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So ended nine difficult and exciting months of waiting, and the long-awaited little miracle was born. During this time, the mother managed to prepare everything necessary for the baby, including a comfortable nursing bra, so that the process of eating for the newborn takes place in a comfortable environment.
Today, when manufacturers offer women a huge range of underwear, the question of how to choose a nursing bra becomes especially relevant, because the bodice should be as comfortable, high-quality and aesthetic as possible.
Is it possible to do without a nursing bra
Many girls understand the importance of such a period as breastfeeding, but they believe that a special bra is not an essential, it is quite possible to get by with an ordinary top.
However, experienced mothers are convinced that a supportive postpartum nursing bra, on the contrary, is a very important and necessary thing. Let’s see how it differs from the usual one and what functions it is designed to perform.
Every woman wants her figure and, of course, her breasts not to change for the worse, not to sag, not to lose shape. During lactation, the bust can increase significantly, which cannot affect the mammary glands, skin, muscles, and even the spinal column.
The task of keeping the breasts in good shape, first of all, is performed by a bra for nursing mothers.
Also, the benefits of a bra include:
- Massive, thick elastic straps distribute the load evenly on the shoulder girdle and provide excellent fixation.
- Prevents stretch marks. When milk arrives, the mammary glands fill up, so the breasts increase in size. This provokes stretching of delicate and sensitive skin and contributes to the appearance of stretch marks. Properly selected cups relieve the load from the skin and prevent the appearance of stretch marks.
- After the end of the breastfeeding process, most notice a loss of bust elasticity and a deterioration in its shape. bodice helps keep breasts in good shapebut you need to start wearing it not after childbirth, when the milk began to arrive, but during pregnancy.
- Provides ease of feeding. The sconce has special hooks, valves, zippers that allow you to quickly unzip the cups to feed your baby outside the home. You do not need to completely remove your underwear, which means that you will not attract tactless looks from outsiders.
- Carries out the necessary hygiene. Prevents fluid leakage with liners.
The inserts, which can be reusable or disposable, perfectly solve the problem of milk leakage — in case of smudges, they can simply be thrown away or washed.
Doctors are sure that every expectant mother should buy a nursing bra, as it will avoid many problems and establish a natural physiological process.
Nursing Bra Features
The first thing you should pay attention to when buying a bodice is the quality of the product. It is important that the texture from which the bra was made is natural. Manufacturers use cotton, which has good breathability and keeps nipples dry and cool.
To prevent linen from stretching, microfiber or polyamide must be added to the composition. These materials are safe for health and allow the product to retain its presentation for a longer time, namely, its shape. If only synthetic textures are used in the bra, it is better to refuse such a purchase. A bodice made from natural, breathable fabrics may cost you more, but a nursing bra is not something you should skimp on. First of all, it is about your health and comfort.
The second important point is the presence of strong wide straps with a soft layer. With the help of this detail, the mammary glands, which are enlarged due to the flow of milk, receive reliable support. Straps should be elastic, not stretch under the weight of a heavy bust and in no case put pressure on the shoulders.
The base of the bra provides no less fixation of the bust. It is wider than a traditional bra. A fastener equipped with hooks (metal ones are more reliable than plastic ones) is present in front or behind, its task is to vary the girth of the chest by 2-4 positions.
The cups should be seamless (to avoid rubbing and squeezing the mammary glands) and at the same time easily open from above so that the woman, holding the newborn with one hand, can calmly release the breast with the other.
There are several models of bodices:
- in some cups open only the nipple;
- in others, the entire chest.
Experts recommend giving preference to the second option, since, firstly, it is the most convenient for feeding, and secondly, it allows the mother to establish tactile contact with the child.
Manufacturers also offer models with cups equipped with euro fasteners. With this device, the cups open very easily, while the opening and closing process is accompanied by a slight click.
Sconces with cups with zippers are becoming especially popular.opening from below. With these details, you can easily expose the chest and do not worry that the bra will get wet, even if the baby wets the breast with milk. In this case, the cup will remain completely dry. At the same time, this type of fastener excludes traumatism of the skin, since the zippers are stitched with seams inside the product and separated by pockets.
Many mothers are convinced that underwire in a nursing bra is a completely unnecessary detail. For girls with small, neat breasts, a nursing bra without metal or plastic underwire is really suitable, but for moms with a large bust, this element, along with wide straps, guarantees comfort and additional support.
Types of bras
There are several options for postpartum bras, consider the most popular models.
Bra-top
Nursing tops take the palm. A distinctive feature of the product is the absence of accessories (fasteners, hooks). Thanks to wide straps and a one-piece back, the bodice gently and tightly fits the torso and fixes the chest well.
Cups, usually made of stretch jersey, stretch and take on the shape of an enlarged bust. A woman will be comfortable in such a bra, as it does not squeeze the mammary glands.
Do not lose relevance and thin bandages made of easily stretchable fabric. The elastic texture allows the bodice to repeat the shape of the chest. To feed your baby, just pull the cup.
However, there are also disadvantages: firstly, such products do not support large breasts very well, and secondly, due to the lack of a special valve, the bust will have to be completely exposed, therefore, such bodices are not very convenient to use in cases where the child needs to be fed outside. at home.
Supported bra
A bra with circular breast support is designed similarly to a regular bra, but is equipped with two-layer cups: the outer layer comes unfastened and turns away during feeding, while the inner one is securely fastened and has a slit that opens the nipple and areola.
A good option for large breasts, as well as for establishing the lactation process. Such bras can be both with bones and without frame structures.
Front closure
A bra with a clasp in front is attractive in that it can be unfastened with one hand, as well as the ability to adjust the size of the bust girth (hooks or 2-3 buttons).
The disadvantages include the impossibility of feeding the child in public places: the breast will have to be completely exposed.
But in a bra with detachable cups, the baby can be fed anywhere and at any time. This very popular sconce design features a button on the shoulder strap that holds the cup. At the right time, you just need to unfasten it to open the valve and lower the cup.
At the end of the process, the button is fastened, and the cup returns to its original position. Instead of a button, there may be a zipper. This model is convenient in that it allows you to release the chest with one hand, inconvenient — it emphasizes unnecessary reliefs under tight clothing.
The valve must recline completely, and not get stuck in the middle, otherwise the milk will stagnate.
Underwear manufacturers also offer special sleep bras for nursing mothers. This model is especially relevant for women who have recently given birth, when any touch on the chest causes discomfort.
Bra gently fixes the mammary glands and avoids painful discomfort.
According to experts, a good solution would be to purchase several inexpensive nursing bras (foam cup, underwire) so that you can compare the sensations and choose the model in which you feel most comfortable.
Choosing a nursing bra
According to mothers who have used nursing bras, models in which the breasts are completely exposed are most comfortable. Of course, you can also choose a product in which only the nipple opens, but the principle of skin-to-skin feeding, which makes bodily contact between mother and child, should not be neglected.
Another question that worries all expectant mothers: When should I buy a nursing bra — before or after childbirth? It is better, of course, to do this before the baby is born, since after the birth there will be no time for shopping.
However, there is a nuance that needs to be taken into account. The time of purchase depends on which model you prefer — from elastic or cotton fabric. If you are inclined to the first option, then the best solution would be to purchase it at 38-39 weeks: a woman’s breasts are already the same size as those of a nursing mother.
The ratio of natural and artificial fibers is calculated so that the breast will feel as comfortable as possible even at the moment when it increases. At the same time, it should be taken into account that after childbirth, the stomach will go away, and the bust, on the contrary, will increase in volume (due to the influx of milk), so you need to buy a bra two sizes larger in cup and one smaller in coverage under the breast.
If you trust cotton products more, then you need to buy a bodice after giving birth, otherwise you can make a mistake with the size.
Cotton is very pleasant to the body and the safest for health, however, cotton fabric does not have the ability to stretch. By the way, some models of nursing bras include a special fold-frill, which provides an increase in the depth of the cup along with an increase in the mammary glands.
Bones should be flexible and soft. In addition, if they are at a very close distance to each other, then the risk of impaired blood circulation and congestion in the glands increases.
You should not buy a breastfeeding bra on the Internet, because due to the lack of trying on, you will not be able to make sure how securely it fixes the chest, make sure that it is comfortable. Meanwhile, an unsuccessfully selected bodice will not only cause a lot of inconvenience, but can also provoke milk stagnation in the ducts.
Trying on linen is necessary in any case. You should not buy a product in which the back rises, bones or hooks dig into the body, and two fingers do not pass between the back and the back of the bodice.
All measurements must be done in advance in order to start from specific numbers in the store. However, it should be noted that the tabular results may vary depending on the country of origin.
In case of difficulty, it is advisable to seek help from a sales consultant.
When trying on a bra, make sure that the breasts fit freely into the cups, because they will still need to put liners that absorb milk. We will talk about them separately.
What is the function of bra pads?
Bra pads are a useful trick that will allow women to avoid many of the problems that arise during breastfeeding. This detail is especially relevant at a time when the lactation process has not yet been debugged and milk tends to run away.
Of course, you can catch the moment of intensive milk arrival, and then the matter will be limited to drops and minor smudges. But if for some reason the feeding of the child is delayed or milk flows in larger quantities than the baby can eat, then the risk that not only the bodice, but all the clothes will get wet is very high.
In addition to the fact that clothes with stains and stains look very unaesthetic, «escaped» milk is a real hotbed of pathogenic microflora, and this is a direct threat to the occurrence of inflammatory processes in the mammary glands. Mastitis is a very unpleasant disease.
Inserts can be disposable and reusable. In the first case, they resemble ordinary sanitary pads, which are attached to the inside of the cups with adhesive tape. Throw away after use.
Reusable pads are meant to be washed and used as needed. Their absorbency is the same as that of disposable ones, the difference is only in ease of use.
How many pads should be used? It depends on how quickly you learn to control the natural process of lactation. As a rule, inserts are required in the first three months, but some mothers use them throughout the entire breastfeeding period.
How many bras do you need
You can, of course, be content with one sconce, but what will you do when you wash it? So, buying a bra becomes a necessity. The fallback option will help you out even if the bra gets wet and you need to change it urgently.
It will also be useful to purchase a top for sleeping. So your chest will be protected from negative sensations while you sleep. In addition, lactation is a round-the-clock process that does not stop with the onset of night, so a comfortable bodice with pads will save you from night “floods”. Agree, it is not pleasant to wake up in the middle of the night, literally floating in a puddle of milk. If you are not used to sleeping in a bra, look for T-shirts and shirts with built-in nursing cups.
Models from famous brands
Nursing bras can be purchased at pharmacies, shops or branded boutiques specializing in the sale of lingerie. Product prices may vary. It all depends on the textures used in the manufacture, and the functions that the bodice performs.
The brand also plays a huge role. When choosing a bra, keep in mind that the principle of all such products is the same, the only difference is in the way the cup is opened — from below or from above. Consider the most popular models from well-known manufacturers that have proven themselves in nursing mothers.
Bra Fast is one of the most popular nursing bras. The product is made of natural materials that allow air to pass through. Moisture does not accumulate on the cups, as a result of which the occurrence of allergic reactions is excluded.
In addition, the elastic elastic texture perfectly supports the chest and does not squeeze it. The clip located at the top unfastens the cup, so the chest can be released with one hand. The model does not include frame structures.
High-quality nursing bras are offered by the Belarusian brand Milavitsa. The collection includes comfortable and multifunctional bodices made from natural textures that do not pose a threat to health.
Visually, bras look very attractive — cotton fabric trimmed with elastic lace. The cups are very soft and comfortable, unfastened from above, do not have bones. Sconce Milavitsa is an excellent example of a successful combination of high quality and affordable prices.
Bras «Mom’s House» are distinguished by reasonable cost and good quality. The cups, inside of which there are soft frame bones, give the breast a beautiful graceful shape, equipped with a clasp that opens at the top. The seams are as soft as possible, which prevents chafing of the skin.
Products are made of microfiber. This texture is safe for health, as it has all the properties of natural fabrics. In addition, it is elastic and stretches as the mammary glands grow, taking their shape.
Models of the Mamin Dom brand comply with all sanitary and hygienic standards and have the necessary quality certificates. Approximately in the same category are bras from the Mama comfort brand.
It is impossible not to note the growing popularity of Faberlic bras. The new collection «Mom» includes comfortable clothes (dresses, blouses) with built-in nursing tops that can be worn both during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Successful models can be found at the Medela brand. Seamless tops and bra tops are very easy to use, so they are recommended for both pregnant women and women who have given birth. The elastic silky fabric of underwear quickly adapts to changing bust sizes without losing shape or stretching.
Products from the Emma Jane brand are extremely in demand among nursing mothers., representing night tops-bras (for sleep). It should be noted that the division into night and day sconces is very arbitrary, because this model can be worn during the daytime.
Soft and pleasant to use underwear delivers only positive emotions to a nursing mother, supports the breast and provides a good sleep. Natural materials are used, mainly cotton, which allows the skin to breathe and not retain moisture. Seamless elastic cups do not cause irritation and are easily unfastened during feeding.
The Bliss cotton bodice has a higher cost, but also more functions. The cup opens at the top, which allows you to feed the baby without taking off your clothes, which means without drawing attention to yourself.
The bodice tightly fits the bust and lifts it, which reduces the load on the spine and shoulders. The product is equipped with flexible bones, which is especially important for women with large breasts — thanks to the frame construction, the bust receives additional support.
Bras from the Anita brand perfectly hold the chest. The model has wide adjustable straps and soft bones that support the bust, a three-level clasp at the back.
The cups open with a clip. The peculiarity of the sconce is the presence of a mobile indicator that reminds the mother which breast she gave the baby for the last time.
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