to not wear a bra in third trimester...?

[lilyboleyn]

Regular poster, but name changed because it won't let me log in.

I'm almost ready to have my baby and am suffering with vile upper back pain, which is slightly relieved by undoing my bra. I got fitted properly for a pregnancy bra but it still really hurts...
The problem with not wearing a bra is, I'm quite a big-boobed lady (32f pre pregnancy, now 38d) and it might be quite... Unseemly. There's also the whole 'nipples will show when cold' and 'slightly leaky boobs' thing to bear in mind. Have tried crop top style bras with elastic which are slightly better, but still achey.

So - AIBU to not wear a bra -even at work- in the third trimester, despite having quite big boobs? And if so, what are the alternatives please? Tia

Could you have a tank/vest top with in-built support? And if you find a decent one, tell me where! My bra hurts when I sit up, baby has feet under my ribs, so can't lean forward/slouch it off. I'm lucky though, I'm not at work, so have been sat in my partner's dressing gown for the last couple of days. Who made clothes compulsory anyway, urgh.

In response to a previous comment, it's perfectly possible that OP's cup size has gone down during pregnancy, especially since she has gone up a few band sizes. That is just how bra sizes/shapes work.

It is possible, it's just a less usual size change and when coupled with the number of places who fit badly it raises questions.

A lot of people, even if they get fitted in good places normally, often seem to go to M&S or mothercare for maternity bras and so they end up with an odd size change because you have pregnancy size change plus different measuring approaches.

The OP shouldn't be in pain, and the most likely cause is the bra being the wrongs shape or the wrong size or both.

go to Bravisimo if you can. I've really struggled to find a nice non wired pregnancy bra myself (34G)

I wore a nice sports bra while I was pregnant. Those things are designed to support. Just... wear a sports jacket or something at work so you don't nip out.

I started wearing a Bravado bra in the third trimester and the relief was immense. My pain was the elastic digging in underneath.

Asda comfort bras. Go, go now and get one or two. They are made out of the comfiest material ever and are pulled over the head like sports bras with no wires but padding to absorb sweaty, leaky boobness and to stop nipples rubbing or showing. Go now!

I think m and s have sold you a dud. With bazookas that size before pregnancy, you should be up in the really big cup sizes now. I think I went from 36C to 42H. Because you have full breasts, I don't think you should freeboob. Long term, you may sag a bit as a consequence...

I couldn't stand to wear one either when later in my pregnancies as just too uncomfortable so I wore quite right fitting vest tops under my t shirt/jumpers instead and as were quite fitted I didn't feel naked as such not having a bra on

I'm afraid I agree with the pps who say m&s are shocking for measuring bras.

I bought maternity bras from there after being measured in my first pregnancy. I very quickly went back to old faithful john Lewis and ended up with the triumph non wired bras another poster has mentioned. My god they were comfy! I think I got measured again between 38-39 weeks to buy nursing bras.

The problem I found with the m&s ones was their maternity bras are too soft and have very poor elastic qualities. I understand they measure to allow for growth. But I found it better to be measured a couple of times during pregnancy as no one can predict how much you are actually going to change.

M&s allowed for my girth to increase but not cup size. What actually happened to me was my band increased by one size and my cup size increased quite a lot. I carried low throughout my first pregnancy.