How To Size Maternity And Nursing Bras
Experience: 3 yearsAastha Sirohi is a beauty and lifestyle content writer with over three years of experience in writing for different genres. She has a master’s degree in English Literature from The English And Foreign Languages University and a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Mysore.
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Pregnant mama’s know how pesky it can be to buy the right-sized bra. Especially when your breasts are growing by the day, you need your girls to have the right support and comfort. And if you are breastfeeding your little one or planning to, a nursing bra with the right fit is even more important. When you go to a store, the bra that you buy for yourself might be either too tight or too loose. But if you know the ins and outs of finding the perfect bra for you, shopping can be so much fun and simple.
In This Article
Why You Need A Good Bra
An ill-fitted bra can do you more harm than you think. One study shows that 80% of women wear the wrong size of bra. Now that’s an alarming number.
If you weren’t aware of why you need a right fitting bra, here are some reasons:
- An ill-fitting bra can cause pain in your breasts (1)
- Soreness in the back, neck, and shoulders
- A too small or tight bra can lead to breast sensitivity
- It can cause localized stiffness in the spine (2)
- Due to the overworked neck muscles, you are more likely to get headaches
How To Measure Your Bra Size
Finding your bra size is no rocket science. All you need is a tape to measure and some free time on your hands. This applies for regular bras, maternity or nursing bras. Here’s how to do it:
1. Find Your Band Size:
Place the tape just below the underarms. Make sure that the tape is firm and neither tight nor loose against your body. If you get an odd number, go for the next digit.
2. Measure The Bust:
Wrap the tape measure around the fullest part of your bust. This measurement shouldn’t be too loose that the tape is hanging or too tight that it’s squeezing your breasts.
3. Find Your Cup Size:
Subtract the band measurement from your bust size. The difference between them will give you the cup size. So if the difference is 1, the cup size is A. For 2, it’s B, for 4, it’s D, and so on.
What Is The Difference Between Maternity/Nursing Bras And Regular Bras?
Whether it’s maternity or regular, bras are more or less the same. However, maternity and nursing bras have a few extra features when compared to regular ones.
New Clasps:
The most noticeable feature in nursing bras are the clasps which allow you to breastfeed easily. They are located at the top of the cup, near the strap. This makes it easy to remove the clasp and gives you access to your breast.
Extra Support:
They can come with extra padding and wider straps for better support and comfort. It’s better to opt for wider straps if you have a bigger bust as it will distribute weight more evenly. The material will also be slightly stretchy to accommodate your growing breasts. Both maternity and nursing bras come with extra hooks to provide maximum support.
Here are a few things to help you figure out if your bra is ill-fitting:
1. If you feel uncomfortable or painful.
For example: if the underwire pokes out or leaves a mark on your skin.
2. If your breasts are bulging out of the cups.
However, certain bra styles like push up bras are designed to create the cleavage look.
3. The girls poke out from under the bra when you raise your arms.
It can mean that either the cup is too tight or the band is too loose.
4. If the back band rides up.
The front and the back of the band should be in line with each other.
We hope with our tips and guidance, shopping for maternity or nursing bras would be a breeze for you. One last tip before you leave – if a bra feels uncomfortable in spite of checking all the right boxes, it’s probably not your size. Remember, comfort is key!
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