Because your breasts will continue to grow and change shape throughout your pregnancy, you may be having a tough time choosing a pregnancy bra. The following tips can help you to choose the best pregnancy bra for each stage of your pregnancy.
You’ll want to start looking for your first pregnancy bra when you’re about 4 to 5 months pregnant, or whenever your bra starts to feel tight.
When choosing a bra for pregnancy, look for comfortable fabrics without irritating seams, and avoid underwires.
When choosing a pregnancy bra size, you’ll need to take two measurements. The first is band size; the second is cup size.
- How to Pick the Best Pregnancy Bra
To determine band size, measure around your body directly under your breasts. Round the measurement up to the nearest whole number. For example, if the tape measure reads 31 ½, round up to 32.
To determine cup size, measure around your body at the fullest part of your breasts. Then subtract your band size from that number. For example, if the tape measure reads 35 and your band size is 32, your number would be 3. Using the chart below, your cup size would be C. Therefore, your pregnancy bra size would be 34C.
| Bust measurement (in inches) | Cup Size |
| 1 | AA |
| 2 | A |
| 2 – 2 ½ | B |
| 2 ½ – 3 ½ | C |
| 3 ½ – 4 ½ | D |
| 4 ½ – 5 | E |
| 5-6 | F |
| 6-7 | G |
You may be tempted to cut costs by buying an oversized pregnancy bra so you won’t have to replace it as your pregnancy progresses, but trying to stick to one size bra during pregnancy isn’t going to cut it. You’ll only be sacrificing comfort and irritating breasts that are probably already tender. Instead of buying a bra that’s too large, consider a pregnancy bra with adjustable cups or adjustable fasteners.
Because your breasts will continue to grow throughout your pregnancy, you’ll probably need to buy new maternity bras two or three times before giving birth.