Maternity bras/nursing bras/general underwear issues .... HELP!

[MissN92]

Hello,
This is my first pregnancy and after much trawling on the internet and in person for maternity bras I am struggling! What is the difference between a maternity bra and a nursing bra? Can you wear either throughout your pregnancy? (Apologies if I sound like a compete idiot here!) What is the best shape/material to go for?
And where would anyone suggest buying from? Also do you have to buy different pants as you get bigger? And are there options for anything kinda nice?
I am in an underwear frenzy right now!! I need new bras but am seriously losing this battle! They don't make it easy on us - as if my boobs aren't causing me enough stress, now I can't package them easily!!!!
Thankyou for any advice in advance!

Just saw your question too CoffeeAndOranges.

a) I always just tried on loads as wasn't confident in measuring.

b) in my experience, ribs do go back, but over time, maybe 6 months, not immediately post birth. I know someone who says hers didn't go back though as her pre-pregnancy fitted dresses don't zip up (and she is very slim so definitely ribs not weight).

a) ignore Mothercare and M&S fitting charts and advice, and measure yourself according to advice here: thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.fr/p/fitting-advice.html

b) yes ribcage will likely shrink, mine went down a size immediately after birth and another size I think in a few weeks

I went to Mothercare to get fitted last week at 30wks. My bras were getting super uncomfortable even with bra extenders. Apparently they measured me to be 38C... which I think must be a mistake or something considering I was a 34C before... my ribs couldnt have enlarged that much right? and how about after birth? I feel like 38C will be WAY too large for me after I give birth and my ribs go back down.
Does this sound like a reasonable increase in bra size? Or should i return them?

in theory it is possible - I went from 32 to 36. But mothercare still uses the outdated method of adding 4 inches. try to measure yourself based on the link I posted above. Or do you have Bravissimo nearby?

And you will likely need another size after birth - ribs will go down, cup size up.

I used to be a 32 and have now gone up to a 34 (currently 24 weeks). I had bought some dd cup non wired bras but they were not terribly comfy. My sister has just given me her old nursing bras, I was shocked to find they fit as they were 34F! The comfiest one is by Hot Milk. She told me they were expensive but it seems well worth it based on how comfy they are (pretty too). Pretty sure she got hers on sale! It's the only bra I've worn recently that hasn't rolled up at the band and dug in. I'm going to wait till my milk comes in and see what size I am and poss get some more in whatever size I need! Thanks to my lovely sis, I also have a couple in a larger size too!

This is my specialist subject or it feels like it should be!
Best nursing bra if you're past an e cup is the bravado tshirt bra about £30- they run small and are dual sized. I am in an h/I which was still too big st 8.5 months but 2wks post birth is v v snug.
During pregnancy I work normal bra in larger size as necessary
I went from 32D to 34H....
Bravissimo are brilliant for fitting but range limited
Hot milk at Heidi klum do nice stuff but sizes are limited
Panache Sophie is a prettier soft cup nursing bra
I have done older agent provocateur bras from when they did them you could prob find on eBay!

Oh and pants... I have into cotton boy shirts from m&s basics range when in later pregnancy everything else just brought in thrush. Nice.

U worry too much. I buy maternity clothes and lingerie in Cosabella store. I began using my bra during my third trimester and I wish I would have found it earlier. It's not just for breastfeeding mommies. It has just the right amount of support provided by the soft thin padding needed for growing breasts. Wire bras and regular bralettes during pregnancy become extremely uncomfortable and/or itchy.

i found underwired bras became really uncomfortable so just bought a few comfort bras from George/Asda. Cheap and cheerful and do the intended job. Although my rib cage has expanded, my cups don't get bigger till post birth when they go up about 2 size overnight!

I'm a bravissimo girl too - I think they're amazing for bigger sizes and getting you in the right bra.
By the start of the second trimester I'd gone up a size or two, so I bought a couple of nice new underwired bras. I'm bigger in the boobs and couldn't handle the feel/look of a bra without wires.
Towards the end they started feeling tight around the chest but I didn't want to spend much as I was nearly due. I bought some cheap crop top style bras like these: comfort bra
as I was past the point of caring what my boobs looked like and at 30+ weeks and it was all about comfort.
I tried to buy nursing bras at 37 weeks but I was advised not to. It was good advice as sure enough my boobs felt like they doubled in size after the baby arrived and I was back to wearing the comfort bras all the time and just popping a boob out when I needed to breast feed. I needed to buy more of these cheap comfort bras too as my boobs leaked so much even with decent pads the bras would get wet and I was changing them twice a day and wearing one at night.

My boobs settled by about 6 weeks after birth and I got some nice nursing bras that fitted me for the first 6 months of breastfeeding. I'm glad I waited.

Meant to add, it took a good 6 or more months before my ribcage went back. I was a 30 pre pregnancy, went up to 34 post birth, then around 32 at 6 months, am now in 30 again since around 9 months.