You want to be prepared so you stock up on nursing bras while pregnant. But you know what? Your breasts and rib cage will be a dramatically different size (the former MUCH bigger and the latter much smaller) by the time your little one arrives and your milk comes in. And then in a couple of months your breasts will be not quite so off-the-scale ginormously engorged, and if you keep going you'll probably be smaller than you were pre-pregnancy. I have a friend who, and I quote, has "golfballs in socks" for boobs after nursing two children. No, it's not a pretty picture, but you can see the need for a good bra when you've got these National Geographic worthy ta-ta's to carry around.
I got a few hand-me-down nursing bras that got me through the first couple of months of nursing. Oh how I loathed those bras. The wireless ones were falling apart, literally, albeit super comfy of course. And the wired ones? They were a size too small and I 100% blame them on my 2 bouts of mastitis!! So off I went to Motherhood Maternity. But they didn't have any in my size (at the time I was an E or F perhaps, I dunno, no one offered to measure me!). So I had to go with the wireless and cupless bras, which have been doing me alright. But all of these bras had the racerback cut which was extremely annoying and wardrobe limiting (as if breastfeeding doesn't limit your wardrobe enough, I had to worry about the neckline of my shirts now)!!.
Suffice it to say I've been looking for some nice nursing bras with a normal strap. I recently came across Bravado Designs online and they have a selection of 9 kinds of nursing bras to choose from... underwire, lace, removable cups, tanks, you name it! I went for the Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra because it had the straight-across-the-shoulder straps I was looking for, removable pads (to discretely hide your nursing pads or nips), and is wireless, which I've really come to like (not to mention I'm terrified of another round of mastitis!!).
Bravado Designs got its start when two breastfeeding moms created The Original Nursing Bra 20 years ago, and quickly became a well respected and trusted source of comfortable, stylish and quality nursing bras. Hundreds of pregnant and nursing women test-wear their bras each year so you can know they have been tweaked and perfected. Each bra comes with an extension kit, so you can wear them comfortably throughout your pregnancy and breastfeeding days (and even beyond that, as I plan!). What's more? They're a green company, they donate to the community, and they use REAL MOMS as models. Wow, I mean, could I love them any more!?
Bravado Designs will be sending one of their Essential Embrace Nursing Bras to the grand prize winner of my New Mom Necessities Giveaway. This bra comes in three colors, and has sizes ranging from 32 to 44 and B/C to L/M - wowza!! "The Bravado Essential Embrace™ Nursing Bra is the most comfortable, supportive, yet lightweight bra that you will ever wear while pregnant or nursing." Ummmm yes please!! What are you waiting for...