Bra woes

Such a pain, isn't it? I am ostensibly a 36DD but obviously, since my partial mastectomy, only on one side; like you Jess I have problems. I do have a small "chicken fillet" which I wear with skimpy bras, but it doesn't stay in one place (the fillet) and is likely to emerge out of the top of most bras. Usually when I'm in a condition not to notice immediately!

Well quite. I am not the kind of person who is terribly good at controlling such things.

There are several websites offering bras for women who've had a partial mastectomy, if you Google it.

A friend of mine gave me the tip about pullover bras that you can buy on QVC that adjust to your size. They have a slit with inserts that you can put in or not. They're fab! I wear nothing else on weekends, gives me a break from the underwire horrors. (hint = genie).

Should have added, the slits are small enough so that you have to roll the insert to get it in, and once in, there's nowhere for them to escape.

Hmm - its an idea Grannyknot thank you. I fear though that I would look completely flat chested in something without a bit of padding and under wiring.
But your suggestion might work for the days when i dont mind that.

jess, really feel for you in your quest for a decent fitting bra.
Have you considered Playtex? Just as a guess.
The Americans are years ahead of us in the world of Bra's, they really seem to have a bra for every size, shape etc. etc.
The big American department stores all sell on line as well.
Or maybe your U.S connections could buy them for you?

Hello JessM, just a thought but Primark do bras with "airpocket" inserts. I wear them to make up for my lack of bosoms, the way they are designed would make it easy to remove the airbag thingy from one side. Also being Primark they are very cheap!

Well Phoenix that is the kind of thing we are going to get an enormous new Primark soon so sounds like I will be Ok when that happens. Not built yet though.
I have got a cotton jacket I bought in Primark about a decade ago. One of those useful items for the uk summer.

These bras may not have underwiring Jess but they do provide shape, especially with the inserts in, they have a kind of built in cup.

Until I had my first baby and breastfed was always 34A and used cotton wool balls to fill in the gaps! For the first time in my life I am 36 B and so my bras are redundant if you want to recycle some Jess!Have you tried LaSenza- or,excuse the pun, have they gone bust

Jess I don't know if you have considered this but DDs friend had partial reconstruction and up until then she used nursing bra's and padded the side with double nursing pads and she was more than happy with the result and they where pretty aswell.

Do they make nursing bras in an A cup - worth a look.

Don't wear them unless I really have to, because what I'm wearing would look rude, otherwise.

I have a theory that irritating, wired bras could be a reason for some breast cancers, especially if you wear them new without washing them, thus subjecting yourself to the chemicals used to preserve clothes from factory to woman.

Anyway, that's my excuse for not putting a harness on.

Same here Joan, although I don't share the cancer causing concern. I wear a slightly padded uplift bra, with the horrible underwire, when I'm out at a gig or club and want to look my absolute best, but the rest of the time, if I have to go out and only if my nipples would otherwise show, I slip on a soft non-wired one, these days usually from Sainsbury's because they seem to be one of the few places I can find them in a size 40C. The rest of the time I go without, just wearing a camisole or vest if the weather requires an extra layer for warmth.

Breast size must be one of the most variable aspects of the human form, don't you think.
I believe the bras causing cancer thing is an urban myth Joan - along with many others. (I won't list them.... ) Cancer starts as a result of cumulative tiny changes at a molecular level.
You don't need an excuse to not wear one! Remember the 1970s! It is vanity on my part, I know.

I have too much bosom for bras without support, I think. But are the pullover bras worth a try? I do like the idea!

I used to find it quite difficult to find a supportive bra to fit me when I was jumping up and down a lot (dancing). Most sports type bras that claim to be "firm" support just squash rather than support. It always seems to be assumed by bra-makers that small breast don't need support. Most of the time I'm fine with Sloggi pull-ons (small) but sometimes need a firmer 'hold'. I found a couple at Asda (!) at £3 a go that are fine and have cotton cups. Yay. Never yet found an underwired job that didn't dig into my ribs too much. Oh, and the final problem — cups too close together, nearly always.

Sigh. It's so hard being a weirdo!

Yes Bags I don't think breasts are routinely placed so close together (except in male fantasy land) and underwired bras often seem an inch or so too close together. For me (and you) anyway.
Asda sport bra sounds like a thing to look for.

JessM, I don't think my view about Bras and cancer is an urban myth, 'cos I've never heard it from anyone before. It is just my own idea and my sister's: it arose when the ABC (Australia's BBC) building had a large breast cancer cluster. They checked the environment multiple times and found nothing. I worked in the next building, so I had some reason to follow the story.

I was discussing it with my sister and we came to the conclusion that what those women had in common, was a need to dress well and look their best. They would have worn more new clothes, and possibly tougher bras than the rest of us.

Then a program came on the telly about the chemicals sprayed on clothes in Chinese clothing factories, before export, as it can be months between manufacture and retail sale.

We simply came up with a hypothesis that those chemicals and tight bras could be harmful.

Joan I wonder if it was the same type of chemicals that was sprayed on leather furniture from China a few years ago that caused a lot of people to have burns on their skin there was a big story about it ?

Ariadne they really are fab and Bags they do hold firmly. I was careful earlier to follow the 'no advertising' rule but I do see others sneak in a link occasionally so here goes: www.geniebra.co.uk/?gclid=COaTp9K927ECFVJ3fAod62IAiQ

The no advertising rule doesn't apply to links to products between Gransnetters, Grannyknot, it's just direct advertising that isn't allowed. Feel free to post links to your recommendations!

I had a look at this GenieBra Grannyknot and although it sounds a good idea I can't think that it would be any good for those of us that have had breast surgery and are a little (or a lot) lopsided