Mothercare nursing bras - what's with the sizing? Also, a warning!

[Essie3]

I measured myself - I was 32C before pg, and am still 32 (but bigger cup). Went to mothercare today to get a nursing bra, and was measured by the lady there because I needed help with the cup. She said I was 80cm 'so 36'. I protested and questioned, but she insisted, and brought me a 36D which fitted perfectly. Totally confused, I sneaked a look at her tape measure when she was gone, and 80cm is not 36 inches - it's 32inches. So the 36 bit is not actually inches - unless it's special Mothercare inches!

I had wondered why Mothercare didn't have any bras at all in my size online, so just as well I wasn't buying online!

The Mothercare I was at only had own brand bras but I think some might stock other brands - which means I could be well confused.

another vote for bravissimo

Mothercare and M&S nusrsing bras are shit. They provide no support so your breast look like dogs ears after the bra has been washed once.

Anita bras (Bravissimo stock 2 varieties) are the biz.

I was taught to measure by adding the extra when I was working at m&s, mind that was a long time ago, the rigby and peller woman said on LKtoday that you don't add anymore, because bras are now elasticated and so you dont need the extra room, problem is that would make me a 28 back, where the hell do you buy them????

Ok, feeling better about the confusion now - it's not just me, clearly!
I'm not entirely convinced about the bras I got. They were a 2 pack in jersey (I have a great fear of jersey bras...they didn't have anything else though) and I do wonder whether I need a bigger cup size. They're for the hospital, though, so I might just see how things go. MW told me not to buy nursing bras - but I do wonder how exactly I would manage - it's v. rural here, 40 miles from the nearest bra shop.

Highlander speaks the truth.

FrannyandZooey a bit of both! I got a two pack (had to go up a back size and down a cup size to fit but not too bad because I don't give myself much room anyway) from mothercare based on what I knew my size to be, I only trust my own and Bravissimo's sizing. They're ok but they're just scaled up versions of the smaller ones rather than designed for larger breasted women.

kayzisexpecting, that's a big difference! If you really are a 40 there is no way you would get a 32 bra on and Bravissimo don't measure so I'm confused how they could go that wrong.

wonderstuff a lot of women will end up in Bravissimo's size range without adding some on and IIRC they do have quite small backs.

NotDoingTheHousework I'm not "talking shite" I worked for a quite awhile in fashion and then selling bras. I'm coming from an educated view, I do know what I'm talking about.

Pre pg wise, I found Contessa to be the best at measuring. I went in some years ago asking for a 36A bra. The woman took one look at me through my waxed jacket and told me I was a 32C. I laughed! She handed me a bra to try on and it was fantastic! Not only did it fit, it was comfortable and I had a clevage! I hope I get my 32C's back! (and the rest of my figure)

I have no idea TinkerbellesMum. They did measure me and it was a trainee at first. I haven't been in a 32 since I was about 14. Never going back there again.

Another vote for Bravissimo and Anita nursing bras. Even Bravissimo get confused though. I went in last week to buy a sports bra and got given a nursing bra. I had DS with me who was stunned by the bra removing and demanded a feed there and then, so getting the nursing bra swapped for a sports bra was quite tricky! Imagine the scene...me in locked cubicle kneeling next to his buggy, DS feeding hungrily! DS is 19 months and hardly ever demands a feed during the day and it took him ages to lose interest in that cubicle. Must go alone next time...

I do think it might be me. I was a 34DD before having DS and La Senza measured me and said I was a 30A. She went to get me one and was completly confused when it wouldn't fit. So someone else measured me and said I was a 34DD.

I must just be strange.

Try measuring yourself or getting someone else to do it. The measurement (or the next up if it's an odd number) is what you should be for your back size. Measure your bust going across your nipples and the difference is your cup size. It's worth having an idea of what you think you should be before you get fitted.

I just remembered what happened when Tink was born. I wasn't ready because of her being so premature, so had to give Mum a list of things to buy for me. We got a couple of those paper tape measures that they use to measure babies and took my measurements. I added my old numbers and bra size and Mum took them to Bravissimo. Although they don't normally measure they found her out the right size. So another plus for Bravissimo!

I think a lot of women have been adding the 4 or 5 inches on for so long that they're not used to a bra that is the right size being around their back.

The two sizes you say are exactly the same so if you find the smaller size too tight then go for a bigger back size and drop the cup size. I like the Bravissimo way of measuring bras - basically if it fits you it's your size! This is what they say is a bra that fits:

1. The strap around your body should be firm but comfortable. When you stand side-on at a mirror, the strap that runs around your body should be horizontal and should not ride up at the back at all.

1. The wires at the front should lie flat against your rib cage and should not dig in, rub or poke out at the front.

1. Your boobs should be enclosed in the cups and you should have a smooth line where the fabric at the top of the cup ends and meets your bust. You shouldn't have any ridges or bulging over the top or sides of the cups, even if you are wearing a balconette or lower cut style.

NOt doing the housework - I am a 32 C/D cup and believed me I have NO BOOBS, even in my ultimo gel bra I have no cleavage etc but I truly am a C or D cup someone listed the cups as something like

AA - puberty buds
A - slightly larger puberty buds
B - possibly just needing a bra!
C - bit more
D - something there

so really it's not until you get to E/F/G cups that you actually have boobs of a noteable size - this again is probably all due to the industry resize IYSWIM

I sometimes wish I was a C cup. These bloody DD's are heavy and likely to get bigger as I get more pregnant.

uh oh kayzisexpecting I just remembered how I went up with each pregnancy and now I'm thinking about going again! I'm H already and Bravissimo are starting to be limited for me now!

I really liked being a 34DD, not too big not too small.

thanks for this thread, i'm sure i wouldn't have believed that a smaller band/larger cup would fit me before reading it, and wouldn't have tried. so today i went from a 36b to a 32d unfortunately it doesn't mean my boobs have actually got any bigger, though

so i was in the right cup size, but the band was quite a bit too big. and it turns out i am wearing my actual under bust measurement - 32". i don't know whether the fact that these are nursing bras with loads of stretch and much adjustment - and they're a recent design too - makes a difference though.

figleaves have fantastic fitting info too, in their fitting room - lots of pictures of right and wrong fitting bras and it tells you exactly what's wrong with the wrong ones.

Stopped believing even the supposedly excellent M&S's bra fitters years ago, try several sizes in each design until I find one that does the job, regardless of what it says on the label!

I think MC bras are just crap anyway. Got a two pack in desperation when I realised my original NCT ones weren't fitting any more and couldn't afford more good ones that month, and the trim started falling off after two washes.

Think they're also designed for a short life. I've been feeding for almost two years - don't think they're expecting them to be used that much

notdoingthehousework I'm another one who has no boobs, always been flat chested, but I'm a C (or was - solo we should start a thread for 'getting 32C's back'!). Cargirl has it, I think.
I'm definitely C, but no cleavage, never had it, just a small back, and you sound like you have an even smaller back.
Me, I was once told (in an independent bra shop, the best one ever, in Aberystwyth but I don't live there no more) that my 'problem' is that I'm flat on top, and kind of rounded under the nipple iykwim.

Oh god, I've just realised that that might be code for droopy !! But it's ok, no boobs to droop really!

Essie you do sound like me my boobs are very wide but yes very flat - of course I managed to engorge up to a H cup, so they've completely had it now.......

Anecdote: Last time I went to the Aberystwyth shop, I bought a bra and matching pants (expensive too) only because I needed to go up a cup size and down a knicker size. RESULT! Bigger boobs, smaller bum!

Alas, the process seems to be reversing now though - the bum is definitely expanding!

CarGirl H cup? For me, it can only stand for Hope! (And Happy Husband, given the wide and flat situation...) I've not really gone up a cup size during pg, but I've rounded out.

Hmmmm yes but being engorged to an H cup is excrutiatingly painful and dh was not allowed anywhere near them.........they were rock hard, leaked and I had to express so dd could get latched on.........