Nursing Bra Size

manna1212

Hi Ladies! I want to get at least one nursing bra before giving birth so I have it at the hospital and for the first few days. Any thoughts on what size? How close to you normal size? Thanks!

jmaines821

I know the first couple of days your milk won't come in but I got a sports bra kind in a size XL.  I am very heavy chested and it fits now but IDK if it will fit when my milk starts coming in.  Kind of hard to guess what size you will be in.  Hope this helps some

bcnoelle

I found this helpful:

https://www.thedairyfairy.com/for-mom/the-arden-all-in-one-bra/the-fitting-room/

Honestly my boob size was all over the place.  I'm usually a 32-34B and a size small was adequate with S/M/L...but sometimes I just wore a regular bra around 34C.

Mr. & Mrs. Woodtick

Honestly, I would wait till your milk comes in to get a bra as those are pretty expensive. If you feel that you want something immediately, I would suggest a cheap nursing tank from wal-mart or target in whatever size you can fit into now. With DS I went up to a DD, then after my milk came in I as a F/G.

Nmooney1

With both of my LO (who were c/s) my milk came in before I left the hosptial. I was able to actually pump and save some.
I just use the sleep nursing bras (from Target) in the hosptial. They are cheap and comfy.
I am a 36DDD and the XL fits fine with room for engorgement.

fatbarbie0226

You boobs will change size every couple of hours when you are nursing. They might normally be a size C, but when they're full, you could be a DD! Or when baby has drained one side, but not the other side, one will be bigger than the other one! When you're empty, you might be a flabby C or even a B. I would just buy a few very comfortable ones that fit you now. In a few months, you can go get another after your milk is established and you know about what size you'll be on average.

Arinias

I am a FTM so I can't help from experience but I picked up two XL from Target for fairly cheap. They fit me now and were were a lot more comfortable than my current bras. I have one packed in my hospital bag, and one to wear until then, I had a coupon too and figure if I get bigger afterwards I am not out a ton of money.

spinsoffresonance

Honestly, the first 3 weeks after DD was born I was topless 90% of the time. It is so much easier when you're learning how to breastfeed to not deal with a bra. Also if you like to do skin to skin the bra just gets in the way. I brought a nursing sleep bra with me to the hospital and only put it on when I knew my friends were coming to visit. At home I went bra-less and wore nursing tanks to leave the house. I didn't get a proper nursing bra until I went back to work at 6w. At that stage your boob sizes changes so much throughout the day that wearing a bra is not comfortable at all.

ThereBeDragons

I went with a generally sized one. I'm comfortably in the middle of the XL range so there's plenty of room for expansion. One my milk comes in and my boobs settle down I'm thinking of investing in a nice padded underwire bra (my general preference for bras) in a specific size, but until then- the stretchy sports bra like one should do just fine.

Katzalia

FTM, so I'm new to this too. I just picked up a couple of cheap sleep bras from Motherhood Maternity. I've heard good things about this one from my sister and another mom-friend, and it seems to fit well for me with room to stretch (but runs large, size down).

https://www.motherhood.com/mobile/Product.asp?Product_Id=91178010361&MasterCategory_Id=MC29

I figure once I'm well into the nursing routine and getting close to going back to work (7 or 8 weeks), I'll invest in some spendier nursing t-shirt bras.

awc1986

I just thought I'd share that I used an online calculator to figure out what size is recommended for me. I'm normally a 32G and the calculator recommended a 36I based on my measurements. I closed the laptop and considered chopping them off with a kitchen knife. Do not want. @-)

Alexinav

I would do a nursing tank. I got bras that are one size up because my boobs didn't grow that much with my son but I was also 15 and that was almost 8 years ago. But a nursing tank is so comfy and I plan on taking that to the hospital. Plus they say you shouldn't wear anything with an underwire so soon after deliever so keep that in mind

ho11yday

I'd never be able to fit into a target bra so I'm using a nursing cami instead of a bra while in the hospital.

jntaylor11

I'd just get a soft bra until your milk is in. Although I didn't really get any bigger than I was at 38-39wks. I had to size down eventually but I bf into this pregnancy...

springbeduk2

I was wondering the same thing as OP, but I'm one of the weird ones in that my boobs haven't really changed size during this whole pregnancy.  They changed, for sure, but not size.  Was and still am wearing either 36B or 34C (depending on brand/cut/etc.) just fine.  Poor DH ... no pregnacy boob bonus!  

Does anyone have a guess about how much size is likely to change after birth (with milk coming in) if it hasn't changed so far, and especially being on the smallish end to start with?

Also do most Targets have those nursing sleep bras and nursing tanks (which sound like a good way to start off - at least for hospital and first couple weeks)  in store or are they among the many annoying online-only things?