When I became pregnant I went on a quest for the most comfy yet functional every-trimester-lasting and postpartum lasting bras to get me through all the stages of pregnancy and postpartum including getting back to working out. I was still doing Crossfit with my husband until the quarantine shutdown of 2020, so getting back to higher intensity workouts was important and bras that could do yoga, or running, or burpees/lifting were important to me! Many bras were hits, some were misses, and I wanted to share all of my research and testing over the past 2ish years! I was pregnant most of 2020, had my daughter Dempsey in October 2020, and have been nursing/pumping since! I haven’t pumped in a few months now, but still nursing a couple times a day, so I feel like I have a good idea of what worked and didn’t work! So let’s get into it – I made a video review, bare with me it’s my first time making a review video like this! Next time I will have to turn the camera the other way for youtube.
Check out the video review here!
- Senita Everyday V-Neck Nursing Sports Bra
- $37
- Size Medium
- This is the most supportive of the nursing sports bras that I have, and the adjustable clasp band is very nice for easy on and off! I have worn this for Crossfit style and running workouts with no issues. I bought this one after trying to run in the Kindred Bravely Sublime sports bra and the girls were ALL OVER the place! So definitely a great running/cardio bra, I just wish they made it in more colors. Easy to nurse in, the clip is a little high when you’re reaching up your shoulder but get used to it! These came with cup liners – I believe I took them all out, didn’t find them too nippy either without that padding. Oh and the price point you can’t beat on Senita they are $37 regularly and they have excellent sales all the time!
- Senita Go With The Flow Nursing Sports Bra
- $37
- Size Medium
- I bought this one in 2 colors, I really love them! Super comfortable, adjustable band again which also allows for easy on and off. Easy to nurse in, just felt that they were a tiny bit less supportive than the V-neck style. I still wear these for cardio workouts, but choose the V-neck if I am going to run later. I would definitely recommend these!
- Kindred Bravely French Terry Racerback Nursing & Sleep Bra
- $34.99
- Size Medium
- Okay, let me tell you, these bras are LIFE. I used these during pregnancy for comfy around the house bras, and I used them daily postpartum around the clock for nursing. They are a little tight in the beginning when your boobs are engorged postpartum, but they are super stretchy and adjust to your ever-changing boobs in the beginning. I literally couldn’t have made it without these. I think I wore these all the time, and got weird clothing stains on them and milk stains and they always washed out great, no pills or wear really on the material. Again, obsessed, everyone needs this style in their arsenal. They did change the back style to just racerback, the ones I have are a larger wider back, but still highly recommend!
- Baobei Adore Nursing Bralettes
- $38
- Size S/M in purple, M/L in black
- I was totally influenced by a few instagram mamas I follow that had babies around the same time as me in 2020 – so I bought this in 2 colors – and was SO excited. I ordered both in size small/medium because I’m usually a 34B and was probably a 36C for a bit there in the beginning – but I had to return the black because it ran SO SMALL AND TIGHT – the medium/large fit great you can see the size difference in the video and the stress on the smaller size from pulling down nursing ruining the material. I had reached out to the company and they recommended pulling up to nurse and alternating more, however pulling down was always so much more comfortable for me. These are very comfy but show EVERYTHING – leaks and nips galore, so these I used in the beginning for comfort only, but honestly they are more sporty material and a thicker band than the Kindred Bravely French Terry ones, and not as comfortable as those either. I think these are still adorable and functional, and also work okay for light activity and yoga/stretching in the beginning as well.
- Kindred Bravely Sublime Nursing Sports Bra
- $44.99
- Size Medium
- This was the first nursing sports bra I got and it was great for all the low impact working out in the beginning but I needed way more support as I started jogging and doing some more intensive activity. I also wish I had gotten a darker color, this stained horribly and the material as you can see in the video is all pilled and gross and no matter the soaking or cleaning I do with my other clothes this is just ruined forever. Its Insanely comfy though so I would definitely give another color a shot next pregnancy/postpartum, but defintily not my best looking bra. I still wear it though for lighter activity workouts!
- True & Co True Body Triangle Convertible Strap Bra
- $44
- Size Small
- So these are not advertised as nursing friendly that I know of but I’d had them before pregnancy and worn them throughout as well, and although they didn’t fit me immediately postpartum (I think I would have done better in a Medium) they did fit when my boobs went back down a little in size and they are what I went back to as my everyday bra. They are super stretchy and super easy to lift up to nurse in, just have to readjust the little thin pad that is in there but I don’t mind. I find these wash well in a garment bag and hang dry and don’t stain much either. Just wanted to add them in as an option!
- Davin & Adley Ella Maternity, Nursing & Pumping Bralette
- $69
- Size Medium
- Alright first up for my Davin & Adley haul is the Ella – I waited a while to get this one actually as I was focused on building up camis for work when I went back to the office. This bra is just gorgeous in person, the satiny-material and lace are such great quality, the rose gold metal magnetic clasps are a little different than you’ll be used to but you get the hang of them easily. The lace makes you feel sexy again and the bra looks like a sexy bra underneath slouchy sweaters and cardigans. I wish I had gotten it sooner, but still love it. I told the owner of the shop to do an ivory and gold one…. I hope she does! I didn’t use this for pumping, I have only used it for nursing which works great, will try it next go-around and update! Also all of her bras come with their own little washing bag, I wash on cold and hang dry and I also don’t use harsh detergents and they wash beautifully. I was all of my bras in her little bra bags actually because I have so many now!
- Davin & Adley Amelia Pumping & Nursing Crop Cami
- $49
- Size Medium
- This is the holy grail of my arsenal of pumping bras – I have 3 colors so far, and I wore these exclusively to work under any and all work clothes as my undershirt but also pumping/nursing bra – it was fabulous to nurse Dempsey before work, pump all day, come home, nurse again before bed all in the SAME bra. And it functioned so well under a variety of clothing! I felt my nips never showed, my boobs have a pretty good shape, and honestly these bras gave me the best support for pumping because of the nature of the style, holding the flanges just right for me. I also loved the adjustable straps are in the FRONT so you could easily loosen and tighten them for nursing/pumping and then back to support so easily. Also you can pull down or pull up for nursing – pulling down was my preferred with this style, and again the strap adjustment was SO EASY and just again these are just perfection. In the very, very, early weeks postpartum I felt these rolled up a little bit more but as I de-puffed they fit better and better, and I’m also short and curvy in general so they roll up from time to time but it never bothered me or cut into me and always comfy. She bundles them now and made more gorgeous colors and I just love them! These are my top rated nursing/pumping combo bras for sureeee!
- Davin & Adley Autumn Maternity, Nursing & Pumping Bralette
- $69
- Size Medium
- This bralette is super cute for wearing with cardigans and slouchy sweaters as well – for those of you who know me I can’t resist a good high neck style – my wedding dress was this silhouette, it’s my fav. I found this one not as convenient for nursing as the cami style, and for pumping I just got better suction/flange support with the Amelia, so I reserved this mainly for nursing, or when I wanted a supportive yoga bra too! It’s really gorgeous with the lace on top and the open back.
- Cake Maternity Lotus Hands-Free Pumping & Nursing Bra
- $55
- Size Medium
- This bra I wanted to love so much – as you can see it’s super cute in design, however I felt that I literally just couldn’t use it for pumping, I lost suction every time and it could be user error but when you gotta get a pump sesh in you gotta be able to do it and not freak out your pump is broken every time – so I honestly stopped wearing this. The band also rolls up and cuts into you it’s like an elastic raw edge type feeling it just wasn’t good. For nursing the double material to pull aside just wasn’t convenient either. This one is a pass for me.
- Momanda Lace Racerback Nursing Bra
- $20
- Size Medium
- I bought this on a whim from Amazon, but I see it looks like they are discontinuing it based on many sizes being sold out and not restocked, however for a cheap lacey functional nursing bra that works with summer tanks, I would def recommend this brand for a bra you won’t wear as much but works when you wanna look cute and dress up for the day! Looks like they came out with some more new styles too since I bought this last year and can’t beat the price point.
- Davin & Adley Paisley Nursing Bra Liners
- $26 single, $39 double, $99 for 7 (best value!)
- I chose size 1 which worked well for a 34B-36C
- These are genius! They are one piece that doesn’t bunch up or squish to the side in your bra like the little circles or the sticker ones do – definitely recommend one of these to start with and see how you do and what your needs are! I had thought I would need these for work (so I bought 7 of them!) but I didn’t end up needing them, which I guess is a good thing? Either way I wanted to mention them as they are genius! I did forget to take a photo but they are in my video (last bit at the end!)
Okay this post was wayyy longer than I thought it would be but I hope you, or a new mama or mama-to-be in your life can benefit!!
What are your favorites that I didn’t mention? Let me know! I have another couple brands I’d been eyeing like Caden Shae among others!
okay until next time!
xo – Sarah