I bought my first Bravado when I was nursing my third child nine years ago.
I have had two more children during this time, with three years apart, but
not even between pregnancies and nursing have I ever even considered giving
up my Bravados. I have become addicted to the comfort of a stretchy rib band
and high quality fabrics that can be machine washed over and over again.
(And I confess: at times I´ve even tumble dried the Original-style ones
without disastrous effects of any kind!)
With my first two babies I used any kind of nursing bra that was available -
Bravado wasn´t. I think I may have tried at least five different designs
without ever buying the same one twice, just moving on to find a better one
next time...Well, I´m glad I did, because all of a sudden that next one was
a Bravado and trying it on was a kind of revelation: a truly comfortable,
not just endurable, nursing bra - it was beyond belief!
For one reason or other my milk ducts get very easily blocked, and I´ve had
mastitis with record breaking fevers and unbearable pain more times than I
can remember. Using a Bravado has proved to have two advantages when it
comes to that. One is it reduces the risk of getting the milk ducts blocked
by pressure since the whole cup opens for nursing. The other is if you still
get in troble (from getting cold, for example) the cups are stretchy enough
to fill them up with all sorts of warming wool or fleece or whatever feels
good to ease the pain.
The adjustiveness of the cups amazes me. One and the same Bravado bra can be
with you through your pregnancy with all that added weight and size and
still fit perfectly and a couple of months after birth that bra can be the
only piece of clothing you haven´t had to change for something smaller! That
same bra can even be with you through D-day when the milk kicks in! (D-day,
Dolly-day: that third day after birth when you suddenly become a Dolly
Parton look alike - a wig and a country costume would propably complete the
illusion, only you´re hardly in the mood for it, because you may find you
look like Dolly but feel more like a cow than ever...)
I´m not planning to have any more children, five is enough for us, and I have
just purchased four new Bravados.Transforming the bras into non-nursing ones
is the easiest thing: just cut the plastic clip bits and the nusring flap
strap off and pull a matching coloured thread (I use silk embroidery yarn)
through the holes where the clips were, tie a knot and hand sew it into
place with a few stiches - and behold!: a perfect non nursing bra!
I have an issue with any kind of close fit over the rib cage, I feel I
cannot breathe, so I could never endure a "properly fitted" bra. But the
magic of the Bravado is I can simply go one rib band size up and breathe
freely and still have cups that fit perfectly.
The Body Silk Seamless was new to me, and a lovely surprise! I had totally
given up on ever wearing anything "ordinary-bra-like" again since I can´t
stand an unstretchy rib band, but this one is really so much more like an
ordinary bra (especially since I cut off the clips...) and yet just as
comfortable as I have grown accustomed to by wearing Original style Bravados
all these years! I´m amazed and very grateful!
That´s it for now. If I think of something else, I´ll get back to you. Now
I´m off to get the older girls from school!
Sunny greetings,
Anna (Anna Helander Ekberg, Sweden)
What YOU think! 
