Choosing the right kind of maternity bras is something that many women struggle with, especially when it’s their first time being pregnant. In fact, many women in general tend to struggle even when they’re not pregnant, often choosing ill-fitted bras for their shape; however, there are a few things that you can keep in mind that you can go by to get the right bra for your body.
As you go through the stages of pregnancy, the chances are good that you’ll notice that your breasts will become larger and more tender over a period of time. This is perfectly natural due to your body taking on changes altering hormones as the body prepares to breastfeed at a later time once the baby is born.
Regardless if you’re pregnant or not, it’s important to make sure that you’re wearing the correct sized bra. This not only is an important factor when it comes to feeling comfortable and to prevent sagging, but it also may surprise you a a properly fitted bra can compliment you far more than one that doesn’t fit you correctly.
The chances are good that you’ll need several types of bras that for maternity while you’re pregnant, since the body will continue to change, along with the size of your breasts over a period of time. You may find that your breasts can go anywhere from two to four sizes larger than your normal size; therefore, it’s always important to get yourself regularly fitted.
To figure out your bra size, you’ll need a measuring tape that measures in inches, a nicely fitted bra, and potentially a partner if you think you’ll struggle with measuring accurately. Wrap the tape around your body, so that the tape rests along the ribs and just under the breasts. Round up to the nearest circumference to determine your band size. To measure your cup size, do the same, only measuring around the widest part of your breasts.
A-cup sized breasts will fall between the 1-inch to 2-inch range, a B-sized cup will be between 2 inches and 2.5 inches, a C-cup will be 2.5 inches through 3.5 inches, while a D-sized cup will be between 3.5 inches and 4.5 inches. An E-cup is generally between 4.5 and 5 inches, an F-cup ranges between 5 and 6 inches, and then a G-cup falls under 6 or 7 inches. To determine these inches, you would subtract the difference of the bandwidth from your cup measurement. For example, someone who has a 40-inch cup measurement and a 38-inch band measurement would see a 2-inch difference, making them either a 38A or 38B.
While you’re looking at maternity bras, you’ll want to ensure that you select one that will be comfortable enough to wear for long-term use. For example, it’s generally a good idea to avoid irritating fabrics, underwire bras and bras that cause the top part of your breasts to spill over, often indicating that the bra is too small. Instead, you may want to go with bras that have some room but not too much room, bear a soft material like cotton, and they should feature wide straps and at least two to three hooks for more support.
It’s common to buy maternity bras and other new lingerie for the term of the pregnancy and while you’re nursing the child. A nursing bra is needed for obvious reasons, but it’s also important to adjust for the change in bust size that occurs during this period.