How To Measure Yourself For A Nursing Bra

Did you know that most women are wearing bras that don’t fit properly? Greater than 70% of women are wearing the wrong size or style of bra for their bodies. No wonder we hate them so much!! And when you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is even more important to have a properly fitted bra. An ill-fitting bra can cause many problems like blocked ducts, mastitis, milk supply problems and discomfort for new moms. If you don’t have a place that you can go to for a proper fitting, then use the instructions below to fit yourself. It is probably easier if you have someone help you take the measurements.

To take your measurements, take off your shirt and make sure you have your best fitting bra on. Make sure that the bra isn’t tight in the cups so that you are able to get an accurate measurement.

To get your band size, measure around your body but ABOVE your breasts. This should be a SNUG measurement. Make sure that the measuring tape is parallel to the floor when taking this measurement. Round up to the nearest even number. Now take the same measurement UNDER your breasts. Round up to the nearest even number. Take the LARGER of these two measurements. This will give you your band size.

To get your cup size, measure around your body and across your breasts at the largest part (with a bra on). This measurement should be a fitted, but loose measurement. The difference between this number and your band size will give you your cup size. 1 inch = 1 cup. For instance, if you are a 34 band and you measure 37 across your breasts, then you are a 34C.

Now, this technique isn’t perfect and I have seen some moms who just don’t measure their size no matter how many times they take their measurements – so I always recommend that you also look at what size bra you have been wearing. If your measurements are similar to the size you have been wearing, then they are probably pretty accurate (but remember, the size you are wearing may not be the correct size for you – so they should be close, but don’t need to be exact). But if your measurements are way off, then you are better off using your current size as a gauge of what your bra size should be and then using trial and error to figure out what size bra to order. I once had a client who measured a 36DD but actually wore a 36H. No matter how many times she got measured, she always came out at a 36DD, but clearly, that size bra was not going to work for her. It is rare to have the measurements be this far off, but it does happen occasionally.

Now that you know your size, it’s time to shop for a bra. Unfortunately, not all bras are created equally and even though you know what your size should be, with some bras, you may need to order a different size to get a proper fit. In our boutique store, we always give sizing and fit recommendations for bras that don’t run true-to-size. You can use those recommendations to help you to get the perfect bra!

Do you have tips for taking your measurements? Do you have a favorite nursing bra? We’d love to hear from you – please leave a comment and share your experiences with our readers.

Some other great posts you may enjoy:

• How Do I Know What Size Nursing Bra To Get?
• Help! How Do I Get A Nursing Bra That Fits??
• Ask Judy: How Do I Get My Baby To Be Less Distracted