Nursing bras & Night bras what one did you like best?

[skyra13]

Hi all looking for a little advice currently 34 weeks when should I start thinking of getting bras fitted for nursing?
Plan on breast feeding and seem to have milk already so should not be a problem!
What bras did you find best an where best to get fitted I live in Maidstone so not a huge variety of shops that I can get to but would like to be fitted.
Is it worth getting sleep bras to?

Thanks

I bought a couple of these:
www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/sp+emma-jane-mia-cotton-maternity-nursing-bra-in-maternity-products-and-underwear+d3949

As they are soft and comfy at night and cover a range of sizes. Wearing one now (pregnant). Then after the birth when things had settled down (boob size wise) I got fitted at jojo again and m and s for some others. I like my jojo ones best though. Not sure how near you are to one though.

I meant to add, I slept in those ones in the link as they are like a vest.

I may order one of them and see how I get on with it and if any good can get a few more to sleep in, don't have a store near me :(

Only have a small mothercare not sure if they even do bra fittings!!
Have an M&S, BHS, a pregnancy shop that I have never found and on website seem way to expensive for me liking not to sure on where else do fittings.

Bravissimo is best for fitting - John Lewis can be ok too. Don't go to Mothercare of M&S.
Trouble with fitting while still pregnant is that you can't really predict how big your boobs will get. So I would get some more stretchy ones first that can accommodate several sizes, like Royce Blossom, and go for a fitting after your boobs have settled down.

My favourite nursing bras were normal underwired bras that I converted myself. The non-wired special nursing bras just won't offer the same support.

yes, you will probably want something for sleeping as well - especially if you leak. I used Bravissimo PJs with built-in bras, but normal nursing bras or those more stretchy tops would work too.

Ah cross post. Best to fit yourself then - check out the advice here:
thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.co.uk/p/fitting-advice.html

After measuring my self seems It maybe hard to find some bras!!

HazleNutt... How did you convert normal bras? I ended up using normal bras but didn't figure how to convert... It was not that convenient.

I'd love an idea of how to convert them.

You can get clips from ebay, and then just google 'How to convert nursing bras' - there are several websites and also youtube tutorials (I can't link at the moment, as am at work and any website including the word bra is blocked )

But basically you cut the strap about half an inch/inch from the cup, and sew the clips on each end of the strap.

I'd like to hear about your normal bra conversion too please, HazleNutt.

I'm also thinking that this will be the best solution and was thinking of just unpicking the strap/cup join and attaching bikini clasps but wasn't sure if that would work well.

If you're an unusual size, Skyra, online may be easiest as long as they have good returns policy. Bravissimo is good, as already mentioned but I think Brastop have the best bargains, which is handy if you change size a few times and don't wear them for long.

Thanks HazleNutt, you posted while my wi-fi was playing up. Leaving a bit of strap on the cup sounds like a better plan than my original idea.

I think all my nursing bras were from Royce (got them all at a local, independent lingerie shop with a brilliant owner). They were very comfortable and they come in a wide range of sizes (mine were 32F). Got fitted at about 38 wks and the lady who fitted me made sure the bras had a bit of growing room. They weren't glamourous but then I don't think anything would have made them glamourous- big noobs really don't suit me! Plus, I was very leaky and engorged a lot, so comfort and coverage were paramount.

At night I wore cheapo sports bras from tesco- so stretchy and comfy (easily yanked up for feeding). I find proper bras too uncomfortable at night.

Boobs, not noobs!

I like HazleNutt idea I may go down that route to.
Thinking I may just get sports/sleep bras first to tide me over then once boobs settled down get measured for a bra.
Been lucky so far and only had to buy extenders for bras cups getting abit over flowing now though!

Anita nursing bras are absolutely fab if you have large breasts because you can get underwired ones safely and avoid mono-boob! They're quite pricey but if there's a chance you might have more children and will be feeding for a long time they really are comfortable, soft and well worth it. The sizing is a bit dodgy but you can order them from figleaves who do free returns. I'm pregnant again and very glad I splashed out on them the first time round, they're more comfortable than my normal bras!

For sleeping I used Royce, like someone else recommended; I didn't find the shape as good, but they're comfortable - check ebay as sometimes there are Royce bras at a good price there if you've worked out what size you need.

I did use bra extenders at first too, though I found they can break and need resewing from time to time.

I love Hot Milk! They can be pricey, but often have nice ones on sale (down from £30-20, for example). On their website it says that your boobs "stabilise" at about 7 months, so that's a good time to buy them....they're designed for pregnancy and nursing, and are v. well made.

Sainsburys have some fantastic stretchy 'crop top' style bras, quite inexpensive and were very comfortable for wearing at night. Not specifically nursing bras but easy enough to get the boobs out of!

I used Bravado Seamless Silk - have lived in them for most of the past four years - pregnant, feeding, pregnant again... Jojo sell them but they have a bigger range of colours online. Lasted well, can't rate them highly enough in terms of comfort and around £25 each. Good luck!

Thanks for the tip, hazelnut.

Anita. One word - UNDERWIRED.

I had a 34K cup the first month after DD was born. No underwire would have been impossible - was, in fact, the first weeks after DS was born, which made leaving the house tricky. Finding underwired nursing bras second time around felt like I'd seen the face of God.

I got them from figleaves.com in a range of sizes, and returned what didn't fit. Seem to remember MN offer a partner discount? Maybe a cashback site. Anyway, still using them as still nursing with the baby a year old, so they are also well made.

John Lewis ones are good - own brand 2 for £30 ones Are comfy. I didn't find that my boobs got much bigger when my milk came in compared to late pregnancy. I've never used or needed sleep bras but a not particularly big chested (32DD).

I have spent years of my life bf and I would second underwired Anita t-shirt bf bras. A complete revelation, I tell you.

Bravado and hot milk

I've always got fitted in debenhams. Basic range in white, nude or black but affordable at £25 and comfortable too.

I didn't like the Hot Milk ones at all - not especially good from a comfort or access point of view. The best ones I found were some Elle McPherson ones that I bought from Figleaves - they were the ones that looked the nicest and felt most comfortable, hence I wore them all the time while the Hot Milk ones sat in my drawer. I did get fitted in a local department store first but they only had a tiny selection.
(I think I read on the Style and Beauty board that Elle McPherson's 'Intimates' range has since been taken over by Heidi Klum but think the products have remained the same.)