Increasingly Weighty Chest

I used to have a student that was huge up top. All natural too. Yes I couldn't help it I had to ask. My friends think I have a large chest at an E, but I just felt bad for this girl. So I asked her where on earth can you buy a bra. She told me she had to go get them spcially made. She said usually around 80 bucks a bra, but she said they held up for a super long time. Thats my only piece of advice is to try to find a store that actually makes them. I don't think department stores bra's will ever fit you properly because of your body size to breast size ratio. I hope you find something. Hang in there! (no pun intended) =)

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I ended up in soft-cup nursing bras my second time around (I did end up in 38G, so not quite as bad, but did have to special order), and am now/normally a 34D. 34 is a nightmare to find in anything over a C cup, I agree! If you are able to find anything in a cup size that fits there are back extenders you can buy, but it sounds like the problem is the opposite. Definitely look into soft-cup options, sleep bras, and hang around the house in sports bras and shelf-tanks if you have to. Perhaps as a word of encouragement, I always wanted a breast reduction but after nursing for a total of about 2 years and being at my smallest adults size, my breasts are actually smaller than ever, too (larger cup size, but smaller overall). You might have luck in a small, local specialty store--some are tailored to surgical/special needs and might be able to alter something properly for you. Good luck!!! :(

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Wow! What an appropriate question after spending about 2 hours in a dressing room last night trying to find a bathing suit that won't scare people away! LOL It's like the manufacturers think that even if you wear a larger size, you still have little bitty boobs.
My two cents is that ONE GOOD EXPENSIVE bra is better than a drawer full of less expensive ill-fitting ones, even if you need to hand wash it every (or every other) night. You get what you pay for so invest in one that fits and will last.....

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When I was nursing my son, I was an H cup. I had always been big chested, but it was just painful- my breasts hung below my navel, even when full. I could not carry my son in a front-carrier and had trouble lifting groceries, etc. just because my boobs were in the way! I could not take the post-natal yoga mommy and baby class I had signed up for- you guessed it!- because my boobs were so in the way that I could not maintain the proper positions and hold my son on my chest!

I just bought every cheap bra or jog-bra I could find that I could manage to fit my chest in. And- once I was done nursing, a year later I had a breast reduction on my doctor's advice. The weight of my chest was pulling my whole backbone and shoulders out of alignment and I was building up calcium deposits between my shoulder blades- setting myself up for a 'hump' when I was old.

I have to say, for me, it was the best decision I EVER made. It was not very painful, my mom came and stayed with us for 2 weeks because I could not lift things, - and now I am a C cup. I lost weight, exercised and just felt 100% better and happier.

So I know you don't want to do this just now, but keep it in mind for later. Having a breast reduction truly changed my life :)

1 mom found this helpful

Sports bras with extra support. Look in athletic supply. They hurt less and give extra support. Washable and in different colors they can make a nice addition to a wardrobe.

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I am 33 weeks pregnant and currently wear a 36/38 H cup.I am really a 34 or 36 band but have managed with a 38 OK in some soft cup sizes. I am a pre-pregnancy size 4 with 34DDD. I understand your frustration. Unfortunately, you are going to have to order your bras online. As a large chested woman/small banded woman, I have never had much luck walking into a store and taking what's on the rack. I have been getting by with Playtex 18 hour bra in 38 G. I am not falling out the bottom either (which I ordered from the onehanesplace website). I think the bands are generally a little smaller and the cups a little larger with this style- it doesn't "fit" perfectly (the "girls" are in there and it's a tight squeeze), but, like I said, I can get by and they have generally good support.
You can also try figleaves.com. There is a nursing bra on there I am considering buying: Jasmine nursing bra (Royce).
Goddess and Fancee Free make small band large cup maternity/nursing bras. Take a look at http://www.herroom.com/ for some options.
Sure there will be some trial and error (and return postage), but I have finally come to accept that this is the way it's going to be.
Hope this helps!

1 mom found this helpful

I was a 32 F by the end of my pregnancy, also not a standard bra size. I ended up buying one good nursing bra each trimester (I went up a cup each trimester with both my pregnancies, but only went down two cup sizes after my first and still haven't finished weaning on the second). I bought mine online as there is no where near where I live that carries anything close to that (I can't even find my non-pregnant size around here). I wasted some money, but ended up really liking Elle McPherson Intimates (available through Nordstroms online). They were expensive, but I wore them a lot. I wore them while I was pregnant, going up a size as needed, and while nursing, going down a size as needed. Then I wore them again through my second pregnancy and while nursing. So, I've ended up getting a lot of wear out of them over the course of two pregnancies and nursing. I have to do more washing (only hand wash or delicate because I don't want to risk damaging them). It was an investment, but worth it as it is so much more comfortable and I feel so much better about how I look to wear a bra that fits. Oh, and none of mine had underwire. My first time without them since I quit wearing training bras, but I liked it and will look for no underwire whenever I buy a non-nursing bra again. Good luck!

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My mother-in-law is quite large chested and I recall her saying that she shops for bras at C.'s. Not sure what sizes they carry but there is one at 51st Ave/Bell so at least you could go to a store and try something on rather than paying to ship an online purchase.

Baby, Mother, and more has a great selection of big cup sizes. I have struggled with the same thing and then last year went to My Intimacy in San Diego, the best bras ever! I am a 36G and it was the best bra fitting of my life. Been almost 1 year and the bras are like the day I bought them. Check them out. There is also a store in Scottsdale that can help you out. I feel for you!

There is a breast feeding store at Southern and Gilbert on the SE corner. I don't remember the name but my DIL was able to get a 34 J there. They even have people come in to help with breast feeding. The guy that owned the store took one look at my DIL and said she was in the wrong size bra. He's the one that helped her get in the right size. Before that she was just using the biggest one she could find in the department stores. I hope you can find the store.
L.

INTAMACY

http://www.myintimacy.com/

Did no one hear Oprah going on about this place for years? She did like a hundred shows on bra fittings and this store.

They do a free personal fitting session with a highly trained professional. They have every size made in the US and Europe. They also have a bra customization alterations department! They will cut and sew the bra to fit you better!

Bad news: a bra is about $80. Good news: the bra fits.

You're better off with one bra that fits than a drawer full of $20 bras that don't. You will be pregnant for 40 weeks so that's $2 per week for breast comfort. It think $2 a week is do-able and worth it.

I highly recommend:
http://www.bravadodesigns.com/

This is a maternity and nursing bra store. They have great shipping and return policies... and are made for mom's that are expecting and have just encountered this issue. (I am normally a 36C and went to a 36 J when pregnant - they can totally handle this.)
Their prices are about what you spend at local stores, but the selection specifically for pregnant/nursing bras I have not found matched anywhere!

One comment for you. I am not sure that underwires are recommended for while nursing. (Something about if they are not fitting exactly correctly, then it is possible to block a milk duct.) I don't have experience with that - I was able to find supportive bras without underwires.
Good luck! This too shall pass. After nursing both of my little people, I have gone back to pre-pregnancy size. :) (At least in that region!)

I really, really, really recommend bella materna bras! They are pricey but I found that all the bras I was buying (including expensive ones like Elle Macpherson) were wearing out really quickly and becoming absolutely useless. The bella materna bras are made from a nice stretchy, quick-drying fabric (so maybe you only need to buy one or two) and they come in a variety of sizes (i checked that they have your size, and they do!). The customer service is great and their bras really are comfortable. Honestly, I can't recommend them highly enough. Yes, pricey but they've been the only ones to last and last. And the fabric somehow makes them fit even when your sizes are changing all over the place. If you google them, you can also find a 20% off discount too.

I'm not sure how much this will help, but it is a suggestion nonetheless.

With my first child I had the same problem but not to that extent. I couldn't find bras anywhere that fit, so I bought some bra extenders - which only helped in the begining. After that, I went to sports bras.

I found them to be way more comfortable and the sizes were a little better. Plus, when the baby came, they were easy and convenient for nursing.

Hope you find what you are looking for - or at least a good compromise.

Congrats and good luck with your bundle of joy!

Sorry that you having to go thru this...I too was increasing and I hated the fact that I was getting bigger- even though I was already big- it made it worse...I loved being pregnant- did not mind that I was getting bigger in general... but hated to by undergarments... I would have to say that there are bra makers. I do not have anyone in particular... but if you either go online or thru the phone book, there are people that make bras for woman that cannot find bras that fit in stores. The cool thing about them - is that they make the bra to fit you and not the other way around... I never can find a bra that has short straps... and I too, am small around... so, I am never finding my cup and around size... and then the straps... always are falling... UGH! Good Luck!