Dr Miriam

7 March 2005
I NEED A LIFT TO SAVE MY BOOBS

Dear Miriam,

I'm only 12 weeks pregnant but my breasts are already enormous.

They're so heavy I'm afraid I will get stretch marks and end up with saggy boobs.

I'm determined to breastfeed and, going on their size, I'll have no problems. But how do I support them?

Normally I'm a 36D cup and want underwired bras while I'm pregnant, because I need the support, but my mum has been saying I shouldn't. Is she right?

Miriam replies,

NO, I can reassure you she isn't. It's fine to wear underwired bras during pregnancy as long as they are specially designed to take account of the increasing size of your breasts.

With maternity bras, you should ensure that:

The underwiring uses new, technically advanced, softer and wider underwires to give you the extra support you need.

The tips of the underwires are specially designed to be soft and flexible.

The underwire is particularly wide so the whole breast is cupped within it, avoiding any pressure on the breast.

I really believe it's worth looking after your breasts in pregnancy. They don't sag because of breastfeeding - that's a myth - but because they grow so rapidly in preparation for lactation. The only way to ensure sagging doesn't follow is to wear a really good supporting bra, and underwires are the best way to achieve this.

I think your mum is harking back to some press coverage a couple of years ago that suggest underwiring could interfere with the lymph drainage of the breast. This was nonsense.

In fact they help lymph drainage by holding the breast up - and that goes for milk gland development too.

Just make sure, when you have your maternity bras fitted, you go to a store with trained, experienced fitters who will advise you and make sure your entire breast sits within the underwired cup.

Make sure, too, that your maternity bras have wide, super-soft straps for comfort and are made of breathable cotton to protect the delicate skin.