Part 12b: Maternity and Nursing Bras:  

 

 

The last couple of decades have seen the rise of specialty catalogs. Some examples are "Motherwear" (right)_and "Mary Jane" (left)_which feature nursing bras and maternity underwear. Motherwear is especially interesting because it shows models with the drop-cup open on the nursing bra and her infant suckling.

The "Bellybra" is an innovation of the 90's. It has some characteristics of a girdle or all-in-one, but is really in a category of its own.  

With respect to public advertising, I've noticed differences (I assume based on some department policy) between Sears and JC Penney. Sears displayed nursing bras with enough of the drop cup turned down to reveal part of the model's breast (but not her nipple or aureole, of course).

In  1960 National Bellas Hess illustrated the open drop-cup but only on a model form.

Montgomery Ward also included functional illustrations in 1978. However, even 14 years later the models displayed in the JC Penney catalog (example from 1992 following) did not reveal any part of her breast. To me, this was somewhat of a contrast compared to the generally more revealing ads in JC Penney.

 

The erotic possibilities should be obvious for a woman wearing a nursing bra, whether she is lactating or not. (Incidentally, I do not have an infantilism fetish - to me this is simply another version of an open nipple bra.) I enjoy seeing the way the woman's breast is held and displayed by the inner bra cup frame.

 

Some recent innovations include a bra designed to be used with a breast pump. The design holds the collection cups in place leaving the woman's hands free. Also, one bra includes designs to attract the baby's attention.

At least one manufacturer has used the drop cup feature of a nursing bra to produce a better fit for women with large breasts. This development was based on the work in 1972 of inventor (and aeronautical engineer) N. O.  Brantley  (Newby Odell)- as discussed in a 1978 People magazine article (right) showing an "HH" size bra. (I wish I could see that modeled!!) However, I was unable to find this invention under his name in the US Patent Office records. Brantly died in 1993.

The Ah-Bra allows the woman to properly fit the band around her chest below her breasts, then to comfortably seat each breast in the cup and hook to the top of the frame. This addresses a problem that I've seen with several full-figured (and large busted) women I've known. With a standard bra, they would struggle to get it hooked, and in the process, their breasts would get crammed into the cups in a twisted fashion. Sometimes, they'd wind up with their nipples down in the bottom of the cup showing that their breasts were unnaturally squashed into the cups. No one should have to endure such an unnatural deformation of his or her body!