I just welcomed my second baby boy into the world a few weeks ago, and we love him SO much (see his birth announcement here on Instagram). The last few weeks have looked pretty much like you’d expect: snuggles, nursing, napping, repeat. I knew I wanted to breastfeed this baby because I breastfed my first for almost two years and loved it (so much more than I anticipated).
Nursing wasn’t without its challenges, though, especially at first (read this post for my breastfeeding must-haves). And the same has been true this go ’round. We’re constantly trying to figure it all out, and I know it takes some time. But one thing has been true of both breastfeeding experiences: the right bra matters.
People have strong opinions on which nursing bras they like best, and I am part of that club. I’m pretty passionate about my finds, both from my first pregnancy and now my second (if you’re looking for my favorite maternity bra, it’s NEIWAI; I shared all of my NEIWAI favorites in this post ).
Below I’m rounding up my favorite nursing bras, why I love them, and where to buy them. I linked all of my other postpartum must-haves in this blog post too.
I ordered the Kindred Bravely pumping bra and it’s absolutely my favorite. The fabric is super soft and stretchy (you could even sleep in it), and the front panels allow for hands-free pumping, which is great. While this bra is designed specifically for hands-free pumping, it’s also super easy to pull down for nursing. Since this one works for hands-free pumping AND nursing, it is the winner in my book.
I won’t lie to you and say this gives you amazing shape or lift, but that’s not what we care about in the weeks after we bring our babies home. When my friends ask for my favorite nursing bra, this is what I send them. And since I’m wearing mostly cardigans and sweaters right now, shape isn’t as important. Plus, I’m not really going anywhere yet!
There is another Kindred Bravely bra that is designed to work for nursing AND pumping that I purchased, but I find the hooks are a bit difficult to use, so I prefer the one I linked above.
This comes in two sizes, so there’s an option for larger and smaller busts. Size up if you’re on the fence. I first ordered a medium, but with the additional ones I ordered, I found the large in the Busty cup size was best. I’m rather petite with a usual 32 band size, although my cup size is large right now (at least an E).
Once I got past the first few months of breastfeeding, the Neiwai Barely Zero Spaghetti Strap Wireless Bra has been the only bra I wear. While it is not technically a true nursing bra, the straps pull down super easily and it’s wildly comfortable, so I’m deeming it a nursing bra for the sake of this post. And it’s my #1 pick.
I first tried NEWAI when I was pregnant and couldn’t get over how comfortable their bras were. Read my full review of NEIWAI on the blog here.
The MOMANDA Ribbed Scoop Nursing Bralette is nearly perfect. It has soft, ribbed fabric and the nursing clips are easy to use, with just one hand. The simple scoop neck design is flattering but it does show under some of my tops. But for only $28 and Amazon Prime shipping, it’s worth buying. There is a Momanda v-neck bra that I’d likely like more but I haven’t bought it yet. It’s not ribbed and doesn’t come in as many colors but that’s not a big deal to me.
The easy thing about strapless bras is that you can just flip the cup down or just pull the whole thing down. The main thing to look for is no underwire so you don’t get clogged ducts and so it’s easy to flip. This Neiwai strapless bra is the best strapless bra, whether you’re nursing or not.
It’s similar to the Soma Enbliss Wireless Stay Put Multi-Way Strapless Bra (which I also own) but the Neiwai has better coverage, stays up better, is more flattering and the cups sit slightly higher, which makes it better when breastfeeding if you have large breasts. Speaking of Soma – I haven’t tried any of the true Soma Nursing Bras but they do sell them (they just all look a little intense!).
While I love love love breastfeeding, it’s easy to feel anything but sexy, and not-so-cute nursing bras definitely add to that feeling. I haven’t bought any of these but after doing a little research on top rated options (in terms of style and comfort), I’m planning to. They’re not crazy sexy, since they obviously still have to be practical, but I do think a lace nursing bra would make me feel just a little prettier.
The most popular Natori Nursing Bra is pretty and functional but it does have an underwire. Natori does have a non-underwire nursing bra that may be more comfortable but does have a more traditional nursing bra look. Momanda has a lace nursing bra too but it looks a little too lacy for my taste.
If you prefer underwire for a little lift and shape, you’ll love the 24/7® Classic Nursing Bra by ThirdLove. Underwire sounds downright miserable to me right now, but to be fair, I had a baby less than a month ago. If Charles nurses as long as Thomas did, I know I’ll be wearing this ThirdLove bra again down the road, since this gives the best lift and shape of all of the nursing bras.
I’ve had a ton of bras from ThirdLove and they’re all flattering and the fit is great. The only downside about the 24/7 Classic Nursing Bra is that it’s pricey. But again, if you’re nursing for a while, invest in a bra that you LOVE.
I love the SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra for nursing and pregnancy. It’s by far the most supportive sports bra I’ve ever worn (too supportive to wear when I’m not nursing or pregnant). You can adjust the fit from the straps and band in the back, and the bra zips from the front which makes it nursing-friendly and easier to put on. I have a full SheFit sports bra review on the blog.
You can read about my my experience running while breastfeeding here.
I ordered mine directly from the SheFit website, but Amazon also carries it.
While the SheFit Ultimate Bra is the best in terms of support, it’s also pricey. And if you’re not doing high impact workouts like running, you may not need something as supportive as the SheFit. In that case, I love this SYROKAN sports bra from Amazon. The straps are adjustable which makes the support customizable and makes nursing easy. I wore this for months before I found the SheFit bra and loved it.
That’s all I have today. If I find another nursing bra that I love, I’ll be sure to add it to this post!
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