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Childbirth

nursing bras fitting - before or after birth?

7 replies

pommesdeterreetfromageblanc · 12/10/2012 19:11

I need to get nursing bras fitted. I wanted to go tomorrow (I was due on Wed). Is it best to wait till the baby is out and the boobies are full of milk or is it ok to do it before hand...?
Thanks

OP posts:

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Kneedeepinshittynappies · 12/10/2012 19:18

Personally I'd wait till after. Firstly you do tend to go massive when milk first in and settle a bit once established so size can fluctuate a bit. Also (and please don't think I'm being mean) you may find that breast feeding doesn't work as you hope and you wouldnt wang to have wasted a lot of money. I wore vests with extra support for first week or do but then I'm not particularly busty so didn't need lots of extra support. If you do get fitted after make sure you have plenty of Breast pads, fitter in debenhams nearly got squirted in the face when I went!

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didireallysaythat · 12/10/2012 19:20

Go tomorrow. Once the baby is born you won't have time and having a fitting when you are leaking milk everywhere would, in my mind, be a little miserable.

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AndMiffyWentToSleep · 12/10/2012 19:23

I got fitted before. It was totally the wrong size! But I have no idea how I would've had time to buy one after...

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NotAllItsCrackedUpToBe · 12/10/2012 19:43

I think they're designed to stretch a lot more than normal bras so supposed to be ok to fit for in latter stages of pregnancy. However that is what I did and only the softest stretchiest one I bought was ok once my milk came in. I had to get some more like it quickly. But, the ones that were a bit tight were suddenly ok about 4 months in when everything had settled down a bit.
So, I'd recommend getting fitted beforehand because there's not time afterwards as others have said but just be prepared for some Internet shopping and returning etc once baby is here.

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QTPie · 12/10/2012 20:36

Get fitted before. DS's 2 years 8 months, so I was fitted a while ago, but I think that the advice was "get your current size plus one cup size": ask a proper fitter for advice.

Agree with what has been said about not having time after the baby is born AND trying on bras with milk leaking would be miserable: get a couple of "best guess" nursing bras to tide you over for the first month or two. Besides - unless I am abdnormal - breast size (for the first 6 months of breastfeeding) goes up and down by about 5 cup sizes many times a day! So getting an "exact fit" is never quite possible.

Best wishes for the birth and for breastfeeding. If you don't have it already, pick up a tube of Lansinoh (from Boots or similar): apply to your nipples after each and every feed (I did this and had no cracking/bleeding and only mild discomfort).

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whatsoever · 13/10/2012 12:37

I went to Mothercare and they measured and then went down a back size & up a cup size to allow for rib cage to go back down but milk to come in.

I only bought a twin pack so if its wildly wrong or bf doesn't work out I don't feel like I've wasted my money.

I thought it unlikely I'd have much time post-birth and also (maybe I'm being silly here) the thought of a bra fitting while leaking milk everywhere sounded pretty embarrassing.

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pommesdeterreetfromageblanc · 13/10/2012 17:36

Done! I am now the proud owner of two nursing bras... not the sexiest, but they will do the job just fine hopefully. I was measured with my bra on so even if I was leaking milk, I would have had pads so it is not too bad. I went to a proper old school independent shop where the ladies look like they have seen everything and they would not judge. I guess I would be more embarrassed if I was measure by a young gorgeous sylph....