Nursing bras - how big should I go?

[Penny2020]

I’m already struggling with maternity bras. I was a 32ff pre-pregnancy and am up to 34/6 already. I am having major issues finding any comfortable maternity bras and have ended up with a couple of mediocre Debenhams non-wired, which leave me with a god-awful monoboob which has become indistinguishable from me bump.
Now I’m facing being allowed out in public and to see people I want to splash out and buy some decent bras. I’ve been avoiding it as they are so expensive in my size. But right now I’d give my life savings if I could get rid of the monoboob!!!
Anyway, rant over but if I’m splashing out, should I get a few sizes bigger - Ive read once the milk comes in I could go up 2, 3, 4 sizes. What was peoples experience? Should I go bigger now?

Have a look at Molke bras, my sister raves about them. She has a narrow back and needs a big cup size.

It's so hard to know. Just get something that fits you just now and wear stretchy crop too type bras for the first week post partum. Asda do some, my boobs are big too and they don't offer much support but they keep nursing pads in place etc.
I have a couple of hot milk nursing bras and they're very supportive but expensive.

I bought a molke one and found the sizing completely off. Maybe I was unlucky.

Best bra I had was from hot milk - terrible name, but attractive bra! Really hard to predict how much you will go up by.

My fave nursing non-wired bras are from Royce - they're not mono-boob and they fit really nicely. I was still wearing them until last week when I realised I didn't need to anymore, having stopped breastfeeding a few months ago!
I bought them after my milk had come in, though, using the BOB method so didn't need fitting.
I'm not sure my boobs actually changed size all that much. But everyone's different.

Thanks all
I’ve looked at the Molke ones and not sure it’s what I’m in the market for. Would like something to give me some shape. For comfort/around the house I’m happy with my cheapy monoboob ones.
Will investigate the other suggestions today, thanks ladies. Perhaps I’ll splash out on one now and wait until after baby if here before buying anything else

I’ve just bought 2 Bravado nursing body silk bras online, after reading good reviews for people with larger breasts. They are £34 each but I’m 42G so I need something good. They come in Small to XXL depending on your size. I’m keeping fingers crossed they are ok!

@thebakeoffwasntasgoodthisyear let me know how you get on with them. Happy to spend the money if they are good. Paid quite a lot for a JoJo Mamman one that was completely useless!

I'd bear in mind that your band size will shrink pretty soon after birth. I'd get something too small in the band and get one of those band extenders. Then you have a good chance that the bra will fit at some point post birth - if the cups are too small initially then you may be able to wear it when your baby is a few weeks old and your boobs start to shrink again.

My best nursing bra in the early days was a panache Sophie, I have a small frame and large cup size, too big for some of the other brands mentioned.

I'm a similar size. I'd get a bra that fits you properly now (doesn't need to be nursing and wired is fine as long as the wire doesn't press on breast tissue) and then get the soft ones for after. Once your supply settles after six or eight weeks get proper bras. Bravissimo will have something in your size with nursing clips.

I was going to say that wired is fine as long as it fits comfortably. I'm on my second baby and haven't had any issues with blocked ducts or anything.

I wouldn't buy any fancy nursing bras until your supply has settled and you can remeasure yourself because your size is likely to change considerably between now and then. For initial nursing I used Emma Jane bras, they're quite cheap and stretchy and cover a range of sizes. Molke is another good potential and so is any sleep bra/crop top etc that is stretchy and will fit a range of sizes. I went down a back size soon after pregnancy but up a further cup size with nursing.

I would concentrate on buying well fitting bras for now as you can only know the size you are right now. Underwired now is absolutely fine if you're happy with that, but I found them uncomfortable after about 30 weeks. I sympathize, I found bra shopping hell in my first pregnancy, I was clueless and had some bad fittings in department stores. I finally discovered bravissimo and they were so helpful and found me some bras which fit better. I will be honest though that in general in late pregnancy even the best fitting bras didn't feel as comfortable as I normally felt in bras pre-pregnancy, the bands often roll up/crinkle at the front because of your bump and this often can't be rectified. I was bra free whenever I was at home.