nursing bras - help!

[miniegg]

Can anyone give me some advice on buying a nursing bra? My problem is this: my boobies are still very small! I'm 38 weeks pregnant with my first baby, due two weeks tomorrow. My boobs are a 36A or 38A. (though I'm happy to say my nipples are massive! so something must be working!) Do they actually MAKE nursing bras that small?!? I am almost embarrassed to go to a shop when i'm still this small. And in any case, do you get a nursing bra the size you are now, or the size you expect/hope to be when your milk comes in? And what size would that be? Help! I dont know where to begin!

Glad you asked that - I was wondering the same thing - at what point do you know what size you're going to be when your milk comes in, and do you stay the same size while you breastfeed?

Just did a quick search and saw that online bra companies do have A sized nursing bras, like these from Figleaves. Ooh, lucky you to have nice, pert boobs still!

I bought mine when I was about 38 weeks pg but I have th opposite problem with regards to size so no hope there. Go and fitted in somewhere like John Lewis. They are very nice honestly.

Right, yes they do go to an A cup ... you tend to go up a cup size, and down a back size after the baby is born ... if you can, get yourself to a local maternity wear shop to get yourself measured properly ... I'd also recommend Figleaves for their service ...

Congratulations on keeping pert boobs .. mine did the exact opposite with ds!

I went into a local independent lingerie shop and shamelessly picked their brains.
They said to come in 2 weeks before the birth and they'd work out from there what size I'd be likely need once my milk had come in, so I'll be relying on their expertise...

thanks everyone! i like the idea that my boobs have remained pert, rather than that i am a flat chested freak! good positive thinking! will have a look at figleaves

Don't know if this will help but my boobs before becoming pregnant were 32B. Was a 34B just before giving birth. Boobs then swelled to an impressive 34D when milk came in. After about 4/5 months they settled to a 34C. When I stopped breastfeeding they went back to a 34B. I now wear 32C now everything has settled down.

Get measured at a proper place like others have suggested. Don't worry that your breast size hasn't changed much during pregnancy. They will get bigger once your milk comes in.

Also be prepared to have to change to different sizes even once bf has been established. As you can see mine changed several times whilst bf. Cost me a lot in nursing bras!

Forgot to add I may seem to have bigger boobs now, but still weigh 1 stone more than I did before I had ds.

I am normally a 32A, am currently a 34B but know when my milk comes in, They will go up hugely (have done the last 3 times, last time they went to 34D) I am not even thinking about nursing bras until my milk comes in, my boobs scare me when they swell that much...

i also found that they went up much more than expected once my milk came in. I went the day after I gave birth and was measured in Mothercare, and by 3 days later when my milk came in those bras (which had had plenty of growing room in) were too small and i had to get more.

I'd get some of the sleep ones they do which are more general, covers more than one size IYSWIM, and then get more once your milk is in and feeding is going ok

i was a 34b before pg , went up to a 36d towards the end and am now on 4th set of bras as these boobs seem to have a life of their own. now a 38g!! i would say be prepared for a few changes. i like the bravado ones as they tend to grow with me ( i can change sizes over the course of day!) i went to bravissimo for repeat measuring and then buy cheaper elsewhere! mothercare have a sale at the mo' with 2 nursing bras for £14!

Figleaves have a 15% off code in July's pregnancy and birth magazine - am I allowed to say that?!?!

Last time my boobs didn't really alter until after the birth. This time I've gone from a 34A to a 34B so am expecting to sprout again when the baby has arrived. I only went upto a 34C and breastfed fine so don't worry about your size and yes they do make bf bras that small

All the advice says that you can get measured for your nursing bras after 36 weeks but if, like me, you haven't altered that much then don't worry, just get measured after.

I got measured at M&S, who were very good, and its an excuse to get out with baby and go for a coffee too. M&S don't do bf bras in my size though so I ordered from Figleaves. They were very good and arrived in the post the next day and were cheaper than M&S.

NCT also have some special offers on their bras:

www.nctsales.co.uk/prodlist.asp?cat=250&scat=253&parent=250

and if you contact your local branch, you can find them through here, just put in your postcode in the box at the bottom right:

www.nct.org.uk/

they may have a trained bra fitter living locally to you.

Hope some of this helps.

First pg i went from a 34b to a 34dd then back to a 34c once i had finished. This time i went 34c to 34e. They seem to have stayed as they are for 12weeks so hoping that i dont need to spend anymore money out!

I bought a twin pack of sleep/nursing bras from mothercare and found them very handy to have whilst the boobs were decided on thier size!

Have a peek on ebay.... they have some nice bras there and a fraction of the price in stores.