Thursday, 04 June 2009

• Maternity bra myths

  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  Myth: Pregnancy and nursing bras cannot have underwires because they are uncomfortable / block the milk ducts

     This holds valid only for wrongly-fitted bras (that 80% women wear) where the underwire is too small and cuts off a part of the breast.
  

     In a well-fitted bra the underwire completely encircles the breast, and reaches into the underarm area. So, it does not press ON the breast, it goes around it. It is perfectly safe and comfortable.

     A bra with underwires gives without a doubt much better support and a much better shape. Of course, be sure that you have the right size !

  
  

      In a way it is safer that most breastfeeding bras do not have underwires, since there is nothing worse than a badly-fitted bra with too-small underwires. Taking into account the miserably poor choice in sizes, a standard nursing bra with underwires would be the cause of many blockages and infections, caused by the too-narrow underwires pressing on milk ducts. Instead of producing the full range of sitzes, companies prefer to simply resign from producing underwires and produce equally badly-fitting rages but lacking “dangerous” underwires” --- Stanikomania blog

  
  

  
  

  Myth: Stretchy maternity bras that “grow with your breasts”

       It's just a marketing trick to make women believe that they save money and can get away with wearing just one bra during pregnancy.

       Such a stretchy fabric cannot give the support that your breasts desperately need. The fabric a maternity bra is made of should be soft, but not stretchy.

      Face it, you will have to buy several bras as your breasts grow. Don't worry, many of those you have grown out of will probably come useful later on, after breast-feeding. You can also easily transform your pregnancy bras into nursing bras.

  
  

  
  

  Myth: Pregnancy and nursing bras must have a loose band

     The band should give 90% support to breasts. This is possible only when the band is snug.
  

     A loose band does not give any support, and rides up at the back, causing the breasts to be hauled up by the bra straps. Also, when buying too loose bands, women make the mistake of buying too small cups to compensate for it.

     A loose band will climb up on the breast tissue from the bottom, press on it and cause blockages ! A snug bra will stay in it's place: below the breasts.

     If the bra is well-fitted, the will feel completely comfortable, even when quite snug. Remember that most feelings of the bra band being too tight are actually caused by the underwires of wrong cup sizes.

     Do not add anything to your underbust measurement, rather substract 5 cm and go down to the nearest band size ! *Detailed instructions here*
  

  
  

       To a statement from a male doctor that nursing bras musta have a loose band, a girl from the Bra Lobby replied “try wearing a bra with a loose band, and put two water balloons in the cups, and run ! And you'll see why you need a snug bra band”.

  
  

  
  

  Myth: You need wide bra straps for good support

      Straps offer only 10% of the support, the other 90% you get from the bra band. So, it is immaterial whether the straps are thick or narrow. The breasts should not be hauled up by the straps, they should be kept in place by the band and by well-fitted cups.

     If your bra straps are cutting into your shoulders, you are wearing the wrong size bra.

  
  

  
  
  

    This is a part of a series of posts on maternity and nursing bras. Other topics to be covered in this series are:

  
  

  * GIVING THE BEST SUPPORT TO YOUR BREASTS:
  Whether to invest in bras for pregnancy or for nursing, on measurements and other maternity bra FAQ.
  
  * 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.
  
  * NURSING BRAS:
  What to buy, when to buy, and how to transform your pregnancy bra into a nursing bra.
  
  * 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 Ola Czechowska
  

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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
  * The tricks we use to pretend that a bra fits
  * Even Rihanna gets it wrong
  * Bra Matrix Central *
  

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