It seems like whenever I find a sports bra I like, it ends up becoming unavailable. With pregnancy, the problem became a bit more pressing, so I ended up ordering a bunch of bras. When I was younger and skinnier, I was an A cup, and I could wear basically any old sports bra worth its name. I liked the champion ones you could buy for $20 on Amazon. I put on some weight and became a B-cup, and needed a more supportive bra, but most moderately supportive bras worked for me. Pregnancy and breastfeeding is a different story. I’ve taken the two-bra route for breastfeeding in past, but it’s uncomfortable and not my favorite.
Currently, there are two bras that work for me:
New Balance Women’s Metro Run Crop Sports Bra – not available anywhere as far as I can tell.
LuLuLemon Pace Perfect Bra – available only at $100 on eBay
This one is awesome because it has a handy back pocket for my phone. Love it! But not enough to pay $100 on eBay. I think.
Since neither of these was available, I ordered a bunch to try:
Brooks Juno Crossback – This is a super popular bra, but I’ve always been un-enthused about a bra with hooks for working out. In the end, it was just tight and uncomfortable and unflattering. Maybe I just needed a bigger size.
Nike Indy Hyper Femme – I honestly thought this one was cute, but it looked horrible on and just didn’t provide anywhere near enough support. I think it’s more of a bra to look good than functional.
Oiselle Bra-Zen Bra. This one was too stretchy and didn’t provide enough support. I own an Oiselle bra, and it’s also not sufficient supportive when I’m pregnant. It’s fine otherwise, but it won’t work now.
Lululemon Zip Front Enlite Bra. I actually really like this one. It was comfortable, easy to get, and supportive. It comes in true bra sizes instead of just Sm, M, L. However, unfortunately, I think I’d need to size up the band for pregnancy, and then it wouldn’t fit afterwards, and this is a $100 bra. If I was desperate, I’d pay, but I’m not, so I’ll pass on this one for now. I think this one is a good option for more busty women, a category I don’t normally fit into. I’m just a tourist.
Lululemon Energy Bra – This ended up being the one I decided to keep. I love the floral pattern. It’s supportive, not too hard to get on, and was reasonably comfortable. While I liked the Enlite Bra a little more, this one is more forgiving (and less supportive as a result) and should fit fine after pregnancy, too, so I don’t mind paying $50 for it. It ran in it yesterday, and it provided enough support for comfort.