Supportive (nursing) bra in 34F?

[daniele_ut]

So, last time I was pregnant I wore my 34D bras throughout and then needed a 34F by the time my milk came in. I am now 23 weeks and wearing my 1 34F nursing bra that I have left over from DS. I am very afraid of what this means for my size while nursing this baby!

Regardless, I need something more supportive than this soft cup bra that I'm wearing right now. Any guidance on this? They can be nursing bras or not.

[birdie75]

Lane Bryant is running a bra sale right now. I am normally a 40D or DD and find that thier bras are nice and supportive. I think thier sizes start around a 36B but check online to make sure. Also I would reccomend a minimizer bra that is what i normally wear and although they are not pretty they are very supportive. Another place to try is Kohl's although a 34F is a tough size.

[secchick]

I was a 34F too. I ended up having to go to the specialty nursing bra store to get measured and they only had a couple of options in stock. The one I got was Fancee Free Seamless Softcup Nursing Bra 94366 (google it, they have it at nurturecenter, I know). You're not going to find a seamless Tshirt bras in that size, and I was a little pointier than I like, but there weren't a whole lot of options and it was excellent support and I didn't *look* like a 34F in it. There is also model 94305 and a couple other Fancee Frees that come in 34F, but I didn't try those. There was one other option, but it was a pricy French brand, and I didn't feel the need to pay $60 when I don't care for lace bras anyway, but I can give you the phone number of the store, if you like.


ETA: Oh, and don't bother with any other normal retail or chain maternity stores, because they won't have anything in that large a cup for that small a band size. I found that most plus and maternity stores only started at 38 in an F cup.

[daniele_ut]

>I was a 34F too. I ended up having to go to the specialty
>nursing bra store to get measured and they only had a couple
>of options in stock. The one I got was Fancee Free Seamless
>Softcup Nursing Bra 94366 (google it, they have it at
>nurturecenter, I know).


LOL, that is the exact bra that I am wearing! It's really comfortable, but I just want something with a little more lift. I also bought it at a specialty nursing shop. I'll have to hike over there this week and see if she's got anything new to recommend!

You're not going to find a seamless
>Tshirt bras in that size, and I was a little pointier than I
>like, but there weren't a whole lot of options and it was
>excellent support and I didn't *look* like a 34F in it.

I agree that it makes me look smaller, which is a bonus! I *was* hoping for something like a T-Shirt bra, though. That's what I usually wear.

Thanks for the advice and validation!

>
>ETA: Oh, and don't bother with any other normal retail or
>chain maternity stores, because they won't have anything in
>that large a cup for that small a band size. I found that most
>plus and maternity stores only started at 38 in an F cup.

Yup, the manufacturers don't seem to think that women with small band sizes might need larger cups!

[maylips]

I am a 34F too and my boobs are apparently heavier than any bra makers' models ever were because I'm with you -- finding something with lift has proved to be VERY hard!

I did splurge finally and got an Anita 5041 underwire bra -- tried one on at Nordstrom, couldn't pull the trigger on the $54 price tag, then obssessed about it for a week before finally getting the same model online at herroom.com (because Nordstrom is more than an hour away). It's my favorite bra as far as lift.

It's not a t-shirt bra -- that's what I would prefer too -- but it does come in nude. It doesn't have any fiberfill, though, so it does show some nipple through on tighter t-shirts, but I'm telling you, the lift makes up for it. I finally feel like a woman instead of a mom when I'm wearing that bra.

It's very frustrating to be in the small-band-large-cup category.

[Piglet]

I posted this tip from my friend that just had her 5th baby and is a very hard to fit bra size - she got fitted for a really good bra and had it altered by a seamstress to have nursing clasps. She showed it to me and it was really nicely done. The bra was a t-shirt style bra with a slightly thinner molded cup and the seamstress cut the straps at the base and sewed in clasps.

[daniele_ut]

Thank you! I will check to see if Nordstrom or the nursing shop have that bra in stock so I can try it on. At this point I am willing to spend $50 on a bra to find something that works really well!

[nfowife]

I love the anita 5035. Similar to the 5041, but it's got a smoother cup so the lace pattern doesn't show through. I have one in white and one in black and the lift is awesome! I'm a 34F too and I don't look it with this bra on!

[daniele_ut]

Marina - thanks for that idea! I will see if my seamstress friend can help me with this if I don't find a premade bra that will work!

[daniele_ut]

Margaret - I'm adding that one to the list of bras to try!

Is there a good place to order from that has free shipping and a good return policy?

[nfowife]

I ordered from both figleaves and birthandbaby.com and was happy with both. figleaves has free shipping and returns, which is nice because I ordered a few sizes and returned what didn't work.