best dept store for bra measuring?

[shelley72]

am currently 28wks pg and am bursting out of my bras (usually 34c) they are leaving red marks around the band but cup seems to still be ok. got measured today in debenhams at 38B. apart from the fact that im the only person in history to lose boobage whilst pg , the bras i subsequently tried on didnt seem to fit that well either.

i am going to move into nursing bras nearer the birth but need something cheap and uplifting to get me through next 8 weeks or so. so where else should i try? or is it just a matter of trying on a few different 38b bras until i find one that fits better?

As on other threads, I recommend TJ the Bra Lady who helped me with norkage issues www.bras4mums.co.uk

If you want a bit of guidance in person, and you have one near you, Bravissimo are always very good.

Its really easy to measure yourself - measure firmly below your norks (this measurement is your actual band size), then (bra less), bend over to 90' (or as far as your bump allows!) and measure round them. Then report on one of the bra threads on MN. Made a huge difference to me!

I second DIY bra measuring as described by CMOT. Below-norks is your band size, then your cup size is one cup (A, B, C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH, J, JJ, K) for each inch that your full-nork measurement has over your below-nork. So 30 below and 34 full = 30D. Remember to count the double letters. If you are between band sizes, size down, but remember to then go up another cup.

You may need to try a few cup sizes, the tape measure has me 30F but 30FF is nearer the mark in most brands.

Come over to the bra side

Yup. DIY measuring.

Impossible for you to now be a 38b if you used to be 34c- they measured you wrong!!

Blog guide to measuring here

(longer version of the approach CMOT described)

Unfortunately very few dept stores are getting it right.

thanks all. will check out those links later on when i can concentrate and have a go at measuring over the weekend.

i was a bit at the lady as she said she wasnt even aware that pg ladies had to be remeasured near term. didnt really fill me with confidence!!!

Why is it impossible to go up a couple of band sizes? I did. It's not fat it's your rib cage expanding due to everything being pushed up.

It's quite unlikely by 28 weeks to have done 2 band sizes but not much of an increase in cup. I only gained one back size by the time I was full term, but gained a couple of cup sizes pretty much as soon as the wee dried!

Hmmm maybe 2 band sizes by 28 weeks is a bit uncommon. It all depends on your body shape though doesn't it? I have a ridiculously short body so the rib cage impact was higher! And also only went up a cup size very close to birth.

I meant it was impossible to become a 38b from a 34c.

Yes, the band size will increase - but the cup size most definitely will/did.

OP - measure yourself at home before going back to purchase bras - as a lot of places still use the 'old' way of measuring, adding the 5" on to the underband to get cupsize..

I suspect the asst was doing the old 'add 4 inches' thingy.

Almost certainly missbopeep. And IME the "add 4" can easily become add 6 as the base measurement is rarely taken firmly enough so they get an odd number, then add 5 to that....

Yes but the cup on a 38b is roughly the same size as the cup of a 34d, so the OP's cup size has increased.

I went up 2 band sizes in pg iirc.

John Lewis is good for fitting, OP.

Gonna give this a try too

House of Fraser measured me well for nursing bras, but my size has changed numerous times over the past couple of years of pregnancy/breastfeeding - both ribcage and boobs have fluctuated - so it's a good idea to get used to measuring yourself, imo.