Blue Berry Bra by Cake Lingerie, 2011
One of the biggest changes your body will experience during pregnancy and after the birth of your child is the fluctuation of breast size. Once you body starts to produce milk for your baby, your breasts can often seem like they double in size.
One way to protect your breasts from permanent damage due to stretching is to have a well fitting and supportive maternity bra.
A bra that is firm fitting, comfortable and fits evenly over the breast can also help in the prevention of engorgement or blocking of the milk ducts. Blocked milk ducts can often result in a painful infection called mastitis.
When choosing your new maternity bra it’s best to go for a soft cup style rather than an underwire type bra. An underwire bra can put unnecessary pressure on the root of the breast, causing some pain and discomfort.
Feeding bras
After your child has arrived, you may also consider buying a couple of feeding bras. At around the third day after birth, your milk supply becomes established, which can cause swollen and painful breasts.
You may also find yourself wearing your feeding bras a lot during the breastfeeding period, and the inevitable leak will cause you to have to change them often. It’s a good idea to have a few spares on hand in emergency situations and in between washes.
Tip’s for buying your bra
When shopping for maternity bras, it’s important to remember that your breasts will increase in size, so make allowances for that. Get a bra that you can adjust for increased breast and chest size.
Look for a bra with broad adjustable shoulder straps as well as a number of hook positions. Your breast size can fluctuate from day to day, adjusting your bra will help improve your comfort levels
Brand name maternity bra’s can often be a lot more expensive than a chain store brands, so for an affordable option when bra shopping, check out your larger chain store’s maternity range.
A feeding bra that has the cups unhook will allow you to easily feed your baby without restricting the flow of milk, it’s recommended to look for a bra that will expose your entire breast rather than just a portion of it.
The more cotton in the cup the better, synthetic bras can often be very irritating and hash on the nipple.
Look for a bra that is totally machine washable, the last thing you will want to be concerned with is worrying about hand-washing your bras.
This is really a helpful and useful article!
Thanks for posting!