Maternity bras

[Rombo]

Can anybody tell me why we are supposed to wear maternity bras? Is it just personal preference? A marketing ploy?

I am in my 3rd pregnancy and have never worn a maternity bra, just bought a normal underwired bra in a larger size as needed.
The thought of having to wear an ugly-looking maternity bra just because I am pregnant just baffles me.
Surely if it's for comfort, than a well-fitting normal bra should be comfortable?

I understand the need for nursing bras and I will be wearing those after the baby is born.
Am I doing my breasts a disservice by not paying £££ for maternity bras, is there actually any advantage or benefit?

No you don't need them in pregnancy. You just need to make sure it's supportive and fits perfectly.

I haven't bought any Maternity Bras and have just been wearing normal ones and buying bigger sizes as needed.

However, I'm now 38+2 and over the last few weeks I have found them to just be too restrictive and uncomfortable - as a result I'm now wearing my Nursing Bras and feel sooooooo much more comfortable!!!

It's giving me a chance to practice using the clip things on the straps too, For some reason I find them really fiddly

Most people find underwires uncomfortable but I must admit to save money I've just bought those non-wired granny bras in boxes from M&S. It was a top tip from a friend. She says they feel the same, half the price.

I have found 2 for £20 maternity bras in Debenhams and bought them, they're pretty comfy.

I didn't wear maternity bras- just my normal ones. I now really miss my normal bras- Not even really convinced that they would be the end of the world whilst nursing- but I read something about the underwire trapping some boob and causing a blockage????Maybe the theory is that milk duct etc get going when you're pregnant?? Might give one of my old ones a little try out and see what happens- I haven't worn bras without underwire since I was 14 bloody years old!!!

Nicky I need underwires normally and read up on it. It's one of those warnings they give because many women have their bra wire too small in the cup (as they haven't been measured or vanity - it gives a bit of a boost) and these might dig and cause issues. With the increase in size, some would end up with digging-in in the same place for months.
However if the wires are properly fitted and go right under your arm (i.e. round the whole of the pregnancy sized boob) that's OK.

I'm 18 wks and so far still in wired bras and would like to wear them as long as I can tbh. I've gone up 2 sizes but just been buying M&S plain t-shirt bras which are £16 for 2. At night I'm wearing some £5 crop tops from Sainsburys which are so soft and have been a godsend! I've heard a lot of conflicting stuff about whether you should or shouldn't wear wired bras but I'm just going to go with whatever is comfy.

I've never worn a non wire maternity bra yet, I just go and get fitted for the next size up (or get one out of the draw from my last pregnancy).

Wires are fine as long as they fit properly. Non wire maternity bras are designed with more stretch so that you have room to grow, I did try a lovely non-wire hotmilk bra this time, even in it's correct size the lady who fitted me could stretch the cup out some more. Lovely as it was it wasn't going to cut the mustard for a mother with an H cup and under 5's who occasionally need running after.

If I had managed to breast feed for any length of time I was going to get an Anita underwirer feeding bra.

Last pregnancy I went to maternity bras quite quickly because my boobs were so uncomfortable - non wired ones were comfier.

This pregnancy my boobs haven't grown at all and they aren't sore at all. (Possibly this is because I'm still breastfeeding) So I'm still in my original bras. and I'm not going to change until I get uncomfortable.

With regards to nursing, I wore stretchy comfy ones for the first few weeks, then tried a range of M&S and Bravissimo ones I hated, then went to an underwired anita nursing bra which was brilliant. About a year in I wasnt feeding in the day any more and I went back to my normal pre-preg bras (they fitted again at this point).