I needed a new bra the day I found out I was pregnant. My bra had been feeling tight but assumed it was as I was due on. Once I found out I wasn't going to bed having a period any time soon I knew I needed a bigger size.
I was advised to not to wear and underwire bra. I was already quite large bobbed anyway but I had gone up a cup size within 6 weeks of my pregnancy.
I went up several cup sizes through pregnancy. Although I had to be measured and buy bigger sizes throughout pregnancy it was nursing bras that gave me the difficulty.
I was told on the Monday I was going to be induced on the Tuesday so rushed to mother care. The lady who measured me didn't seem to know what she was doing as she measured what size I currently was , when I queried this she got me to purchase the same size but bigger cup size and I bought a couple of bras in the size she advised.
I gave birth in the early hours of Wednesday morning and my milk came in on the Friday and by then my bras did not fit.
When the midwife came round she recommended that I was fitted by the breast feeding adviser at the hospital.
She was brilliant. She said that I should have the measurement of my bra size that I was prior to getting pregnancy then looked at the cup size.
I ended up been fitted as a 36J which meant supplier of bras was extremely limited. I found that the only high street shop that stock bras of this size is Bramissimo.
I was able to order some over the phone from Royce.
When you are full of milk your breasts are so heavy that you really need a supportive bra. I didn't find any with a particularly attractive design but then my breasts felt like milk machines and not anything sexual.
As I have lost weight and reduced the amount of milk I am producing I have been back to Bramissimo. They don't actually measure you there but look at how the size you are in is fitting and look at what size you need. I had reduced to a 34H but still found that there wasn't any wider choice at this size.
I was shocked that somewhere as parent based as Mothercare were so inadequate at measuring for post pregnancy.
A well fitting bra is essential throughout pregnancy and nursing.