3 tips for buying a nursing bra

Breastfeeding might present some challenges, but your nursing bra shouldn't be one of them. Finding a comfortable, well-sized and well-designed bra can minimize frustration as you breastfeed.

• Getting properly measured for a nursing bra is key.
• Chances are that your cup size has changed since becoming pregnant. Even if you got your bra size professionally measured during pregnancy, you will need to be re-sized after giving birth.
• Stop by your local lingerie store or motherhood store for a quick sizing, then you will be able to confidently purchase nursing bras in stores or on the web.

• You will want a few styles of nursing bras during the first few months of your breastfeeding journey.
• A sleep bra is a wire-free bra that allows you to place nursing pads in each cup to minimize nighttime leaking. You will want to wear a sleep bra with nursing pads until your milk supply levels out and leaking stops. These bras can also provide a little support and make your breasts easily accessible during those early months when you'll be nursing regularly around the clock.
• You can also find underwire nursing bras, which can provide added support and be suitable for situations when you're headed out with your baby in tow.

• Nursing bras should simplify the breastfeeding experience, not complicate it. You want to find bras that feature convenient clasps on the straps, above each cup.
• You should be able to easily unclasp the cup with one hand, allowing you to pull the cup down and nurse your baby. If you struggle to unclasp the cup, do not buy the bra.
• Keep in mind you'll be doing this manoeuvre with a baby in your arms, so you want the bra to be easy to use. Look for nursing bras in a comfortable material with straps that have a little give, which can make the bra more adaptable as your cup size and weight fluctuate in the months after giving birth.