Nursing Bras - Irvine,CA

I would strongly suggest you do NOT buy a nursing bra yet. You will have wasted your money. For some women, like you and for me (I'm 34 weeks with my 4th baby), our breasts get large during pregnancy. After my milk comes in, my breasts get mammoth sized. When I had my first baby, I made a mistake by buying a nursing bra a week after I had my baby. My breasts were huge for 2 months...and the bra I bought was too small. Waste of money. What I did with my other pregnancies was buy large and x-large sports bras that were not tightly fitted. I wore those until my milk supply leveled out...and then I bought a nursing bra. You will likely get larger after the baby is born but you will not likely stay that way the entire time you breastfeed.

As for how much to expect to "grow" after your milk comes in, Elena, every woman is different. I'm huge now at 34 weeks. I know, from experience, I will get larger after the birth of my baby so I will wait until my milk levels out to the demands of my baby before buying a nursing bra.

For my first nursing bra, I got the Medela Comfort bra. It's a nursing bra that fits and feels like a sports bra and was SO comfortable! I actually lived in this bra for several months before getting a regular nursing bra (do wait to get a regular day bra), and then I continued to sleep in it. I ended up getting a couple of them, and just handed down the one that was still 'like new' to a friend, and she LOVES it too! This was her 2nd child, and said she wished she had it for the first. It was 3 years ago when I bought mine, and I got it at The Gap, but I'm not sure if they are still selling Medela products. Anyway, here's a link to check it out. You can google it for sellers. This was also a great bra to have when I was in the hospital, I highly recommend it. Suggestion though if you get it, go a size larger. For instance I was a medium by their ize chart, but a large fit better. Good luck and congrats on baby!
http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/intimate-ap...

I definitely recommend that you go to your hospitals lactation clinic or Women's Health store and get fitted. I first bought my bras at Motherhood Maternity..such a waste of money and they were soooo uncomfortable. I even had MM fit me in the store. Turns out I totally was in the wrong size! Thank goodness for Chris at my hospitals Womens Boutique. My "girls" literally sang with joy when she put the right nursing bra on me. I would also recommend buying just 1 or 2 for the first few months, then going back and getting re-fitted as your bra size and fit will change after you lose all the baby weight.

There are all sorts of baby and nursing shops now, featuring all sorts of really cute nursing bras. But, seeing as how you're blessed up top as I am (a 34H normally), go to an actual bra shop, where they sell nothing but women's lingerie and have a large selection of sizes. A Private Affair in Thousand Oaks is where I was fitted with a Goddess soft cup, wire-free bra. I nearly wore it out, it was so comfortable, yet supportive. Sleeping bras will also be necessary, but don't trust the "transition bras" a lactation shop or consultant will try to sell you -- what a waste of $20. All it did was get tangled up in my boobs! Look for a sleeping bra online -- sleeping bra sizes don't have to be as exact, so it won't be so daunting to not try it on.

If you go to your local hospital's lactation consultant, she should be able to fit you for your bras free of charge.

I would still wait. I got larger during pregnancy but then a little bigger once I started nursing. Nordstrom has a great selection of more supportive bras for larger sizes if you need them.

buy a nursing bra a couple weeks before you are due. I have been through many different styles. Your hospital may have a store that sells them. and they will also help w/ fit. I delivered at St Jude's and that is where i started. Most stores that sell bras also have 1 nursing bra. not much of a selection. get a bra about 2 weeks before you deliver. fit to what ever you are right then.

I got two of these and love them, just be sure to get fitted because it really will help!
http://www.amazon.com/Bravado-Bliss-Womens-Nursing-Ivory/...

I had one cheaper cotton sleep nursing bra I took in my hospital bag and used at first, then got fitted about 10 days after birth and I am still fitting in that size 4 months later. It's true, when your milk first comes in your boobs will be HUGE, and they don't stay that big. You also have to account for weight you'll lose, so your rib-cage measurement might change too. So try to get one that has room for you to shrink around your ribcage since breastfeeding definitely burns LOTS of calories. Go to Bosom Buddies, they were excellent there. :) If you have them in CA, sorry I don't know if that's a national store or not? I'm in CO.

I was fitted after my milk came in at the lactation center at the hospital that I delivered at. My breasts went to a 38H! I know there are on-line places but I would make sure you got fitted professionally before buying one.

I leaked bad at night so I bought a couple of cheap cotton nursing sleep bras and a ton of pads.

Good luck and Congratulations!

You can be sized for a bra around 36-37 weeks. Your band size will be about the same post delivery but web your milk comes in (around day 3-5 post delivery) you will increase about 1 cup size.
At Milkalicious in Alisio Viejo, ca where I work we sell most nursing bras that are double cup sized ad have a very wide selection. We also have an online store with free shipping so you should check it out. Www.milkalicious.com
The Bravado Silk Seamless is the most popular transition bra we sell.

I nursed for a year with both my boys and love Medela bras. I LOVE the Medela sleep bras, but suggest you go a size up from their chart because they run small. My other bras were all from them too...just so comfortable, easy to open/close and somewhat pretty too. I highly recommend using the "boutique" at Hoag. They'll fit you for them toward the end of your pregnancy and then you can buy them through them...prices were the same as the stores from what I found.

Good luck!...oh...and invest in a tube of Lanolin! A BF mommy's best friend!

-M