buying guides
The best and most comfortable nursing and maternity bras
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A decent bra is one of the most important maternity products you’ll buy.
Tender and expanding boobs are often one of the first signs of pregnancy and good support right from the early stages will help to ease any discomfort.
As your pregnancy progresses, your breasts will continue to change shape and size, and may also begin to leak a little.
Making sure you’re wearing a well-fitted bra throughout will keep you comfortable and will keep you well-supported.
Many maternity bras can also be used after your baby is born for nursing.
A nursing bra is one of the most important piece of breastfeeding kit you'll need.
It has two main purposes: to give your bust the support it needs for breastfeeding, and to make it physically easier and more discreet to feed your baby.
1. Bravado Nursing Bra
*Available in several colours and sizes
*91% nylon, 9% spandex/elastane
*Seamless design in silky fabric for all-day comfort
We like this seam-free bra by Bravado, it's available in a wide range of sizes and colours and offers comfort and support throughout pregnancy. It also has drop down cups, so it can be used for nursing once your baby is born.
2. Medela Sleep Bra
*Made from stretch fabric and criss cross back
*Easy access for night time feeding
*Material 92% nylon, 8% elastane
Medela are feeding specialists, but their sleep bra can be worn during pregnancy as well as night feeds. It offers gentle support, adapts to your body as your shape changes, and is made from stretch fabric with a criss cross design.
3. John Lewis Maria Seam Free Maternity Bra
*88% polyamide, 12% elastane
*Lightly padded
*Machine washable
A very wearable seamless maternity bra that comes in a pack of two, with removable padding. The drop cups have a simple to use clip fastening, so that you can feed your baby in an instant and the straps are fully adjustable. The fabric is soft with plenty of stretch to ensure a good fit.
4. Natal Active Artemis Maternity & Nursing Sports Bra
*Comes with an additional bra extender
*Machine washable
*73% polyester, 27% elastane
Natal Active believes you should be able to carry on your fitness routine even during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so it's created this sporty maternity bra.
It adapts to your size at every stage of pregnancy and beyond from a B to a G cup. Buy your pre-pregnancy size and it will still fit you as your bust expands. It has easy access clips for nursing, a comfortable and wide under band and straps that won't dig in, whether you're running, doing yoga, or feeding. The straps can be worn straight or cross-backed.
5. Seraphine Women's Maternity & Nursing Bra
*Drop cups
*No underwire
*Adjustable straps
A pretty bra with geometric lace, fully lined in soft cotton, this can be used all through pregnancy and then doubles as a feeding bra. It will lift, shape and support your bust with no under-wiring, and the simple drop cups allow easy breastfeeding. It is adjustable fit, with six back settings and adjustable straps, so it will grow with you through pregnancy and beyond.
6. MAMA.LICIOUS Women's Nursing Bra
*Pack of two
*50% Polyamide, 42% Polyamide, 8% Elastane
*Machine Wash
These pretty bras don't look like traditional nursing bras, as they're lightweight but still supportive. They fasten with simple hooks and eyes, have some lovely lace detailing and are made with recycled nylon to preserve natural resources and reduce waste.
7. Heidi Klum Elodie maternity bra
*Machine washable
*70% Polyamide, 30% Elastane
*Non-wired
Designed by model Heidi when she was pregnant, the Elodie is a lovely bra that's easy to open one-handed when you need to feed your baby, using clever nursing buckles .
8. Naturana Women's Nursing Bra
* Moulded cups can be opened with one hand
*Made from 83% nylon, 17% elastane
*Machine-wash warm at 30°
If you thought maternity bras were frumpy, think again! This chic pinstripe number by Naturana has all the comfortable styling and practical features you need, but looks like an everyday bra.
One more thing to note is that many maternity bras do double duty as nursing bras.
The key feature to look for here is drop cups: that is, where the front unclips and drops down to allow your baby easy access.
If you’re bra shopping in the late stages of pregnancy, this is a useful feature as you’ll be able to carry on wearing the same bras after the birth.
Need to know
Because your bra size tends to change so often in pregnancy – and because maternity bras fit rather differently from what you’re used to – it’s a good idea to get professionally measured.
You can get this done in department stores, baby shops and lingerie stores, or by an NCT bra fitter.
Ideally, you should be re-measured every couple of months throughout pregnancy, but at the very least in the first trimester and then again a few weeks before your due date.
In early pregnancy, choose a bra that fastens on its tightest setting at the back.
This will give you growing room.
In the later stages, pick one that you can do up on one of the last rows of hooks: although your breasts will initially get bigger when your milk comes in, your ribcage will shrink post-pregnancy, so you’ll need to be able to do your bra up tighter.
You may also need to get re-measured once breastfeeding is well established – usually between six and 12 weeks after the birth – to check that your bras are still a good fit.
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Checklist
- Maternity bras should be non-wired with wide shoulder straps and a deep band under your breasts for good support.
- Aim to get professionally measured in the first trimester, and again a few weeks before the birth.
- A drop-cup bra will see you through from pregnancy to breastfeeding, so your money stretches further
Read on:
- The best changing bags for fashionistas
- The best maternity jeans for every budget
- Maternity clothes: what you need and what you don't
