My Nursing Bra Collection

My 3 month old daughter, Mischa, is exclusively breastfed, and as such I wear nursing bras all the time now. When I was pregnant, I had no clue about what to look for in a good nursing bra, how many I would need, what size I should get, etc. I was completely clueless! During my third trimester, my regular bras started getting really tight around the band. I'm normally a 34 band size, and towards the end of my pregnancy a 38 would have been way more comfortable. I used a bra extender on all of my bras, but even on the loosest setting they felt too tight. I wasn't sure if my band size would go back to normal after I gave birth, or if this was my new normal. I decided to purchase some 34 and some 36's, and kept all of my receipts. Even though you won't know your true size until after you give birth (and sometimes not until months later!), I would definitely recommend purchasing at least one or two nursing bras while you're still pregnant so you don't have to rush out to the mall with your brand new baby. Keep the tags on and your receipts, and you can exchange them if you need to - or get someone else to do it for you! My band size did end up going back to a 34 pretty much right after I gave birth to my daughter, but that might not be the case for everyone.

The first nursing bra I purchased was actually from Walmart. It was the George Maternity George Wirefree Light Support Seamless Nursing Bra, and I bought it because it was only $13.97! I bought size medium, which felt really tight in the band while I was pregnant, but ended up fitting really well postpartum. There's nothing fancy about this bra, but I find it to be really comfortable, and in these last two months I've found myself reaching for it a ton! However, I do think that the straps have already loosened up a bit in only two months, so this bra might not last for as long as some other higher quality options. Additionally, I did have to take the removable padding out permanently as is tended to get bunched up every time I nursed.

Next, I ordered two nursing bras from La Vie En Rose. Pretty much all of my regular bras are from La Vie, so I figured I couldn't go wrong with their nursing styles. They have a very limited selection -they actually only have two nursing styles. First up is the Nursing Lightly Lined Wireless Bra, which I got in black. I'll start with the positive of this bra: it has 5 rows of hooks so you can adjust the size easily as your body changes during the post partum period. And that's just about all I like about this bra. For a wireless bra, it's incredibly uncomfortable. I find that the bottom of the bra tends to curl up, and digs into my skin. I only find myself reaching for this bra when my others are covered in milk and I haven't had time to do laundry yet. 

When I placed my order, La Vie En Rose was running a 2 for 1 deal on nursing bras (the sale is currently still active 4 months later, so it might be permanent?). The other bra I ordered was the Nursing Lightly Lined Bra in Neutral. I can very happily say that I enjoy this bra much more than the wireless one! This bra is super comfortable, especially since it has wire. It's light, and I like that since it is only lightly lined, the cups fold down easily for nursing. 

Next, I got two bras from Thyme Maternity. First up is the Contour Balconnet Underwire Nursing Bra. This is another beige bra with wire, and it's absolutely beautiful, especially for a nursing bra. However, I don't find myself wearing it that often because the cups are a bit more rigid compared to the La Vie bra, so they don't fold down as easily. This definitely isn't a bra that I would wear around the house, but I do wear it if I'm going out and need a more structured beige bra under a lighter coloured shirt. However, I don't think I can fully recommend this bra as the more rigid cup does hinder nursing slightly. 

And finally we have Thyme Maternity's Natural Shape Nursing Bra in Black, which I would absolutely recommend to all nursing mamas! This bra is so comfortable, I wish I just bought 5 of these instead of getting different styles (hindsight, eh?). It's wireless, doesn't ride up, comfortable to sleep in, and easy to nurse in. I suppose the only downfall is that because it's a natural shape bra without padding, it doesn't give that perfect shape when wearing tighter clothes. However, I'm all about comfort these days, so that doesn't bother me right now, haha! 

So there you have it, my nursing bra collection! I do think that 5 nursing bras is a good number to have, especially if you tend to be a bit leaky like me. You could definitely get by with 2, but there have been days when I've leaked through one bra, and gotten puke on another (#momlife), so having a few extra on hand is definitely a bonus. 

Now since Mischa is sleeping through the night (Amen!), I've been pumping before I go to bed. So, I need a pumping bra to add to my collection so I don't have to just sit there holding my pump to my boobs every night! If you have any suggestions, please let me know!