BF for 18 months - how longish before my milk goes?

[vikm]

Hi, I know this has probably been asked a lot & that there's no definitive answer but just wondered about other people's experiences.
My dd has just self weened at 18 months. It's been emotional giving up but I'm really pleased that it was her decision.
Now I need to celebrate and buy some decent bras! I still have milk about a month after her last feed and would really like to know how long to leave it before I go shopping. I don't want to invest in anything if my size will change and are underwired bras ok now?!

when I stopped bf DS2 I did check if there was milk every now and then - no idea why though!

6 weeks after we stopped there was still milk in my boobs, but it was sour, not sweet as it was while bf. I don't know when it actually went, i didn't check after that.

do your breasts feel full still?

I don't think your size will change that much from now on, but if you want to be sure maybe wait a couple of weeks?
and before you do get a proper measuring/fitting service, it's normally fre - M&S does it, I think Tesco too.

I have to say I never went back to underwire bras, but that's not just coz I hate bras, but also coz I had more kids since and have been living in maternity/nursing bras for most of the last 12 years!

if she stopped a month ago at 18 months I don't think your boobs will change much now. I went back to normal underwired bras once the DDs weren't feeding during the day. If you go to a good independent bra shop (the kid of place where they look at you and know your size) then you can wear underwired all the time, I did through my last two pregnancies. DON'T go to M&S, without a doubt they will over estimate your back size and underestimate your cup size. And if you have larger boobs their bras are rubbish and don't provide adequate support.

louisianablue2000 they don't estimate at a bra fitting service, they measure you!

and they did that properly at M&S!

I had a good experience there, and the staff was wonderfully sweet and patient with my 5 boys who were playing with lego outside the changing cubicle and giggling at the sight of the mannequins' boobies!!

And the bra and "magic knickers" fitted well, no probs with support either!! (Is 38DD big? no idea)

38DD is a pretty big back size, I'd guess you were pretty overweight if that really is your back size. More likely is that they didn't have many bras in larger than DD cups, in the same way that shops don't have many clothes above a size 16 so they increased the back size to compensate for a smaller cup size. It's not hard to measure yourself, bravissimo's website gives you good advice and you can call them and get them to help over the phone as well. M&S are not bra fitting oracles because they use a measuring tape. The shop I get my bras at has stock from different companies, my Mum (who has tiny boobs) always gets completely different brands from the ones I do, because different brands are better at different sizes. The support a G cup needs requires a complete different designed bra to a B cup. The highstreet shops tend to do a 'one design for all' approach which is why they are bad for larger boobs, they design for teeny tiny ladies. You pay more at an independent but you are paying for a far better fit that means you'd never go back to a high street store.

Great! Thank you! I shall pick a good shop and enter the world of pretty bras again!

louisianablue2000 how sweet and gracious of you to call me "pretty over weight" you are a treasure!