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Do any maternity bras offer good support?

20 replies

Minniemee · 03/02/2020 20:21

I'm usually a 32E but started to have problems with popping out of my normal bra so went and was fitted for a maternity bra from M&S.

I'm 14 weeks now and I know I shouldn't complain as I'm growing a tiny human, but I'm really struggling with feeling like I just resemble a large potato and how I look is getting me down.. it's not the bump but more that anything I wear just highlights my now droopy boobs because the maternity bras just contain no support for my large breasts.. They just look like puppies ears drooping onto my bump! I feel so ugly and unattractive no matter what I wear because of them and know they're only getting bigger!

Can anyone please recommend any decent bras to make me look at least a little more pert and where to find them?

Thank you!

OP posts:

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CupCupGoose · 03/02/2020 20:24

I'd love to know this too. The ones I've got make my boobs look droopy and horrific. I can't deal with another year of breastfeeding bras afterwards too.

SRK16 · 03/02/2020 20:30

H cup here. They are all pretty crap, the best I’ve found is the Hot Milk temptation bra. It has flexi wire so seems to offer more support.

Side note, I wore my underwire throughout pregnancy and it was fine (just had to go up a couple of band sizes), I only stopped once I began breast feeding.

Minniemee · 03/02/2020 21:10

@CupCupGoose that's totally how I feel and it's amazing how much droopy boobs just change your whole shape!

@SRK16 the lady in M&S seemed to rule out underwired straight away and as this is my first pregnancy I just assumed this was a given and went along with it- I'd love to be able to wear an underwire again if it didn't damage milk ducks or anything as they just seem to heavy nothings going to lift these boulders without an underwire

OP posts:

sel2223 · 04/02/2020 04:55

E-cup here. I tried a few with underwire and they were so uncomfortable!
I've ended up with some from next which are maternity bras but look/feel more like sports bras. They're not 100% perfect but I definitely feel supported rather than droopy.

SingCat · 04/02/2020 05:29

I had no issues wearing underwired maternity and nursing bras - when pregnant I just bought normal bras a couple of sizes up. Bravissimo offer a couple of different underwired nursing bras - I found the freya ones the most comfortable.

Taddda · 04/02/2020 05:37

I'm a bit smaller than the sizes mentioned, but my boobs jumped up 4 sizes when pregnant and 6 sizes after (now sadly diminished...)....
It was painful though and I must've tried 8 different maternity bras, the only thing I found comfort in was a really well padded sports bra- Nike, fabletics and M&S were great ones.

Peanut1989 · 04/02/2020 05:42

I found this with nursing bras. I was a 36FF before I got pregnant so need the underwire or I may as well tuck them in my waist band. I actually made my own by buying Asda's £4 t-shirt bras and some spare single hook and loops, cutting the strap where it joins the cup and sewing the hooks in. It hasn't affected my milk ducts or flow at all so I wouldn't worry about that.

IvinghoeBeacon · 04/02/2020 05:48

I currently wear the Freya flexiwire nursing bras as I’m breastfeeding my first while pregnant with my second, but in my first pregnancy I just wore normal underwires and went up a few sizes - so much more comfortable - and also sports bras. The flexiwire isn’t quite as supportive but so much better than nothing. It was all I could do not to laugh in the face of the “I just wore a crop top while establishing breastfeeding” women - lucky them - it would have been so uncomfortable and I can’t bear my cleavage touching.

Charlolo · 04/02/2020 05:58

I would like to follow this thread too. I'm about to purchase new bras because boobs are much bigger already (at 5 weeks) and are sore.
During my last pregnancy my boobs just went up and up in size. So I got various sizes along the way. I think I resorted to primark in the end because it was getting really expensive.
I kept to underwire throughout as well. At 36F nothing else would do. During early breastfeeding I used m&s nursing bras but soon went back to underwired. Now I wear my nursing bras as bed bras!

ColaFreezePop · 04/02/2020 06:07

I ended up wearing cheap under wired bras from Asda while pregnant, followed by maternity bras from John Lewis for about the first 2 weeks bf and then non-wired sports bras from M&S for the rest of the time. You get them in two packs. I would never wear them for sport as they don't offer enough support.

Sunshineandgin · 04/02/2020 06:07

I tried non wired maternity bras for a while as I’d always been told you shouldn’t wear underwire when pregnant but like you I just felt crap with the way I had no shape and also developed a really gross and unattractive fungal infection in my cleavage!

After that I switched back to wearing underwire, I’ve sized up a couple of times to stay comfortable as my boobs have grown but I really feel so much more comfortable now both in the way I look and how I feel.

I tried on loads in Debenhams until I found a size and shape that felt good. I’m going to look at getting the Freya flexiwire for breastfeeding too though I guess I’ll need to wait until my milk comes in to know what size I’ll need.

Vanannabananna · 04/02/2020 06:21

The Anita flexiwire maternity bra. It was brilliant. I went up to a 42 g at one point and it was still comfy. None wire actually made me cry in pain as there was no support and I was in agony.

Shmithecat2 · 04/02/2020 06:25

I was a 32J when I was pregnant, and wore underwired bras throughout my pregnancy. Didn't do any damage, breastfed ds for nearly 4 years.

Shmithecat2 · 04/02/2020 06:30

When feeding, the Anita Wired Nursing bra was decent.

user1493413286 · 04/02/2020 06:33

I have big boobs so shop at bravissimo and they said as long as the bra fits properly I could stay in my normal flattering under wired ones.

Happycow · 04/02/2020 06:36

Definitely underwired nursing bra - my 36FFs look a roght staye in non-wored bras! Ive got mine from bravissimo and a surprisingly good one (supporting, thin fabric, easy to clip) from amazon

DonnatellaLyman · 04/02/2020 06:37

Go to bravissimo, they are excellent at fitting a bra leaving some growing room, you don’t need a specific ‘maternity bra’ at 14 weeks. Don’t buy loads though cos you may need to size up again, just have to wash more regularly. A badly fitting non wired isn’t ideal either.
Get fitted for nursing bras as 37ish weeks - again they are really good at telling you how to adjust bras for different stages of breastfeeding.

ittooshallpass · 04/02/2020 18:51

I tried a non-wired bra when I was pregnant, as I thought that's what I was supposed to do. They offered zero support, so I switched back to wired. All ok and no problems with boobs.

Sara95hen · 13/02/2020 11:14

I used the Nursing Bra Shop...which allowed me to search by size first (I am usually a 36H) then type of nursing bra (supportive, wirefree, black, blue white etc). In a 32E they now have 47 nursing bras. Delivery of the bras came a little late (2 days instead of 1) but returning the 1 that did not fit was easy. www.nursingbra-shop.co.uk/

How about Figleaves as well? I am not keen on Molke at all

debbierichardson33 · 17/02/2020 08:43

Got two large cup nursing bras from the Nursing Bra Shop (36J) both came really quickly. One (A panache nursing bra) has to go back, and got a refund within around 3 days. The other - a royce blossom nursing bra was really, really comfy.

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