The guide every new mum wishes she'd had

Nursing Bras 101

Nobody hands you a manual. One day you're pregnant, the next you're standing in front of a wall of nursing bras trying to work out what "FlexFit" even means and whether you need one bra or twelve.

Let us help guide you through it, step by step.

Jump to any step

Step 01

How many do you need?

At least three, kept in rotation.

One on your body, one in the wash, one in the drawer. That's genuinely all it takes to start your journey — whether that's a leak in the middle of the night or a wash day that runs late — once you know which ones you reach for again and again, most mums build out from there.

1st bra

On your body

The one you're wearing right now.

2nd bra

In the wash

Yesterday's, drying and coming back around.

3rd bra

In the drawer

Clean and waiting, so 3am is never a crisis.

Step 02

What styles do you need?

One for comfort, one for out and about, one that makes you feel fabulous. Here's what each one does and which of ours fit the job.

01

The one for comfort

Sleep · Hospital bag · 3am feeds

This is the bra you live in when you just want to feel comfortable. Hospital bag, sleep, middle-of-the-night feeds, lazy days at home — this bra should ask nothing of you.

02

The one for out and about

Work · Smooth under clothes

This is your T-shirt bra. Smooth, no visible lines, built for the days you're out of the house and want everything to look effortless under your clothes.

Hotmilk Warrior Plunge Nursing Bra in Black
03

The one that makes you feel like yourself again

For you

Every new mum deserves at least one bra that isn't just functional — one that makes her feel like herself, not just "mum." This is that one.

Bundle & save

Buying all three together? Bundle any three bras and save 15% at checkout — it's the cheapest way to get your full rotation in one go.

Build your three
Step 03

What size am I going to need?

Bodies change fast in pregnancy and postpartum, and a bra that fits today might not fit in six weeks. Take our 2-minute Fit Quiz and we'll match you to your size and the right style for your stage.

Take the Fit Quiz
Step 04

What makes a good nursing bra?

Three details do most of the work. Once you know what they are, you can tell a good nursing bra from an ordinary bra with clips on it.

Nursing clips

Magnetic or traditional

The clip drops the cup so you can feed without taking the bra off. Traditional clips undo easily one-handed. Magnetic clips re-fasten themselves — the magnet finds its way back with barely a touch, no fiddling, no looking down.

Six hook-and-eye at the back

Room to adjust

Your ribcage changes through pregnancy and again after birth. Six hooks give you room to move in one bra, so you can loosen off late in pregnancy and tighten up as things settle.

FlexFit

Grows with you

A stretch cup that expands with you — every one of our bras moves with your body's changes, and our FlexFit styles go further, adapting across 2-3 cup sizes in a single bra. It's what stops you re-buying every few weeks while your milk comes in and your size settles.

Step 05

When should I buy?

Buy when you feel the shift.

There's no set week. The right time to buy your nursing bra is whenever you notice your bust starting to change — that might be early on, it might be much later. Every body is different, so buy when you feel the shift, not on a schedule someone else set for you.

Pregnant ·Postpartum ·Breastfeeding

A few things new mums ask us

Do the clips open with one hand?+

Yes. Traditional clips undo easily one-handed — perfect with a baby in your arms. Magnetic clips vary mum to mum on opening — some pick it up fast, others find two hands easier. Where they really shine is re-fastening, with the magnet finding its way back into place with barely a touch.

Will my bra size change while breastfeeding?+

Yes — most mums' cup size shifts through pregnancy and again once milk comes in, sometimes by 2–3 sizes. That's exactly what our FlexFit styles (Warrior 2.0, My Necessity, Caress, Embrace, My Everyday Busty, My Comfort) are built for — they move with you across that same 2–3 cup size range, so you're not caught out or rebuying every few weeks.

Can I wear these with a wearable/hands-free pump?+

If it's a FlexFit style, yes — the stretch fabric flexes comfortably around the pump. Structured, moulded T-shirt styles aren't built for this. If pumping is your main need, we'd point you to a FlexFit style or our dedicated Freedom Pump Bra instead which has openings to hold a traditional flange.

Still deciding?

Three bras. One for comfort, one for out and about, one for you. Start with the Fit Quiz and we'll do the rest.

Take the Fit Quiz