9 months and BF - need some bra advice

[Islandgirllk]

Hello, I wonder if anyone can help me. I have big boobs - 36GG. I am still BF my 9 month daughter, she has about 4 feeds a day now. I am fed up up catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror and seeing my horrible saggy boobs!! I really need a decent nursing bra that gives me a bit of lift. 9 months in a nursing bra is taking it's toll! My boobs are actually a bit smaller now, I've lost nearly 2 stone so my back size has gone down but I'm still in my old bras which were pretty rubbish anyway.

Anyway, can anyone help, maybe recommend a decent bra, has anyone tried an underwire bra? I can't wait to get back to having a decent looking pair/cleavage (but I want to keep on feeding for as long as she wants to).

Thanks!

[MamaLaMoo]

I get almost all my bras including nursing ones from Bravissimo as I am normally 30FF and now 32HH at 30weeks pg. Royce also do good nursing bras up to large sizes from their website.

I fed DD1 until she was 2 yo and ended up using normal bras with an underwire which were a lower cut balconette style so I could easily pop a boob out, full cup style was to awkward to wriggle out of. 4 times a day is not so often that you would find unclipping a bra or sliding the strap down and popping a boob out too bothersome.

I would recommend getting fitted by a nice lady at a store though a you don't want any wire bits sticking in the milk producing soft tissue of your breasts.

[Bigmacplease]

I use a brand of nursing bras called 'Hot Milk'. They are available on line - I purchase from the nursing bra company. I am a 38E so need good support too. They are not underwired but have really supportive A frame design and 8 levels of adjustment for the back. With Dd1 all of my nursing bras were horrendous Mrs Doubtfire style with zero support so wish I would have discovered this brand back then. Hot Milk also comes in lovely designs & colours with matching knickers.

[Islandgirllk]

Thanks Bigmacplease, I'm going to look at hotmilk (what a great name for nursing bras!).

And apologies for my rogue apostrophe - I meant to type taking its toll, not it's.

[Bigmacplease]

Love the brand name too!! Sorry but I gave wrong detail for online stockist - it's www.nursingbra-shop.co.uk There are other stockists online but I've always found this company reliable and prompt. They also appear to be the cheapest when I've been buying. If you buy the care instructions say to hand wash but I always shove them in a pillow case with a knot on the end on a low temp wash and they've come out fine. Been wearing them from 30weeks preg - DD2 now 9 weeks and they are all still in great shape (the bras!!)

[flibberdyjibbert]

Am a 32-34 E/F in my non-pregnant non-bf state, currently around a 32 H, and hated the way I looked in soft cup bras with DD1. Got an Anita underwired bra when 36 weeks pregnant with DD2 and haven't looked back - totally fab bra, comfortable, they do only go up to a G cup I think (so have a 34 G) but both the black & white versions are quite stretchy (the nude one is made of slightly different material & not so accommodating!). Have had no problems with blocked ducts etc & the underwiring is fairly soft. And they're really easy to undo/do up one-handed.

I love bravissimo, but not so impressed with their soft cup/nursing bra selection. I had the Royce Sadie bras from Bravissimo before & they just seemed to make my boobs look even more saggy & I found the straps quite narrow & uncomfortable & couldn't wait to be back in a decent underwired one once I'd wound down feeding. Also, I found that our local Bravissimo didn't have my size nursing bra in stock to try on, so having made the trip over there it was a bit of guesswork on their part & then I ended up ordering stuff online anyway, so if you did go to them for a fitting it's probably worth ringing them beforehand to make sure it's not a waste of time.

Hope that helps :-)

[EldonAve]

I went underwired and converted them using the clasps from old nursing bras

[japhrimel]

I'm loving my Anita underwired nursing bra! Got it from my local department store.

Normally I love Bravissimo and their nursing bras are better for support than many on the market, but they're not perfect and they don't stock an underwired one which really annoys me.

[MamaLaMoo]

Just checked out the Anita bras and they don't do small back sizes, no 30s or 32s which is a shame.

Converting standard bras is a good idea.

[Trillian42]

MamaLaMoo - there must be a mistake? I've 3 Anitas in 32F - maybe try some of the different models?

[Trillian42]

I've this one

[MayDayChild]

Yes I have Anita bras in 32f too. Figleaves.com and search for Anita instead of nursing bras as for some dumb reason Anita don't come up in that search method.
Not all of Anita come in 32. I also have the underwired smooth cup it's very stretchy and comfy and I wore it after about 6 months. Def gave me a better shape
Also hate Royce the straps dig in too much for large cup bras. Heard good things about hot milk but always loved Anita. I'm a figleaves fan, best site ever (apart from the search on it!)

[MamaLaMoo]

Ah OK, I did only look at one style on their website. I will look at the other styles for smaller back sizes, thanks.

[sunflower]

Like EldonAve, I converted normal underwire bras to nursing bras - bought the clasps on ebay. It's really easy and miles nicer than wearing normal nursing bras. You just need to make sure the underwired bras fit really well. I also sew in a bit of elastic connecting the bra to the should strap, just so I don't undo the bra and lose the shoulder strap down my back! HTH