Best Bra During Pregnancy
8 min readWritten by Pradeep
Pregnancy is a crucial time as the expecting mother undergoes many physical, psychological, and hormonal changes. The one thing which changes drastically is the size of the breasts. So, it is important to offer them a supportive and comfortable bra. Even though buying maternity bras is not an easy task due to the many changes that keep taking in the body, this write-up will help and offer a smooth insight into many of the questions that can be asked. It also helps to buy the best bra during pregnancy.
First, choosing the right kind of bra is important, but one needs to know the pointers that should be kept in mind. Another important aspect is to understand the types available as per their sizes, their features, when to start wearing, how to measure the size, etc. Find out everything you need to know about the best bra during pregnancy
In This Article
- How to Choose a Bra to Wear During Pregnancy?
- Top 11 Best Maternity Bras For Every Size
- When Should I Start Wearing Maternity Bras?
- How Many Sizes Does Your Bra Size Go Up During Pregnancy?
- Should I Wear a Bra At Night While Pregnant?
- How do You Measure For a Maternity Bra?
How to Choose a Bra to Wear During Pregnancy?
The body of a pregnant lady undergoes many changes, and that too very fast, it becomes difficult to decide when a new bra is needed. So, it is important for the pregnant lady to keep measuring herself as pregnancy advances. It is even crucial to know that the size can multiply by three cup sizes, and keeping a tab on measurement helps to figure out which size of the cup fits the best.
Few pointers that can be kept in mind while choosing the bra to wear during pregnancy are as given below:
1. Bra Should Fit Rightly
The bra chosen during pregnancy should not be too tight or too saggy and should offer optimal support to the breasts. Also, make sure the bra causes no mark on the skin once they wear a bra for a few hours.
2. The Straps Should Be Adjustable
The straps on the bra should be adjustable so that they can provide proper support as well as comfort to the altering breast sizes during the pregnancy.
3. Hook in the Right Place
The hook plays a very important role in keeping the bra firm, so it should be at the exact position. If it moves towards the upper portion, it might become difficult to unhook and hook back.
4. Don’t Select Wired Bras
The breasts tend to become sensitive and even swell up at times, so the bra should cover the breasts fully. Avoid wired bras because they can cause discomfort and other health issues during pregnancy. One should try to avoid wired bras and choose wire-free ones.
5. Right Fabric
The bra used during pregnancy must be of a light fabric. Cotton and synthetic and lace fabrics should be avoided as they can cause discomfort to the skin.
6. Choose Stretchable Bras
The bras that are stretchable are highly recommended as they can fulfill the needs of the changing size of the breasts.
7. Use Bra With Larger Cup Size
Once the 1st trimester comes to an end, the breasts start swelling up, and this is the time when bras with big cup sizes are needed to offer comfort as well as support.
8. Wider Straps
Bras with wider straps are recommended at the time of pregnancy. Broad straps are highly stable, and they will not press into the skin, develop marks in the skin, and last long.
9. Support Bras
Support or, as they called “Light bras,” are recommended for offering support and comfort and to keep the firmness of the breasts.
So as per the experts and experienced, it is not recommended to avoid using a bra as the breasts tend to become saggy once the baby is born. Therefore, it is not recommended to skip wearing a bra during pregnancy. If you do not wear a bra during pregnancy, the breasts will sag after delivery.
[Read : 5 Musts To A Perfect Bra-Shopping]
Top 11 Best Maternity Bras For Every Size
Shopping for bras is always one of a kind with so many variations in the market, but pregnancy is a time when bra shopping becomes a tedious one due to the ever-changing size, so it is best to get a better insight about what is available for different sizes and their features as well.
Given below is a short snippet of the 11 best maternity bras that are available for the different breast sizes.
Best For Large Breasts
In case a woman has large breasts, it can cause back pain, so the bra chosen should offer optimum support and comfort to the shoulders. Back pain is already a part of pregnancy, so it is best to choose the bra that does not further worsen it any further.
1. Kindred Bravely Simply Sublime
This bra is made from a stretchable material and can help to combat the problems with the changing size of the body of the woman in pregnancy and is also firm to provide comfort as well as support. This also has cups that cover the breasts completely and broadband that has three clasps that can be adjusted as per the need.
2. Curve Muse Plus Size Bra
Generally, wired bras are not recommended in pregnancy, but for the ones with large breasts, elastic cups are not a good choice, and a bra with the proper fitting is not harmful to the skin. One can use a bra-extender additionally to ensure it is not too tight. This bra is ideal for a woman with large breasts.
Best For Small Breasts
The woman with small breasts has their own challenges as the cups could lead to an ugly figure underneath the dress, so it is advisable to invest in a proper cup-size bra that offers a proper fit.
3. Racer Back Seamless Support Bra
This bra is good for women with size 32, cup size- A. The bra has an under-band that is knit in a dense manner so that sagging of breasts can be prevented and it looks like a sports bra. It is not padded and offers a custom fit by fitting well to the breasts and the body shape.
4. Kindred Scoop back Sleep Bra
The material for this type of bra is soft for the skin while at sleep. It is stretchable so that the changing sizes can be accommodated. This bra has no hooks, clasps, or wires, making it a more comfortable one.
Best Plus Size Maternity Bras
In case the woman is on the plus size side, she needs a bra that has been made keeping her body type in mind, and that offers a proper fit. It is also important to select the appropriate cup as well as band size.
5. Full-Figure Wire-Free Bra
This bra has lace in it, is wire-free with about six rows of hooks, so can easily fulfill the needs of the changing body types and can be reused as well. Thus, no need to buy a new one every time.
Best Supportive Maternity Bras
An unsupportive bra can result in backache, neck, and shoulder pain. So, selecting a bra that has broad straps, more than one clasp helps the bra to stay in one place and even offer maximum support.
6. HOFISH Maternity Bras
This bra comes with a V-neck design and pushes up pads as well. It is made of a breathable fabric. Due to a broad under-band, the excess flab can be controlled, and the presence of non-slippery shoulder straps helps to keep the bra secured.
7. Gel Wire Nursing Bra
The Gel wire, as indicative of the name, is the one that offers support, and since it is made up of non-hardened gel casts around the breast area, the tissues do not get damaged. This is highly useful to adapt to body changes, and when combined with thick straps, it gives maximum support, comfort, and ease.
Best Maternity Sports Bras
In case a woman needs to stay active, but needs support, the maternity sports bra is a good option. The sports bra is highly recommended in case one wants to prevent damaging the breast tissues. These are very comfortable ones.
8. Racer Back Sports Bra
In case you are a woman who loves to do workouts while pregnant, then this is a good option. It is also not too lower near the torso and absorbs sweat from the skin and keeps the body cool.
9. Removable Padded Sports Bras
The material of the bras is moisture absorbing and breathable as well. Apart from that, it is made of breathable and moisture-wicking fabric, and it has detachable cups so one can change as per their size.
10. Best Cheap Maternity Bras
We get it. If you’re only going to be wearing your bra for a couple of months, you don’t want to spend a fortune, and it’s possible to get both value AND function with these options.
11. Love SIA Maternity Bras
These bras are made from a very soft fabric, have adjusting straps, detachable cups with foam. A well-knitted under-band for proper support, it has a reasonable price as well.
When Should I Start Wearing Maternity Bras?
There is no set time to start wearing a maternity bra, as the bodies of all pregnant women are different. Some find that breast changes happen from the initial days, while others do not feel the change for a few weeks. So, the best time is when women feel that their breasts have grown or changed in size. It is usually seen women start after the first three months have come to an end.
[Read : What are Maternity and Nursing Bras?]
How Many Sizes Does Your Bra Size Go Up During Pregnancy?
The initial signs of pregnancy are the changing breasts, and even though the bodies of all pregnant women are different, maximum women go over three to four cup sizes during pregnancy. Since the belly is also expanding, it is good to wear a large band size as well.
| BMBD | US Cup Size | European | UK |
| Less than 1″ | AA | AA | AA |
| 1″ | A | A | A |
| 2″ | B | B | B |
| 3″ | C | C | C |
| 4″ | D | D | D |
| 5″ | DD/E | E | DD |
| 6″ | DDD/F | F | E |
| 7″ | DDDD/G | G | F |
| 8″ | DDDDD/H | H | FF |
| 9″ | DDDDDD/I | I | G |
| 10″ | J | J | GG |
| 11″ | K | H | |
| 12″ | L | HH | |
| 13″ | M | J | |
| 14″ | N | JJ | |
| 15″ | K |
*BMBD – Bust Minus Band Differences
Due to these changes, it is important to keep measuring oneself and wear maternity bras of good quality for support, ease, and comfort. Follow the columns under mentioned to find the respective cup size and the band size as well.
Should I Wear a Bra at Night While Pregnant?
Wearing a bra at night is not considered good on regular days, and pregnancy is no exception to this as well. So, it is not mandatory to wear a bra at night during pregnancy if the breasts do not leak.
How do You Measure For a Maternity Bra?
We know by now the tips to buy a bra, the types and the best-selling ones. Yet the important one is to measure the bra size, as without this, the tips or knowing the types would not help much.
Let us have a look at the following pointers, which give us an insight into the same.
- It is important to measure the bra size while already wearing one.
- There are two elements to measure the bra size- The band size (e.g., 34, 36, 38) and the cup size (A, B, C, or more).
Following are the steps that should be followed to take the proper measurement:
1. Under Bust Measurement(Band Size)
The measurement should be taken right under the bust by placing the measuring tape around the chest, right beneath the bust. Keep the tape even and keep it tight. This would indicate the band measurement (For Ex, 10,12,14,16, or 18).
2. Over Bust Measurement(Cup Size)
To find out the right cup size, it is important to measure the portion of the breast, which is the fullest. The tape should be even and upright. The measurement should not be done keeping the tape tight.
After getting an insight into the maternity bras, it can be said that it is better to opt for bras made from breathable fabric, which fits perfectly, do not have wires, and the ones that have detachable cups, so that the changing body types can be fulfilled. Always invest in a maternity bra that offers support, comfort, and proper fit.
Read Also: Is It Safe To Wear An Underwire Bra During Pregnancy?
Pradeep,
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