Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

to make a complaint about this woman?

46 replies

TotorosOcarina · 14/05/2011 19:49

firstly, please don't ask why I didn't say anything to her at the time, had my son only 3 days ago and am cripplingly unconfident anyways!

Went to mothercare to pick up a nursing bra.

Asked woman in maternity area if they did bra fittings.

She asked me what it was for and i said 'feeding' and she asked me if i had had the baby yet after a good long stare at my tummy which is fair enough - am only 3 days after birth still round tummy!

She then took me into the fitting room, measured round my ribs and gave me my inches.

Then asked what size the bra I was wearing was. I told her i 'thought' it was a D cup but it doesn't fit propely at all and ive not been measured for ages, she told me she would get me a DD.

I thought they were suppised to measure you not just add a cupsize to whatever you are wearing?!

Anyways she brought me a bra and i tried it on, the whole time she stood at the door in a way in which i couldn't shut it.

(please see line one of post!!) - so i had to hide behind door,

im very unconfident about my body and felt really embarressed that she kept coming in.

anyways she never asked how old baby was - so i said 'im onlyy on day 3 my milk isn't in yet'

so she said she would get me another bra,

so she did in an E cup,

she was stood at the door again so i strted to try the bra on,

about 30 seconds after taking it off the door flies open and about 5 people are stood there looking at my naked from the waist up - the woman ad gone! and not told me she was going or warned me to shut the door.

i was mortified.

I locked the door and put my clothes back on.

The woman came back and said 'how is it?' through the door and i said fine thanks.

when i looked i realised she had given me two PREGNACY SLEEP bras to try on not even feeding bras.

i just wanted to cry and ended up buying a bra a cupsize smaller because i couldn't find any in an E cup and my boobs were starting to leak and i wanted to cry.

Am i just being hormonal or was she shit??

OP posts:

geraldinetheluckygoat · 14/05/2011 20:15

I think it was on day 3 that I cried coz I didn't want ds1 to get older as he was too perfect as he was

Lainey1981 · 14/05/2011 20:19

Yanddddnbu.
Congrats on your ds
you definitely complain to MC head office, you were treated v badly.

So so impressed you got out the door 3 days PP, not sure i was even dressed

scotsgirl23 · 14/05/2011 20:19

That sounds shit!

Don't be put off if you go somewhere else and they don't physically measure you though - many of the best fitters, including bravissimo and rigby and peller(I believe) never use a measuring tape. They take a good look at your current bra and work out where to go from there and will actually find you a bra that fits. Which is a case of trial and error.

BUT she doesn't sound like she was doing a good fitting, just being lazy!

ANTagony · 14/05/2011 20:21

Congratulations on your baby and being out and about. Very inappropriate behaviour by women you're justifiably upset by it but don't let it ruin your precious first days enjoying your baby.

The adjusting to your body thing gets easier.

For the sore nipples can I suggest sending someone out for some nipple cream if you don't have any in (boots do the Avent one which is about £5 or £6 a tube and I found good). It can really help stopping cracks getting worse and cooling them down if they feel a bit hot after feeding.

thefirstMrsDeVere · 14/05/2011 20:25

I would never go to MC again for bras.
My boobs get HUGE when I am pg. I am usually on a b/c cup.
When I was three months with DC5 I went to get a maternity bra.
The fitter looked my up and down and said 'are you pregnant?' (no love I hang around maternity wear for a laugh)
She then said 'well you wont be more than a C cup, i can tell you that now'.
At that point I left. Went up to JL and got myself measured and bought a 34 F.

They are rubbish, rude and rubbish.

You poor thing, how bloody mortifying to have your boobs flashed at all and sundry. Rotton cowbag.
Complain, demand vouchers and flowers.
Congratulations on your new baby

scarletfingernail · 14/05/2011 20:36

Congratulations on your new baby.

Complain about the woman, you've had an awful experience when you're feeling particularly vulnerable and their staff really should know better. It'll make you feel better and hopefully she won't treat anyone else like it as a result.

Try and forget about it though as soon as you've complained though. What with hormones and lack of sleep you've got enough on your plate.

HandMini · 14/05/2011 20:58

Gosh, well done you and congratulations, and what totally crap service from MC.

I didn't have the best fitting experience at M&S (bored young girl staring at my 38 week bump in kind of shock/horror) but I found JL fitting lady v helpful and they had some very pretty nursing bras.

Good luck with breastfeeding etc

BootyMum · 14/05/2011 21:04

Agree that JL is fantastic for discreet reassuring service. Good bras too.

Congratulations on the birth of your little one!

PinkFondantFancy · 14/05/2011 21:16

You poor thing, I can't believe how badly they treated you! I just wanted to second the discreet and professional service I've had from both John Lewis and also Bravissimo. The ladies I had were really good about asking if I wanted them to leave while I put the bras on, and always knocking before coming in. They were also great at explaining why some bras fitted me and others didn't.

I agree you should fire off a complaint letter/email and then forget it.

geraldinetheluckygoat · 14/05/2011 21:17

if you can stretch to the hideous price, Lanisoh cream is also very very good for sore nipples.

herbietea · 14/05/2011 21:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

scarlettsmummy2 · 14/05/2011 21:32

Poor you, I really feel for you. I don't know where you are in the uk but I am sure there will be a nice independent shop close to you. In Edinburgh where I am there is one called vanilla bloom and I think they do mail order. But if not I got some really good Freya ones in debenhams

mamalovesmojitos · 14/05/2011 21:33

What a cow. YADNBU.

I second lansinoh. Also good as a lip balm . I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience. I've recommended figleaves on here in the past, good if you want to order online. They suggest how to measure. I used elle mcpherson feeding bras, found them great.

Congratulations on your beautiful baby and best of luck breastfeeding. It can be challenging but it is so rewarding, no matter how long you do it for (days or years!).

londonmackem · 14/05/2011 21:34

I had a similar experience in Mothercare. About a week postpartum I went in for a nursing bra. I had a sixteen year old assistant (nothing wrong with young workers but the lack of exoerience didn't help) who measured me and started reading from the back of the packet about sizes. I was very polite but said that I could do that myself and did thay actually have anyone qualified to do it.
Go back and comaplain - is worth a little discount surely.
I second the person who said M&S are great.

KatieMiddleton · 14/05/2011 21:39

Aw you poor thing!

You can get an NCT bra fitter to come to you if there is a local one. No need to be a member. Just check their website www.NCT.org.uk to see if there's someone local.

There's also bras4mums.co.uk who I think are national but have local agents in a similar way to NCT.

Or if you want something fabulous Leia Lingerie stock really nice designer nursing bras. And Hot Milk is a good brand but £££ I wouldn't shell out on any of those really nice ones until about 8 weeks pp when boobs have settled down and stopped leaking.

Try to forget about this horrendous experience for now and if you still feel annoyed in a while talk to the store manager.

BootyMum · 14/05/2011 22:29

I think if you can bear to [and can be bothered] you should write a letter of complaint to Mothercare Customer Service. You really did have substandard service and they need to know about it. They may be able to arrange a little retraining session for their bra fitters and it might make you feel better to 'get it off your chest' [so to speak ]

I know it would make me feel better but then I always get very excited about writing a good righteous complaint letter! Yes, I am that sad

But otherwise forget about the indignity of it all for now and enjoy your beautiful baby. There'll be plenty more indignity to look forward to in the future [like when your little bundle of joy has his first temper tantrum aged two in Mothercare - that'll show 'em!]

Fontsnob · 14/05/2011 22:39

Congratulations on your new baby! Mothercare lady was a knobber! I think you should try and forget about her though, and think instead that her massive knobbyness has been balanced out by all the lovely messages of support that you have received on here. :)

UrsulaBuffay · 14/05/2011 22:46

MC is shit, that was your error and she was a twat!

Just forget it, rest up, let the breastacles flop and enjoy the baby!

alizee · 15/05/2011 22:09

i'm a CSA at and have had to do bra fittings before. Her behavior was disgusting and unacceptable. She should have respected your privacy! I'd send MC customer services an e-mail but ultimately it is your choice.

Sleeker · 16/05/2011 13:37

This might be the totally wrong advice, so I'm ready to be shouted down, but I found that what size I got really didn't matter because in one day I'd go from a C cup to a EE depending on whether I'd just fed, was just about to and they were like boulders etc.... I bought about 6 bras in 3 different sizes and wore them depending on how big my boobs were in the morning when I got up! Sometimes during the day the cups would be a bit baggy, othertimes stretched....maybe that was just me?!
I ordered online to save having to face anyone, but also recommend Peacocks for very cheap, perfectly ok, nursing bras.
Hope this helps. And well done for being out and about after 3 days. Good grief, It took me about 3 months!!!

teachermummy2011 · 16/05/2011 13:56

If it helps, I wore a sports bra from BHS. I didn't bother with nursing bras, just pulled them aside. Not the most convenient but, I'm with sleeker in that the size of my boobs changed throughout the day/from one day to the next and the sports bras were really stretchy and supportive.

But please, please don't let one woman's rudeness tarnish these early beautiful days.

"my god woman, people would pay to see those. get them on the internet!" was my husbands cry as we trailed round town whilst our titchy baby was in SCBU as my boobs grew ever bigger before our eyes. He was genuinely concerned though, not an arse.

Plenty of tears, pain and blood in those early days, but overall joy, contentment and satisfaction. Congratulations on your new baby and I really hope that this 'woman' hasn't dented your confidence in your BFing altogether.

Flip

1 2