Underwired nursing bras - searching for the holy grail

[BuntyCollocks]

I'm a 32HH in Freya bras; bra size is obviously dependant on maker and style, but I am struggling to find anything at all that's a: underwired and b: not hideously ugly.

My boobs didn't shrink after feeding DS1 - they've stayed the same through feeding him, stopping, and now being 7 months pregnant with DC2. I'm thinking I'm probably stuck at this size.

I wore an anita bra last time - ok, but not supportive, really, despite the underwire, and also tried an elomi underwire - hideously uncomfortable. I also tried a hot milk non-wired - it gave me mastitis and a uniboob, and the Freya non-wired were uniboob central as well.

Someone, somewhere MUST make pretty, underwired nursing bras for the ridiculously large of boob, surely?

Please tell me there is someone I'm overlooking. I had a gander at cake lingerie, but they only do up to a G cup, and only in one style.

Our Debenhams stock a good range of maternity/nursing bra's I am normally 36GG in Freya but 12 weeks into pg with DC2 and I need to go up to 38 chest as it's tight. Which may mean another cup size or two once nursing.

I did have an Elomi smooth soft wire, it was a back size and 2 cups up from pre DD (34F) and was okay if out and about. I had 3 anita's that gave me unaboob but were comfier. Elle mcP was awful and sizes seemed small.

you are not supposed to wear underwire-i think that's why you are having trouble finding them.

is this any good?

or this?

or this?

They aren't underwire as such, more of a soft flex, designed for maternity & nursing bras. Giving us big of nork support and seperation without the merging into unaboob.

It's total bunkum that you're not supposed to wear under-wired bras when nursing. The only issue is that they should fit properly, with the wire sat well against the chest wall rather than on the breast tissue, which is true of bras normally.

Vertabaudet have wired nursing bras, and I was surprised to see last week that Debenhams have quite a few, and they look nice! I think Cake also do them, although you can get some of their range through Debenhams.

Another thread on here mentioned Hot Milk nursing bras. Have not bought one yet, but googled them and they do under wired (plastic rather than metal) nursing bras

I had an underwired nursing bra from Debenhams. I only wore it when out somewhere nice. Either with dd's or out itch friends. It was a Debenhams own brand bra. I bought it in 2009, so not sure if they still sell them.

Hi, I am a 32 E/F usually and used Anita underwired nursing bras. Gave a normal shape under clothes, comfortable and no problem with blocked ducts or anything like that.

here

But you can get them cheaper tham this elsewhere, I'm sure.

Oops, I've just read the rest of your post

Aargh just wrote reply then lost it!
bunty I am expecting to be 30hh when feeding based on last time, but if someone does make the holy grail of nursing bras I haven't seen it, and I've done a lot of looking! I have sme hideous Royce numbers to start with, then not sure war to do think converting your own bras might be only option. Needs to be plain and simple regular underwired bra, with not too full cups otherwise they won't fold down out of the way enough to feed. Sewing on your own clips is quit easy, promise! Have you seen any suitable regular bras for converting?

Hmm, I have a similar problem; currently 15 weeks pregnant and 34KK (32J pre-preg), on the basis of my last pregnancy, I'm expecting to go up AT LEAST 2 more cup sizes when feeding. I emailed Bravissimo asking what they suggested - they don't stock nursing bras in that large a cup size (despite selling "normal" bras up to an L cup - what do the women that buy those wear when they are pregnant/feeding?). They suggested getting a 40L nursing bra and getting a seamstress to take the back in... that might be option on the basis that the "wire" in a 32G is the same wire as the wire in a 34FF is the same as a wire in a 36F etc etc.

I'm 22 weeks pregnant and shall be following this thread closely as my normal underwired bras are starting to cause me agony. Usual size is 32DD but after going up to 38GG in my first pregnancy my boobs now need a certain degree of support! Can't bear them looking saggy and my maternity bras from m&s without underwire do nothing for me. Am heading to debenhams this week on your recommendations so thanks ladies!

For my first. I ordered ones from Fig Leaves. I think perhaps the brand was Anita?? They were underwired and were utterly brilliant. I ordered them in black and nude and they were so comfortable I even wore them for a bit after I stopped breastfeeding! I am going to order them again for baby 2. I couldn't find any in the stores who told me you are not meant to wear underwired bras while breastfeeding. Total lot of bollocks. I wore them during pregnancy and during breastfeeding and breastfeeding was an absolute doddle for me.

I had the same trouble with bras when breastfeeding. I bought some stretch lace, underwire bras from Sainsburys. I didn't even need to put nursing clips on them as I could just pull the cup down under my breast to feed. I also had a lovely Emily Jane bra which although not underwired, did give good support, and was really comfortable. These were the only bras I could find with big cup sizes but were smaller than a 34. I was a 32 G, so not quite as big as you, but big enough to cause problems finding a bra to fit.

Ooh - I didn't know debenhams did underwired nursing bras - that's very good news! I'm just about to have DD2 and am still at 36F from DD1 - still feeding her and wearing ordinary debenhams underwired bras with no issues at all. I know I need a proper nursing bra or two for newborn but I absolutely refuse to go for one without proper support and an underwire; I'm only an F and I find the monoboob ones very uncomfortable so I can't imagine what a pain it must be when you're much bigger.

I bought a vertbaudet one last time, btw, and the wire was fine, but the material was very stretchy so it didn't really give enough support. Deeply disappointed!

Thanks everyone for the input! I will check out some of the suggestions, particularly for converting normal bras, as I really don't want to be stuck in hideous nursing monstrosities for 1yr+ again! I wonder how they'd work with freya bras etc?

I had to get underwired preggo bras, Anita do a great soft cup.
i have ordered a feeding soft cup underwire as well.
If you go to their website it will give you a list of local stockists.
Sadly pretty pregnant no longer stock them (and only stock noppies now)