• Bra Fitting Procedures/Suggestions
• Fitting Guidelines
• How Our Bra Sizes Work
• How to Put on a Nursing Bra
• How a Bra Should Fit
• A Note About Underwires

BRA FITTING PROCEDURES/SUGGESTIONS

So, you need a nursing bra? Here are a few helpful hints before moving ahead:

If you're pregnant:

1. Your breasts may or may not grow while you’re pregnant – this varies depending on the woman. Additionally, after Baby is born, you won’t know right away what size you will be. Most women’s milk will come in a few days after giving birth, but it takes about 2-3 weeks to settle into your size. This is when your breasts no longer feel engorged (many women think that they're losing their milk) and when they are soft all the time. This is a good time to do a fitting and figure out what size you are.
2. During pregnancy your band width is expanding and will continue to do so as belly grows.
3. We recommend buying a transitional bra and/or a nursing tank. These are bras that will grow with you. They may not be as supportive as your push-up underwire, but we can guarantee that you'll feel a lot more comfortable!
4. If you're wondering when to buy a nursing bra, most mamas-to-be wait until about a month before they're due. However, that really depends on who you are and how fast your cup size/band width is expanding.

Suggestions for now (which will most likely last through nursing your baby – you won't want to toss these!):

Bravado Body Silk Seamless – this is a bra that almost every single pregnant woman has in her bag when she walks out of our store! The band is extremely soft and stretchy (to accommodate an expanding rib cage) and the cups are molded to help support and give you a smooth look. It comes in t-shirt sizing, but check the chart to see where you fall. This bra is stretchy enough to grow with you and remain a staple after Baby comes.   Bella Materna Anytime Nursing Bralette – although this does have a band width, the cup is two-sized (e.g., C/D, E/F). We find the cross style of this bra to be the easiest to nurse in – no clips, just pull down and nurse (it's the Super Mom bra!). This is not going to be an extremely supportive bra for larger cup sizes (we don't recommend doing aerobics in it!). But for a pretty, easy to use, wick-away fabric, great bra – this is it. [Note: the bands seem to run very true to size (read: maybe a little snug), so be sure of your band size. Also, if you are measuring a D cup or an F cup, go up a cup size. If you are measuring an A or B cup, the C/D cup may fit just fine because the cup is not molded.)   Elle MacPherson Maternelle – this was a bra that we started carrying because of the number of requests we received and we are glad we did! This is a comfortable, full-coverage bra that has a flexible cup. The band has a built-in extender so that, as you expand and then contract in rib size, your bra works with you.   Bravado Original Nursing Bra – this standard has served women for years. It's a pull-over bra that's sized in ranges instead of cup and band width. Many women swear by this bra and wear it well beyond the transitional stage.   Glamourmom Transition Tank – this tank is a little roomier in the belly (it can be worn during pregnancy as well!) and falls a little longer than the original Glamourmom. Many of our pregnant mamas take this to the hospital, so that they can feel comfortable and still easily nurse their babies when visitors arrive. This tank makes a great layer piece during colder months (you don't have to expose the none-too-gorgeous postpartum belly to the frigid air), a great around the house lounge piece or a cute tank in warmer weather.

If you had your baby less than 3 weeks ago:
Welcome to the world, Baby! And congratulations, Mama, on your new role as Keeper of All Things Fabulous (or so your baby thinks)! You may or may not be finished changing sizes. Most women will begin to get their milk in after a few days, but it takes about 2-3 weeks to settle into your size. This is when your breasts no longer feel engorged (many women think that they're losing their milk) and when they are soft all the time – a good time to do a fitting and figure out what size you are. If you are still feeling engorged even some of the time, we recommend waiting until you feel softer. If you need a bra now, take a peek at the suggestions in the Pregnancy section above.

If you had your baby 3 or more weeks ago:
Congratulations! We hope your transition into motherhood has been a smooth one. If you're ready now to find a bra and feel like yourself again, it's time to get fitted. Follow the fitting guidelines below. Keep in mind that in about six months you may want to re-check your size, as breastfeeding and lifting babies (and any other physical activities you do) tend to make women lose weight and, in turn, cup sizes and band widths may change.

If your baby is 6 months old or older:
We applaud you for continuing your nursing relationship. You are doing such a wonderful thing for your little one. What's that you say, your bra is well-loved and a little saggy? Well, it's time to check your size again. See the fitting guidelines below.

FITTING GUIDELINES

[Note: these guidelines are created for inches. You will need to adjust for centimeters, if necessary.]

Things you need:

1. Get a tape measure (no, not the kind that you use for measuring your wall – the soft kind, that doesn't hurt)
2. Find someone to measure you. Enlist a partner, friend, family member or someone you feel comfortable with when you're in a bra. It really helps to have someone else measure you if at all possible.
3. It also helps to be in front of a mirror – that way you can see if the tape measure is in the correct position.

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Keep in mind that your measurements are a guide, not a hard and fast rule. All manufacturers have slight differences, which will change how their bras fit each woman. Women have different shaped breasts and torsos and two women who measure the same may fit well into very different bras.
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How To:

If you are pregnant, or had your baby less than 4 weeks ago, follow these steps:

1. Leave your bra on. Put your arms up. Put the tape measure at the center of your chest above your breasts, bring it around your body just below your armpits. Relax your arms down (no, seriously, RELAX your shoulders!). The tape measure should be high on your back (above your bra line), parallel to the floor, and it should be pulled snuggly. Write down or remember the number you measure at.
2. put your arms up again. Now bring the tape measure around your bust at nipple-height. Relax your arms down. If you look in the mirror, the tape measure at your back should be even with the tape measure at the front, but it shouldn't be pulled snuggly. Write down or remember the number you measure at.
3. The first number is your band width (e.g., 36).
4. Calculate the difference between your band width and the measurement around your bust. (e.g., you measured 36 at your band and 40 at your bust. The difference is 4.)
5. Each inch higher than your bandwidth is a cup size. (e.g., 1” = A, 2”=B, 3”=C, 4”=D, etc.). Your measurement is 36D.

Troubleshooting

1. Keep in mind the size you were before you were pregnant. If you were always a 36 and you are now measuring 34, measure again. It's possible you were always wearing the wrong bra size (apparently Oprah says that most of us do), but it's best to take the measurement a second time, just to be sure.
2. Also consider how you like to wear your bra. Some women want to feel very snug (almost corset-like) in their band, while others would rather be loose and comfortable. If you are in between in band sizes, this is a very important thing to consider before choosing which band width you'd like to go with.
3. If you are pregnant and measure between a band size, go up to the next band size (e.g., you measure 35, go up to 36). The reasoning is that you may have some more expanding to do.
4. If you are nursing and measure between a band size (and you are comfortable with a snugger fit), go down a band size (e.g., you measure 35, go down to 34). The reasoning for this is that you will most likely get back down to a 34 and bands tend to stretch over time, so starting with a larger band may not give you a well-fitting bra for the long-term.
5. If you are breastfeeding, when was the last time you nursed? If it was 30 minutes ago, you may want to measure yourself more loosely around the bust. If it was 2 hours ago and you're going to nurse soon, consider measuring more snuggly around the bust. Your cup needs to be able to fit you at your fullest, but not be so generous that it puckers after you nurse.

How To:

If you had your baby more than 4 weeks ago, follow these steps:

1. Leave your bra on. Put your arms up. Put the tape measure at the center of your chest below your breasts and bring it around your body. Relax your arms down (no, seriously, RELAX your shoulders!). The tape measure should be parallel to the floor and very snug. Write down or remember the number you measure at.
   • If you are large breasted (or your breasts sag past your band), pull up the straps of your bra while being measured underneath your breasts. This will give you a more accurate band measurement.
   • If you feel like you need support from the band, it can help to exhale before you get measured. The tape measure should be very snug.
2. Put your arms up again. Now bring the tape measure around your bust at nipple-height. Relax your arms down. If you look in the mirror, the tape measure at your back should be even with the tape measure at the front, but it shouldn't be pulled snuggly. Write down or remember the number you measure at.
3. If the first number is even, add 4. If it is odd, add 5. (e.g., a measurement of 30=34, a measurement of 31=36). This sum is your band width.
   • Some women find that this measurement seems larger than what they expected. If you are comfortable with a snug fit, you may want to add only 2 or 3 inches.
   • Another option is to measure around your chest above your breasts (see pregnancy/less than 4 weeks post partum section above). This measurement may prove a helpful comparison and, for some, is more accurate.
4. Calculate the difference between your band width and the measurement around your bust. (e.g., you measured 36 at your band and 40 at your bust. The difference is 4.)
5. Each inch higher than your bandwidth is a cup size. (e.g., 1” = A, 2”=B, 3”=C, 4”=D, etc.). Your measurement is 36D.

Troubleshooting

1. Keep in mind the size you were before you were pregnant. If you were always a 36 and you are now measuring 34, measure again. It's possible you were always wearing the wrong bra size (apparently Oprah says that most of us do), but it's best to take the measurement a second time, just to be sure.
2. Also consider how you like to wear your bra. Some women want to feel very snug (almost corset-like) in their band, while others would rather be loose and comfortable. If you are in between in band sizes, this is a very important thing to consider before choosing which band width you'd like to go with.
3. If you measure between a band size (and you are comfortable with a snugger fit), go down a band size (e.g., you measure 35, go down to 34). The reasoning for this is that bands tend to stretch over time, so starting with a larger band may not give you a well-fitting bra for the long-term.
4. When was the last time you nursed? If it was 30 minutes ago, you may want to measure yourself more loosely around the bust. If it was 2 hours ago and you're going to nurse soon, consider measuring more snuggly around the bust. Your cup needs to be able to fit you at your fullest, but not be so generous that it puckers after you nurse. (This also depends on how much you change in size before and after you nurse.)
5. Another thing to consider is your shape. Many women will measure larger above the breasts than below the breasts (read: smaller waist, hourglass figure). There are, however, those among us who have a more even shape (read: no waist, boyish figure), measuring the same above the breasts and below. These women often feel more comfortable in a band width one size up from what they measure.

HOW OUR BRA SIZES WORK

Sometimes it seems like modern bra sizing was developed using a mysterious mathematical theorem derived from an ancient Babylonian text. Of course, that would probably make it much more logical!

We try to simplify bra sizing by staying away from doubles (e.g., DD, DDD, EE, etc.). You may notice that when you receive your bra, the size on the tag is slightly different than what you intended to purchase. Because we have bras from all over the world, we standardize them on our site for you convenience, although the cup sizes on the tags may vary. Check out our bra filter on the Nursing Bra pages to help you find your size.

Cup/Band Relationship

It may surprise you to know that the same cup size – let’s take E – is not the same across different bandwidths. Bandwidths actually increase cup sizes. For example, a 32E is a cup smaller than a 34E and two cups smaller than a 36E, and so on.

If you are looking for the same cup in the next bandwidth up, you will need to go down one cup size. For example, 32E equals the same cup volume as a 34D. Often hard-to-find bandwidths (like 30’s) will be able to find a suitable 32 in the next cup size down.

Conversely, if you are wearing a 40C, for example, and you feel you need to go down a bandwidth, but the cups fit perfectly, you will need to go up a cup size to 38D.

HOW TO PUT ON A NURSING BRA

1. Hook your band on the loosest hook. Bands tend to stretch over time and you want to give it the longest life. (If you are an in-between size, you may want to go in one or two hooks, depending on the bra.)
2. Make sure your band is parallel to the floor.
   • For fuller cups, bands have a tendency to ride up. The more secure they are in the parallel position, the more supportive they are.
   • Many make the mistake of tightening the straps too much, which causes the band to rise. It may look supportive at first, but straps are not meant to bear the full weight of your breasts. Eventually, shortened straps pull up the band causing cups to sag and indentations on your shoulders. Straps should be taut, but not too tight.
3. Unclip your cups, lean over at the waist, and then clip each cup. This will give your breasts better lift and support.
   • Make sure that all of your breast tissue is inside the cup. The easiest way to do this is to reach into the cup and pull your breast tissue forward.

HOW A BRA SHOULD FIT

1. The band: you should be able to comfortably fit a finger or two under the band.
   • Too big: the band easily creeps up your back when you raise and lower your arms a few times
     • Try loosening the straps
     • If this doesn’t work, try putting the band on a tighter setting
     • If both don’t work, go to a smaller band size
   • Too small: you cannot easily put a finger under the band
     • Set the band on the loosest hook
     • If it is already on the loosest setting, go up a band size
2. The cup: when the fit is correct, you fill the cup without spilling over on any side.
   • Too big
     • Soft cups: pucker at the nipple
     • Molded/Padded cups: your breast does not fill the cup
     • Underwire: wire hits too far back and/or too high in the front
   • Too small: it’s generally easier to tell if a bra is too small, simply because it presses against the breast tissue and causes the “double boob”. However, for some women, this spillover happens at the back of the breast near the armpit as well as, or instead of, the front.
     • If the cup is too small and the band fits, go up a cup size.

A NOTE ABOUT UNDERWIRES

Underwires are great for supporting larger cup sizes and for keeping everything in place. Unfortunately, they are not great at staying away from sensitive milk ducts when they are worn improperly. When underwires are worn incorrectly, they can press in on milk ducts and cause problems like plugged ducts and mastitis (a breast infection). For this reason, we cannot recommend pregnant and new nursing mothers purchase underwire nursing bras, even if this is your second or third child. Once your milk supply is well-established and your size is done changing (around 6 months), then you may want to choose an underwire to help with shaping your figure. Obviously, you are free to buy the bra you want, but we feel it is important you know what the risks are. To wear an underwire properly, make sure that the wire goes back beyond your breast tissue (this usually means that it hits beneath the middle of your armpit). The wire should also come up between your breasts and lay flat against your breast bone. If the wire presses on your breast tissue at all, it is likely too small. Also, make sure that your whole breast is in front of the wire. The easiest way to do this is to reach into the cup and pull your breast tissue forward. If, at any time, you feel uncomfortable or restricted wearing an underwire, we recommend you take it off and put on another, less structured bra. If you really want that underwire look, but are concerned about the risks, we’ve found many mothers love molded cup bras like the Nummies Style Bra and Bella Materna’s Smooth Cup Nursing Bra. Check out our Padded Bras section for ideas.

© Be By Baby! 2009