Meet Jo The Bra Lady: Your Ultimate Guide to Finding the Perfect Fit
Jo Dunn is our local “Bra Lady” and has been fitting bras for Scottish pregnant and postnatal ladies since 1993, an amazing 3 decades of experience!! The service she provides is unrivalled as Jo comes to your house, fits you, and helps you to try on many bras to get the right one for you. No matter what your size she will find a bra for you. She does not over charge and provides better service than any store I have ever been in.
I remember having her to my house after I had Sam, my second wee one, and there were three of us getting fitted and it was a great experience. She makes you feel so relaxed and it felt amazing to have two separated breasts that were lifted and supported when she was done. I always recommend Jo’s services in both my Bumps classes and baby classes to ensure everyone is aware this service is out there at no additional cost. Jo is going to talk today about why fitting is so important in pregnancy and postnatally.
‘ Why do I need a supportive bra for pregnancy and nursing?’
Your nursing bra is probably the most important bra you will ever buy. Unfortunately, although there is lots of advice on how to establish successful breastfeeding, the need for good supportive bras is often overlooked. The immense difference that a good bra can make to the feeding experience should never be underestimated.
It should be designed and fitted to support the breast tissue in such a way that the milk glands aren’t put under pressure, the delicate ligaments are protected from over stretching, the weight is distributed gently back against the body to stop the inevitable strain on neck and shoulders and the mum feels comfortable, confident and able to feed discreetly wherever she needs to.
‘ What am I looking for in a good maternity/nursing bra?’
There are lots of features to look for, but the starting point is finding a good fitter with experience of pregnancy and nursing, who knows how to assess what size you will need , to give you as much support and protection as possible.
The bra fabric needs a breathable inner lining like cotton , which will ensure the breast stays dry and the level of hormonal heat is reduced. Too much heat and moisture can cause the growth of the bacteria which causes thrush and this often passes between mum and baby.
The bra should not be underwired if at all possible. During pregnancy wires can exacerbate’ rib flare’ and while breastfeeding can contribute to blocked ducts and mastitis.
A simple analogy….imagine you are using a hosepipe to water the garden. Someone comes along and stands on the pipe and the flow slows and then stops. So it is with a lactating breast. Some bras are now manufactured with ‘ flexible wiring’ but having had personal experience, and witnessed many mums with problems, I still recommend going down the non wired route.
Your bra should be a bit wider and deeper all round the frame with enough stretch in the under-band to accommodate a growing tummy, and also make sure mum is comfortable while breastfeeding. The drop down cup should give your baby easy access to the breast and internally have a side sling or modesty panel to cradle the breast.
Remember that wherever you purchase your bras, your body and ribcage will reduce in size after birth but your cups will be fuller. Every mum is different but as a rule the smaller mum e.g A,B,C cup will increase in volume much more than the mum who starts pregnancy in a G cup. That is why it’s so important to have a proper fitting, guesswork simply won’t do.
‘ What will happen to my bra size and breasts after birth’
If you choose not to breastfeed, your bra size will gradually shrink over the space of a few weeks. Your milk will still come in and you may be a bit uncomfortable for a few days, but standard painkillers usually help….your midwife will advise. Try not to go into wired bras immediately as the milk glands need a few weeks to close properly and prevent any breast inflammation. Your size can change after pregnancy, so a fitting for your fashion bras at around 6 weeks after birth is a good idea.
If you choose to breastfeed your baby the early milk ( colostrum) will be there after birth. This doesn’t make your breast tissue swell too much, so gives you the opportunity for lots of skin to skin with baby and a softer bra is sufficient at this point. Around day 4/5 however, your hindmilk will arrive bringing milk and blood flow to the breast. Your breast will feel very full and can become engorged. It’s really important at this stage that you wear a heavier support. The ligaments at the back of your breast which run up to your collar bone are taking all the weight and can stretch significantly, unless held in place by your bra. Ligament once stretched stays stretched, it can’t be toned up like a muscle and the result is a change in breast shape.
‘ When should I be fitted’
As soon as your fashion bras feel uncomfortable, it’s time for a change. 16 weeks is the earliest you should be fitted , as at that point your cup size will stop growing and your size, to take you through the rest of pregnancy can be assessed. You may need to be re-sized at 36 weeks for breastfeeding.
‘Why home fitting?’
As a young mum-to-be I had no idea what to buy for pregnancy or feeding and trusted the local bra store, who sized me incorrectly, giving me a band size that was far too big and really uncomfortable. I found the whole experience so embarrassing, standing heavily pregnant in a department store, with a rather intimidating lady assuring me that the bra she had sized me for was ‘ a perfect fit’.
My purchase was never worn and instead, I wore my wired fashion bras, which I had to remove when feeding the baby. It wasn’t long until I started experiencing problems , which spoiled my breastfeeding experience.
‘ If only someone could fit my bras at home’ was the thought in my head and from there, the idea for ‘Bosom Buddies’ was born……many midwives and health professionals still support me in my work, and I am privileged to be able to attend some of the NHS breastfeeding workshops in an advisory role.
Thirty years on, thousands of mums later and now fitting a second generation, my passion for helping expectant and breastfeeding mums is undiminished….I plan to be around for a while longer yet.
Jo
Bosom Buddies
"The Bra Lady"
E: info@bosombuddiesonline.co.uk
M: 07730875213
T: 01416340403