Bras 101: The Great Post-Exchange Debate
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Just want to mention that the cups of this Anita bra are satin and unlined, without padding. Just wanted to throw this out there.
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I found a great underwire bra that fits and feels good and hides back fat! Assets by Sara Blakeley. And I almost fill out the cups...makes me feel much more girly and less upset wi my implants.
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I like the Soma Vanishing Back Natalie. It has been very comfortable. I just ordered the Anita.I figured it is a great price and worth trying.
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Ginger,
I love the Soma Vanishing Back Natalie too. Soooo comfortable. Funny thing, they did not fit me before my UMX and lift. Now, they fit great.
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Help! So I was initially fitted as a 32DDD, but when the post op swelling went down, I became a 32DD. (I was happy about that.) I bought two 32DDD Wacoal bras with lots of side support, but after wearing it for a few hours, I could tell that is was mashing my radiated breast in a way that was not attractive. My unradiated breast was fine, but my radiated breast was starting to look weird, so I put the 32DDD back on. Any advice?
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Thx Golden and Dawn and all of you,surg was mon. They bound me up and then put me in a bra similiar to the one I bought(the hosp gave me 2 bras with tiny front hooks that take forever to hook,no velcro shoulder to remove and no pockets,I got 2 sizes,not like them much.... except I bought my own Jodee bra with front zipper and free adjustable hooks for the back to make it tighter or looser for swelling etc and it has pockets for prosthesis if you so choose to wear any before your new foobs take shape with the velcro bra straps for easy off. Love that and my TLC cami,rest of the stuff not so much. That is a gorgeous bra from the Anita collection. My word!,I didnt wear stuff like that b4 the big BC got me. The PS suddenly has changed her tune and wants me in a sports bra 24/7. hmmmm.she is mysteriously quiet about all this.
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sweetbean:
Your swelling is probably coming and going and will continue to do so for a while. Just go back and forth between sizes as needed. Eventually it will settle down.
You and I are the same size bodies and have the exact same implants. I am a 32D or 32DD depending on the bra, even within the same brand. You will likely be between 32DD and 32DDD for a while. I bet you end up a comfy 32DD. Give it more time.
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I just don't know what bra to wear. The 32DD was making the radiated side look awful. The side support completely flattened out the side of my breast.
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My best advice, but not professional advice, is to go with the bra that creates the most pleasing shape to the inner, upper and projection areas of the breast mound. The side will fill itself out, sometimes more than you want. Gravity will take it there and it will not end up flattened in the long run. Watch the non-radiated side for more optimal final results.
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Had an unusal Bra expierence today I went for a fitting today while the lady was in the other room I was looking on the sale rack and found 2 that I love for $10 each . The ones the fitter was having me try on felt wicked these 2 are not only supportive but comfy.
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I know this thread is for post exchange rbppbras, but I couldn't find anywhere else that talked about bras....
Any suggestions for a post BMX bra? Preferably one that hooks in the front (I still don't have 100%) range of motion so over the head sports bras aren't really an option for me yet...
I'm still using my post surgical bra which is getting yucky after so many washings... Thanks ladies!0 -
Lauren,
My plastic surgeon told me to go to Walmart and buy the fruit of the loom sports bras that have about 5 hooks and eyes down the front. They are real inexpensive, about $12 for two. I still sleep in them and my UMX was in June.
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Put on a bra this morning for the first time since 7/18/11 (BMX date). My exchange was 1/30 so today thought I would try one out. I can hardly breathe!! How do you women do it? HA!
At least my bra from pre-BMX fit well so that was nice; size turned out just right.
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1openheart - thanks for the advice. Walmart actually has them online too, for like $8 for 2. Any suggestions on sizing? Do they run small? Just want to make sure I get the right ones... Thanks again!
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Lauren: I thought the Walmart front hook bras ran pretty true to size. Some ladies here used to talk about bras at Walmart with a front zipper, but I could never find those. Once you're more mobile, I did buy both Fruit of the Loom & Danskin there to wear before exchange.
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Yes, I found that they ran pretty true to size. Before bc, I wore a 32D. My PS told me to buy a 36 to wear after he removed the bandages (which was on day 3) and then I went to a 34 at about 2 or 3 weeks out. I try to remember to not put them in the dryer too. They are not pretty, but they get the job done.
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Does anyone know of a good place to go to try on bras and get a good measurement? Not too crazy about ordering online since I'm one of those who probably never had the correct bra size on prior to surgery. Is Victorias decent or Macy's , I live in the Boston area and just not sure where to start. I have a smaller frame and went from "around an A, I think to maybe a B". Def gatta get measured correctly! thanks - Carolanne
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Do you have a Nordstroms near by? Also, there may by a small boutique type store somewhere in your area. We have one here and they are good and helpful as well. Try google maps and search for women's foundations or women's bras????
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Thank you!
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Carolanne03- I went to Nordstroms at the Burlington Mall in Mass and they did a nice job. I just called ahead and set up a time with a surgical bra fitter.
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I was going to suggest Nordstom too. They do a great job and have a decent selection.
Thanks everyone for the comments on the Walmart ones. I know they are ugly, but it's all about comfort for me right now!0 -
Well its been 8 months since my BMX & decided I should go though my bra draw. Wow...I didn't realize how many bras I had, some brand new :-(....It was too depressing seeing them in the draw so out they went. Plus i needed room...lol The good news I actually saved 2 smaller bras and they fit me very well, more comfortable. I guess they're stretched out a bit. The new ones I have bought hurt on my sides after a while. That discomfort really never went away, I guess it is from where the drains were. Does that pain ever go away? How about the numbness?
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Carolanne03 - If you don't have a Nordies near you, do you have a Soma (Chico's lingerie division). Their associates are trained in fitting. Carrol2 and myself both work there, in different parts of the country. We take pride in assissting our customers. Sometimes one model works and another doesn't, but you have to just try them on. - Good Luck
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Hi- I am 10 days out from exchange. Saw my PS this morning and he said he had to do "a lot of pocket work" to bring the implants in and make the pocket smaller. He said I needed a supportive bra and I asked if underwire would be good and he said yes. I went to Nordstroms right away and had a BC recon specialist help me. The problem is that I am soooooo sore from just trying these bras on! I can't imagine wearing one all day! I put my post surgery velcro bra back on after the fitting but am going to give the underwires a try tomorrow. BTW, I got Wacoal ones, no padding. Has anybody else have pain with the underwires at first? Did it go away and how long did it take?
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I have pain with my 32DD bras - I started out as DDD, but then shrank as the post-op swelling went down. Anyway, these new bras push on my breastbone right at the 4 o'clock point, basically where the underwire starts. It pushes so hard that the area turns red - very uncomfortable. I am hoping that they will eventually break in, but I think I am going back to Nordstrom's today to talk to them. I can't spend $60 each on two bras that I can't wear. However, they have a ton of side support, which I like and need. Anyone else experience this?
Edited to add: the actual band on the 32DD seems much tighter than the band on the 32DDD. Why would that be?
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sweetbean: What brand and style of bra is the 32DD?
The band from one style to another can vary, even within a brand. However, in this case, the more snug feeling probably comes from the smaller cup.
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sweetbean....I had the same problem with the end of the underwire pressing on the bottom of my breast bone. I found that if I took something....a piece of rolled up gauze or kleenex worked.....and put it between my skin and the part of the bra that was poking me, it helped a lot.
Something else that helped me ease back into wearing underwire bras was an extender that you can attach to the back of your bra to make the band larger. They have eyes on one end to attach to the hook side of the bra and hooks on the other end to attach to the eye side of the band. Does that make sense??? You can buy them where you buy bras in most department stores.
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Soccermom -- 10 days out from exchange is still early! I didn't wear underwires until I was 8 months out... and at 10 days out the only thing I wore was the post-surgical bra (long-line, front close, no wires). I am sure it will get better as you heal... you've probably still got swelling. And I remember my first bra shopping expedition -- it was exhausting! I think I went after 3 weeks post-exchange. Hang in there!
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Hi there, all of the bras are the exact same brand and style - Wacoal. So I just don't think it should be so different. I was wearing the DDD bra just fine - not sure why the 32DD is so much tighter. I will definitely go back to Nordstrom's and ask. Thanks!
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I have several Wacoal bras too. Depending on the style, I either wear a 32D or a 34C. Often, the larger the cup, the smaller the band.
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