Bras and stretchmarks!

Becky28 · Post by **Becky28** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 11:49 am

Girls, Any advice?! Am bursting out of my usual bras and need to get some non-underwired jobs . . . where's a good place to get measured and find reasonably priced but not hideous preggy bras? Also, did any of you try stretchmark creams? Early days yet I know but my mum got tonnes (she had three of us) and they're apparently hereditary . . . Shall I just use a good rich moisturiser, or has anyone had an amazing experience with creams specially for bumps?! (I live in hope!) Thank you! Beck x

Jo Locker · Post by **Jo Locker** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 2:17 pm

Hi Becky ..... I'm going to look for a couple of new bras today and know I'll have to opt for ones with massive straps!! I'm only 12 weeks but can feel a slight change already and really want to try to keep my boobs somewhere in the region of where they should be ( or at least within a couple of feet of where they should be!!). I bet M&S do measuring although for the time being I'm just going to try some on and see. Maybe a bit later on if things grow out of all proportion I'll go for the fully measured, strap everything-down, industrial strength kevlar jobbie. With regard to stretch marks, I have no proof as such but Palmers Cocoa Butter (from Boots, about £3.50) says on it that it diminishes marks, including stretch marks and I have been liberally covering myself with it since receiving our happy news as apparently you can't start too soon. AND, it smells GORGEOUS (of chocolate!!) so it's yummy to use. Good Luck - Jo. XXXXX

Tracey S · Post by **Tracey S** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 2:31 pm

Becky (and Jo and all) was going to post and hey ho see this thread - have just got back from another measuring service from M&S!!!! they are very god - I had to go at 8 weeks as boobs did a huge spurt then. I have a narrow back - am small boned but always had boobies so normally am 32D - yep know - went at 8 weeks and was 34F!!!! Now am 19 weeks and am 36DD now - fantastic - M& s love me. I buy the 2 pack for £20 quid - one black and one white and then go to mothercare discount store in leicester where they are last years range - I ask you! and they are £4 so if you want to get measured I can post you some! As for cream - I have been using a massive tub of vit e cream from superdrug and have now bought the AVANT spray for stretchmarks - not cheap but very citrusy and very good. good luck Jo - I would get measured unless you are better at me than measuring yourself Love Tracey xxx

alison p · Post by **alison p** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 2:57 pm

Dear Beck, Like Tracey, I also have bought my bras from M&S (they do matching knickers as well). It's the only place I have found on the high street that sells lacy black bras (Debenhams only have them in white - great), so I bought one of each colour. They also do the pack of 2 bras for £20, which are good value and their measuring service is pretty good. I've not been using any cream on my boobs - just on my bump (I'm using the one you get free from Bounty (not the chocy bar!), - you get the voucher when you go to your midwife). Alison xx

bubblymichelle · Post by **bubblymichelle** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 3:30 pm

Hi Everyone I also went to M&S to get measured and I must admit I was well pleased with the service I was given. I was most amazed when I got measured that I had gone from a 36C to a 40C. The bra's are quite good, I brought a pack of 2 maternity bra's one white & one black and they are only £20 which is excellent value for money I think. Also I have been using the Avent cream for stretchmarks which I believe is good, but only time will tell if those lovely stretchmarks will stay away. Hope to hear from you soon. Love Shell 19wks 6d pg xx

Dawn Blake · Post by **Dawn Blake** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 4:44 pm

Becky, I too went to M&S and got a couple of packs of their £20 bras, boobs are pretty sore that I am wearing them in bed! Was a bit worried when boobs almost exploded in size at 8 weeks, but reading everyone else's messages now see I am not a freak or a lardy! Also using avent cream, just in case! My skin gets dry anway, so thought I would start early, and try to keep the dreaded marks at bay! Where is the Mothercare discount centre, I can't seem to find anything about it on the web. Does anyone have any maternity jeans they recommend, as I will be needing some in a few weeks time I am sure! Thank you! D x

Tracey S · Post by **Tracey S** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 4:53 pm

Dawn re me blithering on about mothercare discount - I have a store in Leicester - they have the full monty mothercare world on the edge of town and their city centre store they stock with discount lines - ie just out of season - you can't get everything but I got my cossie for £4 instead of £18!!! It's aqua blue and a bargain - got my bras there to supplement my M& S twin pack. The avent spray is fab Maternity jeans - well being a bargain hunter I found the most fab pair at DP's in the summer sale - they had stuffed them in the non pg bit and they are that antique blue colour - you know the sort - should have been £30 but paid £10 - they are a godsend and should last me through - I also bought a lighter colour from ASDA and again are fab and a bargain at £15 normal price Good luck Love Tracey xxx

Dawn Blake · Post by **Dawn Blake** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 6:55 am

Tracey, you are a true bargain hunter! Keep us informed of any more suggestions! May take a trip up to Leicester when I am a little further down the line to pick up some value items! Will look in on DP's and Asda though, they are a bit more local. Thanks for the help! D x [Edited by Dawn Blake on 04-Sep-03 01:16]

alison p · Post by **alison p** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 4:06 pm

Dear Tracey, I'm gutted that you got a cossy from Mothercare for £4!! I bought the same one last Saturday (it's aqua on top and dark blue beneath?) for the full price! I must look in Asda as I couldn't find any of the trousers in DP or Mothercare to fit me. My friend's dragging me to Blooming Marvellous in London at the end of October - so I need to start saving now!! Alison xx

Tracey S · Post by **Tracey S** » Thu Sep 04, 2003 4:11 pm

Alison in what way did they not fit if you don't mind me asking!!!? I bought two tops in Next yesterday - both maternity and cost £5 and £6 as is NExt clearance store in Nottingham. They have some fab jeans so if you want me to get something..... also mothercare in leicester just let me know as is their clearance stall too. Take care and catch you soon Love Tracey xxx

Becky28 · Post by **Becky28** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 11:44 am

Phew, thanks for all that girls! Will definitely get myself off to M&S and get a 2 pack then. I like the idea of one black, one white - a lot of preggy underwear seems a bit virginal and creepy - loads of white and pastel pink . . . and then a few scarey leopard printy things (not really my cuppa). Think I'll get the AVENT spray too - citrus smell sounds good. Alarmingly, Jo, I've GONE OFF CHOCOLATE! Which is a big deal indeed for me - in fact I've eaten some anyway thinking it must be mind over matter, and felt sick afterwards. Had an 8wk scan today and the bambino is still doing fine - hurrah! And I found out I'm 8wks4days and due April 13 2004. My buster gonads ovaries seem to have cooled off a bit too thankfully! Thanks for the tips, keep those bumps safe! Beck x

SallyP · Post by **SallyP** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:12 pm

Hi girls - am now terrified of my own boobs - have gone from a 36c to a 40F. They are like oven ready chickens. I measured them myself, you apparently measure under the boobs in inches - if an even number add 4, if odd add 5, then measure them at the fullest part to get the cup size. The cup size goes up in inches, so if under and over measurements are the same (as if) it's an A cup, inch larger B, 2 inches larger C, then D, DD, E etc. I'm going to M&S to get measured properly tomoz, as those £20 bras sound good, but DH helpfully suggested that next year we could use my old bras as hanging baskets. Practical eh!! Have had right traumas re maternity clothes. Up till now (18 weeks) had got away with normal clothes, but now I jsut seem to have a larger abdomen area, rather than a specific bump, so I just look like I have eaten my own bodyweight in pies. There seems to be as much bulk over the waistband as below it - is this normal or should I knock off the pies??? Mothercare have some OK things (nice black trousers for work), and larger Asdas have great casual and work stuff. I read a good thing about stretchmarks - it doesn't matter how much you stuff you rub in, it's more due to hormones, but Decleor do a lovely body oil which is supposed to be good. Becky - glad your 8 week scan went well - it makes it seem real once youv;ve seen the heart-beat doesn't it? I haven't really gone off that much apart from CHinese and INdian food, both of which I used to adore so am really annoyed - I forcefed myself with a chicken tikka the other night but pogged up so it was bit of a waste really!! love sally xxx

alison p · Post by **alison p** » Fri Sep 05, 2003 1:32 pm

Hi girlies I think I might pay another visit to M&S tomorrow aswell - I need to find out whether I need another size of bra or not. I'm at the end of the fasteners (there are 6 sets on the M&S bras I bought, so I must have grown since week 12). Tracey - the maternity trousers seemed to be too big around my bump (I was trying on my pre-pregnancy size aswell) and came too high over the bump. The jeans in Dotty P's again were abit big over the bump - the button at the top stuck out! Maybe in a couple of weeks I may go shopping again - I should be okay with the things I have at the moment as I'm going to France for 2 weeks on holiday next Saturday, so hopefully it will be warm and I can wear my elasticated half mast trousers. Alison xx P.S. I think I'll go out and buy some M&S shares seeing as everyone seems to be buying their bras!

Tracey S · Post by **Tracey S** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 3:45 pm

Alison could you get me some M&S shares whilst you are out. REckon we should all write off to GArdeners World for hanging basket ideas then - there's a novelty - perhaps we could patent it along with my singing knickers which are doing a roaring trade on the other board as the moment! Sally - "who's eaten all the pies" - know what you mean but I reckon the bump will start changing - As I have fluid in the tubes and ulcerative colitis god knows what is normal for me - it certainly ain't flat - that disappeared in my late 20's!!! Alison know what you mean about the trousers high up - they are on me but have now got used to them and if I struggle to go out and but new bras every 10 minutes the trousers keep my boobs under control - pleasant thought. BEcky am with you on the leopard print - I ask you - it starts off with a few spots of leopard and the bigger your boobs get the more print there is - not really wanting the masai mara all over my chest! TAke care Love Tracey xxx

SallyP · Post by **SallyP** » Mon Sep 08, 2003 11:19 am

Thank the Lord for M&S - I must have been using a dodgy tape measure. My 'chickens' are now only 38DD 'bordering on the E' as the woman said in amazement when I confessed that I was still trying to crap em into a C cup! Bought the M&S maternity ones and feel much less constricted! Re maternity trousers - I tried them on, and felt really smug when they appeared to be much too big on me - 'oh I wont be needing these for months yet' I thought smugly, but then realised (placenta brain) that I hadn't tightened the button things, and was trying them on at full maternity capacity. This on the same day I put an empty yoghurt pot in the dishwasher and dirty pots in the fridge! Think it best I don't go out alone for a while! Sally xxx

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