Reviewing different types of nursing and maternity bra

There are a million new things to learn and think about when you’re pregnant. It sometimes feels that the more you know, the more you don’t know. You’ve just ticked off your list of things to source, only to find a whole new list on the other side of the page. Bras and underwear are no exception. Before I was pregnant it had never occurred to me that one might need special underwear for breastfeeding. Now I’ve been doing it for a while, I can’t imagine life without it.

There isn’t that much variety when it comes to nursing bras. It’s pretty much a small spectrum of very ‘grandma’ to ‘a bit prettier’. The main difference between them is the type of ‘boob access’ – how you actually use the bra when feeding. Mostly this involves some way you can remove the cup without fully removing the bra. The most common ways to achieve this are with clips, with magnets, or with some kind of pull aside. I had no idea about the pros and cons of each of these when I was first buying nursing bras. Now I’ve been breastfeeding for a few months, I’ve had some thoughts, and today I’ll be sharing them for any expectant parents looking to get ready for breastfeeding, or for anyone who’s already doing it and finding this aspect of it a hassle.

Clips

This is probably the most common mode of access. There is a clip on the strap of the bra, usually just at the top of the cup or around your collar bone, depending on the cut of the bra. They enable you to unclip and fold down the bra cup itself, so you can feed without having to properly readjust your bra. In my experience, they are pretty easy to use. Being able to do things one handed becomes incredibly important once you have a baby, and it’s a bonus if you can also do it quickly. The clips are easy to undo with one hand, and usually pretty quickly. It can be a bit harder to do them up in a hurry – they can be a little stiff, so sometimes you do need two hands, or to press quite hard. 

Magnets

This doesn’t seem quite so common; I’ve mostly seen it on Triumph bras. These in theory are a great idea: no clips, so nothing to faff with. However, those readers with larger cup sizes like me might be wondering if a magnet is strong enough to keep everything in place. Herein lies the problem. The ones I’ve used are definitely strong enough, but this means they’re quite difficult to undo one-handed. It can be done, but it often feels like you’re about to break a nail. Not to mention that when you have done it, the magnets are so strong that they’re occasionally pull themselves back together! So not the easiest to use from this perspective. However, it does mean that they’re super easy to close, so if you’re in a rush (someone is insistently ringing the doorbell while you’re trying to make yourself decent!), they are really good. It’s a bit of a pay-off I suppose! The magnets are also not suitable for people with various health conditions such as pacemakers, so that’s an important thing to be aware of. 

Pull aside

I’m using this term to cover any of the various different types of bra which don’t involve a proper cup fastening, but just have space for you to pull them open, one way or another. I’d include things like the Biscotti bra by Cake Maternity. These are great in general, and by their nature are pretty comfy and cosy. I think if you’re on the smaller end of the cup sizes, these can be a great option. But for larger people like myself, I find they don’t really offer adequate support for going about one’s business. I use them during the night or in pyjama equivalent times, but if I’m getting ‘properly dressed’ something a bit more structured is preferable. They’re also not necessarily compatible with clothes in terms of access. E.g. if you need to pull your bra open from the middle, this can be a bit awkward with a breastfeeding t-shirt with side zips. So although I love how these types feel, they do require a bit of evaluation in terms of what you’re wearing and what you need to do that day.

Conclusion 

So there are basically some pros and cons to each of these styles. My overall favourite are the clips: they’re pretty practical and their downsides are fairly easy to overcome. I think generally I’d rather be able to move quickly and with one hand at the start of a feed, when baby is most likely to be fidgeting and crying, than at the end when they’ve calmed down and you’re likely to be able to pop them down. The various pull aside choices are super comfortable slouching around options, but don’t quite give me the support I need for a normal day. In conclusion, my advice would be to think about when and where you envision yourself wearing the bra, and pick the option that feels simplest for that. You might need a few different versions, or you may find that one choice does all you need.

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What did you not know you needed until you got pregnant/started breastfeeding? Please share any suggestions in the comments!