Underwired bras - yes/no?

[AbsoluteBeginner]

Is it true that you should avoid wearing underwired bras during pregnancy (something to do with milk ducts??) - I'm quite large and my boobs look a bit tragic without proper support. Or is this something I only need to worry about much later on (when my posh bras might not fit me any more in any case...)

oh balls - wear them. When I was afced with an underwire or a bra called a Doreen I thought _ Bolleaux(french for bollocks) and went for the wire

i have the same prob absolute
ive jus gone for the support bras they may not look the best but they r the most comfortable at the moment
i got mine from mother care it was £20 for 2 1 white 1 black
only prob with maternity underwear is it isnt the prettiest sumbody shud design sum pretty ones with slightly thinner straps
oh well only 5 mnths 1 week 2 go

p.s. i wear my larger bras every now and then jus to feel better about myself also b/f says the maternity ones arent very attractive in a mans perspective
i felt so bad after that he went an brought me sum chocolate so yay me!!

i wear both. i'm a big busted lady, to say the least and sometimes i just need to hoist them back up to their proper place instead of sitting on my belly- so that's when i go for the underwire. if i feel i need a break from the underwire (cos sometimes the wire digs in a bit too much) then i get into the mothercare support bras. their fine esp. if you're slobbing it around the house or just popping out for a pint of milk! i don't think the underwire bras are affecting my milk-ducts too badly as i'm already leaking at 5 months!

AbsoluteBeginner - I remember this advice being given by a bra expert on a pregnancy/maternity programme on tv some time ago - I can't remember the reason exactly but it seemed to make sense at the time. Maybe it would be worth asking one of those trained bra fitters you find in stores like John Lewis? But beware - I went for a fitting in John Lewis once (when I was pregnant) and the woman reeled off a list of things that would happen to me (ie my boobs would end up sagging, never be the same again etc etc). Very demoralising!

Absolutebeginner, I love underwired bras, even though I have the problem opposite to yours (small bust) and they boost my cleaveage.

However I have read in many magazines and books that they can interfere with the production of milk.
Since I want to bf, at least I want to give it a try, I have given them up.
I still bought one in a bigger size to wear for special occasions, but I normally wear my sport bras from M&S as they look ok underneath tshirts.
M&S also does a pretty black not wired bra for mums to be and they are quite nice too.

I wear a not very gorgeous but VERY supportive M&S 'total support' job which I was recommended during last pregnancy, and I have to say it's blissfully comfortable and the black one, at least, isn't too appalling when the straps show (but the pink one has, of course, gone grey). Both times round they've been fab. Go up to an F cup, I think.

As I was a 30H before, and am now a 32J (12 weeks to go) I don't really have much choice but to wear an underwire. I do have some non-underwired nursing bras from Bravissimo which I wear at night, but they don't really fit properly and there's absolutely no way I can wear these for work.
I know what everyone says about not wearing a wire (my midwife is very dissaproving), but in the U.S they actually sell underwired maternity bras!!!

In the end it is your choice I suppose. I've decided that as soon as I finish work, I'll let myself go so to speak and give my boobs some freedom!!

I didn't hear this until I was 38 weeks and someone very kindly made a snide comment that I wasn't supposed to hear.

Underwire made no difference to my milk ducts - I still produced enough to feed the 3rd world for a year

I wore underwires all through my pregancy as i am big and I find them SOOOO much more comfortable, and they don't make me look as if I have a lumpy cushion on my chest. I did make sure they fitted properly. I have had no problems breastfeeding, and only wish I could find underwired nursing bras as well!

I heaved a huge sigh or relief the minute I started wearing non-underwired bras er looked backat 4 months pregnant.I hadn't realised they were the cause of (or at least not helping) my incredibly painful boobs. Never looked back. Downside is boobs are migrating slowly but steadily earthward;

Pregnancy bras are horrid, but I wouldn't risk underwiring. Next time round I'll be wearing my super comfy, nicely supporting M&S nursing bras during pregnancy. That's my Top Tip.

Agreed, if you can get them in your size... but they don't make 'em big enough!!!
Yours (feeling particularly huge today) BR
PS Think I may have to go up another cup size... God help me when my milk comes in!!

For those with small back & large cup sizes - it is well worth visiting an independent lingerie shop (Rigby & Peller in the West End and Underworld on Fulham High St are the two that have helped me) as they WILL be able to sort you out. Some of the support bras come up quite small in the back and also they will be able to alter a larger back size to fit you if necessary. The Goddess 110, an American bra, is especially good (gives a good line under clothing) and I went into a size 34I at 8 weeks after my 30JJ underwire became too tight in the cups. Rigby and Peller took a temporary dart under the arm which I let out after a couple of weeks.

The problem with underwires occurs when the bra doesn't fit correctly and the wires dig in (they should be flat against the rib cage).

Just catching up on this. I wore a Berlei Shock Absorber sports bra during my last pregnancy and I now have it for my aerobics classes (although I suppose it's probably overdue for replacement now, but it still looks good and supports well). They make them in fairly big sizes too.

Demented ... I wore sports bras too when I was pg with DS ... definitely missed my underwires but felt more comfy without them.

I am 6 weeks now and am really struggling with my wires again as they cut into my boobs that look alarmingly similar to Dolly Parton's boobs atm!
So will find my sports ones again .... ho hum ...

Susie,
So glad to hear there's someone else out there as big as me. Will defnitely call Rigby and Peller (bought a basque there for my sisters wedding and thought they were pretty good)
Just grown out of the 34K nursing bra I was wearing at night so need something bigger.. only 11 weeks to go, can't go up that much more!!!
I look at my little 30HHs now and wonder if I'll ever wear them again!

Hi buunyrabbit, I've found the Bravado nursing bras good for sleeping and lounging around at home in as they are very stretchy - the size I got is the M++, but I had to take them in at the shoulders to make the straps shorter. I also have a Royce bra in a 36J but I'm starting to spill out of the cup.

Only the Goddess gives me enough uplift to look good under clothes. I'm in a 38J now. It is still a little big in the cup.

I know what you mean about looking at the little 30s now! I used to think they were so big...

Susie,
I've not seen Bravado, where do you get them from? Are they the same 'smaller' cupas as the Royce?

BR

bunny, sorry, only just read your message. The Bravado bras are very stretchy Lycra nursing bras - more like a swimming costume than a traditional bra. You can get them from here:

www.mothersbliss.co.uk/shopping/maternitybras.asp

I am 36J/38J at the moment and find the M++ just fine, in fact it is a bit more supportive now I am larger than when I first got it. I did have to take the shoulders in though.

you can also get the Bravado bras from Jojo mamman bebe. I personally didn't like it as I hate pulling it over my head & shoulders - found it a pain to get on & off. but that's just personal preference.

Can't remember what I did before but don't want to end up with 6 different bras - only half way through this pg & just finding none of my bras fit. If I got say a sport bra now, is it likely to last the rest of the pg? Anyone';s guess I suppose, but educated guesses welcome.

Unlike some of you, of whom I am soooooo jealous, I have a huge rib cage, which seems to expand with each week of pg ( and doesn't seem to have gone down after birth) and smallish breasts, which have shrunk with each bout of breastfeeding. I'm sure after this bout my under bust measurement will be larger than my bust. Oh well.

Don't be jealous Monkey. Having a small back is awfull. Everything is too big round the back, or too small in front, and it just makes my boobs look even bigger. I'm almost 30 weeks and can now just see my tummy over my boobs!!!

It also means that sports bra are generally a no go. Wwith so much 'acreage' that needs supporting, they just don't give enough lift and separation. You end up with one big jiggly mound!!

Be happy with what you've got. I only kept mine and didn't have a breast reduction 'cos I wanted to breast feed. I'm now 36 and still considering the operation after babybunny is born... that's if I don't decide to have abother... and supposing I can breast feed.

My husband says that, considering the size of my boobs, if I can't breast feed, it's gonna be one p**ed off baby!!!

BR

Just thought I'd add my twopenneth worth. Have just been filming Sarah Tremellen, founder of Bravissimo, for a documentary I've been making. She told me that the advice about underwiring was rubbish. The only reason you'll get a problem with them is if they are too small. She started Bravissimo when she was pregnant and couldn't find a bra to fit her so she should know. Her whole office have big boobs and all wear underwired bras when they are pregnant..

One thing though. I hadn't thought of wearing them in bed at night. I'm 36D now. should I be wearing a bra at night too? I quite liked my boobs before pregnancy and am keen that they don't go really droopy....