Are Breastfeeding Bras Important?

First of all, congratulations on making the decision to breastfeed your baby! Breastfeeding your baby is one of the most important things you can do for her health. It’s also good for your health and will save you lots of money in the long run. However, one of the expenses you’ll need to plan for if you’re breastfeeding is a bra designed specifically for breastfeeding. Breastfeeding bras are important for several reasons.

When you’re pregnant, your breast size will increase as your breasts prepare to make milk for your baby. Most women find they need larger and more supportive bras for their larger and tenderer breasts during this time. Giving up underwire bras during pregnancy is also a good idea, as the underwires can compress sensitive breast tissue. This is especially painful during pregnancy and can cause plugged ducts during breastfeeding. Bras for breastfeeding, on the other hand, are designed to support your breasts without requiring an underwire for support.

One of the most important facts of a breastfeeding bra is the way it’s designed. Breastfeeding bras will not compress your breast tissue. This is important not only from a comfort standpoint, but also so that sensitive tissue isn’t damaged and milk ducts don’t become plugged. Plugged ducts can lead to mastitis – a serious and painful condition.

In addition, breastfeeding bras are designed with cups that open to allow your baby access to your breast without removing your breast from the bra cup. This allows you to breastfeed without undressing and with minimal exposure. This is especially important for women who are concerned with privacy while breastfeeding. It’s also convenient for women with larger breasts, as they can usually manage the bra with one hand instead of two.

For best results, you should be professional fitted for a breastfeeding bra. This should take place near the end of your pregnancy, as your breasts will grow throughout your pregnancy. A bra-fitting professional can make sure that you choose the correct band size, so that the bra will fit comfortably, but snugly. You’ll usually need about one additional cup size of bra while you’re breastfeeding. However, most women aren’t wearing properly fitting bras to begin with, so it’s essential to be measured to make sure you get a cup that’s large enough.

Once you’ve established your size, buy one or two bras before your pregnancy ends and wash them in preparation for the baby's birth. Pack one of the bras in the overnight bag you’ll be taking with you to the hospital – you’ll be glad to have something comfortable on hand once the delivery is over.

After the baby is born, the size of your breasts will change as your milk comes in, before settling into their normal breastfeeding size. At this point, you can buy additional bras if desired. In general, though, it’s a good idea to have at least two bras on hand at all times, so that you have one to wear while the other is in the wash.