Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Problem with breasts/bras, putting me off bf-ing

35 replies

SilkyBreeks · 27/02/2010 14:38

My breasts are out of control. I had to go into maternity bras at 8 weeks as I just couldn't cope with wearing "normal" ones any more, and I have gone up about 4 cup sizes already at 30wks.I was an F cup to begin with

I have had real problems finding any suitable bras to wear, I am only a 32 back so not many manufacturers even make anything that might fit me. I've got a couple of nice bras (Hotmilk) off the internet but there has been no stock since xmas in any size that might fit.

DO NOT TELL ME TO TRY BRAVISSIMO - I already have and they first tried to sell me an incredibly uncomfortable bra that forced my breasts about five inches out to the sides and then a size 36 that gave no support whatsoever (was riding up round my neck at the back - expert fitters my ar*e) as they couldn't bear to admit they had nothing that fitted.

People keep telling me "oh they'll get even bigger when your milk comes in!" To be honest I can't see myself coping with them any bigger than they are, it's not the breasts so much as the thought of not having a bra to wear - how will I go out? I'll be so uncomfortable and it's making me think that I don't know if I can bear the thought of another six months of it.

PLEASE can someone suggest somewhere I can buy a bra????? I will pay £££££££££, I am DESPERATE.

OP posts:
Ineedsomesleep · 27/02/2010 14:45

Try your local branch of nct they may be able to put you in touch with a trained Bra Fitter.

OmicronPersei8 · 27/02/2010 14:49

I'd second an NCT bra fitter. I saw one (I was an H when I got pregnant), she got me a range of bras and they have been very comfortable, through two pregnancies and a combined total of over 3 years of breastfeeding.

You can also order them from the NCT - they have their own ones and also Royce ones that go up to J/K cups.

You might want a bit more space in the back too as your ribcage expands towards the end of pregnancy too (I have one bra with a larger back and the biggest cups, that was great for late pregnancy / the early days).

OmicronPersei8 · 27/02/2010 14:51

NCT bras, although even better to see a fitter first.

MrsBadger · 27/02/2010 14:53

I found Bravado good - various places sell tehm
this goes up to a 32 k
this look smore supportive but starts at a 34 back up to an H

OmicronPersei8 · 27/02/2010 14:55

And some of the bras go up to L cup.

If anyone is wondering how big that is, my K cup fits on my head like a hat.

Original poster
SilkyBreeks · 27/02/2010 15:00

Thank you, I had no idea that NCT did bras, they haven't come up on any of my increasingly hysterical google searches!

Will hang on til I start mat leave then call, should have expanded by then (no change so far).

I can't tell you how much I appreciate this, I know it's pathetic but I've cried buckets over this today!

If I had an ounce of business acumen I would definitely be looking into this, if anyone does have any please make some decent nursing bras in small back/huge cup sizes and then I can have another baby

OP posts:
RibenaBerry · 27/02/2010 15:05

If you will pay silly money, is there any way you can get to a Rigby and Peller. My boobs were silly big when pregnant, but they found me some lovely underwired bras which saw me through to the last two weeks. They were apparantly a particularly wide wire style (a Prima Donna one IIRC), so no digging in...

Also, I totally, totally recommend Anita underwired feeding bras for after the first few engorged weeks. I am shallow, and would have probably become so down about my dowager aunt cleavage in non wired bras that I think I would have given up feeding earlier. They're £35 each, but it's the best 70 I ever spent.

Finally, a positive note. My boobs were biger at 30 weeks than after a few weeks (say about 6?) of breastfeeding. The humungous ones do sometimes seem to settle down!

OmicronPersei8 · 27/02/2010 15:06

I'm a 32/34 back, the NCT ones all have small backs too. I think they recommend fitting around 36-38 weeks. The bra-fitter I saw is also a breastfeeding counsellor, so I got a few tips for the larger-norked which were very helpful. And free!

RhinestoneCowgirl · 27/02/2010 15:06

God, I posted pretty much exactly the same thing when I was pg last time. NCT bras prob the best option, and I've noticed that even in the last few years the range of mat/bf bras is expanding.

Also, I was a 32HH when I got pg first time round, now after 2 babies I am a 30G (which may not sound like small to some but hey...) so you may find that you end up smaller. I think my largest bf bra was an L or M, but things were only massive for the first couple of months, now have really settled down.

Oh, and I'm now still bf, but wearing ordinary underwired bras (hurrah!) just hoiking over the cup to feed, DD is 14 months.

llareggub · 27/02/2010 15:17

Yes, I had huge norks too prior to my first pregnancy and now after 2 pregnancies and 3 years of breastfeeding, they are smaller.

I also wear a normal bra and hoik over. I find nursing bras are too unsupportive and usually go back into an underwire after 6 months or so.

As for Bravissimo, I find them to be rather good. Could you try another branch? The founder, Sarah Tremellen, has a young son around the same age as my DS1 so I expect she has tried their range of nursing bras quite recently!

OmicronPersei8 · 27/02/2010 15:17

One of my main reasons for wanting to bf was the hope I'd shrink a bit - I'm slowly loosing weight at the moment so waiting to get nearer my goal weight before getting new bras. I'd love to be a 30G!

arolf · 27/02/2010 18:58

Royce do the best I've tried - comfy and pretty too! think nct sell them too

crankytwanky · 27/02/2010 19:06

Could you get a sports bra and get a tailor to "doctor" it using the clippy bit of a nursing bra?

I liked Anita ones too.

ilove · 27/02/2010 19:10

www.laurensilva.com are BRILLIANT. Might be laurensilver....their shipping is dirt cheap, my boobs were a UK M/N cup, be aware that the US don't do "doubles" just true sizes so the have A,B,C,D, etc, not DD, so measure yourself. I got my wedding underweear from them and then imported bras for years.

ilove · 27/02/2010 19:12

Goddess are the range I had, bought my first one in Rigby and Peller (£85) then imported the same for around £17.

peachylovesherpoochy · 27/02/2010 19:33

I went to Rigby and Peller in desperation as went up to a H cup and they were brilliant. I got an Anita bra from them, then loved it so much I got another one from figleaves (£20 cheaper too!) but it was worth going to the shop for the fitting imo.

hellsbelles · 27/02/2010 19:39

i'll second the bravado one - it's the only one I ever found that worked for a small back/big norks. I used the double plus one on this page

I know it's not beautiful but it's comfortable and gives a relatively good line under clothes.

mumtoted · 27/02/2010 19:51

My norks were much bigger than yours, I couldn't find any bras to fit. I adapted my panache bras (up one back size & 2 cup sizes from normal) with those clip things bought on ebay. I needed underwires, there was no damage to milk ducts or any of that nonsesnse, I fed my kids for over a year each. I have some new clips left in a box if you'd like them.

CantSleepWontSleep · 27/02/2010 20:12

This goes up to 32J. I have been very happy with mine. (I know it's bravissimo, but you can buy it elsewhere if you prefer!)

marriednotdead · 03/03/2010 21:23

Although you are struggling to find Hotmilk bras in larger cup sizes, the stockists listed on their website often have more of a range than most. My local one (SE London) has Royce and Freya as well as Bravado. By the way, that one that allegedly goes up to a K fits more like a G in a 32 back! Very disappointed (hmm)

nellymoo · 04/03/2010 14:39

Another vote for the Anita underwired ones. Figleaves sell them.

KatyS36 · 06/03/2010 09:37

don't write off bravisimo comletly. i had a really bad experience, complained, and had a fantastic follow up visit.

i guess every shop has bad staff occassionally....

NotQuiteCockney · 06/03/2010 09:43

You can buy bra strap extenders, to tide you over through the expanding band size in the last few weeks. John Lewis sell them.

NonnoMum · 06/03/2010 09:44

I'll recommend BRAVADO too. They accommodate the changing shape of your breasts both pre-birth and when bfding.

And they are SO SOFT - no wires...

Good luck.

notcitrus · 06/03/2010 10:26

if it's any consolation my breasts didn't get any larger after 30 weeks or so, apart from a couple days when milk first came in and I wasn't going anywhere anyway. Other people I know had the same experience. So it may not get any harder at least!

Perhaps phone a store telling them your size before trekking there, and they can say if they have much in stock or not? And book a fitting from one of their best fitters rather than anyone who happens to be on duty?

I went to Bravissimo's main London branch rather than the smaller one so they'd have more in stock (although 30,000 bras divided by 150 sizes still doesn't result in that many!)