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Infant feeding

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Original poster

Nursing bras for flat chests??

27 replies

lurcherlover · 02/10/2010 20:28

I'm 37 weeks now and still wearing my pre-preg bras (I know, I know - underwire = naughty, but my boobs have grown by about a centimetre and they still fit fine - maternity bras drown me!) and am now wondering what to do about nursing bras. I have really small breasts - 36A and only just fill that, even now I'm pg (have felt very cheated!). The smallest nursing bras I've seen are a B cup and look massive at that. There's no way at the moment they would fit me - it would all be loose and wrinkly! I have read I should be fitted for a nursing bra at 38 weeks, but that's one week from now and I really can't see my boobs increasing in size that dramatically in a week! I can squeeze colostrum out of them so they are already making milk and the size hasn't changed. I know they may well get bigger post-birth when the milk really comes in, but I don't know what to do re nursing bras - should I wait til after the birth when the milk's come in before getting some? But what do I do immediately post-birth? I can't bf in my current bras, and I don't want to be bra-less and leaking everywhere until I've got a nursing bra - also conscious that I may not feel up to going to a shop to be measured for a while, and it's not really the kind of thing I want to send DH out to try and guess which one to buy, bless him! Or do I buy a couple of B cup ones now and stuff them with nursing pads?! Help!

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 02/10/2010 20:33

i would definitely wait until after you've had the baby to buy nursing bras.
wear whatever you're comfortable in for now, or just buy normal non-wired ones in your size

breast size tends to increase a lot when your milk comes in too and then gradually you will go down... so it's best to be fitted at around 6 weeks AFTER baby is born.

Haliborange · 02/10/2010 20:34

I really like these Cariwell bras. They are not the sexiest things in the world but very comfy and because they are stretchy you can buy a small one and it should do even if you grow a size or two when your milk come in. The way the sizing works is that each size (sm, med, lg, xl) covers a range of bra sizes so they are more flexible than "standard" sized bras.

You could just get one so you're prepared and see what happens.

HTH

BertieBotts · 02/10/2010 20:35

I'm an A cup normally as well. Hot Milk bras go down to an A cup.

What I did was get some "bravado" crop top style (ie pull over your head type) nursing bras which didn't really give me much shape but did hold breast pads in place and had the clips for easy access. Then I bought a couple of hot milk ones when my milk came in (and I saw them on sale)

You can also customise a normal bra by cutting the clips off a nursing bra (someone on here might have an old one you could cut them from?) then with the normal bra, you cut the strap just above the cup, sew the clips in place and add a strip of material from the back of the bottom of the cup to the strap. This just stops the strap pinging off over your shoulder when you unclip the bra.

thisisyesterday · 02/10/2010 20:35

oh, also worth getting fitted somewhere decent like rigby and peller or bravissimo

i found that i needed a much smaller back size than i'd been wearing and a bigger cup
so perhaps a 34b might be ok for you>??

mistressploppy · 02/10/2010 20:37

I got some nice wired Anita ones from here

lazycow007 · 02/10/2010 20:38

Completely agree with thisisyesteday and wait until after your baby is born.
I was only an A cup(ok truthfully AA) and I went up to a E cup whilst breastfeeding - did shrink back down to a A again (and a saggy one at that Sad so take pictures Grin

BertieBotts · 02/10/2010 20:39

Also, if you go down a back size you need to go up a cup size. So you could well try a 34B.

JustKeepSwimming · 02/10/2010 20:52

I was a 34A pre-DS1, managed to change to a 38AA Shock in pregnancy (didn't actually bother buying any of those btw).

48 hours after DS1 was born, boy did things change?!?!!!

A woman had come to my AN classes who lives locally who sold BF bras so i gave her a call and went round and got measured.
Before i saw her i didn't wear anything specific, just a loose t-shirt and didn't really go out anyway.

Sadly, they shrunk after i stopped BF.
The same thing happened with DS2, then they shrunk again.

Am now pg with DC3 and boobs not changing yet, again.

marriednotdead · 02/10/2010 21:11

These are brilliant, a small sounds as if it would be good for you.

Longtalljosie · 02/10/2010 21:22

When you get measured for your nursing bra they will sell you a bra with a cup size larger than your current measurement (is it two cup sizes? Can't remember) I laughed like a drain when I was sold a DD cup but sure enough, when my milk came in, there it was!

JustKeepSwimming · 02/10/2010 21:22

Damn! I forgot to say that the woman i went to sold Bravado bras Grin

i think i was a Small+ or something, equivalent to a C cup i think.

FrameyMcFrame · 02/10/2010 21:26

I second the Carriwell bras Haliborange, in fact I'm wearing one now and I'm not pregnant or breast feeding any more!
They are so comfy, I always wear them in the evening with my pjs.
Great for bf as well as they give easy access.

Haliborange · 02/10/2010 21:32

Grin Framey. So am I... (and I stopped bf over a week ago, but the thought of giving up my cushy bra makes me want to weep).

MmeBlueberry · 02/10/2010 21:32

You can wear a sports bra, if you like. These can be a lot easier than 'nursing' bras.

Meglet · 02/10/2010 21:34

I loved nursing vests. Mine were from H&M but I have seen them in the Jojo catalogue too.

Vests keep your tummy warm / covered too Grin.

Longtalljosie · 02/10/2010 21:36

Oh and I hardly changed size in pregnancy, so didn't think much was likely to happen either...

moragbellingham · 02/10/2010 21:39

Bravado ones are good as they are not exactly a fixed cup size - I got a leopard print one.
I found the Elle McPherson Maternelle (not la mere) ones fairly small sizing - they start at a C cup.

I got one before I gave birth but it then became too small literally days afterwards.

You definitely need at least one or two to take to hospital - mine lasted less than a day each before they needed a wash!
I ended up needing about ten.

Original poster
lurcherlover · 02/10/2010 21:46

Thanks everyone! Some great ideas here - going to research all the links. I might get one or two of the ones suggested and then wait until post-birth and see if I have any miraculous growth (come on, please! I just want proper sized boobs for once in my life!!)

OP posts:
Longtalljosie · 02/10/2010 21:57

Lurcher - I was three cup sizes larger while breastfeeding. Which would take you to 36D. Big enough for you? Grin

JustKeepSwimming · 03/10/2010 10:17

Yep i went up to a D cup :)

In fat got measured once, just before DS1 was due a feed so a bit silly really, but i was a DD Grin

For going into hosp (assuming you are? i was at home with ds1) think the vests might be your best option, get a couple of mediums to start with, thik I have some Jojo ones.

Oh and my recommendation for nursing pads are the Johnson ones, thin and milkproof & they absorb lots :)

emskaboo · 03/10/2010 11:09

I'd recommend the bravado silk ones too. I'm an AA cup normally, and apart from the day my milk comes in, when both times I've looked like Dolly Parton,I level out at an A cup. The bravado bras stretch and mould and don't give you a mono boob, and the structured cups (think swimsuit padding) mean you don't have any depressing folds of fabric!

Haggisfish · 03/10/2010 14:03

this website is great - you can search by size and the Hotmilk ones are the cheapest I've seen - they are really pretty and comfy, too.

www.nursingbra.co.uk/
Hope it helps!

ashj77 · 11/09/2012 14:38

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littlepip3 · 07/11/2012 21:20

I settled back down to my previous size (34a) within a few weeks of having my son. I got a couple of decent bras from someone I met through a baby group. She only sells a and b cup bras. She has a website (I think), don't know the URL sorry as I bought them directly but her company is called Petite Maman. So now I have two sets of bras, one set which is now just hilarious on me and the others that are getting pretty worn out now. Not cheap things nursing bras.

littlepip3 · 07/11/2012 21:22

Also highly recommend H & M for bras that are a decent A cup for when your not pregnant...It's such a mission having small boobies!