.
SO … I went and got pregnant and had another baby. She’s 10 weeks old already. How did that happen??
Doing this whole nursing thing the second time around, I thought I knew what to expect bra-wise. BUT. When I went to stock up on a few new nursing bras–my last bunch from Baby #1 were wrecked–I found some new options in my size range and was stoked.
Here’s what I’m digging for that first postpartum period when you’re breasts are like, “HEY! And you thought these were big before? Mwahahaha.”
First up: the nursing sleep bra. You’re engorged, you’re leaking, you gotta keep those nursing pads in place — I never really wore a bra to bed before kids, but nursing? Yeah, I’m pretty much in the YOU MUST HAVE ONE camp. My go-to sleep bra is the same one Patricia first wrote about here: the Bravado Original Nursing Bra.
But here’s the exciting part: Breakout Bras carries a “custom” version that goes up even higher in cup size and smaller in band size! I wore the S++ with Baby #1 but was really just kinda fudging it with the cup fit. The size chart is super generic and the S++ is supposed to fit a 32-36 band in cups E-G. Ummmm…right.
The “Custom” version Breakout Bras has? It lets you specify a 30-32 band size (yes!) if you need a smaller band fit. AND you can order cup sizes F-G and H-I in a 30-32 band (double yes!).
Also? They carry more cup sizes in the S-XL band sizes, too — up to an L cup in 32-36 or 36-40 band sizes, a K in 38-42, and an I in 42-46 — and have a bigger band option than the XL; a 46-50 in F-G cup.
ON CUP SIZES: Yes, these are US cup sizes, so on first glance it seems to only accommodate up to the equivalent to a UK G (30-32 band) or HH (32-40 band), but honestly? The cup sizing on this bra runs *very* large and even with an 11″ difference between my band and cup size (a US K cup), I still have a bit of room. If you want some fit advice, email customer service at Breakout Bras. I did before I ordered to confirm if these were returnable if they didn’t fit (the “custom” part threw me off; YES, they are returnable) and if the 30-32 H-I had any chance of fitting. I gave them my measurements and the bra size/make I was currently wearing and they told me it would be no problem at all. They were right on!
Now, the downside — the custom bra sizes are $49.50 versus the regular $35. UGH. However! Breakout Bras does free shipping and, if you’re a returning customer, you get your own discount code worth 15% off. (Note: I’m not affiliated with Breakout Bras and am not receiving anything from them for this post–I just totally dig that they carry this custom option!)
Is the fit on this bra perfect? No. It’s still a little loose in the band and I look a bit, how shall we put this…saggy.
But for a sleep bra? It’s sleep bra for large bust, and keeps everything (including those super important nursing pads) where it should be. I’ll call that a WIN.