Search this site

I breastfed my son for most of his first year (he's now sixteen months old). Finding a maternity bra that fit well and felt comfortable was not easy. The main difficulty I encountered was that I produced a ton of milk, more than the baby needed, and it caused engorgement early on. I hadn't intended on using an electric breast pump, but I was in so much pain that first week that I made my husband go out and buy one so I could get some relief. Another consequence of this mega-milkfest (other than feeling like a swollen cow... sad moo) was that my breasts increased significantly in size -- I was probably up to a D cup at my biggest, and normally I am an A or small B cup. I could hardly believe how big I was, and I never actually bought any D-cup bras because it seemed totally impossible that I would stay that size for long enough to use them. I ended up in a Bravado Body Silk nursing bra in size Small, which is equivalent to a 34B-C. This is an excellent, well-made, very comfortable bra, but the fit seemed to vary depending on the time of day, how much milk my son was taking, and even how much water I drank. At times it felt too tight in the cups, and I could probably have used a Medium. BabyCentre's guide recommends buying nursing bras when you are in the 36th or 37th week of pregnancy, but for me the correct size was at least two cups bigger once I'd had the baby and started to breastfeed than it was at 37 weeks pregnant. That was probably partly due to my being small-busted to begin with, and partly because I had so much milk. I had no idea that any of this would happen when I decided to breastfeed. I don't regret the decision, but I learned that when you are on your first child and can't predict how your body will respond to breastfeeding, it's best to leave the tags on anything you buy while you are still pregnant or before your milk comes in, because you may end up a cup size (or even two) larger than you anticipated. You should be able to try on your new nursing bra once you are actually breastfeeding to make sure it fits properly. Also keep in mind that your breast size may shift, so you want cups that fit even when you are at your fullest; this means choosing a larger cup, because it's better to have a little extra room at times than to be stuck in a too-tight bra. For my next baby, I'll happily wear the Bravado Body Silk bra again, but this time I'll get the Medium just to be safe. #nursing #maternity #smallbusted #pregnant #Bravado

Naturally, one of my favorite blogs is The Lingerie Addict . I'm proud to display Cora's "Body Snark Free Zone" badge to signify my committment to tolerance, sensitivity, and constructive conversation about body image issues. This means I want my blog to be a safe place for everyone to find valuable information and support, and to share their own ideas without fear of being judged or attacked. I do encourage all visitors to speak their minds, but always in a respectful way, and any comments that don't meet this standard will be deleted. Having said that, talking about your feelings is not body snark. For example, if you say "I'm frustrated because I feel like thin women don't face the same difficulties I do as a plus-size woman," that's absolutely valid and worth talking about. What I wouldn't be okay with is something like "thin girls, shut up already about your bra fitting issues -- you have nothing to complain about." This would be an effort to silence another group of people and invalidate their experience, which I won't allow to happen here. Please let me know if you have any questions about this policy. Hopefully it will make Bras Outside the Box a more welcoming place. #bodyimage

Hey everyone! Thanks for being here. I'm thrilled to introduce my new lingerie blog, Bras Outside the Box. I created this site for women seeking bras and lingerie to meet needs that the mainstream lingerie market fails to cover. That includes those of us with unusual sizes, body proportions, and conditions that make standard bras difficult to wear. I've identified several categories that I want to focus on for product reviews, news, and other items of interest: pregnant/nursing, breast cancer/mastectomy, disabled, transgender, and hard-to-find sizes. If you fall outside of these, that doesn't mean I'm not interested in addressing your particular circumstances; feel free to get in touch and let me know more about your experience and how I can help. Some of you know me from my previous website, 32AABra, where I mainly reviewed bras in small cup sizes. I got interested in "bras outside the box" because I am very small-busted myself, and as a lover of stylish and flattering lingerie, I was frustrated with the lack of available options on the market in my size. Via 32AABra, I ended up hearing from many other women of almost every conceivable size, shape, and stage of life about the challenges they had faced in shopping for bras. It was enlightening for me to realize how many different needs women have, and at the same time, how we all share a similar wish to find lingerie that really fits properly and makes us feel beautiful. I have no personal experience with most of the categories listed above. I've been pregnant and I nursed my son for almost a year, but I have never had breast cancer and am not a transgender or disabled woman. That means I really need to hear from my readers who are living with these issues. If you would like to share your story, please use the Contact form. #smallbusted #pregnant #nursing #mastectomy #breastcancer #disabled #transgender

Some physical conditions make it painful or difficult for women to wear bras with underwires. If you are pregnant, disabled, or have recently had surgery for breast cancer, you may prefer a wire-free bra. But it can be tough to find one with adequate support and structure, especially for large busts. Bra fitting expert Ali Cudby, CEO of Fab Foundations and founder of the leading global online bra certification program FabFit Academy, says: Wired vs. wire-free bras fit somewhat differently, because wire-free bras don’t have the structure of the wire for lift and support. What that means for women is that they need the part of the bra that connects the cups (the gore) to be taller, so there’s more ability for the cup to offer the lift women love. Taller gores mean more coverage, which women don’t always love - so there’s often a trade off. Plunge bras, in order to work best, generally need to have some wire for structure. In addition to a taller center gore, look for at least three rows of hooks where the bra closes to help anchor the band. Side boning or stays can also make for a more secure fit, if you can tolerate them (they tend to be somewhat more comfortable to wear than an underwire). The Lara wire-free bra from Amoena has a substantial center gore, plus side stays and three rows of hooks. It’s a full-coverage style, making it a good fit for a wide range of bust sizes. But what really distinguishes it from similar bras that offer great support without underwires is that it's attractive, available in a variety of colors, and the smooth cups are invisible under clothing. This is one of my favorite wire-free options on the market right now (yes, I own one and I wear it regularly). #disabled #breastcancer #wirefree #largebust #brafitting #pregnant #Amoena