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Bra Questions

Hi Girls,

I'm 16+2 today and still wearing my normal, underwired, bras (although, they are now starting to get a bit snug). I was having a nose round the shops yesterday and was looking at the maternity bras, which has lead me to my questions...

1. Is it actually ok to still wear underwired bras?

2. If it's not ok to wear underwired bras, can you just wear a normal non-underwired bra instead of a maternity bra? I don't really know what the difference is.

3. I'm planning on breastfeeding, so can i just buy nursing bras and use these as materning bras?

Thanks for your help!

Flowerfairy
16+2

Replies

  • Hi
    I think the advice is that you shouldn't wear underwired bras however I did all the way through my first pregnancy and most of this one although I have now switched to maternity bras as they are much much comfier!! The problem I had was that I was a 32G to start with so finding a non-wired one that gave me support was difficult. I went on to the NCT website and arranged for a bra fitter to come to my house and I'm now the proud owner of some very comfortable nursing bras. They also do some very good ones in Marks and Spencers 2 pack for ??25 and they do large sizes too. I am now 34H!

    xx
  • I'm 38c normally and I have been buying non under wired bra's from Asda - a 2 pack is only ??3!
  • hi, u can wear underwired all the way through (i did with ds and bf him until 7months) as long as tehy are well fitted and u get remeasured on a regular basis to avoid any pinching/squashing/rubbing of the breast tissue as this can cause damage to ur milk glands.
    i don't knwo the difference between non wired and maternity although u may find maternity go up to bigger sizes (i'm a 40g, so finding a non matenrity non wired bra is almost impossible) and are more supportive than nhon maternity non wired, plus i think they have more 'give' to them so grow with u longer, much like maternity clothes, designed to give out in the places it needs to.
    u can wear nursing bras as maternity bras, thats what i'm doingt his time, my nursing bras from ds fit me now so i ahven,'t bothered buying any maternity bras and am just wearing my nursing ones.

    hth xx

    24+0
  • Thanks for your replies!

    I'm not that well endowed in the boobage area, so support isn't a major issue. The only thing is (and i know this is going to sound very self-obsessed) is that i prefer to wear slightly padded bras, and if i go for non-underwired bras, i'm worried i'm going to look seriously flat chested!

    So what i think i might do, is when i start to bust out of my normal bras (excuse the pun image ), i'll buy some cheaper non-underwired bras and some nursing bras.

    Thanks again!

    flowerfairy
    16+3
  • I just got some cheaper non-underwired bras to see me through as I'm not well endowed! Have only just bought nursing bras to wear when baby arrives.
    Helen 38+5
  • Mothercare do some padded non-underwired bra's if you're after padded! I bought a couple of them but did find that they squash my nipples as they're so much more prominent now, so I try to avoid wearing them!

    If you buy nursing bra's, bear in mind that a lot of them will underwired, and you will also grow quite a bit when your milk comes in so you will probably need new ones after the baby arrives.

    Kat xx
    37+4
  • I've got quite big uncomfortable boobs so did a fair bit of research into this and can proudly pass on the combined wisdom of boob experts in Selfridges and Rigby & Peller (who agreed on all the points below).

    1. Is it actually ok to still wear underwired bras?

    Yes - as long as they are well-fitted and the underwire isn't digging into your boobs. Best not to wear them all the time though, and you should get measured every couple of months if you're using underwiring.

    2. If it's not ok to wear underwired bras, can you just wear a normal non-underwired bra instead of a maternity bra? I don't really know what the difference is.

    There's no difference, normal non-underwired are fine.

    3. I'm planning on breastfeeding, so can i just buy nursing bras and use these as materning bras?

    You are likely to go up a cup size (lactating) and down a back size (ribs spread to accommodate the baby and will contract again) very soon after giving birth so if you buy your nursing bras now, chances are they won't fit properly when you need them. Best to wait.

    Hope that helps!
  • I recently went to Mothercare maternity bra shopping, the assistant collared me and suggested I get measured. When I told her what cup size I normally wear she was like "oh no you don't need an E cup, DD will be more than big enough".....errr no. So when I tried some on DD were squishing my boobs and clearly too small, and then she was "oh yes you definitely need an E cup".....err I did try to tell you.

    So then she went on to say I need to go up to a larger back size, now Im home and have parted with the cash, its too big and doesnt give me any support at all!! Grrr, I should just have got what I thought was right in the first place!! I only wear it around the house, chilling out. If I start moving around or wear it for work, I feel like I might not as well bother wearing it, I can feel it riding up my back, dont like it! My normal underwired M&S bras are much comfier and provide more support, I hardly know Im wearing them.

    Hope you have more success than me!

    H x
    http://lmtf.lilypie.com/g1sI.png

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