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Hands-free is the way to be. Automatic Electric Breast Pump
Pregnancy and motherhood bring on an entirely new set of wardrobe essentials, the best pumping bras being one of them for those breastfeeding. Of course, the best nursing bras and the best maternity leggings throughout the fourth trimester and beyond are equally important. But whether you're building up a freezer stash of breastmilk or preparing for time away from your baby, a pumping bra makes the task infinitely better because, sigh, it's not the most enjoyable. As someone who has been nursing and pumping for almost a year, I can attest to their essential quality. Perhaps it's just me, but toiling with hacks to make a regular bra pump-friendly was a massive fail.
"A great pumping bra is functional and makes pumping easier and faster while enabling you to feel good in your body, even when the task at hand sometimes may not," Tovah Haim, founder and CEO of Bodily, tells me. The best designs allow for entirely hands-free pumping and don't involve multiple layers of fabric, zippers, or other details that end up feeling fussy. Big fact: Pumping is much improved when you don't have to clip a fabric panel up and down. Great ones also don't require a bra change between pumping and nursing sessions, which is a serious pain—I've done it far too many times. Styles that feel like your most comfortable bra and sit beautifully under your clothes are even better, while those crafted from certified "clean" fabric and optimize breast health are the ultimate crème de la crème.
I'm what you could call a laundering enthusiast, and in my ideal world, I like a new pumping bra for every day of the week. But in reality, I usually wear one for two days or so before swapping it out for a clean one. A rotation of clean bras is a must beyond personal preference: "If your bra gets wet with breast milk, that old milk can grow bacteria, and allowing that bacteria to be in contact with your breasts for an extended time can lead to an infection called mastitis," Haim warns. Another personal fact: I dealt with a severe case of mastitis and believe that anything to prevent one is worth doing—it's agony. Haim suggests a bra for every day of the week if you're pumping regularly, or another clever hack: wearing reusable breast pads so that if you leak or drip, you can change out the pads instead of the entire bra.
Like any other bra, a proper fit is paramount when shopping for the best pumping bras, but not always easy to determine. I've been pumping for nearly twelve months and needed multiple sizes due to my milk fluctuation from birth until now. "You shouldn't have to change your bra just because your body is changing, although it is true that sometimes our fluctuations are significant enough that even with a well-designed bra we might have to," Haim says. She recommends buying a pumping bra in the size that best fits you when you first need it during stage one of breastfeeding. For me, that was several sizes up from my usual cup size (rib-cage expansion during pregnancy is so very real). "A well-designed bra will provide adjustability to continue offering a comfortable fit through fluctuations," she notes, which I've found primarily true. However, as I get closer to my pre-birth size, and because my pumping bras are extremely well-worn at this stage, I have gone down several sizes for a more secure fit.
Other helpful details include strap sliders on the front of a pumping bra, which you can easily tighten during a pumping session to ensure good suction and support for hanging milk bottles. They're easy to loosen whenever breasts are full, for sleeping, or when you want to create more cup capacity and reduce compression on the breast—an important feature as this can help mitigate the risk of clogged ducts, Haim explains. An extended back closure with additional hook-and-eye clasps beyond the standard three is also helpful. These accommodate changes in band size as your rib cage expands and contracts again from pregnancy through the stages of breastfeeding.
Without further ado, scroll to discover ten of the best nursing bras based on my experience and top-reviewed styles from the shopping community.
I purchased this pumping bra on Amazon a few days into my pumping journey, realizing I'd need more options. Initially, the fabric felt a little stiff and scratchy. But after several washes, it's softened and doesn't irritate my skin or nipples. The X-shaped design makes slipping flanges in and out easy with a very secure feel as bottles fill to the brim. It's a great option for around $20 and has over 50,000 Amazon reviews for a reason.
What reviewers are saying: "I love everything about this bra. It's super comfortable and easy to use. I can quickly go from breastfeeding to pumping. My silicone hand pump also fits in the slit allowing it to stay in place while feeding from the other side. My electric pump stays in place while wearing it. I love it so much I own four in two different colors."
Without question, this is the best pumping bra I've worn. Pre-baby, I rarely wore a bra, and if I did, it was an airy bralette sans hooks or wires—so pumping was a real lifestyle change for me. The fabric is incredibly silky and supportive without feeling restrictive, plus the simplified, non-clip-down design makes my quality of life much better while pumping. I've been rotating through several for months and rarely wear a regular bra since I nurse and pump daily. I sleep in mine, too!
"We wanted a design that enables you to pump hands-free while wearing the same bra all day, every day," Haim says of her design. "The Do Anything Bra was developed with an IBCLC to optimize breast health, crafted with premium OEKO-TEX fabric that's gentle on sensitive skin, and designed with highly adjustable features (including a custom, five-row extended back closure, straps that convert to racerback and strap sliders positioned in the front) so you can comfortably wear it through all your bodily changes."
What reviewers are saying: "This bra has been perfect for breastfeeding and pumping. I am not exclusively nursing my baby, and this bra gives me the flexibility to nurse and pump throughout the day. It's so comfortable, and the adjustable straps have helped keep me comfortable as my breasts fluctuate in size throughout the day. I ordered a size up which also helped with the fluctuation in breast size. Before pregnancy, I would typically wear an unlined bra or bralette, and I feel like this is what I like but made for breastfeeding."
This bra is exceptionally well-made, beautiful, and comfortable. The fabric is incredibly soft, and the lace detailing adds a luxurious touch of style that's so welcome after being clad in sweats and athleisure for months. I've worn it a few times with my Willow and can confirm it holds the pumps sturdily in place. And while wireless wasn't my primary approach to pumping, I've loved wearing this bra for easy (and more stylish) nursing.
What reviewers are saying: "Working moms that need to pump NEED to know about this bra! I've only had this item for a short time, but it is already saving me so much time! It frees up my hands and frees me from being tied down to a regular pump so that I can get chores or cleaning, or work done while I am pumping. I absolutely love this and plan to get more! Highly recommend."
Whether you're nursing and pumping simultaneously or have a routine pumping schedule on top of scheduled feeds, this bra is ultra-breathable and soft. It's crafted from an eco-friendly combination of organic cotton and TENCEL Modal fabric with full and regular size options.
What reviewers are saying: "This is the perfect bra for pumping and breastfeeding. It doesn't have the seams over the nipple area, which means I am not irritating my already sore nipples."
This ultra-supportive and wireless pumping bra is great for large breasts and unquestionably falls into one of the best bras for big boobs category. While bras for small breasts are typically my brand, I wore this style a lot when my milk first came in, and with the back extender on the widest setting—the size increase I experienced was wild. It feels a little more cumbersome than other pumping bras I like. However, the full-coverage design made of thicker compression fabric, a clip-down panel, and wider straps offers maximum support.
What reviewers are saying: "THANK YOU SO MUCH for coming out with the Super Busty. I'd spent two months looking for a pumping bra that actually fit and could not find anything. Everything was too small in the cup and/or lacked coverage. It's like, for some reason, most bra companies don't think those of us with a small band size and large bust exist! This bra has literally saved my pumping journey. I'm ordering two more right now!"
If your social media algorithm is serving you all the breastfeeding and pumping content, you've undoubtedly seen Larken's pumping tank. It looks like classic cropped styles you likely have in your closet but is designed with an interior shelf to twist around pump flanges for hands-free pumping. It's lightweight but made from stretchy, moisture-wicking fabric for comfort. Plus, it's also accommodating for fluctuating breast sizes throughout your pumping journey.
What reviewers are saying: "I'm a mama of twins that breastfeeds two at the same time and pumps after to increase supply, so I needed to find a combo nursing and pumping bra, and this one here was by far the winner of all that I tried. Most combo bras have bulky clips on top of each other or give you a weird pointy boob, or worse, your nipple pokes out of the hole! This one is so comfortable you can sleep in it. It also kind of looks like a crop tank, so pair it with leggings and a slouchy button-up cardigan, and you just became the coolest mom on the block. Just make sure you pull any fabric out from under the flange—sometimes that happens due to the twisty nature of the hands-free set up. Also works great for wearable pumps too!"
Everything from Storq makes pregnancy and early motherhood infinitely better. The pieces are functional with that modern touch to feel more put-together and comfy at once. If you're not mad at a little clip-down action, this bra is a win, made from soft, antimicrobial jersey fabric.
What reviewers are saying: "Currently living in this bra (I'm exclusively pumping, so it gets a workout!), I bought 3 to rotate through during the week, and it's perfect! Makes pumping easy and doesn't feel bulky like a lot of pumping bras do. Super soft, and I sleep in it, too; it's that comfy! Highly recommend! Also, I'm a 42D pre-pregnancy, and the size 5 fits super well and stretches nicely while still giving support."
With a wide supportive band, thick straps, and a pretty neckline, this nursing and pumping sports bra makes life easy-breezy. While it's designed for high-impact workouts, don't sweat it if you wear it for low-impact programming as you ease back into a fitness regimen or simply for comfort.
What reviewers are saying: "I purchased this in order to make pumping easier at my busy job[.] It's comfortable enough to wear while sleeping but has a ton of support for high-intensity workouts! Really enjoy."
This newly launched two-in-one nursing and pumping bra is another one of my favorites—I wish it had been available at the beginning of my pumping journey. The ribbed design is incredibly soft and comfortable for all-day wear, including sleeping. The fabric panel took a little adjusting, but it's truly one of the most effortless designs I've loved wearing.
What reviewers are saying: "Super soft, true to size. I really liked that there were no hooks on the back, which is surprisingly hard to find for a dual nursing/pumping bra. Highly recommend!"
Lactation consultants consistently recommend breast massaging to stimulate milk flow, making this bra that massages both breasts while you pump a game-changer.
What reviewers are saying: "I have been using my Lilu massager bra with every pumping session for two months now and I absolutely love this product. I experienced painful engorgement during the first week postpartum, and I was desperate for a better solution than constantly needing to hand massage to get the engorgement down. Doing some research, I found this massager bra, ordered it right away, and it instantly provided relief, getting my engorgement under control within a few days. I also feel like this bra helps empty my breasts more than when I use my portable pumps and helps keep engorgement and clogged ducts at bay. The construction and material of the bra is high quality as well and has held up well in the wash (I throw it in a mesh bag in the washer and then air dry it). Only small complaint is that the battery doesn't last as long as claimed, so I charge the bra every other pump session (I usually pump for 15-20 minutes) since it'll die on me if I try to stretch it to a third session without charging."
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