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Can I wear an underwire bra while nursing?

Yes. You absolutely can wear an underwire bra while you’re pregnant and nursing. It all depends on your personal preference for wearing a wired bra, but feel free to try wireless styles too. Wireless can be more comfortable if your breasts are sore, especially while they’re growing. The main reason underwire bras may not be the best for you during pregnancy or nursing is based on the fit. We always share the fact that 80% of women are likely wearing the wrong bra size which can make any bra uncomfortable whether or not it’s wired or wireless. So it’s always a good idea to get a fitting, especially throughout the first stages of your pregnancy because that’s when your breasts change most.

If your bra is too tight while you’re starting to produce milk, you may be putting too much pressure on your milk ducts. When there’s too much pressure on the milk ducts you get clotting there which can harden and be super uncomfortable. The easiest way to make sure you’re wearing the right bra is to first get a personalized bra fitting. You can get one right now with our Fitting Room Quiz here to save time.

3 Ways to Check Your Fit

1. Which hook are you on? When you put on your bra you want to start at the last hook and the band should hug your body comfortably. If you have to go to the first hook, then your band size is likely too big and you should go down a band size. The reason we say start on the last hook is because your bra is new and will stretch over time. So you’ll eventually get to that hook on an older bra, but it shouldn’t be where you start.

2. Your waistband: When you put the bra around you and clasp the last hook, the waistband should fit snugly. When we say snug, we don’t mean tight. You should still be able to put about two fingers under the band. Try it now, we’ll wait. If you can’t get two fingers under there, it shouldn’t be too hard to get one in. If so, you may need to go up a band size. Sometimes you might spill over the sizes of your waistband which could mean that you need to size up in the band.

3. Cups: Your breast should fit nicely in the cup and fit it completely and contour your natural curve and shape. If you’re seeing quite a bit of space left in the cup, you feel any digging in, or you’re overflowing out of the cup, it’s either too small or too big. Wire sitting on your breasts or riding up throughout the day so that’s where it ends up? Your cups are probably too small. So once you’ve gone down a cup, you should feel that smooth, snug fit. Think you might need a half cup? Reach out to a Fit Stylist to see if you might need a half cup size.

Can I Just Not Wear a Bra?

Of course you can. If you have larger breasts you might find it uncomfortable to not wear a bra, so we suggest trying something like a better wireless bra that supports and smooths. We love our Form Wireless Bra, made with the softest material that keeps you supported without the wire. Not wearing a bra is fine when you’re not moving around too much, but not wearing one long term can leave you to deal with gravity. And gravity is unkind to our breasts. When we leave our boobs unsupported the tissue can start to stretch from the added weight and sag. We have an article that goes into much more detail about breast sagging and not wearing a bra here.

The Potential Benefits of Wearing an Unlined Bra

The best unlined bras highlight your natural shape and keep you looking and feeling good all day. Wearing a better unlined bra you’ll completely forget that you’ve got one on. The lightweight and breathable fabrics these bras are made of makes them super comfortable for everyday wear. This style is a staple for us and we think it’ll be one for you too. If you’ve never worn an unlined bra, we say try it and see how it feels.

Unlined bras are a style that make you feel amazing in every outfit since they enhance your natural shape. We also love this bra because it looks amazing under your clothes, especially when you pair it with a sheer outfit or top. Our recommendation is to go with an unlined bra that matches your skin tone so you can wear it with anything. When it looks and feels like a second skin, you know you’ve found a keeper.

How to Hand Wash Delicates

All you need is a sink, your detergent, a wash cloth, and a towel. First take your washcloth, drip it in water mixed with your detergent. Spot clean any stains on your underwear. Then put your undies in the sink and allow them to soak in warm water before you gently work the fabric. You’ll see some suds after a bit, so you’ll know it’s time to rinse. Once you’ve rinsed away all the detergent from the fabric, you can lay your clean undies out flat on a dry towel or hang dry them. These hand washing tips can work for your fave bras too.

AnaOno’s Adaptive Post-Surgery Bras for All Shapes

AnaOno was created by CEO Dana Donofree who was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer at the age of 27. Check out our Q&A with Dana here to learn more about her experience. Their mastectomy bras are made with a super soft modal blend (gliding smoothly against stitching) that’s complimentary to limited mobility and beautiful styles you’ll love. Who are AnaOno post-surgical bras for? Anyone recovering from implant reconstruction, FLAP reconstruction, flat closure, lumpectomy, unilateral and bilateral mastectomy, breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction, other breast surgeries.