Bras: Love To Hate ‘Em
When talking with Susan about what our first topical blog post should be about we thought we needed to discuss something that affects nearly all of our clients. Thats right, poorly fitting bras.
Whether it’s the direct cause of the breast feeding issue we’ve been called to evaluate or an issue they didn’t know they had, nearly every client we see is wearing a bra that fits poorly or functions poorly for it’s intended task – support and easy access for the not-so-patient-very-hungry baby ready to eat while you’re trying to enjoy your only-hot-for-so-long meal!
Many women, especially breast feeding women, can’t fit into a bra found in brick-and-mortar stores. Well, I guess I should rephrase, many women need to stop trying to fit into bras found in big box brick-and-mortar stores.
A poorly fitting bra in the breast feeding woman can cause a myriad of issues, such as:
Discomfort
Back Pain
Plugged Ducts
Mastitis
Reduction in Milk Supply
Feelings of Self Consciousness
Difficulty Having Letdowns
Difficulty Gaining Access During Feeds
And you know what all the things listed above can cause? A fussy baby!
Do I have your attention yet?
So, what do you do about it? How can you know what size bra to wear if you can’t even try it on!? Well, my friends, I’m glad you asked.
There are plenty of videos online that show how to measure yourself for a bra. You know whats wrong with most of them? They’re too dang long!!!! I don’t have 19 minutes to watch you unravel your tape measure and hear you talk about nonsensical things. Don’t you know I’ve got roughly 7 minutes before the stirring baby in the next room is going to be full on screaming? And I’d like to get a shower in before that happens too, so get on with it!
So here it is, the three step, no video tutorial needed, fool proof way to always get a perfectly fitting, wonderfully supporting bra every time without ever having to try it on first:
That’s it. If you aren’t quite picturing it, let me break it down for you.
1. Measure the Band – with a $2 tape measure from Wal-Mart, measure the area directly underneath the bust. Not half-way down your stomach, not half-way up your breasts, but directly underneath. Whatever number you get, go up to the nearest even number and you have your band size. It’s smaller than you thought, ok.
2. Measure the Bust – with the same $2 tape measure, measure over the largest part of the bust. Not above it, not below it, at the largest. This step has one caveat. Make sure you’re naked and you’re not measuring the bust after 4 hours of cluster feeding, because that’s not going to tell us anything. Measure in the morning hours (don’t overthink it, just sometime before noon) and before a feeding – again, don’t overthink it, just before baby eats when the breasts are full.
3. Subtract – take the number from step 1 and subtract it from the number from step 2. Whatever the difference amounts to is the number of “steps” you go up on a sizing chart on any online store. Each step is usually represented by a letter from the alphabet. Just pick a bra that has good reviews, go to the sizing chart for that specific bra, and go up 7 steps, or 8 steps, or 14 steps. Yes, the number is often bigger than you thought.
Example:
Let’s say my answers were 33 for number 1 and 44 for number 2. That means the difference would be 11. So, I go online shopping and say I found this bra:
With this sizing chart:
Then I know my bra size would be a 34 band and an H cup or 34H!
And there you have it. You’re now wearing a comfortable, properly fitting bra, and you never even had to step foot in a store. And if you’re wondering, this measuring technique applies to breasts that are breastfeeding and those that are not!
So friends, have you been wearing the correctly fitting bra? If you have, high five. Seriously. You’re one of very few!
Have questions about how to know if you’re wearing a bra that fits properly? Contact us here!
Keep on, keeping on, mamas!! Your work is a blessing to your little ones.
-Catharine-
