Best time to buy a nursing bra?

Darcie Elicia · May 2011

I'm assuming after the babies are born but do you have a general idea before hand? Also, what brand worked well for you? Thanks!

MrsB*7*21 · May 2011

I bought 3 nursing tanks and 1 nursing bra before my boys were born. They all fit fine. I've probably only went up about 1/2 a cup size or so. I found all of it at Target.

monkski · May 2011

I think they say to wait a few weeks. My melons were huge until my milk supply regulated and then they went back down a little a few weeks later. I just wore nursing tanks until then.

There are so many different brands and styles and since every body is so different, you just have to go and try some on. Find a good store that specializes in babies/nursing and get fitted. I started with one and after I wore it a few times to be sure I liked it, then went and got more. Also, I am one that needs a lot of support and I went and got a one at target to try it out and it fell apart after a couple of weeks, so it's worth it to spend a few extra bucks IMO. I think the ones I have now are Medela brand.

Temp6313048411121614 · May 2011

I really like THIS at the beginning b/c it's not super dependent on your size (just S/M/L/XL). After both deliveries I was very blessed, but as soon as my milk production evened out they went down quite a bit so IMO it takes a while to really know what size to buy.

nikinikinine · May 2011

from pregnancy to the point when my milk came in I went up a full cup size. Fast forward 4 months later and I dropped that cup size and I'm back to my pregnancy size.

I'd say buy one or two that fit you now, they'll be comfortable in the last tri. But don't go crazy.

The advice I was given was you should be able to stick your hand inside the cup of your bra and have it fit snugly then - that is what you will grow to when your milk comes in (if that makes sense??)

Also I found that I wear nursing tanks waaaay more than nursing bras. I like having my stomach covered when I'm nursing and I like not having to take clothes off to nurse. My fav tanks are the Bravado Essential Nursing Tank. A bit pricey but super comfortable and worth every penny, plus they are dual sizes so I haven't had to worry about outgrowing them by getting too big or too small.

For actual bras, I haven't really found any that I love, but I grew to a 32G when my milk came in, so there aren't a lot of options in that size.

atc282 · May 2011

I'd maybe get a few nursing tanks and then wait to see how your chest responds. I was thankful I had a few of the Target brand nursing tanks (get the next size up as the cut out holes in my normal size were snug; next size up worked great). Another comfy thing to have in the beginning is the Medela cotton nursing bra--it comes in S-XL and again, I'd get it in your next size up. I lived in those for awhile!

natb22 · May 2011

I bought mine about 3 weeks prior to delivery and it fit perfectly before and after. I just went to my local specialty bra store and told them I needed a nursing bra, they fit me with a few and I picked the one I liked the best.

caitdana · May 2011

I was large to begin with and when those horomones started to flow then I couldnt fit into my bras and so I had to buy them around 18 weeks because I needed bigger bras. I knew I was going to BF or try at least so I just went o JCPenny and bought the only one they had that fit me. Sadly, I am "all dried up" and still have huge boobs that wont fit back into my pre-pregnancy bras so I am still wearing them until I can get a mommy day at vicky secret.

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