One of the many concerns and doubts relating to breastfeeding, especially for a new mom, will be about the clothes and bras that are good and comfortable to wear during breastfeeding. When you are pregnant, anything that dives into the body in any manner feels uncomfortable and irritating. After delivery, one of the most sensitive areas of your body will be the breasts. No wonder mothers are concerned about the bra they wear. Most of the new moms looking for a bra, which provides comfort, support, and obviously, which makes them look great. But before that, the biggest troubling question for most moms is “Is it safe to wear a bra during breastfeeding?”
Bra is worn an entire day, and that is why it assumes a lot of significance. They definitely influence the health of the breasts and affect the production of breast milk (when the choice of bra goes wrong). One crucial aspect which most mothers overlook when buying bras during breastfeeding is quality over functionality.
In This Article
- Should I Wear a Bra During Breastfeeding?
- Why Can’t I Wear My Regular Bra During Breastfeeding?
- What Type of Bra Should I Wear During Lactation Period?
- Why Is It Not Recommended To Wear a Regular Bra While Breastfeeding?
- Best Time to Start Wearing the Nursing Bra
- Difference Between Nursing Bra and Regular Bra
- Difference Between Nursing Bra and Maternity Bra
- Is it Ok to Sleep With a Nursing Bra During Breastfeeding
- FAQ’s
Should I Wear a Bra During Breastfeeding?
Whether you wear a bra or you don’t in the course of pregnancy or breastfeeding is strictly personal. Still, wearing a well-fitted bra may lessen the stretching of breast tissues. When the breast tissue stretches, that could make the breast lose its shape and start sagging. Therefore, women with big breasts should try to wear a well-fitted bra even if they don’t like to wear one. When lactating, you must opt for nursing bras for the support and convenience they offer when you breastfeed your baby.
Why Can’t I Wear My Regular Bra During Breastfeeding?
Once you are pregnant, your breasts begin to change in anticipation of the coming baby. Similarly, once nursing, your breasts are very tender and sensitive, and they may need extra support that regular bras cannot provide. The hard surfaces and materials may not be conducive to the natural changes that your breasts are undergoing. Moreover, regular under-wired bras can cause blockage of the milk ducts and lead to mastitis.
What Type of Bra Should I Wear During Lactation Period?
So now that you know how significant this item is, now you may wonder how do you go about getting the perfect ones, what number of do you need, and what all you should avoid. Here are some tips to help you. Go for nursing bras rather than the regular one as nursing bras is specially designed for lactating purposes and provide more comfort.
1. Always Purchase Good Quality Bras
Never go for cheap bras. As you are wearing a nursing bra continuously and it gets washed regularly, durability is an important criterion. A local brand can be cheap, but it will also be short-lived, ineffectual, and undependable.
2. Always Buy Right Fitting Bra
Selecting a right fit bra is very important as only such bra can provide the support and comfort that the lactating mother longs for. A big mistake that most women make is going for a big size bra, thinking that as it provides more room, it will be more comfortable. A bigger bra can be as bad as a smaller one. Select one with a wider diaphragm and the right cup size as it will provide extra support.
3. Try to Purchase Different Varieties of Bra
There is a wide range of styles of maternity or nursing bras available in the market. Once a comfortable bra is found, more likely, women will go for buying the same type in the required number. That’s not right. In fact, not all bras will be ideal all the time. There are bras, which are more agreeable to wear during the night, which will be stretchy, without hooks in the back, which are much more appealing when sleeping.
Similarly, daytime bras ought to be cozy, simple to open, and close, particularly when the mother goes out, provide extra support, and make you look incredible under your garment. Keep this in mind and buy different varieties of bra rather than sticking to a single type.
4. Purchase at Least Four Bras
Lactation period is a ‘leaking’ period. The nursing bra gets grubby with leaking milk and turns smelly very fast. Keep this in mind and buy a minimum of four nursing bras (two for daytime use and two for night purposes). Your personal hygiene is significant for your baby’s health.
5. Never Go for a Wired Bra
A wired bra is not suggested during the breastfeeding period. This is because the breast changes frequently shape during the lactation period. During the period of breastfeeding, the breast will increase and decrease in size as the milk is produced and expelled, respectively.
The hard and firm underwired bras may put pressure on the breast, even if the mother is a little late for feeding. The chances are more that this pressure would bring about blockage in the milk ducts and lead to mastitis, which is not a great condition while nursing the child.
Why Is It Not Recommended To Wear a Regular Bra While Breastfeeding?
As we mentioned earlier, your breasts keep changing in shape throughout your breastfeeding period. You will also experience milk leaks from the breasts. Regular bras are not designed to support such issues. As a result, using a regular bra when breastfeeding may cause inconvenience to the mother. For this reason, a regular bra is not recommended. Instead, nursing bras, which are specially designed keeping the nursing mother in mind, are more suited when you are breastfeeding.
Best Time to Start Wearing the Nursing Bra
According to experts, you can start wearing a nursing bra after you enter into the second trimester when you start experiencing growing breasts and your regular bras don’t seem supportive anymore. Changing hormones can also cause some women to experience heavy and tender breasts. Maternity bras and nursing bras are your best bet to support your breasts in such situations. You may, however, choose to buy a nursing bra post-delivery, once you start to feed your baby.
Difference Between Nursing Bra and Regular Bra
A regular bra is designed to support your breasts and provide comfort and style in normal conditions. Nursing bras, on the other hand, provide support and comfort through your pregnancy period. They have panels or clasps that provide easy access to nipples when you are breastfeeding without having to remove back clasps or bra straps. These bras are made of absorbent material which is very much essential since nursing mothers often experience leaky breasts when they are breastfeeding.
Difference Between Nursing Bra and Maternity Bra
A maternity bra and a nursing bra and designed to provide the same support and comfort to your changing breasts. The key difference, however, lies in the fact that nursing bras are designed to provide easy access to your nipples when breastfeeding without having to remove the bra. Maternity bras provide support to your changing breasts and is the perfect option through your pregnancy when your breasts undergo a lot of changes and grow sensitive with every passing day.
Is it Ok to Sleep With a Nursing Bra During Breastfeeding
Yes, it is absolutely fine to sleep with a nursing bra on, in fact, it is the most comfortable thing to wear. When you are not feeding your breasts may grow in size owing to the accumulating milk, which can lead to leaky breasts too. You need a lot of comfort and support when sleeping since your breasts continue to be tender and sensitive. Hence sleeping with nursing bras is the best option for you when you are breastfeeding.
We hope this article has answered all your questions about wearing a bra during breastfeeding. We would love to hear about your experiences! Please leave a comment to share your experiences.
FAQ’s
1. Why Should I Avoid Wearing a Bra When Breastfeeding?
No, you don’t have to avoid wearing one. Just don’t wear a bra that is too tight as it might restrict the milk supply. Engorged breasts will hurt if the bra is tight.
2. Can I Use a Regular Bra for Breastfeeding?
Yes, you can. Breastfeeding bras are new to the market and just make it more convenient to feed the baby. They do not impact your health or the milk in any way.
3. Should I Use Only a Feeding Bra When Breastfeeding?
No, that’s not necessary. Feeding bras make it convenient to feed a baby. It is totally up to you as to what bra you use.
4. Why Opt for a Padded Bra While Breastfeeding?
This is a personal choice. A padded bra will help in case of a milk leak. It will soak up the milk and protect your clothes.
