Boobs and bras

[MrsPommelhorse]

I am 16 weeks and I have 1 giant boob! Well, it's not giant but it's a cup size up from the other so I can either wear a bra that I'm spilling out of one one side or wear a bigger one so I have one small boob rattling around. I don't know what to do! I'm of to M&S to get fitted. Maybe they do adjustable cup size bras? And will my little boob eventually catch up?

Also, if I measure myself with a tape measure I come out as a 34B (based on those online calculator things and the guides in catalogues), but my old bras are 34C and I've outgrown them. I don't understand how there is so much difference.

And another thing, how am I supposed to contains my bosems when they have swelled up so much on top? Even if I wear a bigger bra they seem to be bursting out on top. I must have had little spaniels ears before. They're like grapefruits now.

Anyone else having trouble with their boobs?

[MsChanandlerBong]

Mine have stayed pretty much the same size but with regards to the shape, I have had to go for what I would term granny bras. Obviously they recommend you avoid underwire (which was a bit of a wrench for me!) and so I am wearing old style soft cup bras, which are much bigger in the cup (in that they come up higher) so contain everything better.

A word of warning though, my back size has increased loads through pregnancy, and so I bought bigger back size bras at about 20 weeks. Then I had to get a bra extender thing. Now that is on the loosest setting and I am dying to get my bra off at the end of the day!! Apparently our ribs expand so it isn't all 'back fat'! But I'm glad I didn't spend too much on my granny bras, as really I should have bought new ones again at about 30 weeks

[jamama]

Depending on how much you want to spend, I'd recommend not going to M&S; their fitters aren't generally very good. I am a Bravissimo girl, but I think they start at a D cup; some of the department stores have good fitters. I would suggest looking at Bravissimo's fitting guidelines before you go here; with the caveat that as Chandler said, your back will increase as you go through 2nd into 3rd tri, so for getting the back size right it should be horizontal across your back on the smallest rather than largest row of hooks to allow for growth. You may well want/need to go back and be refitted later in pregnancy, so only buy 1 or 2 at a time. Don't fret about using tape measures or what size you end up buying, just go for what fits and is comfortable, trying a couple of styles to see what suits, and different styles may need different sizes - I have worn bras from a 32GG to a 36H in this pregnancy so far, and still have 10 weeks to go.
btw, current advice is that there is no reason not to wear underwires if this is more comfortable for you, as long as the bra is very well fitted, and the wires are not pushing into (or in contact with) breast tissue.
hth

[nannyl]

have you seen the emmajane next generation bra that fits all cup sizes from B - F.

its supposidly a feeding bra (and isnt the worlds most supportive bra) but i might help? and you can using as a nursing bra later on too

[MissRee]

As a 34G before pregnancy, I'm struggling too! Can still fit in some of my bras comfortably (thank god for rigby & peller) but the maternity bras are hideous, give me the moat impressive monoboob and my boobs are so squashed together that by the end of the day I'm a sticky sweaty mess - yuck!!!

[MrsPommelhorse]

Ooh, going to have a look at some granny bras. That sounds ideal!
I'm off to M&S anyway, so will have a look. Might get some nice granny pants to match!
Looking forward to getting a big wide back! There's so many weird changes to look forward to. (Other favourite body changes are my head hair falling out everywhere like a hairy dog and growing monkey fur all over the rest of my body - I have to shave from just under my boobs, all the way down to my toes. It's not a pretty sight when I empty the bath!)
Thanks for the bra advice. I didn't know about the underwire thing, but also glad to hear I can just ignore that too!

[MsChanandlerBong]

I had heard that underwires are 'allowed' as long as the bra fits properly, but seeing as my shape is changing so much and so rapidly I decided they had to go as I didn't want to risk it. Plus, with the granny bras I'm not convinced that an underwire was going to improve anything visually so I have just embraced the 'older lady look'.

DH doesn't seem to mind... I think the bigger boobs offset the disappointing underwear!!

PS I have had good experiences with M&S bra fitters, but I seem to be the only one that has!! Maybe my boobs fit with the standard M&S bra measurements or something

[beginnersluck]

Not sure if any of you are in London but Selfridges do the BEST fitting service ever - they have two women working there who were trained at Rigby & Peller (sp) and the one who saw me didn't just know everything about bra fitting, but she knew all about boobs in pregnancy too - excellent!
And they don't just sell really expensive bras - which is handy, given that you might be needing to get several new ones over the months!

[Ivortheengine8]

I've been having nightmares with bras too since my dd was born 2 years ago.
I started off before here as a 34b - always had been as long as I can remember then it all went pear shaped in that pregnancy. Could never find a bra to fit. Eventually started wearing 38D after she was born and stayed with that until I got pregnant again and now at 33 weeks I don't kno where I am. I can buy a 38D in one shop that fits and one in another that doesnt. Have bought 40D in some shops that fit fine and in others they are huge and don't fit right at all.

I'm watching thread too for tips. Thanks OP

[Ivortheengine8]

Like mrs chandler my back size has increased loads too from 34 to a 40 :(

[roseum]

I got some maternity bras that seem to be made of elastic (kind of like sports bras) as I thought they'd allow for expansion of boob or back (and having already gone up in both (20 weeks now) didn't want to have to keep buying new bras throughout the rest of the pregnancy. I got them mail order off the NCT website www.nctshop.co.uk/Maternity-Bras/products/9/ . They arrived promptly and seem to do the job, though be warned that some of the styles come up pretty high (almost to neck it seems to me) so look odd under some scoop neck tops (though under others it just looks like I am layering tops, and I don't think anyone would know they are actually a bra).