How to Find the Best Nursing Bras for You

Breastfeeding Should be Comfortable

Breastfeeding is one of the most important things you can do for your new baby.  It is a beautiful, inexpensive, natural and healthy way to give your baby the best nutrition possible.  Finding the right nursing bra is one way to make nursing more comfortable and enjoyable for you.  Making nursing as comfortable and practical as possible will help ensure a happy, healthy nursing experience for you and your baby.  A stressful nursing experience can make baby uncomfortable and cause gas and will make mom less likely to want to continue nursing for very long.

Size Matters

The first thing you need to look for in a nursing bra is proper fit.  Keep in mind that your bra size during nursing is going to be different from the bra size you wore before pregnancy.  Not only is the cup size obviously larger, but your band size may be larger as well because your weight is probably at least a little heavier now.  To begin: measure around your body just beneath the breasts.  If the number you get is even add 4 to it and if it is odd, add 5.  This is your band size.  Next measure around the body just under the arms and over the breasts, save this measurement.  Now measure around the fullest part of the breasts and subtract the previous measurement from this number.  If the difference is less than 1" you are an A, 2" makes you a B, 3" for a C, 4" is a D, 5" could be a DD or E depending on the manufacturer and 6" could be a DDD, EE or an F.

Style That Suits

Once you have the right size you will need to find a style that works for you.  One of the important things to remember is that you will need to be able to open the fastenings with one hand since you will be holding your baby with the other.  This certainly takes practice, but also keep in mind that some styles work better for some people.  The bra cups may be unfastened with plastic or metal hooks, snaps or buttons and some are even designed to just slip down around the breast.

When it comes to style as in fashion, it is important to remember that you are not only a new nursing mom, but you are also still a woman and a wife (if you are married, of course).  Your nursing bras should not only make nursing more comfortable and be easy for you to use, but they should also make you feel like a beautiful woman.  Self-esteem after the weight gain of pregnancy can sometimes be an issue, but keep in mind that most husbands are so happy with the increased bust size that a little extra everywhere else goes unnoticed.  A pretty nursing bra can help remind a woman that she is still beautiful and is so much more than "just a mom" (which is in no way meant to imply that being a mom isn't the most awesome thing in the world, because it is).

Wrapping it Up

You are in the midst of a beautiful time in your life and you have chosen to give your baby a wonderful gift in breastfeeding.  Your nursing bras can give you support both literally and figuratively in that adventure.  You will need at least half a dozen good nursing bras so that you can always have a clean bra on hand.  A good idea might be to order two or three different styles and see what feels best and then order the appropriate quantities of each.  Remember to choose bras with good support and lift for daytime and some really cozy ones for sleeping in.  Most important of all, enjoy your baby!

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