When should i buy a maternity bra?

[ddegville]

Hi all.
I'm 6 weeks and 4 days gone and have had boob discomfort right from the start (it was my first symptom). My bras still fit at the moment (just) but they are underwired. I've read that it's best not to wear underwired bras. My boobs hurt less in a bra but I can't wear my currents one longer than I need (not a new feeling even before BFP I loved taking off my bra when I get home from work). Before they started growing I was a 40DD ish depending on style and shop, etc. Worried that no underwire will make my boobs look weird.

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Hi, this thread is quite old so we thought it might be helpful to point to some new content we have about maternity bras.

We've spoken to experts and trawled through the talkboards to put together a buyers guide on maternity bras.

If you're on the hunt for a good maternity bra, we tested the top 10 maternity and nursing bras. You can read reviews of the best maternity bras here.

MNHQ

I'm 16 weeks and just invested in a couple of non wired bras. Can highly recommend it, feel so much more comfy. I was surprised at how supportive they feel without the underwire, might even convert to them in future. Not sure how it will feel for your specific size but if you go somewhere like M&S and get measured the staff are v helpful!

Ps should have said, I bought regular bras. They don't recommend you get measured for a nursing bra til about 2 weeks before your due date

I didn't. I just wore normal bras in a bigger size until after the birth. I had a couple of no wired maternity bras for after the birth (I knew I wouldn't be breastfeeding, but I wanted them to be comfy, and be able to it the breast pads in). I wore them for a few weeks, then went back to normal bras once the milk had dried up.

I'm planning to get some new bras, after having gone to buy a strapless bra for an event. Im 17 weeks. Am normally a 32dd, assistant eyeballed my size and said let's start in a ff. to which I swore loudly. I ended up in a gg. At this size I am not giving up my underwire! I'd put it off for a bit, but do get measured when you go to purchase...

I'm 16 weeks and have gone up from a 32E to a 36G
I bought a couple of underwired and a couple of maternity nursing bras from M&S this week, but am nearly only wearing the non-wired maternity/nursing ones.
They are SO comfortable! I've got some to sleep in, and some for the day, and I can't see myself getting much use from the wired ones. They feel like torture contraptions compared to the soft ones

I've been wearing maternity bras since I was about 7-8wks pregnant. Really comfy and supportive and obviously didn't want to wear underwired. I'd get some as soon as you need them :)

Can I ask what your dress size is? As the reason your bras may be uncomfortable may he due to you wearing the wrong size

The chances of you being a 40DD are very slim unless you're massively obese. Most women wear too big back size and too small cups. Get yourself to bravissimo as they do maternity too and will measure you properly

Wearing underwires is fine in pregnancy, as long as they are correctly fitted and you keep going up in size when needed. I would recommend a fitting with Bravissimo.

@YerAWizardHarry and @pastafairy I'm a dress size 18 and I am overweight. I was measured as a 40DD at Marks and Spencer only about a month before getting pregnant so I was wearing the right size then.

if you were measured by M&S it's highly unlikely you're actually in the right size. They are hopeless and use outdated methods.

@ddegville I've actually only been measured out a cup size at marks and sparks (34d instead of 32dd) but I agree with the advice to get a second opinion. I agree that a 40 band size is unlikely. In UK dress sizes, an 18 is assuming your bust is 39-42 inches at the fullest point. Your band size is around your ribs where the band would go, and is the bit you should take with a tape measure. If your band size was really 40, I can't see that a DD cup would make you only 42 inches at the fullest point! Here's a post that explains more www.curvykate.com/blog/want-to-know-the-real-reason-why-women-are-wearing-the-wrong-bra-size/

M&S are so awful at measuring - don't trust a word they say. I was a 34 back at size 18, and am 38G at size 22

Another vote for bravissimo. It sounds like you'd be more comfortable in a properly fitting underwired bra for the time being. I won't get measured anywhere else now, after years of being a slave to M&S, honestly the difference was amazing.

Can also recommend bravado silk bras for the period around giving birth/your milk coming in. They are super stretchy but still supportive and you can feed in them. Useful for a few weeks until your boobs settle down then can get measured for the hideous monstrosities that are nursing bras!

Agree M&S are crap. Mothercare too in my experience. The woman I saw in Mothercare (in 2015 so not in the dark ages) was still using the "measure your underbust and add four inches" method.

I measured myself and after much searching, mainly online, found a few decent bras that actually fit! Currently wearing underwired 32GG at 15 weeks (poss closer to a G but wanted to allow for more growth!) Might order a couple of non-wired if it starts to annoy me, but it hasn't been a problem so far.

This is a good site for getting the correct sized bra:

thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.co.uk/p/fitting-advice.html?m=1

My friend is a size 22 on top but with 36/38JJ bra. Bravissimo are v good. (Although they fitted me into a bra in pregnancy that was technically a good fit but rubbed me and damaged my skin a bit, I complained and they allowed me to have a refund).

I agree about Mothercare as well. Was there a couple of years ago and an 'expert fitter' was training a new employee: 'So, this lady measures 31 under bust, so you add 5 inches and she's a 36B'. I almost marched into the changing room to save the poor woman from ill fitting bras.

I got one at 12 weeks. My boobs weren't much bigger I just wanted them for comfort. Wore them until 3 weeks postpartum

Primark have some really comfy non wired bras at the moment. I bought one the other day for a fiver and am going back for more! I'm normally around a 36 or 38 c or D and found their Large fitted fine. They also have extra large.

I was measured for a non-wired bra at M&S this week - they sold me a 34B bra. I thought it seemed big at the back and queried it but they just fitted it on the tightest hook and said it gave me "plenty of room to grow into..."

Having read the thread above and some of the links, I reckon I should a 30D, so going to get a second opinion today!

I got one at 17 weeks (20 now) from Debenhams-I got a moulded cup one which is the style I normally wear (but underwired )it gives good support and the same sort of shape my usual one gives -they said they were only doing nursing beas from now on but they were essentially the same design and about £22

LittleReid would you mind sharing details of your bra maker? I did like Ewa Michalak(?) but prices have gone up significantly post brexit.

I've just been in to get fitted for a maternity bra at Bravissimo. I'm 26 weeks and I've gone up one back and cup size from 34G to 36H🙈🙈🙈 I bought 2 and it cost me £60 I so wish I had smaller boobs and could get away with cheaper bra's but never mind you've got to feel comfy