before i began breastfeeding, i was pretty anxious about finding a good nursing bra because i already had so many challenges finding regular bras that would not only fit, but also lift, separate, and shape properly. prior to pregnancy, i was wearing around a size 32 ddd, give or take a cup size. by the end of my pregnancy, i was wearing a 36g with an extender in the back. and now that i have adam, i’m wearing a 34i, give or take a cup size. i knew that it would be a multiple step process and that i’d probably have to shell out a lot of money for the many  specialty-size bras i’d have to buy as my cup and band size fluctuated in the first few months post-pregnancy. but fear not, if you find yourself in a similar situation, i’ve outlined my experience and recommendations to hopefully help you along.

as i approached my due date, i headed to target and bought an inexpensive nursing “sleep” bra. it’s essentially a really soft and stretchy sports bra that you can easily lift up or pull down, and that just very gently holds you in place. i wore it for the first two weeks post-partum when i was basically just laying around the house in my pajamas recovering from the c-section and feeding the baby. it’s recommended to wear a soft bra like this during the very uncomfortable engorgement period.

once i was feeling a bit more comfortable and a little less full, i transitioned to a slightly more supportive soft cup nursing bra by elle machpherson. this bra is probably all you need if you fit into regular sizes and don’t need additional support, but since it doesn’t do much in the way of shaping, it does tend to create the dreaded ‘uni-boob.’ it lasted me a couple more weeks before the band size became too large and i was really aching for something with a bit more lift and separation.

my next bra was the highly-rated elomi molded nursing bra. mostly because it was one of the few nursing bras that actually came in my size! putting on an underwire when your breasts are as large and heavy as they are after baby is a really wonderful feeling. suddenly my boobs were lifted and separated, and i felt firmly held in place. but after wearing my trusty elomi for another several weeks, i started to get frustrated by it’s lack of shape. sure, it lifted, but lift does not a good bra make. my main issue is that the seamless cup does nothing to help pull your breasts forward, so if you have large breasts, you basically end up with your boobs in your armpits. not such a good look when you’re trying to fit into a button-up shirt. i was reaching the point of crisis. i was searching for the holy grail of nursing bras, but did it even exist?

enter cake lingerie. a very sweet email from the brand landed in my inbox at just the right moment. they offered to let me try out a style, so i browsed through the options on the site and settled on the dark chocolate bra. it comes in a balcony style with a three-paneled cup and a soft underwire, very similar in construction to some of my favorite styles. the top panel is made of stretch lace to accommodate any fluctuations in size you might experience, and it’s constructed with an inner a-frame to hold the cup in place while nursing. when i tried it on for size, i was instantly relieved. the center gore doesn’t lay flat, but it still provides more separation, lift, and shape than any nursing bra i have tried. not only that, but it’s actually pretty! the  exact same style comes in a range of different colors and fabrications from gold nude to bright fuchsia. hands down the closest thing to a regular bra out there, and easily the best nursing bra for busty mamas.