Help! Boobs MIA after 2 kids - bra recos?

[mamaandmore]

Hi, I read another thread about losing fullness in the chest department, and wondered whether anyone had any good recommendations re bra styles and brands for boobs that have lost their fullness.

I was a substantial 30F pre-children, then dropped a cup size after DD, and now after DS I am down to 30DD, and the dreaded lack of fullness has hit. I feel totally yuck, have zero cleavage, and a bit down about it (yes, I know it's to be expected post BF-ing), however I'd like to get some bras that make me feel a bit more of a yummy mummy than a saggy mammy.

Back when fabric didn't have the stretch it does now? Blimey Sorrel I'm not that old. I have lots of vintage lingerie and the stretchiness came in the 60's, before that bras were non-stretch with a small piece of elastic. Certainly bra fabric has not changed in recent years, and many places still say to add on inches. Tis all very confusing.

Ha ha. I think what I meant is that companies haven't updated their sizing guides since those long ago days (pre 60s maybe). So, certainly since then places like M&S have been fitting people incorrectly. Shocking really when you think about it. Obviously, there would have been the odd good fitter even in department stores like M&S but I think they're few and far between. I seem to recall than M&S head office agreed that they shouldn't be adding on any inches but that doesn't seemed to have filtered down to their fitters! I am on the verge of emailing the new M&S Style Director Belinda Earl to whinge about it!

I went to Leia at the weekend where they fit you properly (you can't use linear measurement to measure volume) and got a fab fab bra which has finally given me my shape back since I stopped bfing 2 months ago. I really recommend them, so helpful and a next best thing to Rigby & Peller now I don't live in London (also substantially cheaper )

On a separate note, will my boobs ever come back? They did after I stopped feeding dd 6 years ago, but I can't remember how long it took.

Leia are very good (as of course are my beloved R&P). Yep, it's very hard to fit purely by measuring. That's why I always suggest a few sizes to people as a starting point. You can get the bad size fairly accurately by measuring (although it will still differ by brand) but the cup is much more trial and error.

Glad to hear you had a great bra shopping experience.

Thanks ladies! I dared myself to go into Victoria's Secret, having been humiliated out of there when I was a teenager... this time, I bought two bras, that actually give me more of a look of where I was when I was last told "we don't do sizes for you" (when I was actually measured the same size I am now again... funny how things go around) : )

I am going to try the method from here as soon as I find my measuring tape .

I agree with the M&S fitting being rubbish - they had me as a 34 back size, no way. I'm 5ft 1 and a size 8 petite. I'm not sure what I actually measure (yet), but I feel ok in either a 32B or a 30C/D.

I do have a bit of the "teardrop" (as my granny calls it) shape - fuller at the bottom, nothing on top which annoys me as I look silly in anything low cut. However I was lucky in that I only went up about 1 cup size and maybe 2 at a push when pregnant or breastfeeding 2 DC so they have not suffered too much shrinkage, just a little droopy.

I have an OK bra from Debenhams - the plunge style does gape a bit at the top but it is the best plunge type I have found, lasts well, washes well and there are removable pad bits so you don't have to go full-on cleavage if you don't want it can be used as a sort of t-shirt bra too.

Here - www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_152010107680_-1?breadcrumb=Home~Lingerie~Bras

Also, not a huge fan of Ann Summers but I found a well-fitting lacy non-padded bra in there, the boning bits in the middle seem to give things a lift -

www.annsummers.com/p/pure-lace-black-underwired-bra/01bruwas1058006

Going to try that John Lewis Chantelle one I think, but yes pricey. I was thinking I should perhaps buy cheaper bras (like primark, supermarkets, matalan) but buy more of them - this is what most people I know do, however they all seem to start in a 32 inch back , some even start in a 34 inch back .

Also, am I the only one who still wore maternity bras up to 2 years after breastfeeding was finished? and who also still wears them to bed sometimes?