Big boobs & breastfeeding bras

[Grumplestinkypants]

Hi I am here to seek the wisdom of the larger chested amongst the mums netters.
Can anyone recommend any nursing bras that come in HUGE sizes?
I am currently 38 weeks and wearing 38K royce bras and a 38JJ in normal bras (what is up with Royce's weird sizing). Everyone keeps telling me that my cup size will increase masses after I give birth. If they do go up much more then I am out of bra sizes as Royce seems to be the biggest and they only go up to an L.
I have already increased 3 cup sizes are they really going to get much bigger? Am I going to have to be housebound until my chest deflates again?
Does anyone have any suggestions please (apart from tarpaulins and scaffolding)?

Also it has recently occurred to me that i am going to have to coral the girls at night somehow or I am going to leak milk all over the bed. I couldn't sleep in one of my Royce bras as they are not very comfortable. What does everyone else with the a bigger chest wear at night.

TIA

Watching with interest. I am currently a 40GG, but haven't bought any nursing bra's yet because they can only guess what size you will be once your milk comes in and when my bras cost £30+ that is too much of a risk. So I have bought some massive crop top bras that won't offer much support but will keep my boobs somewhat contained and keep breast pads in place. Plus they were super cheap off amazon

Have a look at bras4mums.co.uk & specifically the Bravado range. The website offered me excellent phone & email advice. The bras I had went up to an M cup & just about fitted me when my milk came in. At night I used an Australian made vest top unfortunately called the Booby Bib which did a great job despite the ridiculous name.

I was going to recommend the Royce bras as they are a god send. I had 6 of them in varying sizes for the whole breastfeeding madness and they stayed comfortable even when I became engorged (think a size 38L with swelling). I would also recommend a fitted bralet type vest with support for nighttime with cold cabbage leaves in them. Never before has cabbage been so useful. Congrats and good luck!

My boobs went down from a 38HH in pregnancy to a 36H a few weeks after birth (was a 34G/GG before pregnancy). I don't think you'll manage as I only squeeze in to their size range, but Hot Milk been my absolute saviour for bras but whilst they go up to a 42 back they only go up to a H cup. You have my sympathies.

I had a 38M when I was feeding my eldest (2006). I bought it from Bravissimo. The advice i had was to wait for a few days after the milk does come in properly. Then be fitted about 1/2 way between feeds. I couldn't tell you the make of my bra (sorry). I did have Royce ones (I shrank a lot after my daughter was born as i was ill with an unrelated condition) and found them alright though the shape a little "pointy".

Bravissimo do big cup sizes. Not sure how big nursing bras go but there are also companies that will convert normal bras to nursing ones so you could buy a comfy supportive bra and get it changed. If you have very big boobs and plan to BF remember to start with baby is very little so worth getting some BF advice from local cafe or support group in advance to help baby latch. My DSis had huge boobs and teeny baby with teeny mouth and is still BF now DN is one but needed help to start

I went from a 32GG to a 38j. I bought a Royce bra and the one linked below. Hated the Royce one. Absolutely love the linked one! Within a month of birth I dropped a back size. I am now a 36J. I definitely recommend going to bravissimo for at least one fitting. I had no idea how a nursing bra should fit. They really know their stuff. There sleep tops are epic too although not specifically for nursing.

www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/nursing-bras/sophie-nursing-bra/candypink/pnl7cp/?level=1

I'm large, I got my nursing bras from NCT. They had a local fitter and I went to her house. Think the largest one I had was M cup at one point.

I'm a 36J but wearing a 40 back as just can't deal with anything tight atm.

At night I just wear a comfy button down nightie and if it's soaked in the morning chuck it in the wash, I have lots of nighties. Sometimes I stuff a muslin down my top!

I was a similar size to you and I found I didn't increase much more from late pregnancy after my milk supply settled down - the first fortnight yes I think I went a little bigger but I was hankered down inside feeding really so wore a lot of vest tops then anyway. I found (amazingly) that even my ample chest fitted in m&s feeding nightdresses - tshirt style and they were enough support at night. I also didn't leak milk after the first few days - not everyone does, it really does differ from person to person. I have a friend currently feeding her 1yo son and still has to wear breast pads - I used about 4 out of the giant box I bought in 8 months! Definitely within the first month my boobs settled down and I wore the same Royce bras for the whole time I was feeding.

In the first few days whilst getting used to feeding with massive knockers I recommend lying baby on a pillow on your legs so they are about the right height and whilst I got used to latching I found a rolled up sock under my boob helped me lots! Oh the glamour!

Thank you so much for all your advice, I am sorry I have not been back to the thread we have house guests staying and so my free time is very limited.

Happygojo can I ask which crop tops you ordered? All the ones I have seen are lacking in any form of support what so ever.

Idlevice the BoobyBib looks like a great idea but I am struggling to find anywhere which still sells them. Annoying when they seemed like a great practical idea for mums. I like the look of the Bravado bras as well but they seem to only go up to an H. :-(

Impatientwino can I ask what use was the rolled up sock? Was it to assist with the angle of the dangle as it were?

Thanks for all of your help ladies.

I'm in medium boobed (36D) range I suppose so in no way an expert in the area but if cost is an issue it almost always is and you're handy with a needle you can always make your own nursing bras from old ones... Its relatively easy to do and at £30 a bra otherwise it can be helpful. You can get the clasps from ebay xx good luck xx

I have huge norks too. Was an jj cup at one point I think.

My advice is be prepared to buy a new size every 3 months for the first 12 months. And in the very early days buy the softest, stretchiest ones you can find as even a well fitting bra will feel uncomfortable.

I didn't wear one at night. A towel on the bed stopped the sheets getting wet if I did leak. And your baby will likely wake up before your boobs anyway.

I found a v shaped pillow absolutely essential to feed. Better than a bfing pillow at giving support to both of us. I also used it in bed before I had ds as support under my bump.

It can be a bit fiddly getting a good latch when you have big boobs. I am as open as the next person about bfing in public. But used a nursing cover when out and about. I just couldn't get him on properly while trying to be discreet. And don't let the bfing mafia tell you that you shouldn't cover up. Or me tell you that you should! Do whatever makes you feel comfortable and happy.

And if you do want measuring then don't worry if you go somewhere that you know won't stock your size. Just get them to measure you anyway. Some places might be able to order in for you even if they don't stock your size.

Oh and I also found a vest top under my normal tops made me feel less conscious of my enormous boobs.

Good luck. I have only just weaned ds at 18 months so it is entirely possible to have a long bfing relationship with huge boobs. And apart from maybe the first month or so I managed to find bras in my size.

Definitely the angle of the dangle! It was only a short term thing while I got used to it.

The straighter your back is the more comfy you will be, nothing worse than a sore back with big boobs. Try practising before baby arrives making yourself comfy on the sofa or wherever you intend to feed, putting a pillow on your lap and look at the height of your nips in comparison to the pillow but keeping your back straight. I found to do this a book under my feet helped prop me upright a bit better.

I know I sound nuts but it really did help me establish feeding, within a few weeks I could just whop a boob out and feed him wherever with no need for anything but it helped me learn to keep my back straight and avoid pain because of my boobs.

I actually found when he was a bit bigger I could sit cross legged on the floor and rest him on my knees. It was really comfy!

Good luck and enjoy

It seems the Bravado bra I used isn't available anymore. It was called Bravado custom as it was almost like a custom-made one. Might be worth searching any remaining stock out if you can find it. They came in about 4 different back sizes covering 3 cup sizes so were great for early days when your size can vary depending on when the last feed was.

I used loads of bf-ing aids to help & wasted a lot of money! The best was a feeding cushion I got second-hand which I could strap around my waist but it was impracticable for going out & about. With DC2 I found feeding easier as he was a bigger stronger baby so could angle his head himself as he had good neck strength from as early as 10days old. But even with a smaller baby it will get easier when they can hold their head up themselves.

The easiest thing I found when out & about was to tie a large muslin wrap around my neck and then I could faff around underneath it with boobs all over the place & with both arms under as I needed one hand to hold baby & one hand to hold boob to get the right angle. Before that I often took expressed milk out to bottle feed but that in itself was far, far more faff. I was very envious of mums who just seemed to hold baby against their chest & feed away with a coffee in the other hand! Another tip is get an insulated mug for your tea/coffee

Bravado tshirt bra but size up- I'm a GG but wearing their H/I and its ok (they're dual size)