Good Maternity Bras?

[Rememberallball]

Like the title says, can I get some recommendations for good maternity bras. I was measured by Mothercare on Tuesday and they upped my rib cage measurement by a size and reduced my cup size from an F/G (depending on the brand) to a DD.

The bras are also moulded cup and low at the centre. I’m finding they are riding up at the back (apparently a sign that they’re too big), I am not sitting comfortably in them - my breasts are falling to the middle and against each other as there is nothing separating them; and I end up ‘spilling out’ of them as well meaning I’m adjusting my position every couple of hours at a minimum. This is all after just 1 day wearing them. I got 2 packs of 2 bras and, frankly, want to return the unworn pack for a refund. They also gave me sleep bras to try and said I should have a medium - well, they’re ridiculously small, they sit covering no more than 1/2 my breast and I reckon I’d be falling out of it the minute I turn over in bed!! And they’re ridiculously expensive at £84 for 4 bras and 2 sleep bras that will probably end up on EBay!!

I can’t stay in my current bras as I’m finding it uncomfortable and feel I need maternity bras but, if everywhere is as bad as Mothercare, I don’t see the point in bothering.

Please help me ladies; I can’t go through another 24 or so weeks of pregnancy with twins in something so badly fitting.

I wonder if mothercare measures and then adds 4/5 inches to the back size. That would give a bra too big in the back and too small in the cup. I would return them tbh and say they were fitted incorrectly. What are your under and over bust measurements?

Mothercare can't fit.Yes they add 5 inches. Can you get to Bravissimo?

I’d never let anyone else measure me. I’m 15wks and have measured as 32FF this week vs 32DD before BFP. I can’t see how you could possibly go down that many cup sizes!
How pg are you?
I’m buying cheap non wired bras with stretch for now so can keep changing size as needed. Won’t bother buying nursing bras until milk comes in.

@dementedpixie, she measured my back and said I was a 36 (my normal size) then measured cup size over my usual bra, went round from 36 to whatever cup size was (I didn’t see that figure) and said it came out at a DD. She brought a 36DD which I said I felt was too small in the cup - I was falling out from both front and under arm, it was on 3rd of 4 sets of hooks (not tightest set but next one) and didn’t feel too tight on my back. I will measure again in the morning with the same bra I had on on Tuesday and let you know.

@KatharinaRosalie, I think the nearest Bracissimo is in Bristol (I’m in Cornwall) - nearest Mothercare is Plymouth so a journey away - but we may be going next week so I can take back the unworn ones and ask for a refund.

@Megan2018, I am 12 weeks with twins. These bras are all ‘maternity’ bras not nursing ones. I’m almost tempted to go into a supermarket or M&S and buy soft cup bras (which I’ve not worn since I was a teenager as I need the structure of underwire - and would far prefer to continue wearing properly fitting underwire bras to be honest). I tried on the largest size maternity bras Debenhams do and they were super small so didn’t bother buying any.

It’s just so frustrating!!

Measure without a bra. For the over bust figure lean forward and measure loosely

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

Thanks @dementedpixie, I’ve had a read of that website.

I have a lot of travel coming up over the next weeks but will be in Surrey next month so might try and get to a Bravissimo while I’m there!!

The problem with places like Mothercare, and even the department stores to some extent, is that they measure you with the intention of getting you into the narrow selection of sizes that they stock. It has nothing to do with what's right for your breasts.

Getting fitted at Bravissimo is wise. After that, you may have to do a bulk order online and just see what styles work for you. I've just done that and am keeping two out of ten bras. It's worth noting that even within one brand, the same size can fit very differently, so I'm afraid you do need to try lots. Horrible as it is to have to pay out that much initially.

I ordered from fig leaves as they had the biggest selection. One of the ones I'm keeping is an actual fig leaves one, one is hot milk, but that's not to say they'd be the right ones for you.

The problem with being pg is that they can change so quickly. But I’ve not gone up a back size yet at 15wks.
I’m finding underwired impossible at the moment, they just hurt because my boobs are changing all the time and are hyper sore.
I’m finding structured underwired (but with some stretch) cheap bras the best as they are more forgiving.
Normally I’m a big fan of Bravissimo etc but they are expensive when a bra is possibly only going to last a month or less!
I’ve been 2 sizes between wks 12 and 15 for example. God knows what I’ll be next week.

You don’t have to wear a specialist maternity bra if you don’t want to. I never have. Have you tried a back extender in your normal bras?

Boob or Bust on FB is really good for fitting and sizing advice. Even though you have worn them I would be inclined to take the Mothercare bras back to the store. How on earth could you have gone down four or five cup sizes?!

Try a molke bra. They are super comfortable and can be used for feeding too I found.

Bravissimo are fantastic if you can get to one. They changed my life in terms of bra comfort. I'd always found bras uncomfortable until I went there.

I am 30 weeks pregnant and I have 2 lovely non wired bras from M&S that the lady there measured me for if you can't get to bravissimo. Very comfy. She seemed to understand how to measure for maternity abd the bras both fit well

You can keep wearing normal underwired bras. You will need to go through several sizes, but as long as they fit, there are no reasons you could not wear them. You can also wear underwire when breastfeeding.
But Molke is also good. Normal maternity and ursing bras are horrible and give you a droopy monoboob with barely any support.

I’ve found Molke droopy and unsupportive (But might be useful as a sleep bra). I’m a 32g (from 32c and got to h last time 🙄🙄). Get a well fitted wired bra - they can be pricey so I’ve got hot milk brand from figleaves - wired and nursing. Figleaves - I just order a selection of sizes and returned all bar 2

I got measured at M&S and found my cup size had gone up by 2 sizes. I bought non underwired bras, but they do have soft wired bras which could be good for you. Mine are mega comfy. Good luck!

Another voter for Bravissimo. I got fitted at Debenhams when I was about 16 weeks and was still wearing underwiring without too much discomfort but had gone up a cup size. Then I went back in late pregnancy when everything felt awful and uncomfortable again and I wasn't happy with any of the bras they tried to give me despite being nonwired mat bras they basically just upped me a back size and nothing fit properly. I went to Bravissimo the week after and I was really uncomfortable and stressed about having to weeks and weeks in discomfort, in particular the bands digging in and bunching at the front above my bump, the fitting at Bravissimo has literally changed my life! Never had service like it. They couldn't completely fix the problem with the front of the bands as it was due toy bump but they found me bras that were vaguely comfortable without underwiring and fitted me properly as another cup size up. DD is 9 months and I got fitted there again a few months ago for my postpartum size too.

In terms of brands, when I was still in underwiring in early pregnancy I was wearing Debenhams own brand the Gorgeous DD+ range which was fine. But you may find you might change your mind about the underwiring later in pregnancy, not everyone does but lots of people do. I couldn't imagine wearing no underwiring even in middle of my pregnancy but by the end I was sooo uncomfortable. Now I still wear my Cake maternity bra as one ory bras, it doesn't fit properly anymore but it's just so comfy! It took me a good few weeks to get settled in underwired bras again postnatally once I'd stopped breastfeeding as I got so uses to comfy nonwired mat and nursing bras! Cake is great for that, Royce as well. I had another one but don't remember the brand. Also wore Emma Jane nursing bras but not sure if they would fit you as the sizing range might not be that big idk.

Jojomamanbebe

Thank you all. I’m going to have a go at measuring myself later in and will see what I can get online to manage with until I can get up to Bravissimo at the end of April.

I happened to be in Mothercare once, and a junior sales assistant was asking her senior colleague for fitting advice. The conversation went like that:

• so, the customer measures 31 under bust and 37 over..
• aha. So you add 5 here, she needs a 36B

No she really didnt'. I was contemplating if I should tell the woman to go to bravissimo instead but was not brave enough.

I received these from amazon today and they are amazing! Pre pregnancy I was a size 10 36D and I ordered the XL which fit amazing and they come with bra extenders if it gets tight.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AMOURRI-Seamless-Maternity-Bralette-Extenders/dp/B01LZA0BLV/ref=mpssa113?ie=UTF8&qid=1553265375&sr=8-3&pi=ACSX2366SY340QL65&keywords=nursing+bra&dpPl=1&dpID=51UMgtihb3L&ref=plSrch

@rememberallball
I am having difficulty getting bras too! And I too live in Cornwall 🙈 nightmare because literally nowhere have my size! 32k-Kk pre-pregnancy and really feel I need to be measured properly to get a good fitting maternity/nursing bra! But I know from experience that mothercare and m&s try to squeeze you into the bras which they have regardless of what size you are!
I have tried the boob or bust AND Molke measuring guide and they make me 32F - I cannot possibly see how I will fit into bras with such a smaller cup size when I spill out of KKs! Molke’s customer service has been extremely helpful though, I emailed them and explained the situation and they replied to say what they recommended with my usual size and that if it wasn’t a good fit I can return it and try another size. I think given that there is literally nowhere to buy bras around here this is going to be my best bet! I’m going to have to buy them 1 at a time though because bras in my size don’t come cheap, and since being pregnant I’ve broken 2 bras already (must be the extra weight 😂)
I haven’t found a single ‘everyday’ shop where I can buy run of the mill soft cup bras so I feel this is my only choice 😞
Good luck with your quest!

Fig leaves also great once you know your size, and have a sale on 👍🏻

@fee1234, I don’t think those will be any good for me and I will end up with monoboob!!

@Lexyness, thanks once I’ve sorted out measuring myself (or getting measured by Bravissimo) I will look on the Molke website

fee have you tried Boob of Bust on Facebook? Most size 10 people don't need a 36 back.

I'm a 36 back at size 20/22!