Nursing Bras: where form meets function 

As almost any mother of a newborn will attest, in the first few months of baby's life, luxury is replaced by necessity in both fashion choices and personal grooming. The leisurely bubble baths barely memorable from our former lives are replaced with lightning-fast showers stolen during baby's all-too-brief naps.

Dry clean-only garments get stashed at the back of the closet in favour of cotton, washable clothes that can weather the inevitable daily spit-up train. And the pretty undergarments that felt special beneath your clothes (and gave your husband heart palpitations)? Nowhere in sight. Many (ok, most) nursing bras look like training bras from seventh grade, something your grandmother would wear, or a cross between the two.

Over the past six months, I've had to choose between my (unsightly) nursing gear, and my structured "going out" bras, the ones that shape, lift and actually look good under clothing. When I came across Hot Milk Lingerie's nursing bras, I finally realized I don't need to choose between form and function.

I took their "Forever Yours" bra for a spin and was impressed even before I put it on. Its material is super-soft, yet it's sturdily built. The underwire is supportive but comfortable. While the outside of the bra is microfiber, the inside is cotton, which is both breathable and useful for the occasional leak. The wings are a breathable mesh, a stroke of brilliance to keep the torso cool.

And its back closures have no less than 6 rows of hook-and-eyes to choose your perfect size--and to adjust width as needed when breasts grow, or mom loses her baby weight. Its front clips work just as most nursing bras do, allowing for the cup to be unhooked and pulled down for nursing--but unlike so many other nursing bras, the cup of Hot Milk's Forever Yours bra has light padding for subtle shaping under clothing.

The price (retail is $49.95 USD) is well within the range of what I'd come to expect to pay for a nursing bra, and given the quality, well worth it. Breastfeeding is not always the world's most glamorous job, but Hot Milk's combination of durability, functionality and a bit of prettiness makes me feel a lot more put-together for the task.

Megan,

writer for Preg-info and new mom