dont wear tank tops, but its pretty much like a normal bra!

I nursed for almost 18 months and had four nursing bras. Two were from Target and two were by a company called Bravado that I had read great reviews of. One of the ones from Target was ok and I hated the other one. The two from Bravado were wonderful. They obviously were pricier than Target, but they held up so much better and were very comfortable. Here's their website. I looked at their website to decide what I wanted and then shopped online for the best prices. The place I ended up buying them offered free shipping and returns, so I bought several, tried them all on at home, and then returned the ones I didn't want.

http://www.bravadodesigns.com/home.asp?area=US

I lived in nursing tanks from target. They were comfy and looked great under everything. I also bought this bra from japanese weekend (they have them at nordstroms and boutiques) and it was super comfy with no wires and skinny straps. http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2816411?Category=&Search=...

http://www.apeainthepod.com/Product.asp?product_Id=691480...
I wear these and have had others very much like these my 9 years of nursing. I have 3 kids and have been nursing almost constantly for 9 years. My first nursed for 3 years, through my pregnancy with #2 and I tandem nursed them for 2 months. I nursed my second until he was just shy of his 5th birthday, I found out I was pregnant just as he weaned. I am currently nursing my 13 month old with no plans to wean any time soon. I have had underwires in 99% of my bras during this time, I've had a few without when that was all I could find. If you are wearing the wrong size the underwire can cause problems. You'd be amazed at how many women are wearing the wrong size! You also can't sleep in underwires obviously. The underwire has never caused me a problem in these 9 years of having nurslings and pregnancy, I'm just careful to always have the right size.
This general style is the only one I have found that doesn't seem to cover you up to your neck and make you look like you have a uniboob. I do not like padded bras at all, I have tried every single style at many, many stores and none of them work. Everyone's breasts are not shaped that same perky little round thing, and no, it doesn't shape it that way in my case..everything slunks to the bottom and just pushes flat and hurts, leaving the entire top of the cup empty.
The one thing I don't like about this style is that after a while the snap can get loose so I keep a pair of needle nose plyers on my dresser. When it starts to get loose and unsnap itself I take the plyers and gentle tighten the tines inside the snap. It's super easy to do and only takes a couple seconds.
I'm a 38E (DD) and they offer pretty OK support. Better than a lot of other ones I've tried. I've had better, but not in a nursing bra unfortunately.
Good luck! I'm watching this thread to see what others post to see if I can find anything better myself. :)

I wore underwire bras with both kids, a year each. Target and Walmart both had some comfortable AND flattering bras that I could wear that year than toss, since they were affordable. Why deal with latches and snaps and saggy boobs? I had absolutely no problems with the bras restricting milk or inhibiting the feeding process in any way, I just folded the cup down and tucked it under the breast and it popped right back when I was done. I like a lining to my bras, for the chilly air factor, and that helped retain the bras shape. Good luck with your new little one.

I never really found a nursing bra that was comfortable and could be worn easily under clothes. I found them all pretty bulky. I spent a lot of time looking too! I ended up just going back to regular underwire bras that snap in the front. I know some people say that underwire isn't a good idea because of clogged ducts but I never had that problem.