Wednesday, 03 June 2009

• (Almost) everything about maternity bras

   

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

        Many women want to survive pregnancy in some old bra, and wait for breastfeeding to invest in a good supporting bra. This is a huge mistake, since most changes in the breasts happen in pregnancy, not breast-feeding.

       In these 9 months the breasts grow a couple of cup sizes, change their shape, weight and consistency. Pregnancy is when the breasts really need a good bra that gives a lot of support.

       A well-fitted bra will not only protect the skin from stretching, but will also minimise back-pain, stretch-marks, cutting of bra straps into the skin, and discomfort of a yo-yo-ing bust when you move.

  
  

  GIVE THE BEST SUPPORT TO YOUR BREASTS DURING PREGNANCY
  

  
  

  * MEASURE YOURSELF TO GET YOUR CORRECT SIZE

       Do it *according to these instructions* .Since 80% women wear the wrong size, most probably you are too.

  
  

  * RE-MEASURE EACH MONTH

      There is no telling how much and how fast your breasts will grow, but it is important that you stay on top of your size changes and wear the right size all the time.

  
  

  * DO NOT BUY IN ADVANCE

       Go with the changes as they happen. And remember that too big cups are just as harmful as too small ones !

  
  

  * DON'T LOOK FOR “PREGNANCY” BRAS

       A well-fitted everyday bra or sports bra can give you all the comfort and support that you need. When looking for something especially made for pregnancy, you will be disappointed with the size range available. Also, many “pregnancy bras” are made of too-stretchy material, that does not give any support.

  
  

  * ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL PROBABLY NEED SEVERAL BRAS:

      Though some women go through no size changes, most see an increase of several cup sizes. Accept the fact that to give them good support you will have to invest in bigger sizes every time they grow.

  
  

  * USE BRA BAND EXTENSIONS

     The increase of the underbust measurement is best dealt with a bra extensions. You will go back to your pre-pregnancy underbust measurement from within days to a month after giving birth.

  
  

  * IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO SAVE MONEY ...

  ... invest in good bras for pregnancy, and later convert them into nursing bras with a needle and thread. I will write a post on how to do that.

  Also, many women never go back to their pre-pregnancy size, so your bigger bras may get much more wear than you expect !

  
  

  * THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PREGNANCY AND NURSING BRAS IS...
  

  ... just the fastening. Other than that, you need the same qualities in a nursing bra as you need for a pregnancy bra. That means that you can modify many everyday bras into nursing bras.
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  

    This post is a part of a series on pregnancy and nursing bras. Other posts in this series are:

  * BREAK OUT OF THE MATERNITY BRA MATRIX
  Why are they so ugly and uncomfortable, and how to find your right size.
  

  
  * DEBUNKING PREGNANCY BRA MYTHS:
  On underwires, wide straps, and “bras that grow with you”.
  
  * WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A PREGNANCY BRA:
  You don't need a bra especially labeled “for pregnancy”, look for an everyday or sports bra with these characteristics.
  
  * RECOMMENDED BRANDS & MODELS OF NURSING BRAS
  A round-up of the best and the over-rated.
  
  * WHERE TO BUY BRAS FOR PREGNANCY & NURSING:
  Now that you know what you need, a guide to where to get it.
  
  

  * DIY: TRANSFORM A REGULAR BRA INTO A NURSING BRA:
  Only very basic sewing skills required !

  
  

  
  

  Photo by Princess Blu
  
  

  
  

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  You might also want to read:
  

  * how to measure your bra size correctly
  * Buying bras for the broke: "unusual" sizes on Ebay
  * Bra Myths busted
  * Even Rihanna gets it wrong
  * Bra Matrix Central *
  

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