Cannot for the life of me find a nursing bra for big boobs! Help please!!!

[yelyahyoung]

I’ve been wandering around all day trying to find a couple of nursing bras again. It seems you have to either have a big back size to get the big cups, or the small cups to get the small back size. Frustrating! I am currently a 30FF and 36 weeks. This is my first baby and I plan to breastfeed, so I have no idea what to expect with my boobs and bras.
I tried on a few of the non-wired bras to get a feel for them and then order similar in my size online, but I hate how unsupported they felt. It feels pointless even wearing one apart from being able to insert the breast pads. Or is that what it’s only use is lol. Can you wear underwired bras? If not is there such a thing as a supportive non-wired bra for bigger boobs? Is it really that difficult? Lol!!
I have been looking at some from Next. You get a black and a white one for £30 and they have 32E and 32F. I was thinking of ordering one of them to see how they fit as I’ve heard their sizing is awful lol. So it might be ok. Plus I have a £15 voucher from there anyone tried Next bras?

Thanks so much for the help!!

I don't have DC but I do wear a Molke bra, they're worth a look (I'm a 34K) and they're suitable for feeding/sleep bra/around the house etc

Debenhams ones work well for me, no underwire, super comfy and are just plain lacey black and white two pack. They were reduced to £9 so I brought two packs but I’ve had others from Debenhams that are good too! I’ll try and find a link.

I’m a 34G by the way.. but I shit you not, I went in to the hospital wearing a nursing bra... took it off for my c section... my milk came in then I tried to put the same bra back on to go home and it wouldn’t go around me, by a mile. So go up a back size is my advice.. plus even though it’s technically wearing the wrong size bra.. it’s much comfier to have a slightly less snug one to wear at night with pads in, that or wake up absolutely drenched in milk.

I suffer quite badly with bras in general especially as I was large before pregnancy... I have found at the moment that primark are actually quite good for nursing bras, they go off dress size rather than back and cup and they are very stretchy. :)

Have a look on figleaves. Not cheap, but decent makes of bras in a variety of sizes. Your boobs will change when your milk comes in, and again when they settle into a bit of a routine so it may be worth saving on getting an expensive one for a few weeks. Do you have an independent bra fitter near you? The one I use is great and has found bras that fit perfectly despot being the same size as you (but after 18months of breastfeeding and needing some support!)

Can you get to a Bravissimo for a fitting? They have underwired nursing bras in your size- see here www.bravissimo.com/search/nursing
The one thing I would say is that your boobs are likely to get very big just after you give birth, and take a little while to settle down again. It can be quite uncomfortable if you have a large bust to start with. So do take a look at some soft stretchy bra tops for wearing day and night for the first few days. Then when you start to go out and about, it's time to get measured again.
Good luck with your first baby

Elomie do good nursing bras in big boob sizes.

Amazon
I was a 34H when initially nursing my third baby and got some nice ones on there

Would a bra extender help? They add an inch or so by going in between the clasps at back. I have huge boobs (gg), and got large cup sized bras from mothercare (no more), but found some bra extenders also helped when rib cage expanded in pregnancy. Can buy sets cheaply on amazon.

HotMilk Temptation was a game changer for me! Sounds awful but it's a brilliant bra!

For a cheaper alternative, I have found the Asda nursing bras (I think 2 for £18?) have been really good. I’m a 32DD and am wearing the medium of this so you might do well with a bigger size? They’re really comfy and are keeping my boobs up rather than falling all over the place which was my main concern!

Molke Molke Molke

I'm around a 34JJ pre-preg and would've never thought a non-underwired bra would work.

Sizing is odd, follow their guidelines and it'll feel tight to put on at first. But honestly, I won't go back to wires now, even after this baby.

You'll need to go up a back size like a PP says, I don't know why but it happened to me too. There are loads of nursing bras in 32G or 32GG, don't worry!

I'm a 32H and found Hotmilk bras to be a godsend for actual support. They are pretty bras too, ideal for making you feel good again whilst breastfeeding. I would wait until 8-12 weeks after baby arrives before buying them though as they come in specific sizes and you may find you change size considerably. Some women dont change size at all, I went up 5 cup sizes and remained that way. It really varies.

I would go for something like the Freya Chi for the early days. Not a supportive as youd like but really easy access, really comfortable (comfort is important when your boobs are hard and full!) and stretchy enough that it would adjust as your size does.

I have Freya Pure nursing bras, which have a flexi-wire. Well with going to bravissimo for a fitting (after baby arrives, fgs don’t try to get them fitted while pregnant I did first time round - disaster! My boobs were HUGE once milk came in - much bigger than I expected - and back size was basically impossible to measure for me while preggers as baby was all high up with a foot jammed into my ribs...

I have large boobs too and I hate non underworld bras with a passion. Currently pregnant with number 5 and as I can't stand the thought of no underwire again I have been trying to research whether the underwire is really that bad. I have found plenty of places saying there is no evidence that it is bad but just been said by people for so long everyone freaks it as gospel.
This time round I shall be getting under wired bras and being comfortable!

Get thee to Bravissimo. They had good options for me at 30GG

32H and my freya nursing bra is the most comfortable I’ve ever owned. But at this size bras are expensive so definitely don’t buy until your milk has come in. Measure at home (use the reddit abrathatfits calculator) and order online.
Find some kind of bra or top to get you home from the hospital. At home you can use sleeping bras. Those you can buy ahead as they aren’t in cup sizes.

I wouldn't use an underwired bra when nursing.

I got all my enormous cup size nursing bras from the local NCT rep. try them or see if there are ant other breastfeeding advocacy groups in your area eg La Leche who should be able to help.

high street stores shop have overheads need to restrict their stock to lines that sell well. best avoided if you have unusual requirements.

Bravissimo, I was a 36J when nursing. I had a panache nursing bra from them and loved it. If I have another dc I’ll be buying more the same.

has anyone tried here yet? www.nursingbra-shop.co.uk/ - used them several times and good, small company. Also used Figleaves

I agree with everyone suggesting Bravissimo! And if they do seem a bit pricey, make a note of the brand/style/size and then search online afterwards. I know this is a wee bit cheeky but I do buy direct more often than from elsewhere, so personally I don't feel too guilty most of the time
I recommend Belle Lingerie for finding those name brands like Freya, Cleo etc once you know what size you're looking for.

No need to avoid underwires as long as the bra fits well. The risk is a badly fitting bra could block ducts and cause mastitis. I have huge norks and nursing bras gave me no support so I got bra conversion kits off eBay. You can convert a normal bra into a nursing bra with a bit of basic sewing.

This is what I am dreading. When I was pregnant with my first child I was a size 44H and even though nursing bras went up high with the cup size, I could not, for the life of me, find bras that went up on back size. Really disheartening as I'm pregnant with my second child and really don't know where I am going to find a bra especially as I'm now even bigger after being pregnant (and eating too much cake)

Can I just say, don't wait until baby was born as I was advised to do! ExH waited outside in the car with the baby, I went into Matalan and grabbed a load of bras in various sizes, and no sooner than I'd got into the changing room, a baby started crying somewhere out on the shop floor... I just bought three random ones and fled, soaked in my own milk.

Can second the Nursing Bra Shop. Most shops only sell a few and often they are for small cups sizes. Nursing Bra Shop only sells....nursing bras and I think they even go up to an L cup! Bought 2 bras here late last year and had to pop one back, The only down side is the don't do free returns, but delivery is free and prices are cheap. www.nursingbra-shop.co.uk/

The only other place I tried was Bravissimmo but the range was quite small. Fitting service is good though