sister help again - what do large chested mamas wear for early stage nursing

[lmh2402]

my sister has a much larger chest than I do. I survived with nursing tanks, but I don't know if that will work as well for her

she is 39+ weeks and needs to get at least a few things pronto

thoughts / suggestions?

thanks so much

[JBaxter]

I lived in nursing tanks I'm a D now DD when my milk came in

[Philly Mom]

I could not do nursing tanks. Either they constricted my chest too much or gave me know support. I bought wire free nursing bras from target and wore a regular layering tank over it every day. I tended to wear either the old navy maternity tanks or these tanks I bought at Costco. Both were very long and didn't ride up. When it got warm, I wore two tanks.


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[SnuggleBuggles]

I went with nursing tanks. Took me a horrible trial and error that caused plugged ducts bc they were too tight but I found some keepers.

[AnnieW625]

My friends who were large (DD+) busted swore by the Anita brand bras. I was a 34D while pregnant with DD1 and then expanded to a 38C/D while nursing and I had a Medela bra, a Bravado nursing bra, but I think my favorite was my Gilligan and O Malley nursing bra from Target. I couldn't do nursing tanks either because I just didn't find them comfortable. I wasn't nearly as large with DD2, a 38B/C while pregnant and nursing and I used the same bras as above, but also added in the Wacoal bralettes and I loved them. I think I wore those most of the time I was in the house.

Medela Nursing Bra (http://www.breakoutbras.com/product/Medela-Seamless-Underwire/Nursing-Bras)
Bravado Original Nursing Bra (http://www.breakoutbras.com/product/Bravado-Original-Nursing-Bra/Nursing-Bras)
Wacoal Bralette (although mine are slightly different in cut) (http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/wacoal-b-fitting-bralette/3428034?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=3882)
Gilligan & O Malley (http://www.target.com/p/women-s-nursing-full-coverage-bra-gilligan-o-malley/-/A-14289696#prodSlot=medium_1_7&term=nursing+bra) (very similar to this one)

[lmh2402]

thank you, guys. think my mom or I will head to target as a start at least tomorrow

[Philly Mom]

I also wore anita bras. Loved them. Tank on top.

Eta: I didn't start wearing anita until 6 months.


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[Zukini]

For at home use, while pregnant and afterwards till even now, I use the wrap nursing bras from Motherhood Maternity. They are incredibly soft and comfy and provide light support (no wire). I got a few of them at Macy's who often ran bogo 50% on Motherhood stuff, and also at the regular MM store. I cannot do any type of strappy tank top, even with a built in shelf bra. The straps would cut and probably not provide enough support. I do, however, layer my pregnany tank tops (those Target Liz Lange ones are awesome!) over the wrap bras and that's my everyday mama-at-home uniform with some pajama or yoga pants. Easy access for nursing day and night.

To go out of the house, I went out about 3-4 weeks post partum to my local Nordstrom and got refitted, tried on several options. I waited till my milk had come in essentially. I had gone from a 34DDD (34F) to a 36FF. What was nice is that in addition to their awesome selection of nursing bras for us well endowed mamas, they can also have their in house seamstresses, retrofit a regular bra with nursing clasps for a nominal fee (probably $10-20 iirc, considering that the supportive bras are usually $50-70 reg retail anyways). That vastly widens the selection of bras that can meet nursing mama needs. Brands that I like are Freya / Elomi / Fantasie.

[BunnyBee]

This tank actually has cup sizes and is supportive enough to wear out: Bravado Designs Essential Nursing Bra Tank - Black - 34 B/C https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LFUD4W/ (I'm a DDD-G, depending on brand). I layer another tank top (cheap, soft from Target, not another of these!) over it because it's a little low cut, and that allows me to stay covered from the top and bottom.

ETA: it linked a b/c cup, but I don't mean to buy that one! It runs TTS for me.

[Snow mom]

This tank actually has cup sizes and is supportive enough to wear out: Bravado Designs Essential Nursing Bra Tank - Black - 34 B/C https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LFUD4W/ (I'm a DDD-G, depending on brand). I layer another tank top (cheap, soft from Target, not another of these!) over it because it's a little low cut, and that allows me to stay covered from the top and bottom.
This is what I have used. I prefer it to a nursing bra because it covers my stomach when I nurse in public. I don't care for the gathering in the front but I've survived it. Have to say though I'm totally looking forward to burning these tanks when DS finally weans (but I'd probably feel that way about any nursing top.)

[ahisma]

I word the Bravado nursing bras - worked great for me. I usually paired them with crossover shirts and kept my stomach covered.

[TwinFoxes]

Elomi has nursing bras for the bigger boobed. Nursing tanks did not work for me. But honestly when I was at home, I just went au naturale, and my two had compromised immune systems, so I didn't take them out very much when they were nursing on demand.

[azzeps]

With my first, I slept in my nursing bras - these ones, from Bravado: http://www.bravadodesigns.com/shop/the-original-nursing-bra I felt more comfortable sleeping in a bra (yeah, hard to believe, but it was true! I needed something to hold the nursing pads in at night). I wore them 24/7 before I graduated to something a little more structured, also from Bravado, I think it was wireless. Then when DD was about 9 months, I went to Nordstrom and bought a few Anita bras, and they are the BEST!! But from the beginning, the Bravado bras were awesome. I also had nursing tanks the second time around. I had a Bravado nursing tank with my first, but it was too tight. Maybe I ordered the wrong size or something. Anyway, with my second, I bought the largest size that Target had and they were great for under things or alone (summer baby) - not terribly supportive, but comfortable. Hey, I wasn't doing a lot of jumping jacks or anything in the early postpartum!!! You are such a great sister to help out!!

Editing to add: You might suggest to her that she buy one of a few different things, so she can try and see what she likes best. Then she can send someone out for more of what she likes best. :)

[mskitty]

I splurged and bought a fancy nursing bra. Still hated it as I couldn't get all the pieces to lay flat and line up correctly, one handed, with a squirmy baby in the other.

Lilyette 904 minimizers with underwire in DDD was my choice during the day. The cups are supportive but stretchy which made it more tolerable when engorged. I just pulled the cup underneath my breast, fed and then popped it back in place. Yes, that stretched them out but I could go get more fairly cheaply. The ones that got really stretched out became around the house bras. They are commonly stocked at Kohl's and JCPenney. If you watch for sales, they can be had for under $20.
http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1731735/lilyette-bra-plunge-into-comfort-minimizer-bra-904-womens.jsp

At night, I used a cheap sports bra to hold the nursing pads in place for the first few weeks until my supply regulated.

I wore an old zip up fleece around the house instead of a shirt for the first few weeks if I wasn't expecting company. It seemed like I was nursing at least a half hour out of every two and my babies also liked to sleep with their heads on my chest skin to skin. It was the easiest option for me to allow access while keeping me warm.

[Momit]

I wore Bravado nursing bras. I tried to get by with regular bras or nursing tanks, but I was so much more comfortable when I switched to the Bravado. The nursing tanks were not supportive enough - things needed to be held firmly in place because any movement in that area was uncomfortable.

[Philly Mom]

I also slept in a nursing bra. I used the medela sleeping nursing bra. I was so uncomfortable without it all the way up to a week after I stopped nursing at 13 months.

Also for every day use I actually liked targets nighttime bras. They had more support than their fancier bras. My boobs fell out of the dressier ones. I don't think the Anita's are good until milk supply is established, they have a wire, but then they are the best.


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[wendibird22]

I was a 34F when nursing. Anita were my absolute favorite. I did not wear anything for bed. I tried nursing tanks but they never worked for me. I needed to order up in size so much for my boobs that they swam on my petite frame everywhere else.

[123LuckyMom]

I am huge, and I was unable to find a nursing bra that gave me enough support. I had my regular bra (Elomi Caitlyn), which I sized up for my even huger nursing boobs, adapted to a nursing bra. I had a seamstress cut the strap a bit above where the cup met the strap. On the cup side, she sewed a loop of fabric. On the strap side, she sewed on a metal hook. (The plastic clasps always broke on my old busing bras.) The hook slipped through the fabric loop. She also sewed a small ribbon attaching the strap to the cup so when the strap released it wouldn't fly over my shoulder and be lost forever! ;) I know you're not supposed to use underwires when nursing, but I never had a problem, and I looked like myself. I didn't have a uniboob or breasts being squeezed by weird nursing bra shapes.

ETA: here's a link showing pretty much what I did, but I used a metal hook.
http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/braconvert.html

[bozemanmama]

I'm large chested. I survived in Target nursing tanks in the early days and then the underwire nursing bras from Target later. As a matter of fact, I still sleep in the nursing tanks and I haven't had a nursing child in 4 years! They offer enough support that I don't need to sleep in a bra.

[ExcitedMamma]

Check out Breakoutbras.com. They have awesome customer service and great info on bras and the best selection of large cup nursing bras. Elomi and Goddess are great and they also have special order Bravado bras so she could have them in a larger cup size.

[AnnieW625]

With DD1 I slept in the Bravado bra most nights or the Medela if I was too lazy to change bras and I couldn't go without a bra because I leaked like crazy even with nursing pads (my favorites were Johnson & Johnson), and with DD2 I either slept in the Bravado or the Wacoal bralettes and had way less leaking.

[ncat]

The Bravado bras were great to have immediately and for sleep/around the house. I loved the Anita underwire bras I got after my milk came in and size stabilized. Getting fitted in a store was very helpful. I tired several nursing tanks and could not find anything that both fit and supported well - probably more of a problem with having a long torso, than a large chest.