photo by bellymotherbaby on flickr

Just as with regular bras, when it comes to choosing maternity bras there are a huge range of styles and fabrics available. If this is your first pregnancy you’ll probably be a little overwhelmed at the choice and not know what styles and features are best suited to you. Generally maternity bras fall into a few main categories and the fabrics and styling are down to your personal preference and what you find the most comfortable.

Maternity support bras, commonly known as just maternity bras are the bras you will wear during the daytime while you’re pregnant. These bras provide extra support for your growing breasts and are designed to be extra comfortable and reduce breast tenderness. It’s important to get fitted for a maternity bra as soon as your regular bra starts to feel too small so that your breasts are properly supported.

Maternity underwire bras are intended for women with bigger breasts who are used to wearing underwire bras and feel that regular maternity bras do not provide them with sufficient support. These vary from regular underwire bras as they use a soft flexible plastic rather than wire which can dig in and potentially damage breast tissues, causing problems when it comes to breast feeding.

Maternity sleep bras are extra comfortable stretchy bras that reduce breast tenderness while you’re sleeping. They are also handy towards the end of your pregnancy and while you’re nursing to hold breast pads and avoid leaking breasts from staining your night wear. A sleep bra should be so comfortable that you forget that you’re wearing it. They generally don’t have enough support for regular daytime use.

Plus size maternity bras come in large band and cup sizes and are intended for larger ladies who may have trouble finding their size in normal bra ranges. These bras have all the features of regular maternity bras and are extra supportive as large breasts can sag more without sufficient support. You can usually find these bras for sale by specialist plus size lingerie stores.

Maternity nursing bras are bras that can be worn both during pregnancy and after the birth of your baby when you’re breast feeding. They will usually have cups that unhook at either the shoulder or the center to allow easy access for nursing. You will wear these bras for as long as you continue to breast feed your baby so be sure to select a few that you like and that go with different kinds of outfits.