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Infant feeding

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Original poster

Bra Measuring - Has this happened to you?

29 replies

TicTacsMum · 30/11/2005 21:57

I'm 39 weeks pregnant and went for a bra measuring in M&S yesyerday. She said I was measuring at 38" and a B cup so said that I should go down a band size to 36" and up a cup size to a C, meaning I should get a 36C. M&S didn't have any that size so I went to Mothercare today and thought I'd get them to measure me too. The girl there measured me in the same way but said that I was measuring at 34" and should therefore go for a 32" and DD cup size(!!!!) They didn't actually have any but I tried on a 34 and is was really uncomfortable and cut in under my arms.

What should I do? There is a John Lewis in town too but not sure whether to try there as well. I'm totally confused!

OP posts:
JessicaandRebeccasmummy · 30/11/2005 21:59

i was measured as a 40D by M&S at about 38 weeks pg.... Rebecca is 5 weeks old and i am a 38B.... work that one out!

CarolinaMoon · 30/11/2005 22:01

Hmmmm. I would trust M&S more than Mothercare tbh.

Don't think your size will change that abruptly - something that's comfortable now will be comfortable after the birth, I would guess.

franke · 30/11/2005 22:03

Yes, try John Lewis, I always found them much more helpful than M&S. The best bra fitters I have found are at Rigby and Peller; they don't even use tape measures - they just look at you and tell you what size you are! I don't know if they exist outside London though.

Milliways · 30/11/2005 22:04

I went from B to DD - only place I go stretch marks!

LIZS · 30/11/2005 22:05

Sounds as if the Mothercare girl "forgot" to add on the extra inches from direct measurement to bra size (never understood what that was all about but heigh-ho). Try John Lewis.

jamiesam · 30/11/2005 22:05

John Lewis is great, I've not had any problems with nursing bras I got from there. Never tried fitting at Mothercare...

Atomicstockinghanger · 30/11/2005 22:06

I'm not PG or just had a baby, but i went M&S a few weeks ago to be measured as the last time was about 2 years ago and i have lost weight since then. I'm wearing a 34 DD at the mo which is comfy but a bit big in the cup. Girl who measured me said I was a 38B!!!!!!!! Sorry but 34DD.....38B HOW?????

Did it myself in the end using the guide and instructions in my mums catalogue!!!

lunarx · 30/11/2005 22:10

the only place i have ever had a comfortable fit was Contessa.

Original poster
TicTacsMum · 30/11/2005 22:11

Think | might try doing it myself and also go to JL then. The girl in Mothercare did look about 10 so I didn't have much confidence to begin with! (but she was very pleasant!)

OP posts:
fastasleep · 30/11/2005 22:12

I hate M+S they told me some totally random bra size last time I went... and I actually bought the bras which oddly seemed to fit in the shop but as soon as I got home they didn't!

I'm terrible at working out my own bra size! Might try John Lewis when I feel confident that my milk won't pour all over the poor woman..

santabops · 30/11/2005 22:13

John Lewis very good fitting of bras, M&S and Mothercare not so good in my opinion...

Original poster
TicTacsMum · 30/11/2005 22:13

I'm in Aberdeen so definitely no Rigby & Peller (!) and I've never heard of Contessa. Would like to buy an Elle MacPherson one after a previous thread but can't find any here and need to know my size to buy online.

OP posts:
suedonim · 30/11/2005 22:25

Tictacsmum, I think there's an NCT trained bra fitter in the Aberdeen area. She'll fit you for their own Mava bras. If you contact NCT on 0870 444 8707 they should give you her phone number. I might even have the no somewhere in my house, if you CAT me.

Psychobabble · 30/11/2005 22:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

loulie · 30/11/2005 22:28

Try JoJo's for the Elle Macpherson one - www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk I think. I have enormous norks and so went to Bravissimo (where they fit on sight not with tape measures).

A woman in JL told me when I was 34 weeks preg that you needed to get a fist in the cup of your nursing bra as well as your boob if buying when preg to account for growth. My boobs didn't get that much bigger (they were 34H to start with!) though so I don't know how true that holds....

WellieMum · 30/11/2005 23:22

Bravissimo are brilliant and I'm devastated that they have no branches in NZ.... All other bra-fitters I've come across seem to be just making it up as they go along.

Oh, and I have an Elle Macpherson feeding bra which is my Best Thing. It was expensive but worth the price a dozen times over.

collision · 30/11/2005 23:27

Why dont you wait til you have had the baby?

Will you be breastfeeding? If so, that could affect the size of your breasts.

Medea · 30/11/2005 23:41

another john lewis fan. . .have never gone wrong with their bra dept.

eidsvold · 01/12/2005 02:28

another vote for John Lewis.. they got it right first off.

Kristingle · 01/12/2005 05:31

I tried the NCT fitter, who was very helpful. She said their own style wasn't very good for me ( I am hard to fit) and suggested John Lewis. She was right BTW, got very good Bf bra there...... although not glamourous ...

katzglitterytree · 01/12/2005 08:20

i had a measuring done in m and s when i was 30weeks pgas the bra i was wearing didn't fit me, the back was too small but the cups fine was wearing a 40f m and s bra, girl measured me and said i needed 38e!!!

Pixiefish · 01/12/2005 08:24

I was measured at 39 weeks and bought 2 nursing bras. Came to put them on a few days after dd was born and they were far too small. Went back and was up a couple of sizes because of the milk. f you're planning on breastfeeding I'd wait till after the birth. You can measure yourself and then get someone to go get a couple for you to try

rickshaw · 01/12/2005 08:28

I was measured wrongly by M&S when 39 weeks pregnant. I think there's a fair bit of guesswork involved anyway if you get measred before the birth - M&S sold me bras that were far too big because they couldn't believe I'd stay a 32 when the milk came in (was 32a before pregnancy, now 32d, M&s sold me 36dd). I measured myself after the birth and got bras delivered by internet next day.

Laura032004 · 01/12/2005 08:45

I'd second going after the baby is born. You can get 'sleep bras' to wear until then, which are feeding bras a bit like crop tops (so more flexible on sizing). The difference between pre-birth / when your milk first comes in / two weeks later can be enormous, so only buy a couple at a time.

My tip with bras is to make sure they can stand a hottish wash (60 degrees) and pref. can be tumble dried.

allyco · 01/12/2005 10:56

don't suppose you are "oop north" by chance as we have Sadie the Bra Lady who is fantastic. They don't measure you either, they just look at you and KNOW. It is uncanny. Don't know how they do it but they do.