While you may have heard otherwise from your mother, sister, or midwife, wearing an underwire bra while you're nursing is just fine from a health standpoint.
The concern about wearing an underwire bra while nursing stems from the idea that the wire could inhibit blood flow and hamper milk production or lead to a clogged duct or even mastitis. However, there's no real evidence that underwire bras are linked to lactation problems. Any reports of such issues are largely anecdotal, which is why lactation consultants, midwives, and even your fellow nursing moms may pass on this piece of advice. Lots of moms wear underwire bras, but when it comes to nursing bras, there is a lot of confusion when it comes to underwire bras.
When Should I Avoid them? Most lactation consultants recommend avoiding underwire for the first six weeks after your baby is born. During this time, your body is making milk based on the hormones that were released during pregnancy, and many women will over-produce during this time. Around the six week mark, your body switches over from hormonal-based milk production to supply-and-demand milk production. Many women will notice a dip in their supply at this time and many women will also go down a cup size when this happens.
Once your body switches to the supply-and-demand mode of milk production, then it is generally safe for most women to start wearing underwire bras again. If you have a properly fitting bra, then you should be able to wear an underwire bra at any time—but getting one that fits properly is key to wearing an underwire without problems.
Once you have had clogged ducts or mastitis, it is probably best to avoid underwire bras. The added pressure on your milk ducts from the underwire may cause a recurrence and once you have had a problem, you are more prone to having one in the future. If you haven’t had any clogged ducts or mastitis, and you have been properly fitted, then you should be fine wearing underwire bras.
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Judy Masucci started A Mother’s Boutique after having a baby and deciding to leave her high profile job in the biotech industry and her store has a huge selection of fashionable items for mothers-to-be and new moms.
