Nursing bra

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A new mother wearing a nursing bra as she breastfeeds her infant. Mother breastfeeding with nursing bra.jpg
A new mother wearing a nursing bra as she breastfeeds her infant.

A nursing bra is a specialized brassiere that provides additional support to women who are lactating and permits comfortable breastfeeding without the need to remove the bra. This is accomplished by specially designed bra cups that include flaps which can be opened with one hand to expose the nipple. The flap is usually held closed with a simple clasp or hook.

Contents

Purpose

A nursing bra is designed to provide quick and easy access to the breast for the purpose of breastfeeding an infant. It typically has flaps or panels that can be unclipped and folded down or to the side with one hand. Nursing bras can be worn under a variety of outer garments.

Changes during pregnancy

Measurements for an appropriate nursing bra can be performed by a lactation consultant. [1] Women can choose nursing bras with strong side and undercup support and an extra-wide back for optimal support. Nursing bras usually have up to four rows of hooks in the rear closure to allow the woman to adjust her band size to a limited extent. Experts recommend a soft-cup bra made of a blend of cotton and Lycra with cups that stretch to accommodate changes in breast size. [2] Most women buy two or more nursing bras so they can alternate between them. Small-breasted women who do not usually wear a bra may choose to wear a nursing bra to support their larger breasts or simply to prevent milk from leaking onto their clothes. [3] Women should consider buying a maternity bra as soon as their regular bras begin feeling uncomfortable or notice their breasts are changing. This is normally around the 4 months mark. [4]

Breast sizes change

A woman's breasts grow during pregnancy, usually 1 to 2 cup sizes, and potentially several cup sizes. A woman who wore a C-cup bra prior to her pregnancy may need to buy a larger bra while nursing. [2] Once the baby is born and about 50 to 73 hours after birth, the mother will experience her breasts filling with milk (sometimes referred to as “milk coming in”) and at that point changes in the breast happen very quickly. Once lactation begins, the woman's breasts swell significantly and can feel achy, lumpy and heavy (which is referred to as engorgement). [1]

Changes during nursing

To provide proper support and fit, to facilitate nursing, and to avoid engorged breasts or other complications that prevent an infant from nursing effectively, it is important to wear nursing bras that fit well. When a woman wears a bra that is too tight, her milk supply may be reduced, and she can experience plugged milk ducts [5] and an extremely painful infection called mastitis. [3] Mastitis can physically and emotionally affect the mother's ability to breastfeed. [6]

Types of nursing bras

Nursing bras Lataly Womens Sleeping Nursing Bra Wirefree Breastfeeding Maternity Bralette Pack of 5.jpg
Nursing bras

There are an increasing variety of nursing bras designs, including softcup, underwire, seamless, and lounging styles. Some nursing bras can also serve as a sports bra, allowing a nursing mother to exercise more easily. Some outerwear like tank tops and T-shirts have nursing bras that are built into the garment, and there are also padded and plus-size nursing bras. [2] Some experts advise against wearing an underwire nursing bra because they can restrict the flow of milk and cause mastitis. [3] [7] Most nursing bras have traditionally been white, but manufacturers now offer an increasing selection of colors and styles, including brown, teal, floral, and floral animal prints, and some are accessorized with lace and ribbon. [1]

Different manufacturers use different methods for fastening the flap to the cup, including squeeze, snaps, clasps and hooks. Most nursing bras are designed with cup flaps that fasten at the apex of the bra, at the point where the shoulder straps attach, allowing the mother to simply pull the top half of the cup down to facilitate access to the nipple. Other designs include flaps that fasten between the cups at the center of the bra, zippers under each cup, and a cross-over design that allows the woman to slip her breast out. [8] Experts recommend that before buying a nursing bra women should try on the bra and experiment with opening the flap with one hand. [2] Some designs utilizing stretchable fabric are suitable for smaller-breasted women, [3] allowing them to pull the entire bra up over the breast to facilitate nursing. [9]

Experts recommend nursing bras that are stretchy, absorbent, and don't bind the breasts in any way that could interfere with milk flow. Women are recommended to wear a bra that is 100 percent cotton or a cotton-Lycra blend or other stretchy synthetic. [10] It is not necessary to wear a bra at night, [5] although if a woman's breasts leak excessively, she can wear a loose tanktop at night. [11]

Bras and breastfeeding

Choosing a functional nursing bra is important to help the mother feel comfortable nursing in various circumstances. In some Western cultures, while nearly nude or nude breasts are displayed openly on beaches and in magazines and movies, there is a taboo against showing breasts in public during breastfeeding. [3]

History

An 1872 nursing chemise shows a movable flap that allows access for breastfeeding USpatent132613 1872.gif
An 1872 nursing chemise shows a movable flap that allows access for breastfeeding

The first US patent for a bra was granted in 1913 to Mary Phelps Jacob. [13] Her invention is the most widely recognized as the predecessor to the modern bra and consequently the nursing bra.

In October 1932, the S.H. Camp and Company correlated breast size and the degree they sag to letters of the alphabet, A, B, C, and D. Camp's advertising featured letter-labeled profiles of breasts in the February 1933 issue of Corset and Underwear Review. These procedures were only designed to help women with the then-standard sizes A through D up to a size 38 band size and were not intended to be used for larger-breasted women. [14] In 1937, Warner began to feature cup sizing in its products. Other companies like the Model and Fay-Miss (renamed in 1935 as the Bali Brassiere Company) also began to offer A, B, C and D cups in the late 1930s. Catalog companies continued to use the designations Small, Medium and Large through the 1940s. [15] [16] [17] : 101  In the 1930s, Dunlop chemists were able to reliably transform rubber latex into elastic thread. Man-made fibres were quickly adopted by the industry because of their easy-care properties. Since a brassiere must be laundered frequently, this was of great importance. In 1937, Warners added cup sizes (A, B, C and D) to their product line, and other manufacturers gradually followed, but Britain did not take up the American standard until the 1950s. [18] Maidenform introduced brassieres with seamless cups in 1933, but resisted using cup sizes for its products until 1949. [19] : 102 

Innovations and patents

The first patent for a device called a "nursing brassiere" was obtained in 1943 by Albert A. Glasser. [20] After World War II, the post-war baby boom stimulated a large increase in the market for nursing bras. Nursing bras saw little innovation for some time and the market was dominated by larger lingerie companies who would simply add a clip.

The nursing bra industry is very segmented. It includes traditional brassiere manufacturers such as Wonderbra. [8] Their product is designed to accommodate the needs of women whose breast size can fluctuate up to a single cup size hourly while nursing. Another innovator is Mary Sanchez, who received a patent in 1991 for the one-handed fastening method and variable adjustment of cup size. [21]

For women who pump their breast milk, specialized nursing bras are available that allow hands-free pumping. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breast</span> Region of the torso of a primate that in females serves as a mammary gland

The breasts are two prominences located on the upper ventral region of the torso among humans and other primates. Both sexes develop breasts from the same embryological tissues. The relative size and development of the breasts is a major secondary sex distinction between females and males. There is also considerable variation in size between individuals. Female humans are the only mammals which permanently develop breasts at puberty; all other mammals develop their mammary tissue during the latter period of pregnancy; at puberty, estrogens, in conjunction with growth hormone, cause permanent breast growth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lingerie</span> Womens undergarments including sleepwear

Lingerie is a category of primarily women's clothing including undergarments, sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The choice of the word is often motivated by an intention to imply that the garments are alluring, fashionable, or both. In a 2015 US survey, 75% of women reported having worn "sexy lingerie" in their lifetime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mastitis</span> Medical condition

Mastitis is inflammation of the breast or udder, usually associated with breastfeeding. Symptoms typically include local pain and redness. There is often an associated fever and general soreness. Onset is typically fairly rapid and usually occurs within the first few months of delivery. Complications can include abscess formation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wonderbra</span> Trademark for an underwired brassiere

The Wonderbra is a type of push-up underwire brassiere that gained worldwide prominence in the 1990s. Although the Wonderbra name was first trademarked in the U.S. in 1955, the brand was developed in Canada. Moses (Moe) Nadler, founder and majority owner of the Canadian Lady Corset Company, licensed the trademark for the Canadian market in 1939. By the 1960s the Canadian Lady brand had become known in Canada as "Wonderbra, the company." In 1961 the company introduced the Model 1300 plunge push-up bra. This bra became one of the best-selling Canadian styles and is virtually identical to today's Wonderbra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camisole</span> Womens undershirts usually worn over corsets or brassieres, reaching to or just below the waist

A camisole is a sleeveless undershirt typically worn by women, extending to the waist. The camisole is usually made of satin, nylon, silk, or cotton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleavage (breasts)</span> Separation between human breasts

Cleavage is the narrow depression or hollow between the breasts of a woman. The superior portion of cleavage may be accentuated by clothing such as a low-cut neckline that exposes the division, and often the term is used to describe the low neckline itself, instead of the term décolletage. Joseph Breen, head of the U.S. film industry's Production Code Administration, coined the term in its current meaning when evaluating the 1943 film The Outlaw, starring Jane Russell. The term was explained in Time magazine on August 5, 1946. It is most commonly used in the parlance of Western female fashion to refer to necklines that reveal or emphasize décolletage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ptosis (breasts)</span> Sagging of the female breast

Ptosis or sagging of the female breast is a natural consequence of aging. The rate at which a woman's breasts drop and the degree of ptosis depends on many factors. The key factors influencing breast ptosis over a woman's lifetime are cigarette smoking, her number of pregnancies, higher body mass index, larger bra cup size, and significant weight change. Post-menopausal women or people with collagen deficiencies may experience increased ptosis due to a loss of skin elasticity. Many women and medical professionals mistakenly believe that breastfeeding increases sagging. It is also commonly believed that the breast itself offers insufficient support and that wearing a bra prevents sagging, which has not been found to be true.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of bras</span>

The history of bras is closely tied to the social status of women, the evolution of fashion, and shifting views of the female body over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bra size</span> Measure (usually 2 factors) to determine proper bra fit

Bra size indicates the size characteristics of a bra. While there is a number of bra sizing systems in use around the world, the bra sizes usually consist of a number, indicating the size of the band around the woman's torso, and one or more letters that indicate the breast cup size. Bra cup sizes were invented in 1932 while band sizes became popular in the 1940s. For convenience, because of the impracticality of determining the size dimensions of each breast, the volume of the bra cup, or cup size, is based on the difference between band length and over-the-bust measurement.

Overactive let-down (OALD) is the forceful ejection of milk from the breast during breastfeeding. In some women it occurs only with the first let-down in a feeding, occasionally women may have multiple strong letdowns during a feeding. OALD can make breastfeeding difficult and can be the source of some breastfeeding complications. It may also be known as hyper milk-ejection. A woman may have OALD in addition to an oversupply of breastmilk. The physical or medical cause of an overactive let-down is still unknown. Whether mothers with OALD have a higher overall milk volume – or a strong reaction to the hormone oxytocin also remains to be seen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breast shell</span>

Breast shells are hollow, lightweight plastic disks worn inside the brassiere to help correct flat or inverted nipples either in preparation for or during breastfeeding. Also known as milk cups, breast cups, breast shields, or Woolwich shields, they can also be used to ease sensitive nipples or collect milk when the baby has not finished the teat. Breast shells function by applying gentle but firm pressure to the region surrounding the nipple to stretch underlying adhesions and draw out the nipple. Nipple shields may be confused with breast shells, but shields are intended for use during the act of breastfeeding, whereas breast shells are worn in preparation for or after breastfeeding.

A bra, short for brassiere or brassière, is a form-fitting underwear that is primarily used to support and cover a woman's breasts. A typical bra consists of a chest band that wraps around the torso, supporting two breast cups that are held in place by shoulder straps. A bra usually fastens in the back, using a hook and eye fastener, although bras are available in a large range of styles and sizes, including front-fastening and backless designs. Some bras are designed for specific functions, such as nursing bras to facilitate breastfeeding or sports bras to minimize discomfort during exercise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Training bra</span> Lightweight brassiere for people who have begun to develop breasts

A training bra is a lightweight brassiere designed for girls who have begun to develop breasts, at Tanner stage II and III. The training bra is intended to be worn during puberty when the breasts are not yet large enough to fit a standard-sized bra. Training bras often provide minimal or no support, and may serve aesthetic purposes to fulfill cultural norms and local beauty standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underwear</span> Clothes worn under other clothes

Underwear, underclothing, or undergarments are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer clothing from being soiled or damaged by bodily excretions, to lessen the friction of outerwear against the skin, to shape the body, and to provide concealment or support for parts of it. In cold weather, long underwear is sometimes worn to provide additional warmth. Special types of undergarments have religious significance. Some items of clothing are designed as undergarments, while others, such as T-shirts and certain types of shorts, are appropriate both as underwear and outerwear. If made of suitable material or textile, some underwear can serve as nightwear or swimwear, and some undergarments are intended for sexual attraction or visual appeal.

Lactation suppression refers to the act of suppressing lactation by medication or other non pharmaceutical means. The breasts may become painful when engorged with milk if breastfeeding is ceased abruptly, or if never started. This may occur if a woman never initiates breastfeeding, or if she is weaning from breastfeeding abruptly. Historically women who did not plan to breastfeed were given diethylstilbestrol and other medications after birth to suppress lactation. However, its use was discontinued, and there are no medications currently approved for lactation suppression in the US and the UK. Dopamine agonists are routinely prescribed to women following a stillbirth in the UK under the NHS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underwire bra</span> Brassiere with curved wire inserts to support and define the breasts

An underwire bra is a brassiere that utilizes a thin, semi-circular strip of rigid material fitted inside the brassiere fabric to help lift, separate, shape, and support a woman's breasts. The wire may be made of metal, plastic, or resin. It is sewn into the bra fabric and under each cup, from the center gore to under the wearer's armpit. Many different brassiere designs incorporate an underwire, including shelf bras, demi bras, nursing bras, and bras built into other articles of clothing, such as tank tops, dresses and swimsuits.

Cake Maternity is an Australia-based maternity clothing brand, which specialises in nursing bras and other maternity products. Their products are designed to provide femininity like in mainstream lingerie and other clothing items, with the function required in maternity related products.

Exquisite Form is an American clothing brand for women's intimates, particularly bras and shapewear for full-figured women. The brand is owned by Vanity Fair Brands, a division of Fruit of the Loom.

Thousands of years of history provide evidence of the differing fashions, cultural norms, and artistic depictions regarding cleavage and clothes that accentuate or flaunt cleavage. From the absolute modesty of the 16th century, to the Merveilleuses Directoire dresses with their transparency, the décolleté has followed the times and is much more than a simple fashion effect.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Nursing bras". Consumer Reports. Archived from the original on 25 October 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Nursing bras". Consumer Reports. Archived from the original on 23 October 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Laura, Marks; Olds, Sally Wendkos (2010). The Complete Book of Breastfeeding (Fourth ed.). New York: Workman Publishing. ISBN   978-0-7611-5113-5.
  4. ↑ "Maternity Bra Fitting | Melbourne". Illusions Lingerie. Retrieved 2024-01-05.[ marketing material? ]
  5. 1 2 Cadwell, Karin; Turner-Maffei, Cindy (2006). Breastfeeding A-Z: Terminology and Telephone Triage. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. ISBN   978-0-7637-3533-3.
  6. ↑ "Choosing a Nursing Bra". Grey Bruce Health Unit. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  7. ↑ Fredregill, Suzanne; Fredregill, Ray (2007). Breastfeeding: Lifesaving Techniques and Advice for Every Stage of Nursing (Mommy Rescue Guide) . Avon, Mass.: Adams Media. ISBN   978-1-59869-332-4.
  8. 1 2 Luciani, Jené (2009). The Bra Book: The Fashion Formula to Finding the Perfect Bra. Dallas, TX: Benbella Books, Inc. ISBN   978-1-933771-94-6.
  9. ↑ "Push Up Bras". TheOfficialWebsiteForBras.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  10. ↑ "Nursing bras". Consumer Reports. April 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  11. ↑ Cadwell, Karin; Turner-Maffei, Cindy; Cadwell Blair, Anna (2008). 100 Questions & Answers About Breastfeeding. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. ISBN   978-0-7637-5183-8.
  12. ↑ USpatent 132613,Henry Wolf,"Improvement in Nursing Chemises",issued 1872-10-29
  13. ↑ USpatent 1115674,Mary P. Jacob,"Brassiere",issued 1914-11-03
  14. ↑ How to Measure for a Bra. HerRoom.com. June 9, 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  15. ↑ Apsan, Rebecca (October 20, 2006). The Lingerie Handbook . Sarah Stark. Workman Publishing Company. p.  186. ISBN   0-7611-4323-8.
  16. ↑ Farrell-Beck, Jane (October 22, 2002). Uplift: The Bra in America. Colleen Gau (illustrated ed.). University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 264 pages. ISBN   978-0-8122-1835-0.
  17. ↑ Steele, Valerie (November 9, 2010). The Berg anion to Fashion. Berg Publishers. pp. 800 pages. ISBN   978-1-84788-592-0.
  18. ↑ "Brassiere". Clothing and Fashion Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 4 May 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
  19. ↑ Jill Fields (2 July 2007). An Intimate Affair: Women, Lingerie, and Sexuality. University of California Press. ISBN   978-0-520-22369-1 . Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  20. ↑ USpatent 2315614,Albert A. Glasser,"Nursing Brassiere",issued 1943-4-06
  21. ↑ USpatent 5024628,Mary M. Sanchez,"Maternity and nursing brassiere with strap variations",issued 1991-06-18
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