11 answers

Supporting "The Girls" in Bed

Ladies: Its my first pregnancy, so I am a little clueless. I'm coming to the end of my first trimester, and my breasts, which were big to start with 32D, are now at 36DD and giving me serious grief in bed. I was petite but curvy pre-pregnancy standing 5'1" and weighing 115lbs. My breasts are now very full, very heavy, and tender throughout and esp in the nips.

I used to be a belly sleeper, but that is no longer an option, so I am on my back/ side. If I shift while sleeping, they hurt. Also, they seem to grow heavier, larger, and denser at night. Finally, they seem to be crushing my chest.

Any recommendations for bras? Sleep bras? Any ideas on how to soothe the nips? Any experience with those whole body pillows?

Thanks for all your help in advance. Looking forward to a more restful sleep.

What can I do next?

More Answers

I had two style of body pillow...hated them both. I did better with a whole bunch of down pillows artfully arranged. (I think my DH prefered the body pillow though..the down pillows meant he had to hang on the edge of the bed all night!)

Sports bras for me! Hanes makes a very simple racer back one with no weird stitching, zippers, or clips that is very comfortable, yet it "reigns `em" in very well, so when you sleep on your side they don't "bunch up" to one side. They pull over your head and are more like a firm ace bandage. They are not constricting, but very much keeps em in place. They're also very affordable at $7.50-$9.00 a pop. I found them at both Walgreen's and Target.

I am almost your exact measurements... when you get closer to delivery, check out the Medela nursing and pregnancy bras. (I say wait because you may get even bigger before this is over...and if you're like I was, I had to buy several sizes until the end to accommodate things :o) These are pricey but very, very good! When you're ready go to www.medela.com or call the hospital you plan to deliver at and see if the breastfeeding consultant/nurse on staff can put in an order for you.

Good luck...

And oh...before I forget...there is something that may help with the nips too. I found these after the baby, but I sure wish I knew about them beforehand...anyway Playtex makes a product called "Soothies". They are these gel-filled donuts that fit over the nipple. You can either warm them or freeze them. They're intended for those achey, tender rough days with BFing, but they're good for anything that ails that area. You can find these at Walgreen's in the nursing supplies section.

If it's chaffing bothering you, try the Lansinoh or Medela lanolin creams...also for BFing, but they'd be fine before then as well. Be sure to keep a little gauze or something tucked in your bra to absorb excess oil. Found anywhere bottles, pumps and breastfeeding supplies are found.

If you're into home remedies, cabbage leaves do wonders for sore breasts and is excellent when breastfeeding to reduce swelling associated with milk duct blockage.

3 moms found this helpful

I wound up being a EE in pregnancy. A body pillow helped immensely, it also helped with my back discomfort. I rarely used it for the entire night, but even using it part of the night was beneficial. I also went and purchased some nursing sleep bras...I just bought a few at the Motherhood store. They saved my life! The girls will be less painful here soon. GL!

1 mom found this helpful

Wear a comfy, non underwire bra to bed.

1 mom found this helpful

I use a body pillow (which I LOVE) helps my knees and hips not hurt so much. And I wear a sports bra pretty much all the time. They are more comfortable and stretchy but hold the girls so you're not as uncomfortable. Oh and soon your boobs shouldn't be as tender. Typically they hurt the worst in the 1st trimester and then the soreness subsides. Hope that happens SOON! :)

1 mom found this helpful

Although this is a nursing bra, it is super comfy and has the right amount of support for night time. I to went up to a 32G while nursing so i can feel your pain!!! I needed an XL, based on my cup size and I too am petite at 5-2!

http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=56812&CatI...

Ok well Congrats to start with! As far as the bra goes its all in what feels good to you! I liked the tank tops with the bra support built in! But on the tenderness try using COLD cabbage for comfort! Just a leaf at a time and this will also help afterwards too! I didn't want to believe it myself but it does feel really good ( that is if you are not nursing) I guess! You might even want to try sleeping a little up right in bed, surround yourself with pillows and sink into it! I still like to sleep like that! Good Luck!

Any jogging bra will work wonders and keep them close. You might want to try a nursing jogging bra since you'll need support after your little one is born too. I didn't use a body pillow but I did use a king size down pillow, sometimes 2. It gave me great support from my chest to my knees. I couldn't get comfortable without it. I understand the back pain being on your back. Throughout my pregnancies I slept on my side with the support of the pillow so I could get the feeling of being more on my stomach than back. I hope it helps.

Sports bras? I used japanese weekend brand. And lansinoh petroleum jelly on sensitive breasts helps. I loved my body pillow bc it cushioned my sensitive parts when I turned in my sleep. Good luck! Now I use the body pillow against the wall of my older child's bed (she's 3).

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