Most of us wouldn’t trade the sagging “mom boobs” that breastfeeding left us with because we were able to sustain our sweet babies with them. That being said, we still want to feel like the gorgeous mammas we are! No matter your new cup size, we’ve researched and experimented and we’ve found the absolute best bras for after breastfeeding and weaning.
Best Wireless Bras for After Breastfeeding
While all choices are sports bras, the Under Armour Crossback Sports Bra is best suited for smaller breasts and only comes one bra per pack, while the FITTIN Racerback Sports Bra is a good option for midsize breasts and comes in a 4-pack.
COMFY BRA Women’s Light Support Bra
The Women’s Light Support Bra from COMFY BRA is one of the best wireless bras for moms who have finished breastfeeding. You pull it over your head and the compression fabric holds everything in place for low impact exercise. Make sure you size up with this bra so it doesn’t feel too tight.
Under Armour Women’s Crossback Sports Bra
The Under Armour Women’s HeatGear Mid Impact Crossback Sports Bra works well for smaller cup sizes. This sports bra is a pullover bra with a wide crossback strap. It is simply designed and fits nicely to hold your recovering breasts in place while you get back into shape. I like the variety of colors available and the moderate price.
FITTIN Racerback Sports Bra
The FITTIN Racerback Sports Bra is a great option for the midsize woman. This bra is well made and offers amazing support. When you are in those delicate months after weaning you want a bra that is both supportive and comfortable for exercise. The Climacool material helps to release heat and moisture to keep you dry and cool. This bra also comes with removable pads if you want extra coverage.
Best Underwire Bras for After Breastfeeding
The Warner’s This is Not a Bra Full-Coverage Underwire Bra is a comfortable, everyday t-shirt bra, whereas the Natori Women’s Feathers Contour Plunge Bra is a sexy, plunging semi sheer lace bra perfect for a date night.
Warner’s This Is Not A Bra Full-Coverage Underwire Bra
You know that feeling when you want to wear a bra and not wear a bra at the same time? Check out Warner’s This Is Not A Bra Full-Coverage Underwire Bra. This bra is not only comfortable, but it’s also a great t-shirt bra and customers say it fits just as expected! Warner’s offers an elongated neckline bra as well.
Wacoal Women’s La Femme Contour Bra
The Wacoal Women’s La Femme Contour Bra is a great option for C and D cup women. Wacoal makes quality bras that are designed for everyday wear. The La Femme provides seamless coverage to offer a smooth silhouette. This bra also has a solid back band to provide support without being bulky.
Calvin Klein Perfectly Fit Memory Touch T-Shirt Bra
I love the Calvin Klein Perfectly Fit Memory Touch T-Shirt Bra. This bra works great for everyday wear. It is smooth and hides well no matter what you are wearing. Seriously, you can run to the store in your pajamas, but as long as you put on this bra everything will be covered and comfortable.
Davy Piper The Diana Busty Sports Bra
The Davy Piper Bra isn’t just an ordinary bra; it’s a wireless bra with real support and comfort ready to cradle recently breastfeeding breasts. This bra is sturdy enough for a workout but comfy enough to sleep in, thanks to adjustable straps and removable cups. For women with a cup size of F, G, H, or I, the Busty Diana Bra is the perfect choice although you can get it in smaller sizes too.
Natori Women’s Feathers Contour Plunge Bra
The Natori Women’s Feathers Contour Plunge Bra offers the support C and D cups need while still offering a sexy plunge. This bra features semi-sheer lace to help you feel confident for your date night. The plunge is designed to give the support needed for great cleavage.
Best Bras for Cups D+ After Breastfeeding
The Glamorise Full Figure No-Bounce Sports Bra is a polyester, no bounce, hold ’em in sports bra which is perfect for exercise, housework, or running errands, however the Chantelle Women’s Rive Gauche Full Coverage Bra is an alluring lace bra with stretchable cups, full coverage, and support that will make you feel desirable and sexy after breastfeeding.
Playtex 18 Hour Sensational Sleek Wirefree Bra
The Playtex 18 Hour Sensational Sleek Wirefree Bra receives great reviews from big busted women. I love that Playtex offers an affordable yet comfortable option for full-figured women. Especially when you have larger breasts, you want to hold everything in place while you chase your children. The Playtex 18 Hour Sensational Sleek Wirefree Bra has a breathable liner and supportive back strap. I also love that this Playtex bra is available in a few different colors to add fun to your bra wardrobe.
Glamorise Women’s Full Figure No-Bounce Sports Bra
For my full-figured friends, the Glamorise Women’s Full Figure No-Bounce Sports Bra will keep everything in place while you workout. This is a great, budget-friendly option as your body transitions after weaning. The Glamorise sports bra has an eye and hook closure so that you don’t have to try and pull it down over your head. The moisture-wicking material is a great feature to keep you dry while you exercise. Overall, this is a great option for bigger busted women.
Chantelle Women’s Rive Gauche Full Coverage Unlined Bra
My big-breasted friends want to look sexy too. The Chantelle Women’s Rive Gauche Full Coverage Unlined Bra provides the support you need with a fun lacy design. The back band and shoulder straps allow for comfortable support. The bra is designed with side support panels to help keep everything centered and give a nice slimming effect.
Comparing the Best Post-Breastfeeding Bras
The table below compares only the recommended products on this page. A low or high Price means it is low or high compared to the other products listed. The Popularity Score reflects how often readers click on and buy the product. The Quality Score is our assessment of the overall performance and satisfaction with the product compared to others in the table.
Natori Women's Feathers Contour Plunge Bra | 9.8 | 8.8 | 72.00 |
Chantelle Women's Rive Gauche Full Coverage Unlined Bra | 9.4 | 8.8 | 68.66 |
Wacoal Women's La Femme Contour Bra | 9.5 | 8.8 | 68.00 |
Under Armour Women's Crossback Sports Bra | 6.9 | 9.4 | 35.00 |
Calvin Klein Perfectly Fit Memory Touch T-Shirt Bra | 9.9 | 8.6 | 29.90 |
Warner's This Is Not A Bra Full-Coverage Underwire Bra | 9.9 | 8.8 | 25.68 |
FITTIN Racerback Sports Bra | 9.9 | 8.8 | 23.19 |
Glamorise Women's Full Figure No-Bounce Sports Bra | 9.9 | 8.2 | - |
Playtex 18 Hour Sensational Sleek Wirefree Bra | 9.9 | 8.4 | - |
COMFY BRA Women's Light Support Bra | 5.2 | 8.8 | - |
Davy Piper The Diana Busty Sports Bra | 3.9 | - | - |
Do I Need a Special Bra for Weaning?
Weaning is painful for many women. For me, it took around a month for my breasts to stop hurting and my milk supply to dry up after I weaned my last child. During this process, I did not want to wear a normal bra. I wanted comfort. For the weaning process, I recommend the same bra and/or bra size that you used for the start of breastfeeding. You might even be able to wear your best maternity bra during weaning. However, you will need a smaller size than what you wore when your milk first came in. Look for a style that wireless and has room for movement, so that you can stay comfortable while your breasts get used to the milk supply dropping and eventually drying up. And don’t forget, you might need some nursing pads, like the Medela nursing pads, just in case you have a little milk leaking at the beginning of the process.
Tips for Shopping for a Bra After Breastfeeding and Weaning
The transition from your before-baby body until after you finish breastfeeding your baby is major. Not only that, but my doctor told me after I weaned my last child that it could take up to 18 months before my body and hormones regulated. That is a long time!
For me, one area where I struggled after weaning was finding the right kind of bra for my new body. I had my babies back to back. I was either pregnant or nursing for over four straight years. By the time my daughter was weaned, none of my pre-baby bras worked.
I had a lot of bra shopping to do! The process was not easy, but I learned a few things along the way.
Be patient with your body
After weaning, your body will continue to transition. First, you may experience pain and discomfort while weaning. You do not want to buy new bras during this time. Wait for at least one month after weaning to shop for your new bras. Give your body time to have its new normal shape and size.
Buy bras that make sense for you
The majority of your time will be spent on the everyday tasks of life and parenting. A well-fitting, comfortable and quality bra is important. The type of bra I wore before I had children didn’t make sense for my new stay-at-home mom lifestyle. I had to find comfortable bras that I could move in, yet still feel pretty in. For me, I wanted a bra that I could wear with t-shirts while I chased my toddler and preschooler across the park. Also, I needed it to be easily washable because kids are messy! This leads me to my next point…
Only buy a few bras to start
I recommend buying the following bras post nursing:
- A sports bra – Because a supportive sports bra is important whether you run marathons or do a weekly Zumba class.
- An everyday or t-shirt bra – Something that you can wear under t-shirts or sweaters and isn’t fussy to wear or wash.
- A fancy bra for special events or date nights – After you wean a baby, you want to feel sexy again! A push-up bra is just a bonus!
As the year goes on, slowly add to your bra wardrobe. Take time to see what you like and don’t like.
Get fitted
Your body has changed since pre-pregnancy, and it is okay to need help to figure out your new size and shape. Thankfully for me, a friend recommended a bra fitting service and reminded me to be patient. Nordstrom, Victoria’s Secret, and JC Penney offer free and fabulous bra fittings. I highly recommend this service to get something that fits right. Since each store does things a little differently (as illustrated in this hilarious article), you may opt for measuring yourself at home using this handy guide.
FAQs for Bras After Breastfeeding
When should I get fitted for a bra after breastfeeding?
Wait at least one month after weaning before shopping for a new bra. That’s to make sure that all your milk has dried up and that your breast tissue is back to non-nursing size. If you buy before then, the cups will likely be the wrong size. This also gives your rib cage, which got pretty stretched by that growing fetus, a chance to go back to its normal dimensions so that your band size is comfortable and correct.
Does wearing a bra affect milk supply?
It shouldn’t unless the bra is too tight. Many moms actually try to wear tight bras during the weaning process to help discourage their milk supply. This can be difficult to do correctly though because a too-tight bra is a leading cause of mastitis.
Can you fix sagging breasts after breastfeeding?
I wish there were a trick for this! Unfortunately, the tissue and skin of the breasts get stretched and changes during pregnancy and nursing. Afterward, many moms notice that their breasts just don’t have the full and perky shape they did before baby made them a meal factory.
Honestly, chest strengthening exercises can help a little to keep the muscles under the breasts toned and tightened, which can help slightly lift the breasts. Keeping good posture will also help to keep your breasts from looking too sad.
While there are many creams and other products that claim to help with sagging, they don’t always work (it’s basically snake oil). A bra with a little padding or other lifting mechanism will be your best friend and can give you the silhouette you want under your clothes.
How many cup sizes do you go up when nursing?
While your breast size will probably significantly increase with pregnancy and breastfeeding, the degree of increase varies from person to person.
Most women will experience a cup size fluctuation in breast size during the whole pregnancy/breastfeeding/weaning process. The fatty tissue in the breasts will increase during pregnancy and start to decline during breastfeeding.
If you hang on to some your baby weight (don’t we all!), you may notice that the increase in fat cells can increase your cup size after baby, too.
The milk glands in the breast take up lots of room when they are constantly filling with milk, and that, combined with the increase in fatty tissue, is why nursing breasts are much fuller and heavy. This is especially true during the first few months of nursing while the supply and demand are still getting figured out and you are more prone to engorgement.
But don’t worry, after you wean, the milk glands empty, the fatty tissue lessens, and you’ll probably be back at your pre-pregnancy breast size.
Will my breasts look normal after breastfeeding?
We get stretch marks, engorgement, enlargement, darker nipples, bigger nipples, and all kinds of other changes during the whole baby growing and feeding process. But don’t worry, many of those problems will resolve post-breastfeeding.
It’s common for all women to experience a loss of fullness and size once they’re finished nursing their child. While after pregnancy and breastfeeding you may never quite return to your pre-baby shape, once you have weaned your baby (and lost any extra weight) your breasts should begin to return toward their normal size and color.