Help! Ever-increasing bra size

[Anonymous]

Sorry to be so personal but looking for advice. I have always had, ahem, ample breasts and started pregnancy at a 34D. By 7 weeks, I already had to go out and buy new bras--size 36DD. I am now 26 weeks and bursting out of my 36DD so I need to buy more but I am wondering if this will be it or if I should buy something with a little extra room to grow into. Also, what's the deal with nursing bras? Do you buy those while still pregnant and in what size? Should I assume I will be the same size I am now? At the end of my pregnancy? Even bigger? And will my nursing size stay consistent until I wean completely? I have always been happy with the size of my breasts but now they're just OBSCENE!

[Anonymous]

I can completely sympathize, I am at 12 weeks and by 7 weeks I had completely filled my 36E cups. I went to my faithful bra store and asked for advice (they have given me great advice in the past so I trusted them this time). They said to buy two bras, one in 1 band size bigger and one in 2 band sizes bigger but the same cup size, so a 38E and a 40E, in a brand that had stretchy lace for the top portion of the full cup bra. (in case you are wondering cup sizes are relative to the band size so the "E" gets bigger the larger the band size) So far I am still in the 38E with a little room to spare and I am still wearing the 40E on the tightest notch and have room in the cup, but because of the stretch they don't look baggy on me.

They also said to come back around 8 months to be fitted for 2 nursing bras (this would be an estimation of size but the ones they carry have a good bit of stretch), and once the milk comes in you go back for a couple more. I'm really hoping these two pieces of advice work throughout my pregnancy, we will see but so far so good.

I am so glad to hear I am not alone, I thought I was crazy when I was going to buy bras at 8 weeks pregnant, I really thought that wouldn't happen until the 3rd tri.

[Anonymous]

Definitely not alone. I'm not nearly as well-endowed as the two of you (pre-pregnancy a very small 34B). But, by 8wks pregnant my bras were tight. I think I broke down around 10 or 12wks and got a couple of 36Cs.

I'm almost 36wks pregnant now and they are now quite snug. Heading out this weekend to buy some nursing bras, but will just deal with these for the next few weeks until I give birth.

[Anonymous]

care to share the name of the store?

[Anonymous]

I was a 32F prior to pregnancy and very quickly went up to a 34G and stayed there for most of my pregnancy. I got fitted for nursing bras when I was 36 weeks at "A Woman's Place on Main Street" in Laurel, MD by Amber, who is also a lactation consultant. I ended up buying 34Gs. After birth and my initial period of breast engorgement (about 10 days) they fit comfortably. By 4 months post partum I had lost all but 10lbs of my pregnancy weight and was back to needing a 32 band between a F and a G cup depending upon the fullness of my breasts. Now that I have weaned I'm wearing a 32G. So for me, there was only a slight increase in fullness and back size, but your experience may vary.

My favorite nursing bras were the Goddess 2050 and the Freya 2034. Non-underwire, the best support I could find, large cup sizes available, and the Freya one is even sexy.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Not the PP, but I went first to Target and then to Trousseau in Vienna for new bras in the first trimester. The Trousseau bras were pricey but very comfy - for a little while. Now I am in my third trimester and they don't fit that well anymore. I'm now wearing a Target bra most of the time. Will have to go bra shopping again soon, this time probably at Target as I think whatever I buy will only be for the short term and I'd like to minimize spending. My plan is to wait a few weeks till I am closer to my due date and buy a couple of cheap nursing bras, then buy nicer ones after my milk comes in. I've read that pre-birth nursing bras may or may not fit after your milk comes in - sometimes your breasts get really big then. HTH

[Anonymous]

PP -- the store I went to is in Richmond. I used to live in Williamsburg and that was where I went then, I haven't been as happy with the stores I have been to up here so I went back for a shopping trip. It is called Blythe, it is near Short Pump Mall. I always work with the owner when I go (I started going there when she was the only employee). They have a large selection of bras and a lot of nursing bras (even some pretty ones). Like Trouseau they are rather expensive but I have always found it worth it to not have to deal with an ill-fitted bra, not to mention they have held up much better then the cheap ones I have owned over the years. It has always been nice to go there because they always have many pretty choices in my size.

Thanks for the recommendation for the store in Laurel, I will have to try it. It would be nice to not have to travel to Richmond at 8 months pregnant