Reviewed by The Mom Store editorial team, October 2026. See our editorial policy.
A nursing bra, or feeding bra, has cups that open or pull aside so you can breastfeed without taking it off. For most women, two soft, non wired cotton bras are the right start: one crossover sleep bra for nights and one clip down bra for the day.
This guide is sorted by how the cup opens. If you are earlier in pregnancy and mainly need room as the bump and bust grow, our maternity bra guide by trimester covers those months.
What Are the Types of Nursing Bras?
There are five common types: crossover sleep bras, clip down bras, hands free pumping bras, front open bras and padded nursing bras. They differ in how the cup opens. Crossover and clip down styles cover most needs.
| Type | How it opens | Useful for | In our range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crossover sleep bra | Slide the cup to one side | Night feeds, the first weeks, hospital stay, lounging | Yes |
| Clip down nursing bra (non padded) | Unclip at the strap and fold the cup down | Daytime, going out, fitted tops and kurtas, work | Yes |
| Hands free pumping bra | Layered opening holds the pump in place | Expressing milk at home or at the office | Yes |
| Front open bra | Hooks or snaps between the cups | Skin to skin time, anyone who finds strap clips fiddly | No |
| Padded nursing bra | Clip down | A smooth shape under T shirts, hiding breast pads | No |
Crossover sleep bras
No hooks, no clips, no wires. Two front panels overlap and one slides aside with a single hand. This is the bra for 3 a.m., when you are tired and in no mood for fastenings.
Our Maternity Nursing Sleep Bra is 95% cotton and 5% elastane, with broad straps and a ribbed band under the bust, in S to 3XL. The cut is relaxed on purpose. The product page suggests one size smaller if you like a closer fit.
From our range
Maternity Nursing Sleep Bra, Grey
Cotton crossover bra with no hooks or wires, for night feeds and lounging. View product
Clip down nursing bras
A clip down bra looks like a regular bra. A small clip where the strap meets the cup opens with one hand, the cup folds down, and everything else stays put. It gives more shape than a sleep bra, so it suits office days, travel and fitted kurtas. Ours is the Nursing and Feeding Non Padded Bra: non wired, full coverage, wide straps, 92% cotton and 8% elastane, in sizes S (32) to 3XL (42).
From our range
Nursing and Feeding Non Padded Bra, Black
Non wired, full coverage, with nursing clips for daytime feeds. View product
Hands free pumping bras
Only worth buying if you will express milk regularly. Ours zips on, holds the pump bottles in place with four overlapping layers of fabric, and can be worn strapless or with the straps included. Sizes come in pairs, from S to M up to 4XL to 5XL. If you are not sure yet about pumping, wait.
What we do not stock
Front open bras. Padded or moulded nursing bras. Underwired nursing bras. Bras sized by cup, the 34B versus 34D kind. If one of those is what you need, another shop will serve you better. Wherever you buy, look for soft fabric, no hard seam across the cup, and a fastening you can work with one hand.
Is a Non Wired Nursing Bra Better?
For the early months, it is the safer choice. Breast size can change within a day while your milk supply settles, and anything rigid or tight can press on the breast. La Leche League International's page on bras notes that bras with underwiring or other firm structure can contribute to blocked ducts and even mastitis.
The NHS advice on mastitis also says not to wear tight fitting clothing or bras until you feel better. Signs of mastitis include a hard or wedge shaped lump in the breast, an area that may look red, and flu like symptoms such as a high temperature, shivering and tiredness. Ask your doctor, midwife or a lactation consultant for help as soon as possible, and see your doctor if things do not improve within 12 to 24 hours. A bra helps with comfort and nothing more.
One more point from that La Leche League page: a special nursing bra is optional. If a soft, non wired bra you already own pulls aside easily and feels fine, wear it for the first week and order once you know your size.
How Do You Measure Nursing Bra Size at Home?
You need two numbers: your band, measured around the ribcage just under the bust, and your bust, measured around the fullest part. Take both in a soft, unpadded bra and match them to the size chart on the product page.
Wrap a soft tape around your ribcage, directly under the bust. Keep it level and snug. Note the inches.
Wrap it around the fullest part of the bust without pulling tight. Note that too.
Match both numbers to the size chart on the product page.
When the bra arrives, check it: the band sits level front and back, the cup holds the whole breast with no spill, and two fingers slide under the band.
Bra shopping in India usually means a number and a letter, 34B or 36C, so a nursing bra marked M can be confusing. Ours are sized this way too: the clip down bra runs from S for 32 to 3XL for 42 with no cup letter, and the cups rely on stretch. Between two sizes, take the one with more room in the cup.
When Should You Buy a Nursing Bra?
Buy the first two in the third trimester. NCT, a UK charity for parents, says in its guide to maternity and nursing bras that a bra bought from around 28 weeks should still fit after the birth, though some women need a larger cup for the early months. So pick one with some give in the cup. Two are enough for the hospital bag.
Then stop. Size often shifts again once feeding settles, so order the rest after a fortnight.
How Many Nursing Bras Do You Need?
Three or four: one on, one in the wash, one spare, and a sleep bra if you feed at night. Milk leaks, and in an Indian summer or a damp monsoon week bras get washed more often and dry more slowly than you expect.
What to Wear Over a Nursing Bra
A top that opens in the same place. Zip tops pair with clip down bras and wrap tops with crossover bras, and our nursing tops buying guide covers the rest.
If you are unsure where to start, order one sleep bra and one clip down bra in the same size, wear both for a week, and let that decide the next order.
