Finding the Perfect fit with your Nursing Bra

Nursing Bras & Accessories

Online Sales & In-home Fittings

Tips for finding a comfortable bra during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Why is it important to wear the correct bra size?

Pregnancy is a time when your breast tissue develops and you build up fat stores for nursing, so the breast can grow one or more cup sizes and also become a lot heavier.  Wearing a bra that doesn’t provide enough support may lead to stretch marks and permanent sagging, wearing the wrong size may lead to plugged ducts and back pain.

What bra choices are there for pregnancy and breastfeeding?

Wired Bra - Wired bras are not usually recommended for pregnancy and the first month of breastfeeding because there is a risk that the wires will press on the breast tissue and cause damage, discomfort and possibly plugged ducts.  Wired bras should be refitted frequently throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding to ensure the best fit.  You may want to wait until the baby is at least one month old so that your milk supply has become established.

Maternity Bra - is designed for pregnancy only, usually an over the head bra that is seamless and very comfortable and will grow with you throughout the pregnancy.  They usually come in a small number of sizes that fit a range of cup sizes.

Seamless/Transitional Nursing Bra - provides the same comfort as a maternity bra but can be used after birth for easy access nursing.  They usually come in a small number of sizes and fit a range of cup sizes which makes them especially ideal for all the changes your body goes through during pregnancy and breastfeeding. 

Sized bra - There are some really pretty and even sexy nursing bras available that are sized, but can often be fitted to allow for the growth of the abdomen and cup size.  Not guaranteed to fit after your milk volume increases, but are designed to fit a larger range of band sizes to accommodate you from the beginning of pregnancy.  These are a real confidence booster.

How to measure yourself for a nursing bra

There are many ways to measure for a bra.  This is just one way to do it, you will see online many other techniques.  At the end of the day, it is the fit that is important, and as with many items of clothing, different manufacturers fit a little differently.

1.  Wear a bra that you feel comfortable in and you think fits you the best.  Make sure that the bra isn’t too tight.  Sports bras will often squash your breasts and you will not get a true measurement.

2.  Use a soft measuring tape.  You may need to stand in front of a mirror to make sure you’re doing it correctly.
For the band size measure from the middle of your back at the bottom of your shoulder blades (where the bra band sits if you are wearing it correctly).  Take the tape measure up under your arm pits to the middle of your chest as shown below.

3.  To measure the cup start from the same point at the back and measure the fullest part of your breasts.

Difference between Band & Cup measurement	Cup Size
1”	A
2”	B
3”	C
4”	D

(40”-36”=4” difference)

So, this will give you an idea of your bra size.  But remember, bras will fit you differently and that is why I offer an unlimited free return and exchange policy so that you can make sure you are happy with your fit.

Return to www.boobiemilk.co.uk

Some common mistakes made when finding the right bra

The Band:

In this picture the band is too big and is riding up at the back.  The band should be parallel to the floor if fitted correctly.  If the band is riding up, then the straps are providing too much support.  The majority of the support should come from the band.  Try a smaller band size but remember to go up a cup size if you go down a band size.

The Cup:

Too Big

The breast should fill the cup.  Wrinkles could mean the cup is too large.  You may have one breast bigger than the other, and differences can be seen between feeds.  Fit the bra to the larger breast.  Try a smaller cup size to get rid of the wrinkles.

Too small:

The breast should be well covered with no breast tissue bulging out of the top of the cups or the side of the cups which could put pressure on your milk ducts.  Try a larger cup size.

Shoulder Straps

A tight strap will create an indented shoulder.  This may mean that not enough support is coming from the band.  You may want to try a smaller band to provide more support.

What you should see

Good breast tissue coverage and a band that is parallel to the ground.

Top tips:

1.  If you buy a nursing bra at the beginning of your pregnancy make sure you fit it to the tightest band setting so that there is room for growth.

2.  If you buy your nursing bra at the end of your pregnancy or after the baby is born make sure it fits on the loosest band setting.  Bras can stretch over time, so this will allow you to tighten the band and not lose support.

3.  Your band should not stretch more than 1” away from your body, if it does try going down a band size (and up a cup size) example: 38C to 36D.

4.  When you put on your nursing bra open the cups.  Lean forward and scoop your whole breast into the cup before you fasten it.  You want to make sure that all of your breast tissue is inside the cup and not bulging out the top/bottom/side etc.

5.  If buying a sized bra when you are pregnant make sure there is a little room for the increase in milk volume that happens after birth.  This will increase the chance that you can continue to wear it when breastfeeding.  Remember that you may still have to wait until after your milk volume settles at about four weeks to wear it again.

Return to www.boobiemilk.co.uk

My reason for nursing

BoobieMilk stocks a selection of nursing bras, matching knickers, nursing camisoles, sports nursing bras and breastfeeding accessories for pregnancy and breastfeeding with the option of unlimited free returns so that you can find your perfect fit

Hawthorn Cottage  ●  Greenlands Road  ●  Kemsing  ●  Sevenoaks  ●  TN15 6PG

07951 600777  ●  Karen.mccully@gmail.com  ●  www.boobiemilk.co.uk

Romshed Farm - Local, Organic, Yummy!!

Before my family moved back to the UK, I was interested in sourcing organic meat in large quantities.  If you've ever seen Kate plus 8 you'll know that they often bought organic meat in bulk, by the cow or half cow.  Kate plus 8 is a reality show in the US about a family that consists of a set of twins and a set of sextuplets.  The parents have recently split very publically and hence the Kate plus 8.  Actually, I can't even remember her ex-husbands name, he was that interesting.

Anyway, when we got to Sevenoaks I was interested in finding some local organic meat and Sainsburys and Tesco just weren't doing it for me.  A google search brought me to Romshed Farm, a farm providing organic meat in a responsible way just outside Sevenoaks in Underriver.

Once you sign up on the website you are included in any emails sent out about available produce.  Our first purchase was half a lamb.  My Mum loves lamb, and the price of lamb can be pretty high.  We purchased half a lamb for £80.  We received a leg, a shoulder, a breast, neck fillets, liver and lots of chops.  I have never been a huge fan of lamb, but OMG, this lamb was delicious!!  Every time we cooked the lamb everyone was scraping every last scrap of meat from the bones.  The leg was cooked for a big Sunday family roast and was a huge hit.

At the end of the Summer Romshed Farm held a charity walk and lunch which we took part in.  The whole family walked from Sevenoaks through Knole Park and on to Underriver, 3 miles in total.  Ellie slept in the sling, William was carried a lot by Ryan, but we had a great time and the food provided at the end of the walk was phenomenal.  We also picked up a tray of free range, organic eggs for £5.

The last visit we made to Romshed farm was a few weeks ago to pick up our beef.  We could have purchased a whole or half cow as well as a whole or half pig.  We also had the choice of any cut at an individual price.  We decided on a long cook box of meat, minced beef, stewing meat and a large beef joint at a great price.  My brother chose some beef ribs and pork loin steaks.

When we went to pick up the meat I took William with me because I had been told that the piglets would be there to look at.  William loved to see the piglets and spent a long time talking to them and stroking them.  I had also told him that we were going to pick up some cow meat and he asked me if he could see the cows.  I told him that they had been killed and cut up so that we could eat it.  He asked me if he could watch (should I be worried?).

The meat is great, the service is friendly, and the price is pretty decent.  I really recommend people buy locally reared, great produce.

More local resources are listed on my website

Otford Playground near Sevenoaks TN14 5PQ - Dads favourite

I've mentioned before that my husband Ryan likes to take William to Otford Playground.  It's the next village over and the "Kent Village of the Year".  Otford is a large village with a beautiful village centre marked with a duck pond at the centre of a roundabout.  There is a large car park on the high street which is FREE, and the playground and playing fields are behind the car park next to the allotments and Otford Builders Merchants (my Dad is a builder).

I had the pleasure of being invited to Otford playground with my husband and son a few weeks ago, and I thought I'd capture a few pictures of the great facilities they have there.

If you've read any of my other playground posts you'll know that a fence is a top priority for me, and Otford has a great fence and gate.  This one leads to the car park.  The gate leading to the playing fields is locked for some reason and numerous families tried to open it during our time there??

There are great choices for younger toddlers and older kids.  My son loves the roundabout.  It's unusual in that it rotates from under the ground and the platform that turns is flush with the floor.  This may be safer than the usual ones that turn above ground, but my son still managed to almsot get his finger inbetween the roundabout and the ground.

William loves going really fast, and it's quite hard to push, so my husband gets quite a workout too.  The whole area of the playground is a great space for riding a bike and scooter, watch out parents and young children a race around the equipment is commonplace.

This photograph makes the weather look amazing, but it's actually really cold and quite dark.  This piece of equipment is really good for the older kids with a great slide and monkey bars.  How do kids have such amazing strength, I know I couldn't do more than one monkey bar if that!  I watch it in awe.

This is a rare instance.  I have now been to the playground twice and never seen this play equipment empty of children.  The smaller kids love this, it's great for slide races as it is wide enough for two little bottoms.

Unlike the springy ride on toy at the Kemsing Nightingale Road, this one can take my weight and me with Ellie in a sling had great fun on this ride and the swing.  There are two swings for smaller kids and two for older kids and adults.

While watching William on the slide I noticed a great addition to the Otford playground that should be added to the Kemsing playgrounds - a sign listing two phone numbers.  A contact phone number to report problems both during the week and out of hours.

What a great idea!! a number that you can call to report any problems any day of the week.

This is a great, well used playground with a nice selection of equipment.  Parking is ideal and free, I just don't know where the nearest toilets are.  But, if they are anything like the public toilets in Kemsing I think I'd rather go home.  My husband is right, a great destination if you need to blow off some 3 year old steam.


Get in touch if you have any great ideas for things to do with small children in the Sevenoaks area.  There are some great resources on my website for local services and breastfeeding related sevices.