I’m ashamed to admit that first time around, I had no idea that you weren’t supposed to wear normal bras during pregnancy, or that such a thing as a nursing bra existed. I had to send my husband out, two days post birth, to hurriedly purchase a nursing bra! This time around I’m a bit better informed. Nursing bras are recommended as the underwire in normal bras can restrict the developing milk ducts, and once you’re nursing, can cause blocked ducts and mastitis. As well as the convenience of having the little clips to detach the strap for feeding - the last thing you want to be doing when feeding in public / the middle of the night is struggling with your bra..

So when I was asked to review the Bravado Body Silk Seamless Nursing Yoga Bra, I was really keen. Bravado have won multiple awards for their nursing bras, and are stocked in lots of shops that I know and trust - you’ll find them in JoJo Maman Bebe and John Lewis, amongst others.

 

 

Let’s face it, maternity bras aren’t often the prettiest of garments, and this one is probably no exception to that rule. It’s designed to look good under clothing rather than without clothing and as such is totally seamless - perfect for those bump hugging tight maternity clothes. I love the subtle grey colour of the limited edition Dove Heather, but other than the colour it’s not going to set hearts fluttering. But when you’re pregnant and a new mum, I don’t think prettiness is high on the priority list - far more important is how comfortable and practical it is, and it definitely delivers on both of those fronts.

It’s a seriously comfy bra. The fabric is super soft, seamless, and wire free. Normally I find that means a lower level of support, but I found this bra to be really supportive. It has foam inserts in the cups which give an extra lift - these can be removed if you prefer, but I loved them. It has a great stretch and fits really well to your body shape and the soft fabric is perfect when your nipples are that bit more sensitive! It’s comfortable to wear all day and all night too (I’m a strange one and wear a bra at night most of the time, but if you’re breastfeeding, you’ll probably be doing that as well). I’ll admit right now, that exercise has not been my priority during a fairly tough pregnancy, so I can’t comment on how well it works as a yoga bra, but it certainly gives enough support to feel like that would be possible.

 

 

The back strap is really wide, giving an extra level of support, and has plenty of different settings for the clips, to allow your body to grow or shrink, which is an inevitable part of pregnancy and the newborn days.

It has the standard clip feature of most nursing bras, allowing you to uncouple the strap. Bravado’s clips are designed so that they can be opened one-handed - ideal when you’re balancing a hungry baby. And the cup is designed to fully drop away from the breast so that you can have maximum skin to skin contact when feeding - critical in those early days of breastfeeding.

It also has a great feature which allows you to convert the bra into a regular bra once you’ve finished nursing, by cutting out the clips and replacing with different ones which are provided. I’ve never seen this before, and probably wouldn’t be a consideration for me normally as my preference is for an underwired bra, but this bra is well worth adapting once the breastfeeding journey is over.

 

 

It has Bravado’s trademarked Silver Breeze™ technology, which prevent prevent bacterial growth, and therefore odour, which makes it ideal for gentle exercise like yoga or walking. Who knows, maybe post baby I’ll even manage to take up some form of exercise!

If you’re looking for a pregnancy / nursing bra that still provides a great level of support, and which will carry you through pregnancy, nursing, and beyond, I can’t recommend Bravado enough.

 

Disclosure: I was sent this bra in exchange for my honest review. All words and opinions are my own.