Fitting Your Nursing Bra

1. To size your nursing bra snugly measure high under the arms and above the breasts to determine chest size in inches.
2. Round up to the nearest even size bra (your bra size in inches).
3. Measure the fullest point of bust.
4. The difference between 1 and 3 tells your cup size:

0 - 1 1/2"	A Cup
1 1/2" - 2 1/2"	B Cup
2 1/2" - 3 1/2"	C Cup
3 1/2" - 4 1/2"	D Cup
5" - 6"	E Cup
6" - 7"	F Cup
7" - 8"	G Cup
8" - 9"	H Cup

If your nursing bra is getting too tight for you either in width or in the cup, get one size larger in the cup and one size larger in the width. This will give you room to grow both ways. For example, if you wear a 34B, get a 36C. If you wear a 36D, get a 38E.

Your nursing bra should fit on the first (tightest fitting) hooks rather than the end (loosest fitting) hooks. As you expand in girth you can hook the bra further towards the end, thus the bra can "grow" with you.

A good rule of thumb is if you can easily slip your right hand in the left cup of your nursing bra (and left hand in the right cup) -- this "hand width" of room in your bra should give you the extra room you need for engorgement and pads.

You should be hooking the nursing bra on the larger (end) hooks rather than the first hooks. When your pregnancy is near the end, you want your bra to fit you so that you are hooked at the end. After the baby is born you will lose some girth and need to make the bra tighter. If you are near the end of your pregnancy and your bra cup fits well (with "hand width" space) but the bra is a bit snug around your chest, a bra extender will be able to give you the extra width you need.

Please note that this is general information for fitting rather than guaranteed guidelines. Different nursing bras do not fit the same. Bra cup size is not constant from one width to another. The cup of a 34D is not the same as the cup of a 36D or 38D , even though they are all "D" cups. Each cup is proportionate to the width of the bra. The actual cup size of a 36D is more like the cup of a 34E or a 38C.

If you have a bra that is too large in the width, but the cup fits well: Try a smaller width but a larger cup size. For example, in a 38C the cup fits but the bra is too wide. If you get a 36 width, you should probably get a 36D .

If you have a bra that is too tight in the width or doesn't give enough room for expansion, but the cup fits well: Try a larger width with with a smaller cup size. For example, you have a 36C that is too tight in width. If you get a 38 width, a 38B is likely to fit you best.