One of the most frustrating things for a person in their childbearing years, is finding a sports bra that can see them through pregnancy and the post partum period. There are very few choices for people who wish to exercise in a supportive bra AND be able to feed their baby, if necessary, in the middle of a sweat session. That’s why we’re excited to be collaborating with AFTER9, the only Canadian made and owned activewear brand that’s designed especially for the population we serve!

Buying a sports bra is hard at the best of times. Add pregnant or post partum breasts in and it’s downright difficult! And, it’s one of the hottest topics at both our prenatal and post natal fitness classes! So, we’re sharing this guest post on how to buy a nursing bra, written by Olivia Glauberzon, founder and CEO of AFTER9, one of Canada’s only maternity & nursing activewear brands actually made in Canada, to give you guidance when you’re up in the middle of the night feeding your baby, looking to start moving again and wondering how best to support your ever changing chest!

From eggplants to watermelons, boobs can change a full cup size or even two, over the course of pregnancy or giving birth. This makes bra shopping near impossible, especially if you’re doing it online.

At AFTER9, we have measured hundreds of pregnant and expectant people, which gives us the inside scoop on bra shopping, especially online. Here are our tips to ensure you buy the best bra you can for your motherhood journey:

Determine what you’ll use the bra for

Just like you wouldn’t run a marathon in heels, you can’t expect one nursing bra to do it all. You will probably require two bras at a minimum – one that’s less structured for day-to-day wear and a nursing sports bra that keeps your boobs more supported during workouts, which you may plan to do alongside your baby.

Depending on your support needs, you may find that your nursing sports bra also finds its way into your daily wear, since bigger busts can be painful when left to flop around.

Take your measurements

If you don’t have a measuring tape at home, get one. It will save you a lot of drama when online shopping. Measure around the widest part of your boob area for your “bust” measurement. Then measure right underneath your boobs for what we call the ‘underbust’ measurement. Take all of your measurements in the same unit of measurement – i.e. inches or cm.

Those two measurements together should point you towards what bra size you need.

Choose a built-in foam cup for added support and rounder boobs

When it comes to support, foam cups offer a superior shelf for your breasts than removable cups for a few reasons. Think of a soft hammock vs a couch. Both are soft, both let you lie down, but one has a more solid structure and frame than the other. Using this analogy, your breast tissue is less likely to spread and will stay better contained in a foam cup.

A foam cup looks best on someone with rounder melon-like, or eggplant shaped boobs. Someone with flatter wider boobs (like pancakes) is likely better off in a sports bra without foam, as the fabric will wrap the breast more easily and not be confined to a more outward facing dome-like structure.

Look for a nursing bra sold with an extender

With the pregnant person’s body changing shape more times in nine months than a man’s will in their lifetime, you’ll likely need a bra with an adjustable underbust. The best bras will do this by including an extender when you purchase. An extender enables you to let out the underbust with your growing torso, and remove it as your torso contracts inward after birth.

Look for adjustable straps

As your boobs fill (and empty!) with milk, you’ll might discover that one moment you’re a size C and a few hours later you’re moving on to a DD! Look for a bra where you have the ability to shorten the shoulder straps to accommodate your boobs as they shift in structure.

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to always adjust your strap for a proper fit. Most sliders on bra elastic do just that – SLIDE. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be adjustable. However, with that flexibility to find your sweet spot for fit also comes slippage with day to day wear, therefore they must always be readjusted upwards for a proper fit.

Ask for help

Buying a bra online has to be one of the toughest things to do. Don’t be afraid to ask the company for a virtual fitting to help with measuring you, or seeing the product in a video to get it right. At AFTER9, we are always happy to help our customers the best we can with fit, as it saves the hassle (for both our customers and us) of having to swap bras because guessing their size was necessary.

Invest in a nursing sports bra you love

The right nursing sports bra is more than an undergarment these days. It’s a statement piece under blazers, part of a short set, and a top on its own. Choose wisely, as you’ll only need to invest in one or two for your entire journey. You might as well have your boobs enjoy the ride. If cost is an issue, consider the average breastfeeding mom saves her family over $1200 on formula per year. What’s a small bra splurge in the grand scheme of things?

Thanks to Olivia for providing some great guidelines to follow when shopping online for a nursing sports bra!

At Fitmama Strong Ottawa, we are proud to be an AFTER9 Community Partner. This means that when you purchase any products from AFTER9, you can use our Discount Code and receive 10% off your entire order!

Once you’ve got your supportive bra, come and #startwithus and #growwithus at one of our classes. We offer live-online and in-person classes throughout the year. Check our Schedule and find the one that works best for you!

Just a note to let you know that when you use our link to make your purchase, we receive a small referral fee. We have tested these products and stand behind their function, comfort and style!