12 ESSENTIALS: PREGNANCY & NEW MUM
DO I REALLY NEED A MATERNITY BRA? Short answer: yes, you do! Mothercare offers us some great advice on when to invest in a maternity bra and what to look out for
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Do I need a nursing bra?
Many women report that they “knew” they were pregnant because their breasts felt heavy and more sensitive than usual – an exaggerated form of how they feel before their period. At around six weeks’ pregnant, you might notice them becoming bigger, and this will continues throughout your pregnancy as your breasts prepare to produce milk to feed your baby. So the upshot is that your bra might be feeling a little tight and uncomfortable. While this can differ from woman to woman, if you are feeling in need of more support or your bra is no longer comfortable, it’s a good idea to visit a maternity lingerie department to be measured. We asked Mothercare, which stocks all sorts of maternity lingerie for pregnancy and new mums and has trained staff in each store to help you make the right choice, for some advice on maternity bras.
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When do I need my first maternity bra?
As soon as your current bras start to feel uncomfortable and your breasts become more sensitive, it’s time to move into a maternity bra. Breasts are supported by ligaments rather than muscle, making them susceptible to hormonal changes, so it’s a good idea to get measured as soon as you know you’re pregnant.
If you are planning on breastfeeding, start thinking about a nursing bra at around 36-38 weeks’ pregnant. These have drop-down clips to make feeding your baby easier. If you visit your local Mothercare the trained bra fitters will be able to offer advice on the best bra to suit you and estimate your cup size in preparation for when your milk comes in.
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Do I need a sleep bra?
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How often should I be measured?
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Why wire-free maternity and nursing bras?
Many healthcare professionals will recommend that you avoid wearing wired bras during pregnancy. With all these rapid changes happening to your body, non-wired maternity bras won’t dig into the sensitive breast tissue. A fully supportive non-wired bra will also help your breasts to retain their shape after your pregnancy and far beyond.
As soon as you become uncomfortable in the bra you are currently wearing during pregnancy, and especially if you find your breasts are fluctuating in size, get yourself measured. As a rough estimate, get measured once every trimester. Fluctuating in size is due to hormonal changes that your body is constantly undergoing and is completely normal. Breasts may increase by up to 2lb during pregnancy, so it is important to get regularly checked to ensure you remain fully supported throughout.
Night time can be particularly uncomfortable for many women, and you may find a soft sleep bra will help support your increasing bust size as you sleep. In addition, most women find that once they have their baby they need to wear a bra or sleep bra in bed to hold the breast pads in place (breast pads capture breast milk that leaks as you sleep). Remember that looking after your breasts now will have a positive long-term effect in the future. For more advice, log on to www.mothercare.ie
EMBARRASSING PROBLEM = SOLVED
One of the more unwelcome body changes post-pregnancy is a weak pelvic floor, which is more common than you might think, thanks to the great strain that pregnancy and birth puts on your pelvic floor. While time and Kegel exercises do help, sometimes you want to help nature along a bit – and this is where NUK’s new Pelvic Floor Trainer, €24.99, comes in. The discreet trainer contains a light ball that reverberates with every movement in order to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. The product was tested by 59 midwives and 27 mothers in Germany in 2013, and the overall reaction was very positive, with 88 per cent of midwives convinced that the NUK Pelvic Floor Trainer strengthens the pelvic floor muscle if used consequently.
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23/03/2015 14:52