Maternity Bra Fitting

Your body will change dramatically during your pregnancy. Good breast health is essential during this period, and making sure you buy the right maternity bras at the right time is important.

Non Wired Bras

I generally recommend that ladies switch to non-wired bras during pregnancy. Underwired bras give fantastic support and nicely shape the breast. However, the underwires, that provide most of the shaping, become a problem, as they are very “unforgiving” and do not cope well as the size and shape of the breasts change.

Non-wired bras, still give great support, but do so it a more gentle way. As the support and shaping comes from the fabric and construction of the bra, they are better able to cope with changes in size and shape. Most importantly, they will stay comfortable for longer. For those completely unable to contemplate this – there are a few soft underwired maternity bras available at the moment.

Bra Sizing

It is really important to understand how bra sizing works, as you will be changing the size of the bras you wear. The most important feature is that when you go up a band size the physical size of the cup also increases. This means if you change from a 36C to a 38C the bra is a band size larger AND a cup size larger. If you want a band size larger, with the SAME physical cup size, you would need to change from a 36C to a 38B. Sounds strange but I can assure you it is correct.

Bra Fitting During Pregnancy

The size you will need to buy, will also be different. When I fit fashion bras, I always ensure that the band is tight (as it is designed to provide support for the breasts) and that a new bra fits tightly when on the LOOSEST set of eyelets. This means that as the bra ages, and the fabric “relaxes” the band can be tightened maintaining the right level of support.

For your bras during the early stages of pregnancy I recommend that your bras still fit tightly (as your breasts still need support), but that a new bra should fit tightly when on its TIGHTEST set of eyelets. This means that as your back size increases, you can move to looser sets of eyelets, preventing your bra becoming too tight, and making it last a bit longer. This will generally mean buying a bra with a band size larger than your measurements would normally suggest.

Changes in Size

During the course of their pregnancy the majority of women will increase a full back size AND cup size. Someone who starts as a 36D (the average UK size), will increase to a 38D at the six months, and 38E at full term. This is likely to increase to 38F (or even FF) shortly after birth, when breast feeding, when you will need a nursing bra.

It is impossible for a single bra to cope with this level of change, so you need to think carefully about when you change your bras, and what size you will buy.

About the Author

Gabby has worked in lingerie retail for many years, and has developed a specialism in bra fitting. She now owns and manages two businesses one specialising in bridal lingerie and bridal basques and the other in maternity bras and nursing bras.

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