I was really excited the other morning – the postman delivered my first bra to properly review! This was also rather wonderful because it was getting very annoying having to wash and dry my Bravado bra as quickly as possible and not go out until I had it back on again! So I was very pleased to receive the Xpanda Bra – ‘the ultimate comfort for the nursing mother’.
Sizing & Fit
I had looked at this bra on their website prior to it arriving and one of the first things that I noticed was their measurement and sizing guide. Unlike a lot of places the band size is the actual measurement you take and, as BCLC talked about in their fitting video, the cup size comes from subtracting the band measurement from the cup measurement. I worked out that I was a 32DD/E (quite a change from my previous 32C state!) and I was very pleased when the bra arrived to find that it fit perfectly.
Special Features
I do really like all the possible adjustments of this bra. It has been specifically designed in order to grow with you during pregnancy and with the constantly changing breast size after the birth. Not only does it have three hook settings on the band but it has a really clever hook adjustment on both cups so that the cup size can increase by a whole measurement. The best bit is that you can increase one side without touching the other (really useful when breastfeeding and baby has decided to empty one side and has left the other side full!) and that you can do it whilst still wearing the bra.
It also allows you to adjust your own straps as the sliding clasp is on the front of the strap rather than the back – which is genius, allowing you to adjust further for a perfect fit without having to take it off and put it back on again.
Style & Design
Xpanda comes in a single style and colour: non-wired white cotton with a pretty turquoise green trim and bow at the top of the gore. The cotton is a lovely soft material and certainly keeps you cool in the summer.
A Downside …
The only problem I have with the style is the seams present in the cups. I understand these seams are present to give a better level of support (important for the enlarging breast) however, they really make me itch! Some days are worse than others but if I’m having a really tender breast day I just can’t bear those seams anywhere near me.
A Solution! Top Tip …
To get around that I have bought some lovely ImseVimse 100% organic cotton washable breast pads from the brilliant BabiPur website. Using these with the Xpanda solves my itchy problem!
Love,