Bras

[Flower of Bliss]

So, I can't wear my nursing bras from DD anymore. They're too tight and uncomfortable. I have some stretchy non-nursing bras from the first months with DD that I can wear, but they provide NO support. I'd never had real boobs before (barely an A) and was in denial about how big I'd become until DD was about 12 months old (at which point I was a C or D).

Like my last pregnancy, my boobs haven't gotten bigger yet, but my chest size has. I have no clue how big I'll get in the early weeks or how long I'll stay that big.

I went to buy some more, bigger, nursing bras from Target like the ones I used with DD, and they're GONE : Instead they have underwire nursing bras or else ones that pull down leaving holes for your nipple :

I tried some bras from Motherhood Maternity with DD and something in the material/stitching really irritated my breasts, especially my nipples. I want cheap nursing bras without underwire, with full pull down cups, and that provide support without having huge amounts of material on the back, chest, and straps. I don't think such a thing exists :

Just thinking about it makes me :. I can't spend a fortune ordering bras online to see what works.

Is anyone else having bra issues?

[Talula Fairie]

Cheap nursing bras with no underwire that support big breasts are like the holy grail of pregnancy supplies and I am here to tell you, they don't exist. ASK ME HOW I KNOW.

I am having the exact same problem at a 40 D or DD. Honestly I think Motherhood might be THE WORST store when it comes to nursing bras. They are poorly designed and their size range sucks. They used to make this one bra style that I loved, it had three hooks for the full pull down cups (I hate the hole too) which made the cup somewhat adjustable, came in big sizes, was supportive and had no underwire. I am so pissed they stopped making it.

I've already tried Target and Wal Mart as well to no avail. Not only is their selection and quality horrible, but so is their range of sizes. Apparently no one over a 38 band size or a D cup ever nurses a baby! I went shopping for bras not too long ago and came home in tears.

Bella Materna bras are my favorite and they are fantastic, they are also pretty forgiving in terms of size and they make a wide range of sizes. They last forever but they are super expensive. I can't afford them this pregnancy.

I've heard good things about Bravado, which is probably what I'm going to choose this time around. Here's hoping. *sigh*

[wanderinggypsy]

Bravado.... ha.

I am a fairly small person... like 5'5" and maybe 120 non pregnant. And my boobs are no bigger than a C. Anyways, bravado bras hardly even stretch over/around me. And once they're on they feel like they are squashing me from lumps of coal into diamonds. It's not nice. And their medium feels just like the small to me.

I don't recommend them.

I hope someone makes some good suggestions.

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by wanderinggypsy

Bravado.... ha.

I am a fairly small person... like 5'5" and maybe 120 non pregnant. And my boobs are no bigger than a C. Anyways, bravado bras hardly even stretch over/around me. And once they're on they feel like they are squashing me from lumps of coal into diamonds. It's not nice. And their medium feels just like the small to me.

I don't recommend them.

I hope someone makes some good suggestions.

Did you try more than one size and style? They make a lot of different styles. Maybe you needed the plus style or something.

Ultimately there is no one bra that everyone loves. Lots of people swear by Bravado, and then there are people such as yourself who don't like them. There really couldn't be anything more individual than bras!

[spiritedmama]

Hmmm.....nursing bras, oh to find one that is both comfortable, easy to use AND, heaven forbid, even a bit pretty. I have decided such a thing does not exist and I am in complete denial about the need to buy some. Of course, after breastfeeding for 4 1/2 years STRAIGHT and just recently being able to wear a regular bra (since Feb.), I am not really ecstatic about making the switch again. Although I have noticed that the regular nonnursing bras aren't terribly comfortable either...

I did find that the nursing bras that snapped in the front were the most user friendly. Although the one I had did not have padding and you could always see my nipples through my tshirts.....

Can't wait to hear what everyone else likes. I refuse to buy one......for now.....

[Koalamom]

I am having trouble finding a 36AA. My 34A are too tight, but a 36 A would be too big in the cup.

I actually am quite the opposite from the concerns from the other posts because I love when I get bigger and them I can actually find a bra that fits and is nice. It is the only time in my life that I can shop at Victorias Secret. When I am not pregnant or breastfeeding, I am a 32A - 34AA. (and thats wearing a push-up)

[Mamatoabunch]

I am a 40D and love my Bravado tanks, lifestyle, and embellished microfiber.

[texaspeach]

unfortunately, a good bra, nursing or otherwise, is worth its weight on gold. I've never found a cheap bra that fit properly and held up (pun intended!)

I'm not looking forward to having to buy new bras. I'd JUST bought bras when I found out I was pregnant and of course they no longer fit. I was a 34DD before getting pregnant... there's no telling what size nursing bra I'm going to need.

I was told I should get transitional bras for immediately post partum, and wait a couple of weeks to buy nursing bras. Has anyone else heard that? I guess the thinking is that you can't really guess what size you'll need until your milk has come in and engorgement has settled down (if it's your first baby anyway)

[Hezzie]

Holy cow, I'm so worried about this. I'm already a big gal in the bust department (44 DD) and I've found nothing above a D in the local stores. It's so infuriating! There's a local store called Petticoat Fair that specializes in big sizes, but I've heard they are very expensive. We've gone down to one income and I can't afford to shell out a lot of $$$ for a measly boulder-holder!

I did look at Bravado online and was relieved to see that they go up into Valkyrie sizes. WOO HOO! I don't think their prices are too awful and I've seen big gal bras go for much more. I also liked that their original nursing bra supposedly stretches with you. I'm willing to give them a try, but I'm going to wait until closer to my due date to order one. Anyone have experience with their original nursing bra?

[rachel65655]

Sorry this isn't my DDC but I had to say I absolutely love Motherhood bras. I wear a 40E when I am nursing and only use underwire bras for support. I have bought $40 Medela bras and everything in between and nothing has held up better for me that my $12 Motherhood cotton underwires.

[racheloperasinger]

Originally Posted by Mamatoabunch

I am a 40D and love my Bravado tanks, lifestyle, and embellished microfiber.

Ditto that. I have a bunch of them and I wear them almost every day. I'm really surprised to hear that criticism of Bravado that a pp wrote. I used to sell Bravado bras and there are some that are plenty big, accomodating, and even stretchy (in a supportive way). Really and truly sounds to me like a sizing error. A lot of women think that they're a perfect 34C and they're actually a 32E, or whatever.

I would recommend Bravado bras to anyone. I even tried to get my post-menopausal mom to buy one! (She hates underwires, she hates constricting bras, but she always ends of wearing totally nonsupportive bras that don't support her at all.

I promise I don't work for them.

[puddleduck]

Originally Posted by Mamatoabunch

I am a 40D and love my Bravado tanks, lifestyle, and embellished microfiber.

Me too, they are sooo comfortable and the tanks will be great for not exposing my rolls of tummy when nursing pp. I'm not keen on the original bravado bras - but i love the lifestyle & sugar and spice ones.

[Flower of Bliss]

Well, I've been searching threads on MDC and doing lots of web searches. I found two stores that carry lots of different brand nursing bras with reasonable return policies and little to no shipping charges:

http://breakoutbras.stores.yahoo.net/index.html - free shipping, 10% off of all orders for repeat customers, so just order one bra the first time.
https://www.birthandbaby.com/ - $1 shipping, very easy returns

So, I guess I'll be trying out some new bras.

[Coconut Chronicles]

Originally Posted by texaspeach

I was told I should get transitional bras for immediately post partum, and wait a couple of weeks to buy nursing bras. Has anyone else heard that? I guess the thinking is that you can't really guess what size you'll need until your milk has come in and engorgement has settled down (if it's your first baby anyway)

That sounds like pretty good advice to me. I was thinking of getting a couple of these to get me through the first couple weeks... then eventually get properly sized and try to get something more structured.

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by rachel65655

Sorry this isn't my DDC but I had to say I absolutely love Motherhood bras. I wear a 40E when I am nursing and only use underwire bras for support. I have bought $40 Medela bras and everything in between and nothing has held up better for me that my $12 Motherhood cotton underwires.

Are we buying the same bras? My motherhood bras always crapped out on me within a few months. And they NEVER fit me right. And where the heck did you find a 40E? My Motherhood goes up to a 38 band size. I think I saw a 40 D once. Once.

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by texaspeach

u

I was told I should get transitional bras for immediately post partum, and wait a couple of weeks to buy nursing bras. Has anyone else heard that? I guess the thinking is that you can't really guess what size you'll need until your milk has come in and engorgement has settled down (if it's your first baby anyway)

That is horrible advice imo. I'm like horrified at the idea of wearing a NORMAL bra while engorged and trying to what, pull the cup down to nurse (where it will dig into the bottom of your breast).All that pressure on your breast would be just ASKING for a clogged duct. Normal bras won't accommodate changing cup sizes.

When I had my first baby, I went from a 38/40D to a 40F (at least) OVERNIGHT when my milk came in. If I hadn't had a forgiving non underwire adjustable cup nursing bra, I would have been in trouble. You need a nursing bra more than ever during those first days of engorgement.

If you just buy non underwire bras in forgiving styles, like Bravado or some of Bella Materna's styles, the bra should accommodate your changing breast size just fine. Bravado's website recommends getting the band size you are in your third trimester and adding one cup size. I agree with this, it would work for most people. Yes, you may need to buy another bra later when your milk settles down, but that can take weeks to months. After I had my first baby, my breast size changed a lot over the first six months. I had oversupply. After the first few weeks I was down to a 38DD, then a month later down to a 36DD, then five months later down to a 36D, my normal size. I can't imagine wearing regular bras for the first two or three or five months!

this is the kind of bra that worked for me after my second baby. I bought it in a 38 C/D (I think I was a 38C or 36 D at the time). It fit me pregnant and when I was engorged, although I only went up maybe a cup size the second time around.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/42/80...9e3b1701_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/38/86...63c5dc81_o.jpg

this is the style:
http://www.bellamaterna.com/shop/Nur...6101-1153.aspx

hmm. I just realized they have more stock in it. I though the style was being discontinued. It's almost the same price as Bravado. That's what I'm buying! Like someone else said, the bra that works for you is worth it's weight in gold. If you find one that works, stick with it. I bought my bras in late 2005 I believe, and they just recently started to crap out. I still have one left but it's on it's last legs.

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by Coconut Chronicles

That sounds like pretty good advice to me. I was thinking of getting a couple of these to get me through the first couple weeks... then eventually get properly sized and try to get something more structured.

Those are awesome bras, Motherhood makes a similar style, but I will say that they are not really supportive enough to make you fit for public view ifykwim. If you're small breasted with perky breasts it might be ok, but for me, I'd be bouncing around everywhere in that bra. It's almost like not wearing a bra at all.

Also that is not a normal bra, that's a nursing bra.

[Coconut Chronicles]

Originally Posted by Talula Fairie

Those are awesome bras, Motherhood makes a similar style, but I will say that they are not really supportive enough to make you fit for public view ifykwim. If you're small breasted with perky breasts it might be ok, but for me, I'd be bouncing around everywhere in that bra. It's almost like not wearing a bra at all.

Also that is not a normal bra, that's a nursing bra.

I thought when she said "transitional bra" she meant those non wire sleep thingies... not a regular bra. I'm not up on my nursing bra lingo yet

I'm on the smaller size of average I would say. I was 32B before I got pregnant and am now a small C (and haven't fluctuated anymore) so I think the sleep ones would work for me in a pinch but I definitely would prefer to have a few more structured ones later down the line. It just doesn't make any sense to buy them now as I really have no clue what size I will be... frustrating!

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by Coconut Chronicles

I thought when she said "transitional bra" she meant those non wire sleep thingies... not a regular bra. I'm not up on my nursing bra lingo yet

I'm on the smaller size of average I would say. I was 32B before I got pregnant and am now a small C (and haven't fluctuated anymore) so I think the sleep ones would work for me in a pinch but I definitely would prefer to have a few more structured ones later down the line. It just doesn't make any sense to buy them now as I really have no clue what size I will be... frustrating!

You could easily end up a D or even DD in the early weeks. I have a friend who started out at a 32-34 B and she ended up a 34D. But, this is the same person who could pump 6 ounces out of one breast *after* nursing. She was a milk machine

Honestly if you buy a Bravado, some of the forgiving Bella Materna styles, or anything of the like you really should be fine. If I were you I'd probably look for a 32 or 34 C/D range.

I used to sell bras, btw. Though I never sold nursing bras. I worked for Victoria's Secret for over a year and was a manager at Fredericks of Hollywood for like six months.

[thorn]

My target has non-underwire nursing bras up to 40DD - I just picked one up today. it looks like this. After my first baby I wore Motherhood cheapies in like a 40H, but I found that their sizing is just huge, and I was only a 38D in other nursing bras.

my favorite nursing bra for long-term is the anita 5041, which is an underwire, but for pg and for the engorgement time I go with the cheaper target type of bras.