What is a Nursing Bra?

It is extremely important to know what exactly a nursing bra is before actually attempting to choose the best nursing bra. A nursing bra is, quite obviously, very different from regular bras or even a maternity bra from the perspective that it needs to provide enough room for the breasts that grow bigger after pregnancy and also to let the milk come in effectively. It is, thus, quite clear that proper breastfeeding requires choosing the proper piece of clothing associated.

Best Nursing Bra For Breastfeeding

Important Features of the Best Nursing Bra:

The nursing bra would qualify as the best only if it possesses the following characteristics and features:

  • Comfort is the primary aspect that determines the effectiveness of a nursing bra. The mother must be comfortable wearing it and also be able to manage it effortlessly, during breastfeeding and throughout the day as well.
  • The best nursing bra will need to have provision for easy access for milk; that is, the cups should be easy to open and/or close, and it would be best if they can be handled with just one hand while another is busy holding the baby or with related tasks.
  • The strap of the bra needs to be extremely strong so as to be able to support the growing and enlarged breasts. The back of the bra as well as the sides need to be broad and supportive.
  • The bra would qualify as the best nursing bra only if you are comfortable wearing it. It is generally advised that women in the 4th or 5th month of their pregnancy [a couple of weeks earlier or later are fine too] should go for nursing bras. It is the woman herself who would best understand the fit, and it is important for her to invest in the right nursing bra.

Avoid Mistakes while Choosing the Best Nursing Bra

It is important for the nursing mother to avoid some of the common mistakes generally made while choosing the best and the most appropriate nursing bra. Few of the mistakes to be avoided and features to be kept in mind include:

  1. Professional guidance is a necessity. There are professional fitters who can help out making the right choice according to your body structure and other factors as required to be considered. It is a genuine mistake trying to make choices without proper knowledge, during this sensitive phase when the child is a breast-fed infant.
  2. Sufficient number of hooks – minimum of 4 to 6 – need to be present such that the nursing mother can loosen or tighten it as per convenience [cup size follows a growing and shrinking phase]. Keeping enough space for the milk to come in is necessary.
  3. Specifications of the nursing bra are important features that need to be confirmed by the respective mother. Breasts generally grow bigger and sizes fluctuate rapidly after 8-9 weeks of the birth of the child. The flow of milk also changes accordingly, and the nursing mother would best know her body.

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