Cake Maternity: Delicious from A to J

Let’s do some math. As of December 2017, I have officially been either pregnant or breastfeeding for six years. SIX YEARS. When all is said and done, assuming that breastfeeding the twins goes according to plan, it will be NINE years. Essentially, half my adult life will have been dedicated to gestating and feeding my children. It’s beautiful, but it’s not always awesome. My comfort comes second only to my children’s, so a good nursing bra is high up on my list of necessities.

With my first, I made the mistake of just buying some random nursing bras that were on clearance at Zellers. While I greatly miss shopping at Zellers, I do not miss those nursing bras. I quickly discovered that in order to keep much-needed, heavy-duty nursing pads in place, I had to be wearing a bra 24/7, including and especially while sleeping. I really wanted comfy sports bras, but in the middle of the night I needed the convenience of a nursing flap to expose my nipple.

I also discovered that in the first few months, milk gets everywhere. The nursing bra style I had left a triangle of bra fabric around each breast when you pulled down the nursing flap. This triangle of fabric would promptly become saturated in milk, and I’d need to change my whole bra and outfit after most feedings. Honestly, within three months the nursing bras I’d purchased had been washed and worn so many times that they were practically disintegrating.

I’ve learned a lot about my nursing bra needs since my son’s birth! I’ve learned that I need to prioritize comfort, since I will be sleeping in my bra for a few months postpartum. I’ve learned that I need a bra that leaves my entire breast exposed when I drop the cup to prevent milk from wicking all over the place. I’ve learned that spending a bit more will not only get me comfort, but also durability and quality.

Reflections on the Cotton Candy Sleep Yoga Bra from an A-Cup

Already in this pregnancy I have been test-driving the Cake Cotton Candy Sleep Yoga Bra. It sounds delicious, no? And while I have not been doing yoga or sleeping in it, I can confirm that it is very well-suited to both of these tasks.

This is the kind of bra that I don’t even notice I’m wearing, which is important for someone who likes to not wear a bra. The fabric is stretchy and supportive: at this stage with my daughter weaned and only about halfway into my pregnancy, I am barely an A-cup soaking wet, so support is a non-issue. However, when my breasts morph into vavavoom C-cups, I know this bra will provide the support they need!

Now, I realize that many of you reading this are much more than an A-cup. And let’s not pretend that our needs are the same. I have NO IDEA what it is like to have breasts further along in the alphabet, so I enlisted my good friend and frequent Maman Loup contributor who will, in this post only, remain anonymous so that her English students don’t one day stumble upon her boob-related reflections via Google.

Reflections on the Sugar Candy Fuller Bust Seamless Nursing Bra from a J-Cup

Things I wish I’d known when I started breastfeeding:

Newborns eat frequently. Through the night. Through the day. Through hours I swear didn’t exist before I was a mother.
Sometimes you will need to wake a newborn to feed them. This will be unpleasant for everyone involved.
Boob sweat is REAL.
Your boobs must be easily accessible at all times. A hungry baby won’t care that you’re tired and can’t figure out how to open your bra.
Sore boobs happen.

Enter, a comfortable nursing bra! This isn’t easy to find for the larger busted gal. Most nursing bras don’t provide enough support for anyone over a C-cup, even if they claim to cover bigger sizes. You can’t just size up a regular bra and hope for the best. You need a bra designed for a full bust. And let me tell you, Cake knows how to make a bra for big boobs!

The Rock Candy bra is my go-to when I’m at home with my little guy. Here’s the long list of everything they got right:

Wide straps that don’t leave those terrible ridges on your shoulders.
Lots of stretch to accommodate changing boob size.
Firm fabric that provides support but is still somehow breathable. (Please take note regular bra manufacturers.)
Thick, supportive underband that wicks away inevitable boob sweat.
Easy click access to boob. Can be hooked and unhooked one-handed!
No itchy tags.
Seamless design makes it super comfy.
Six hook and eye options accommodate the changing body.
Clean design—not sexy, but it doesn’t look like your granny’s brassiere either.
No uni-boob!

Here is the short list of things that aren’t so great:

Small to extra-large sizing is perfect when you’re pregnant or first breastfeeding and you’re not quite sure what size you’ll eventually need. However, if your cup and band size aren’t quite compatible, the sizing can be a bit off. I’ve tried Cake’s bras that have cup sizes, and they work better for me because the band and cup are separate measurements.
The bra is very supportive for a seamless bra, but it doesn’t provide the lift I want in a “going out in public” bra.
Though Rock Candy in some ways feels like a sports bra, I learned the hard way that it is not built for anything more active than yoga or walking (at least for a large busted gal).

I’ve tried a number of seamless nursing bras and this one BY FAR provides the most support for a fuller bust. It’s worth the extra money. So go ahead. Treat yourself to some Cake.

Back to A-Cup Confessions

From Cake I also received a Crème Brulée Long Chemise. Yes, this company knows exactly how to name its products so that pregnant women cannot resist. Thanks to the drop-cup and light support of this nightgown, I think I’ll be able to tuck in nursing pads and skip my bra at nighttime … or during the day, since I plan to basically live in this chemise in my first week postpartum. (Please hold me to my goal of not doing anything except resting and caring for my newborns for that first week!)

The Crème Brulée chemise is exquisitely soft—which is a must as I only want loose, drapey fabric against my belly at bedtime—and very pretty. My adorable son always compliments me on it: “I like your dress, mom!” And let’s not forget how very convenient it is to be wearing a dress to bed when you need to get up to pee every hour.

In my dream world, I will deliver my twins and then slide into my Cake chemise to lounge about in bed with my nurslings while I am fed sushi and possibly McDonald’s….

Conclusion

Whether you’re president of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee or your cups runneth over, you can have your Cake and eat it too thanks to Cake Maternity!