Being pregnant can be tough. There’s all these hormones flying around, newfound mood swings coming to light and your boobs just won’t stop growing! The last thing you want to worry about is purchasing maternity bras. After all, throwing on an old, oversized tee and track pants and crawling into bed for the rest of your pregnancy can sometimes seem like a much better idea. But, it’s time to get up and start shopping for some maternity bras. New purchases always make you feel better – even if it’s for those huge new boobs of yours – and you’ll definitely appreciate having maternity bras once the baby comes.

Here are 5 things you need to know about buying maternity bras to make sure you get the most out of yur booby investment.

Get Professionally Fitted

Women wear the wrong bra size all the time, pregnant and not, and this can lead to a lack in support, discomfort amongst many other things. Since maternity bras are there to make your motherhood experience better and easier, you want to get professionally fitted to ensure you get the most out of your new nursing bras. Since your breasts will continue to change in size during pregnancy and post-birth, it can be hard to find the right size – without professional help. Try to get fitted for a maternity bra when you’re about 8 months pregnant, as this is generally the size your breasts will be when the baby is 8 weeks old.

Think about the Cup

Whether it’s maternity bras, t-shirt bras, sports bras or lingerie – it’s always all about the cup! After all, they’re what holds those suckers in!  A lot of women purchase nursing bras with extra room in the cup to accommodate for any changes in breast size. However, this is not advisable. Again, if you get professionally fitted around 8 months of pregnancy, this will be the most accurate size estimation for when the baby is 8 weeks old. So trust the professional fit, and grab maternity bras that fit your cup size at 8 months pregnant. There are no “what-ifs” when it comes to nursing bras. Just be sure to purchase high qualities ones with stretchy fabric on the cup, as this will allow movement in the breasts as they start producing milk.

Don’t Worry about the Cup Immediately After Birth

With that said, don’t expect to fit into cup specific bras immediately after you give birth. Okay, now we have you confused. Here’s the thing. It’s all about the bra cup for every moment in your life – except for the days – and even sometimes weeks post-birth. Why, you ask? During this time, your boobs can feel a little bit out of control. This is why the 8-month pregnancy mark is best for finding the perfect size for when your baby is a couple of weeks old. It can take some time for your boobs to calm down.

Seamless Bras for the Days Right After Birth

Your breasts are going to go through large fluctuations in size as your body regulates its milk supply. Having a tight-fitted bra can disrupt this process. So for the couple of days post-birth, opt for a seamless bra. These bra styles will move with the breast (and body) changes after you give birth, along with all the support and comfort you need.

The More Hooks, The Better

We’ve already discovered that your breast size is absolutely spontaneous when pregnant. But since you aren’t supposed to estimate what size your boobs may be in the future, what are you supposed to do to ensure a proper fit? It’s simple. Invest in nursing bras that has 4-6 hooks and eyes on the back. This will let you readjust the size as your body changes throughout the nursing process.

Boobs. They just get more complicated as you go through life. Fortunately, there are amazing bras and maternity bras that will help you tame those beasts when they go on random outbursts.