Nursing Bras – When to get fitted

HOTmilk Sweet Reminiscence Nursing Camisole

When should you be fitted for a nursing bra? It’s one of the most common questions we receive from our pregnant customers writes Khali Whatley, founder of Ma Mère.  Is it best to be fitted in the last weeks of your pregnancy or after your baby is born? There’s a lot of conflicting advice on the subject, so it’s best to start with the facts:

• Fact 1 – Most women’s bra cup size will change when they begin producing mature breast milk, after the birth of their baby.
• Fact 2 – Most women’s bodies begin to transition back to their pre-pregnancy physique after their baby is born. This means their ribcage may begin to shrink, changing their bra band size.
• Fact 3 – Women who have previously breastfed may not experience the same level of change in their bra size when additional children are born.
• Fact 4 – Every woman is different – so the degree to which you will be affected by these changes will vary.

For these reasons, it’s best to wait until after the birth of your baby to be fitted for a nursing bra.

Many professionals recommend being fitted before the birth of your baby and apply a standard rule of thumb for a cup size increase. While this will work for some women, others will find that the bras they have purchased don’t fit when they start breastfeeding.

Unfortunately, it may be difficult to make time to be fitted for a bra when you’re caring for a new baby so there are resources available to help you measure and fit yourself in the comfort of your own home.

So what about feeding in hospital? And before you have been fitted?

Waiting until after your baby is born means you’re left with the predicament of what to wear in hospital – and for that there’s any easy solution. Nursing camisoles are perfect for hospital as they come in generic sizes (ie. S, M, L, XL etc). They are also generally very soft and stretchy and will accommodate your changing breast size comfortably.

After you have been fitted for a nursing bra, you can also continue to wear nursing camisoles at night to hold bra pads in place for leakage control and to provide light support for the months ahead.

Would you like more information? Ma Mère has a comprehensive Fitting Guide available on their website. You can also email Ma Mère – admin@mamere.com.au – with any specific questions you may have.

This article has been contributed to The Bump Wear Project by Khali Whatley, as Khali is a strong believer in Golden Rule No. 6 – Underwear is Key! Khali is the Founder of Ma Mère, an online lingerie store dedicated to providing designer lingerie to expectant and new mothers.