Lace on a nursing bra that still does the practical
A nursing bra with lace gives you back that feminine look during a period when your underwear otherwise quickly becomes purely functional. But the lace must never get in the way of what a nursing bra is primarily meant to do: give you easy access to your breasts, sit comfortably for hours on end, and support a breast that changes size throughout the day. Darling, you don't have to choose between feeling pretty and being practical. A well-designed nursing bra with lace does both at once, and that is exactly what you will find here.
The most important thing to look for is that you can open and close the bra with one hand while holding your baby with the other. Most nursing bras either have a clip at the top of the shoulder strap or a crossover design that you fold to the side. With us, you can, among other things, take a closer look at our crossover nursing bra, if you prefer the solution without clips.
That is why many choose a wireless nursing bra when they nurse
Lace and wireless support often go together on a nursing bra, and there is a good reason for it. A wireless nursing bra does not put hard pressure on the breast tissue, and that is worth taking seriously when you are nursing. Continuous pressure on a single area of the breast can in some cases contribute to blocked milk ducts, which if left untreated, can develop into mastitis. A soft, wireless design instead adapts to the breast as it fills and empties throughout the day.
That does not mean you are compromising on support. Seamless knit and wide underbands hold the breast in place without the rigid underwire. If you want to dive into exactly that type, you can see the entire selection of wireless nursing bras. If you feel heat, hard or tender areas in your breast, or if you get a fever, contact your midwife, health visitor or doctor, regardless of which bra you use.
When you should buy your nursing bra during pregnancy
One of the questions many ask themselves is when during pregnancy it makes sense to invest in a nursing bra. The short answer: you can easily use it already late in pregnancy, as it also works as a regular maternity bra. Many find it practical to get a couple of them around the last few weeks before your due date, so you have them ready in your hospital bag.
A rule of thumb is to measure yourself late in pregnancy rather than early, because the breast typically grows the most in the last third and again when the milk comes in in the days after birth. It is best to wait until close to your due date to buy the final size. If you are unsure about what the numbers mean, you can use our bra size guide to find your starting point.
How to find the right size when the breast changes
The breast is rarely the same size from day to day when you are nursing. It fills up before a feeding and becomes softer and smaller afterwards. Therefore, a nursing bra with lace is best served with a certain amount of stretch, so it follows along both ways without tightening when the breast is full, or sitting loose when it is empty.
Measure your underband just under the breast and your cup width across the fullest point. If you choose a seamless model, there is often a little more elasticity to work with, which is an advantage precisely during the period when the size fluctuates. If you have a fuller breast and need extra hold, it is worth looking at nursing bras with support, which are designed to provide more firmness without forcing you into a rigid, underwire-based model.
Lace for day and for night
A nursing bra with lace does not have to be something you only wear for pretty. Many also nurse at night, especially in the early period when feedings are close together, and here a soft bra with easy access is worth its weight in gold, so you can avoid fumbling in the dark. If night is your primary need, a model without hooks and with a completely flat design can lie softly against the skin while you sleep. See the selection of night nursing bras, if that is where your need is greatest.
For daytime, the same feminine lace can lift a completely ordinary day, where you may not get around to much else than nursing, changing diapers and resting. There is something soothing about having something pretty underneath, even when the rest of your wardrobe is on pause. And darling, remember to rest too, when the baby sleeps.
