It’s hard to believe I am four months postpartum! Similar to after I had Mason, I had quite a hard time finding clothes that I felt good in. It sounds silly I know; being recently postpartum you would think the last thing that would matter is how I felt in clothes. But to me, it mattered. I wanted to feel my best despite being exhausted. With that in mind, I tried to cover myself up with breastfeeding tank tops and sweaters, but that led to a whole other issue of trying to find the right bra to wear underneath everything.

Every breastfeeding/maternity bra I had wasn’t “sexy”. And yes, once again, I know feeling sexy isn’t something we are necessarily striving for immediately postpartum, but I had moments where that’s how I wanted to feel! We’re pretty limited in Winnipeg for instore shopping options, so online is really the best way to shop.

I was excited to see the plethora of options that Cake Maternity has to offer. I wish I had known about them when I was pregnant! Nevertheless, since I’m breastfeeding, I was in search of a functional and stylish bra! The Chantilly Nursing Bralette is just that! The black lace detail is absolutely stunning, and for the first time since I had Noah, I felt sexy wearing a bra!

I had the opportunity to chat with Tracey Montford, Cake Maternity’s founder, on how she created this amazing brand and the best way to shop for bras for all stages of pregnancy!

Q: Tell us how Cake Maternity was born.

The Cake brand was created from a personal need over 15 years ago. I was mortified to discover the unflattering maternity and nursing options in the marketplace when I was pregnant with my first son. The nursing bras available seemed to be more of an after thought, matronly and not something that I was keen to wear.

After much research & discussion with women, I discovered that this was true globally.

Q: Most nursing bras tend to be unflattering, uncomfortable and let's be honest, not sexy. What drove your passion to create these beautiful bras?
As a woman you don’t need to loose yourself when you become a mother. Cake is a reminder that you can still feel beautiful and supported during a time when most of your focus is on your child.

Every Cake bra is designed with 4 things in mind. Function, comfort, support and style. All 4 things combined help to create a wonderful garment that reminds women that they are loved too.

The Cake brand has grown tremendously over the past 15 years with a range that consists of basic everyday bras, to cute fashion bras. A number of the styles were created a result of my personal experiences during my pregnancy’s and whilst breastfeeding. We also encourage & solicit a ton of feedback from our customers, who are now the prime drivers of our brand & product direction.

Q: You offer everything from bras to dresses; what are your favourite pieces to create?

The Cake brand started as a fashion brand of only 4 bra styles and has over the years expanded its product offering to include a much larger range of bras & sizes. Taking that same consumer philosophy we’ve incorporated it into a number of other produce lines, including dresses.

The bras continue to be my favourite pieces. Whilst the learning curve is steep as bras are very technical to create, each bra has its own story and inspiration behind it. It can take up to 2 years to design ready a bra for for market. We derive significant satisfaction from the comments we receive daily about that our nursing bras, which change lives.

Q: I love that you have bras for every stage of pregnancy and postpartum; can you share what sets each stage apart from one another? Can you use the same bra throughout each stage or is it recommended to switch them out?

This is a really great question.

We recommend that women wear what we call 'transition bras' during the first trimester and immediately postpartum. It is during this time that a women will experience significant & noticeable change in breast size, with her breasts fluctuating too. The Cake seamless range is ideal for this time. It is because these bras will hold a range of different cup sizes inside each cup, whilst providing for support and shape. The Cake seamless bras come in easy sizing (XS-XXL) and will contract and expand with her changing body.

Our top picks for Trimester 1 and immediately postpartum are Cotton Candy, Sugar Candy, Rock Candy and Tutti Frutti.

During the Trimester 2 and most of the 3rd trimester, women will find that their breast size will have stabilized. Wearing a more structured maternity bra in dedicated cups sizes is recommended during this time as it will provide superior support and shape, for the now heavier and bigger breasts.

Recommended product for during this time is Truffles plunge bra, Tim Tam and Waffles. All these bras have a soft flexible wire which will help to give you lift and a great shape.

At approximately 8 weeks postpartum, her body would have learnt to regulate its milk supply & she can choose to wear any type of nursing bra that works with her lifestyle. Some women prefer non-wire, T-shirt bras, some sexy lace bras, while others prefer more sporty options. The choices are now extensive as we’ve grown our range to address the various style, size, shape and personal preferences of women.

Q: Are your pumping bras compatible with most breast pumps?

We have a fantastic seamless hands free pumping bra called ‘Lotus', which works with the more traditional flange type pumps as well as the newer more compact versions that sit inside the bra.

Our seamless range (Cotton Candy, Sugar Candy, Rock Candy, Tutti Frutti and Freckles) also are also newer compact pump friendly. The stretchy nature of the fabric allows room for the pump to sit neatly between the breast and the bra, whilst holding firm..

Regardless of where you are in your pregnancy/postpartum journey, you deserve to feel your absolute best! The pieces from Cake Maternity do not disappoint and will make you feel comfortable and confident in the skin you’re in!