Why you should buy a maternity bra
rather than a normal bra when pregnant!
During pregnancy, it becomes inevitable
to have bigger and heavier breasts. This
usually happens at around eight to ten weeks
and it also becomes the time to replace
ordinary bras. A simple rule in determining
the best time to purchase a maternity bra is
when wearing a normal bra begins to feel
uncomfortable. In some cases, they are not
only heavy but sore as well. To prevent them
from being stretched, as these only have
ligaments and no muscles, an expecting mom
should make sure that the bra worn gives the
proper support.
A maternity bra is often interchanged with a
nursing bra. However, there is a slight
difference between these two as maternity
bras are specially created to accommodate
the expansion of the breasts as these grows
in size throughout the pregnancy.
The
following are the factors that differentiate
normal bras from the ideal maternity bra.
1. For extra support, the straps (preferably
firm and elastic), sides and under-bust band
should be wide. A deep center on the front
can give added support as well. Such straps
can prevent digging into the shoulders.
2. As breasts become more sensitive, there
is a need to consider the coverage of the
fabric around the breast area. Full coverage
gives added comfort.
3. It is known that breasts expand in size
throughout the course of pregnancy. This
brings about the need to consider the
overall adjustability of the maternity bra.
It is recommended that four rows of eyes
(hook and eye) in the back at a minimum will
suffice to permit the bra to grow with the
expecting mom. It is not advisable to
purchase a loose fitting bra to allow
expansion in the later months of pregnancy.
One has to keep in mind that buying a bra is
primarily for providing sufficient support.
4. It is often the case that pregnant women
feel hot. Thus, maternity bras made of
cotton fabric will allow the skin to breathe
more freely and prevent sweating.
The
following are some tips when trying on the
maternity bra.
1. Check if the cups adequately cover the
breast and has ample depth. Make sure that
there is no breast overflow on top of the
cup.
2. If one is buying an underwire bra (not
recommended by the way as these have been
linked to harming the breastmilk ducts),
check that no part of the breast will be in
direct contact with the underwire to prevent
any kind of pressure on the breast which can
affect breastfeeding. In addition, stay away
from rigid underwire and opt for flexible
plastic support which are now readily
available. Rigid underwire can add pressure
on the breast as it expands during the day
when milk is present and reduces when milk
is not present. This pressure may result in
blocked milk ducts.
3. To determine a good fitting bra, make
sure that the back is level or parallel. It
is no good to have the straps too tight
which will only result to digging on the
shoulder blades and thus, providing no
support at all.
4. One needs to see that the center seam is
comfortably against the breast bone. This
will contribute to a good fit.
5. Since maternity bras are designed to
expand throughout the course of pregnancy,
it is recommended that when buying a bra
early in the pregnancy to make sure that the
bra fastens on the first row of eyes (hook
and eye) to leave room for adjusting in the
later part of the pregnancy.
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