During pregnancy your boobs will change a lot and will undoubtedly grow, along with your maternity bra size.
Why does my bra hurt?
My bra is digging into me like crazy!
My bra is too tight!
Sound familiar? By the end of my pregnancy, I had grown from a 32D to a 36DD. But it didn’t happen overnight, it was a gradual growth. A maternity bra guide would have been very useful…I wish I had had one!
…which is why I’ve put together the types of bras you’ll need during pregnancy. Including the maternity bras that were my favorite.
BTW, here’s how to know if you’re pregnant.
Oh, and when I say “maternity bra”, I don’t mean a bra that is meant specifically meant for a pregnant woman. You don’t need to buy bras specifically for maternity as they’re really ugly and serve no additional purpose.
Seriously, the maternity bras on the racks always horrify me!
I went maternity bra shopping many times while pregnant because I kept outgrowing my bras, so prepare yourself girlfriend. There’s no escaping the maternity bra shopping. Keep reading for my maternity bra guide…
How many bras will you need while pregnant?
At the very least, you’ll need a few comfortable everyday bras, one sleeping bra, and one sports bra. Sorry to say (or not sorry?), but your boobs and rib cage will continue to grow until the day you have your baby. And then your boobs will grow even more if you’re nursing!
Thinking about a stroller? You should be! Read all about why I love this one.
Should You Buy Nursing Bras While Pregnant?
I’ve heard that you can buy and wear nursing bras while pregnant to prepare for when you have the baby. And to save on having to buy additional bras.
This, however, is not a good idea as your nursing bra will fit very differently post-partum as it will fit while pregnant.
One week after having my baby, I went bra shopping. My fit was a 32DDD or 32F, compared to the 36D or 36DD that I was towards the end of my pregnancy.
Here’s a maternity bra guide measuring tutorial so that you know what size you are if you’re bra shopping online from home. Just keep in mind that when buying your nursing bras while pregnant, your band size will decrease slightly and cup size will increase after the baby comes. If you’re nursing.
Keep in mind. There’s no skimping around the bra issue! If your bra hurts, you need to buy a bra that feels nice.
You must be comfortable in your bra while pregnant or you’ll go ape s*** mad! I went crazy for the first 4 months until my mom dragged me into Neiman Marcus to buy some Chantelle bras. LOL.
Maternity Bra Guide
Read on for my maternity bra guide including 15 bras that you’ll love while pregnant (I certainly did). I’ve recommended everyday maternity t-shirt bras, sleeping bras while pregnant, and sports bras for pregnant women that work post partum too.
1. Everyday Maternity T-Shirt Bras
Being pregnant isn’t often too comfortable, as you have to see yourself grow on a daily basis. None of your clothes will fit past the first trimester. As your belly grows your legs will begin to throb, your boobs will become very sensitive, and you will likely be a bit agitated as you struggle to get dressed everyday.
Your daily bra should be a joy to wear!
As I mentioned, I didn’t go bra shopping until the 4th month into my pregnancy and I was about climbing the walls. I was so uncomfortable! My recommendation is to find 1 or 2 nice bras that fit well and feel great or you’ll find yourself itchy, bitchy, and witchy more often than not.
I really like the Chantelle “Merci” bra and Chantelle Underwire T-Shirt Bra. See below for my favorite everyday maternity bras.
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2. Sleeping Bras During Pregnancy
Prior to pregnancy, I never slept in a bra. I didn’t think I needed to and I thought it would be uncomfortable. I decided to try sleeping in a bra during my pregnancy when I saw how much I was growing.
We’ve all heard that your boobs will permanently change because of pregnancy and they will likely get stretched out and saggy. Ahhhh!
This has always horrified me, so I wanted to add the sleep bra to my pajama routine to try and escape the post-pregnancy boob issue. It works. Believe me! Not to mention, they’re really cute and make you feel pretty at night.
Today, after baby has come, I still love sleeping in a bra! The Cosabella bras are lacy, pretty, and so comfortable that you won’t even realize you’re wearing a bra. Here’s my favorite and it comes in a variety of colors. I also am obsessed with this bralette. This lacie one is super cute and it can be worn overtop a bra during the day too. Here it is with the nursing bra attachment.
TBH, I love that my boobs are supported 24/7. Because this means no sagging…ever! I’ll never sleep without a bra again.
See below for some of my favorite sleeping bras that will work for both maternity and post-partum.
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3. Sports Bras During Pregnancy & Post-Partum
During pregnancy, my workouts changed drastically. I went from running long distances to hardly being able to walk up and down the farmer’s market street. LOL. As my belly grew, my sports bras became very uncomfortable. Any sort of tight pressure that you have on your rib cage while pregnant is just the worst!
For any sort of walking or light weight training workouts that I did, I wore an adjustable sports bra that had maximum support. But also had lots of stretch and adjustability too.
Instead of a 36D bra size, I opted for a 38D sports bra so that I didn’t feel like I was being strangled.
My go-to maternity sports bras were those that had adjustable straps, both in the back and straps. So key, especially when your’e growing or if you plan to eat a meal while wearing one.
See below for some more of my favorite sports bras that worked well during pregnancy.
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