How we chose the best nursing bras to test
Our original shortlist of maternity bras was whittled down by experienced parenting journalist Iona Bower, who spoke to bra and maternity experts at La Leche League and the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) to get their recommendations on what to look for. She also interviewed bra-fitting guru BraLady, aka Tracey-Jane Hughes, for tips on how to find the perfect fit and to get some insight into new products on the market.
Armed with that information, Iona asked Mumsnet users for their maternity and nursing bra recommendations and trawled the Mumsnet forums for comments that would back those up.
She then cast her net out to the wider internet and collated a list of all the maternity and nursing bras that had received accolades from the likes of Which?, national newspapers and magazines as well as other parenting websites in the last two years. She cross-referenced all those bras that received repeated mentions, recommendations and awards with online reviews from real mums to see how they fared over time.
All the bras were marketed for both pregnancy and breastfeeding so we recruited two testers: Esmari Phylactou who was in her third trimester of pregnancy with her fourth baby and about to stop work for maternity leave, and Rachel Wood, a mum of three who was at home and breastfeeding her youngest who was three months old at the start of testing.
Both women led busy and active lives so we knew that they would put every bra through its paces. They each tested the 16 bras over a period of 10 weeks, wearing them both out and about and at home (as well as for sport or for sleep if that’s what they were for).
We then asked them to score each bra out of eight against these six criteria:
Comfort and support – looking at the materials used, how long you could comfortably wear the bra for? Would it be soft and supportive enough for sensitive pregnant boobs and sore nipples in the early days of breastfeeding? The testers also performed a bounce test to ensure all breasts stayed put when running up stairs and jumping on the spot.
Ease of use – determining whether the bra was easy to put on and adjust, how simple ordering and returns were, whether there were any extra parts included and whether the bra would grow with a changing pregnant shape. Our testers also looked at how easy the clasps were to use and how the design of the bra made breastfeeding easier, with features like one-handed clips.
Product life – checking it washed well (the testers performed a spill stain test to see how liquids like coffee and milk came out), testing the strength of the seams and whether the bra still looked as new after multiple washes.
Safety – was the sizing right and did the bra fit comfortably without being restrictive?
Aesthetics – Was it attractive, available in other colours, and would you be happy to have it on show when feeding? How did it look under clothes and what sort of shape did it give generally? Are there any clothes you couldn’t wear the bra with? We also asked our testers to check for dreaded ‘monoboob’ (that the bra didn’t squish boobs together into one amorphous mass).
Value for money – would it last the distance? Could it be used beyond breastfeeding? How much wear would you get from it overall? And were there design ideas or particularly lovely materials that would make it worth its price tag?
We interviewed the testers at length about their findings and analysed their scores together to assess how well each bra performed during both pregnancy and breastfeeding. After weeks of research, approximately 2000 bra-wearing hours, 500 breastfeeds and many adjustments, we were able to sit down and confidently pick our original top 10.
How we updated our best nursing bras listings
We took our original shortlist of the 10 best nursing bras as tried, tested and researched by Iona, Esmari and Rachel and cross-referenced them with current recommendations from the Mumsnet forums. We also questioned our 2025 panel of verified Mumsnet testers made up of carefully vetted pregnant women as well as mothers who've given birth in the last few years. We asked each of them for their top maternity bra recommendations based on fit, comfort, support and overall value for money.
What you need to know about maternity & nursing bras
The following advice on maternity bras includes expert advice from the NCT, breastfeeding support organisation La Leche League, and Tracey-Jane Hughes, founder of BraLady.
What is a maternity bra?
Maternity bras are designed to be worn while you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. They have drop cups to make feeding easier and usually have lots of hooks at the back that offer room to grow while pregnant.
Some have other features to make life easier at the pregnancy or breastfeeding stage, such as soft-lined cups for sore breasts, special clips to remind you which side you fed from last and even pockets for breast pads.
What are the different types of pregnancy and nursing bra?
Non-wired
Underwired
Pull-on bra
Racerback
Sleep bra
Sports bra
Camisole or vest bra
What's the difference between maternity and nursing bras?
Maternity bras tend to be used during pregnancy while nursing bras are specifically for feeding, but most maternity bras are designed to be worn for pregnancy and breastfeeding.
As such, they will usually have drop cups that you can undo with a clasp and lower to feed your baby, but can just as easily be worn during pregnancy.
While that gives them flexibility and means you can use them for longer, you should still have bra fittings at several stages of the pregnancy and breastfeeding journey to ensure you’re wearing the correct size.
Do I really need a maternity bra?
Maternity bras are designed with pregnancy in mind, so are often made using materials that offer more movement and add additional support in the right places.
However, if you aren’t intending to breastfeed or definitely won’t need your pregnancy bra for breastfeeding, an ordinary bra will work just fine.
How soon should you wear a maternity or nursing bra?
Rae Vacher Lowe of La Leche League says, “There is no universal right time to buy a maternity bra. When you notice your breasts starting to grow, it’s time to get fitted”.
Your breasts can go up one or two cup sizes in the first trimester so at around 10 and 14 weeks you’ll usually notice a big change.
How many nursing bras do you need?
Four should do it. Don’t buy too many at the start of pregnancy because you’ll want to get re-measured and may later need them for breastfeeding. If you breastfeed for longer than a few months, you may well need to be measured again.
You should be able to get by on the ‘one to wear, one to wash and one to dry’ policy, but only if you’re on top of your laundry.
How much does your bra size go up during pregnancy?
Your cup size will likely go up by one or two cups in the first trimester, and sometimes more later on. Your rib cage expands later in pregnancy and will often increase by two to four sizes.
Are underwired bras safe to wear during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
Yes, but with care. According to the NCT, an underwired bra must fit properly and not dig into the skin. There are lots of underwired bras designed specifically for pregnancy and breastfeeding, and many have flexible wire that is softer and more comfortable to wear than traditional underwires.
La Leche League say that non-wired bras have more give so will accommodate fluctuating breast size better. However the most important thing is to ensure a good, comfortable fit.
As such, non-wired bras are recommended during the first 12 weeks of breastfeeding (and preferably for the first six months), but this ultimately depends on personal preference.
Should I wear a bra to bed while pregnant and breastfeeding?
You don’t need to wear a maternity sleep bra at night, but you may find wearing one benefits you. Sleep bras tend to be even softer than daytime maternity bras to allow plenty of movement and they're also handy once your milk starts to arrive.
Once you’re feeding, a sleep bra can give a bit of extra support, particularly during the early days of breastfeeding when your breasts become full between feeds.