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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Pregnancy and bras for large norkage - non underwired or not?

26 replies

munchkinmum · 03/09/2007 19:44

Wore non underwired for my 1st pregnancy but wasn't happy with my shape without wires (am 36DD).

Whats the general concensus nowadays?

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littlemissturquoise · 03/09/2007 20:03

Hi - I am only seven weeks but my bust has grown A LOT and I got measured on Sat in Markies and the lady recommended non-wired. Have gone for them and they are soooooo much more comfortable. It has made a massive difference.

HonorMatopoeia · 03/09/2007 20:32

I am huge of nork (about a 38GG) and have gone for non underwired in both of my pg's.Yes, the shape goes a bit but the comfort more than makes up for it! Midwife suggested I go non underwired too!

stripeybumpsmum · 03/09/2007 20:40

I am large of nork and previously went with the generic advice during pregnancy to go for the non-girder option. However, I have to say no where near as comfy - my boobs and bump merged.

Posted previously about non-worired nursing bras and the good folk of MN reported those large of nork had mixed experiences of wired/nonwired/normal bras - whatever you find that works.

With this PG, lovely lady at Bravissimo measured and fitted me for wired - one basis it is where the wires are rather than just going for non-wired entirely. Their view is that a well fitted wired bra is much less damaging to breast development than an ill fitting non-wire. Plus, as boobs will get heavier, they recommend more structure rather than less to save you knackering your back (as if pg won't do that for you anyway).

BTW, found Mothercare to be completely useless for the well uphosltered chest.

Monkeybar · 03/09/2007 20:51

I wore underwired throughout my preg (was 32E pre preg, went up to 34g iirc). I even managed to get an undrewired feeding bra! (Can't remember the brand, but will dig it out if anyone's interested). I had fittings every couple of weeks to check that nothing was digging in where it shouldn't. I found Debenhams to be fab for smooth cup underwired bras at about £12.
I fed my ds for just over a year and have just been Bravissimo'd myself, now 32F. And amazingly (and yes, I am showing off) I can still pass the pencil test!!!

aikigypsy · 03/09/2007 22:31

Ditto on the Mothercare comment -- practically nothing over DD, and the DDs were weak, weak, weak.

I've been wearing underwires, since I haven't been bothered enough to find a functional non-underwire in whatever my current size is (38F or so).

Haven't been able to pass the pencil test in a decade or so.

missbumpy · 03/09/2007 22:51

Ooh Monkeybar, that's so good to hear. I was a 30E pre-pg and have gone up to god knows what size (32g?) and I was wondering what they'd look like after breast-feeding. Very encouraging to know that it's possible to keep them perky. What's your secret?

Emprexia · 03/09/2007 23:02

No-wires for me!, they were far too uncomfortable. But i was back in wires as soon as i had DS, lol.

I'm a 40F

PurlyQueen · 04/09/2007 00:58

10 weeks in and I'm a 38H (was a 36G). I hate the non wired bras - they give me a 'mono boobed' look and they're not that comfortable (to me).
I prefer to stick to well fitting wired bras.

scruffymomma · 04/09/2007 07:58

Yup, I agree, you just have to go with what works for you, just make sure it fits you properly and there's a bit of room for growth.
by 10 weeks my 32GG was looking like a string bikini so I packed myself of to John Lewis where a sour face young madam looked at me like I wanted to kill my baby when I asked for an underwired. She flatly refused and packed me into a VERY unsexy 34J (!) nonwired number which my DH can actually wear as a hat!
That lasted about I week before I had myself back down the shops and fitted into a very comfortable and expensive Fantasie number, 32HH and actually lifted my boobs off my tummy.
Don't let anyone bully you, just make sure they fit you properly.

post baby, that's another matter - my boobs are quaking at the though.....

PurlyQueen · 04/09/2007 10:19

www.figleaves.com/uk/product.asp?product_id=PE-3251#

I have four of these Panache Superbras in black, white, fuchsia and turquoise. It's a fabulous bra that fits really well. I bought mine from Bravissimo but you can get them from Figleaves and lots of Ebay sellers too.

PS: I don't work for the company at all

Anarchymummy · 04/09/2007 13:24

I'm also large-norked here (34DD pre preg now 36F & increasing) and I live in my non-wired maternity bra.Iv'e been wearing one since I was about 18weeks,there just so much comfier.
I wore a wired one the other day as all my maternity ones were in the wash and ouch!

M&S is where I get all mine from.

Mrswizz · 04/09/2007 15:06

I'm normally between 34dd and 34e and now am FF or G and growing. I've been in a normal underwired bra. Bravissimo sorted me out, the lady measured me and said I could wear an underwire during pregnancy as long as it isn't too small. I'll get a non underwired breastfeeding one when the milk comes in. Have had soft crop tops to wear at night for a bit of support.

Biglips · 04/09/2007 15:08

i went from 36DD underwired to 44EE non wired and it was a relief when i started to wear non wired bras when i was about 4 mths pg.

Scampynoodle · 04/09/2007 16:09

Gawd, I couldn't wear anything except wired. I'm 20 weeks and and have yet to find anything non-wired that lifts my tits above my knees. I'm a 36E and have a selection of wired bras that fit well and really take the strain. In fact it's a shock to take them off at the end of the day to feel how weighty my norkage has become.

I can't wait for a snooty shop assistant to tell me what's what when it comes to the wire debate, mind you. I'll sandbag her with the left tit and then with the right. She'd never walk straight again!

Mrswizz · 04/09/2007 17:14

You do that Scampy! Sometimes you just have to have a wire.

DH is very much a breast man and even he said he felt sorry for me having to carry all that nork weight around all day. He can't believe how heavy they are.

ZamMummy · 04/09/2007 19:25

Can I heartily heartily recommend this awesome US site for every PG & BF bra you could ever need!
I was a 36F pre-DS, went up to 40GG when PG, then back down to 38F. Now PG again so who knows what I'll end up as this time!
These ladies are truly fantastic, eternally helpful and the site is brilliant. Delivery is seriously fast and they will send anywhere in the world (just as well really, since I'm in Zambia where no bras are bigger than a small D cup.....)
Even if you don't buy anything from there, it's worth checking out just for the info.
And no, I'm not on commission!

Monkeybar · 04/09/2007 20:19

Miss bumpy - I don't know how much of it is genetic and how much was luck. I wore underwired bras throughout my pregnancy. I wore a sleep bra (crop top thing from Mothercare) at night from early on in pregnancy until I'd stopped feeding, so was constantly bra wearing for about 2 years. Felt quite odd when I went to bed without! During the early weeks of feeding I wore non underwired bras, but changed to the wired feeding bras once things had settled down. I was quite surprised (but very pleased) to find that they went pretty much back to normal once it was all over. Not sure if I'd be so lucky next time (if there is a next time - we've been ttc dc2 since Jan and no luck yet).
SO I reckon the secret is support, support, support, 24hrs a day. And underwired bras!!

MamaMaiasaura · 04/09/2007 22:21

I am 34G pre preg. Am still in my underwired bras at 23 weeks gone. My midwife supported me wearing underwired (as long as wires dont cut in). She said it is hard to get the support from non wired when so large up top. She also said she is still breastfeeding her baby and is underwired and remained in them throughout pregnancy (she is also big up top).

I have to say with my previous pregnancy I was 32DD pre and wore the non wired and my boobs expanded very rapidly! Never ever went back and they sagged Never going there again.

MamaMaiasaura · 04/09/2007 22:24

monkeybar can you dig out brand of underwired nursung bra please

Scampynoodle · 05/09/2007 12:21

While we are talking titties, and I hope I'm not thread-hogging here, what's the advice on wearing bras in bed? I think that perhaps I should do this (my fun bags are weighty beasts!) but I like to let the air get at them too.

Monkeybar · 05/09/2007 21:25

Awen, The brand was Anita and I got mine from Figleaves, I don't know if it's possible to buy direct. Not cheap (around £30) but then they never are. And definitely not very attractive.... but then they never are!

MamaMaiasaura · 06/09/2007 21:49

thanks monkey

Hurlyburly · 06/09/2007 21:55

Large of norks and sort of stunned, horrified, fascinated and enthralled about not being underwired. How wonderful not to be wrestled to the ground at airports ...

So erm, how does no wire work then? Don't your norks end up around your midriff. Or is that only me?

rubydarling · 06/09/2007 22:05

Bravissimo fitted my 34G (gah) norks with both one underwired and one wired bra, at five months PG. They didn't seem particularly fussed which I went for, so long as they fitted properly. That's a big "if" though- I can honestly say both are wildly uncomfortable, and have been ever since the day they were fitted. The shape and support is about the same, surprisingly, but I have angry weals on my back from where both styles dig in. My top tip would be to buy one at a time, as I could have gone back and got one in a better size if I hadn't blown my budget.

On the sleep bra, DH would have divorced me immediately if I came home with what Mothercare tried to flog me- totally hideous. I found M&S do a nice range of "secret support" vests, including pyjama tops, which include a bit of pink laciness which distracts from the hugeness.

callmeovercautious · 06/09/2007 22:07

nope, me too

Bravissimo or some M&S stuff worked for me, but they do look droopier (is that a word?) with no wires. I wear a wired one if going out somewhere nice (such as Tesco ) but otherwise slob out in the nursing bras.

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