There isn’t much about nursing that is glamorous (engorgement, painful nipples, pumping, etc.). With my first child, I looked at nursing bras from a purely functional view, but with the recent arrival of my second child, I decided I wanted more from my nursing bra. Could a nursing bra be functional and feminine?  Even – dare I say it – sexy? Here’s the low-down on a handful nursing bras that are both practical and pretty.

Bella Materna – Padded Nursing Bra
With this being baby #2, I’m always looking for a little lift and shape for the “girls”. The light lining on this Padded Nursing Bra does just this while providing a smooth and seamless exterior. Four tiers of hooks allowed for a comfortable fit as my body adjusted to nursing, and the cup clasp was easy to detach and reattach one-handed. This bra also boasts patented “Flexy Wires” underwire support, and the Nylon/Lycra blend kept me cool and dry while trying to nurse at crowded holiday gatherings. One of my top picks.
Price: $64.00  Sizes: 32C – 40D  Colors: blush, white, nude, black, slate

Le Mystere – Florence Nursing Bra
This underwire bra gets high points for femininity. The cotton cup has a lacey top, a decorative bow in the center and detail on the straps. Although I usually end up wearing a breast pad, the Florence Nursing bra has an absorbent cotton layer that might suffice on its own for some. This bra has a unique clasp for breast access and as their site description states, you do only need one hand to undo the clip for breastfeeding. However, I found that reattaching always took two hands. Overall, the Florence Nursing Bra provides great support and coverage without losing its soft side.
Price: $52 (on sale many places for $39) Sizes: 34B – 40G Colors: Black, White, Nude

La Leche League – Lightly Padded Underwire Nursing Bra and Wrap N’ Snap
You may have heard of La Leche League before, but you may not be familiar with their line of maternity bras and panties. I tried out two of their nursing bras – the Lightly Padded Underwire and the Wrap N’ Snap. The Lightly Padded Underwire is a smooth, simple bra. There are few embellishments but the cotton/spandex blend gives this bra a seamless shape and the deep plunge makes it ideal for low cut tops. The drop cup access is indeed one-handed though I wasn’t a fan of the internal A-frame support. The price however makes it a great nursing bra choice.
Price: $27.50 Sizes: 32A – 40D  Colors: Black, Nude

The Wrap N’ Snap is a unique soft cup nursing bra that allows for an adjustable band size. Instead of a back closure, the bra has snaps around the front of the band that can be snapped at various positions to either decrease or increase the band size. While it is not a simple one-handed maneuver to adjust the snaps, it does mean that the bra can be customized for your comfort and changing size throughout your nursing period. The soft cotton/spandex cups are trimmed with satin trim for added style and the drop cup access is easy to do one-handed. Keep in mind the sizing for this bra – S/M or L/XL are your only options and the latter is listed only to fit up to a 40C.
Price: $19.50  Size: S/M, L/XL  Colors: Floral Animal, Chocolate, White

Melinda G – Front Snap Soft-Cup Nursing Bra
The Front Snap Nursing Bra by Melinda G is fairly simple and doesn’t ooze sexiness, but it is ideal for creating nice cleavage (or the illusion thereof) for smaller breasted women. It also has a super deep V-cut making it a perfect partner for a low cup top or V-neck sweater. This is the first front snap nursing bra I have used and it took me a little getting used to – both in its fit and access, but the pima cotton/LYCRA spandex blend made it comfy enough even to wear to bed. One-handed opening - yes, but I definitely needed two for reattaching the cup. Check out all of Melinda G’s nursing bras at http://www.melindag.com    Price: $36-$40  Sizes: 34B-42D  Colors:Black, White

Belabumbum - Copacabana Nursing Bra
Belabumbum offers a number of great nursing bras, panties, loungewear and swimwear for the moms and moms-to-be. While they do have a handful of bold print numbers, their collections can mostly be categorized as sexy-sweet with an abundance of lace, ruffley trim and pastel colors. I tried out the soft cup Copacabana Nursing Bra with a lacy exterior and smooth cotton interior lining. The drop cup offers easy access and the fit is super comfortable. My husband didn’t even believe this was a nursing bra! I’m also a big fan of their Lotus Nursing Chemise – comfortable and cute to sleep in, but with easy nighttime nursing access and built-in cups to hold nursing pads.
Price: $39 Sizes: S – XL (32B - 42F) Colors: Black, Aqua, Latte, Lilac, Salmon, White
Stay tuned for Part II coming soon!