PSA: 30% off bras at bare necessities

lickastick

Hey ladies in light of all the bra talk I got an email today with 30% off and free shipping at bare necessities. They have a lot of the bravado bras and the bravado nursing tank I like @jilligan14!
Use Code: 355FJRJ6YN

lillebowski23

Oh sch-awing! Thanks for the share!

redheadbride15

This is great! Thanks!! I think I'll order one or two more of the bravado body silk bras now that I know they fit well.

jilligan14

Oh wow! I'm so tempted...but the latest bra I bought seems to be working and I need to save my money for now. I've been a bit too spontaneous with shopping lately and am starting to feel guilty

jilligan14

Oh, but they have the bra that I just bought! It's super comfy and has good support. Here's the link in case anyone wants to check it out: https://www.barenecessities.com/cake-lingerie-rock-candy-wire-free-nursing-bra-27-8000_product.htm?pf_id=CakeLingerie278000&search=

I'm pretty sure I'm somewhere around a 34DD and the medium fits me.

@createillumination - does the Bravado nursing tank stretch to the end of pregnancy? They look so comfortable! Eek - I'm so tempted now to buy all of the things!

lickastick

@jilligan14 there is a good amount of stretch to them. I strated with a 36f/g pre-pregnancy and I initially had some room to grow. Now I sized up to a 38 f/g which still has some room to grow in. I also bought a 40 f/g for when my boobs need their own zip code going up a band size provides more overall boob coverage.

I can still wear the original 36 but my boobs show too much cleavage the top and I don't like that. There is a bit of the uniboob effect but comfort outweighs the con of that. They are by far the best solution I have found so far for my ginormous boobs. They are super thick and can be worn as a stand alone tank top and flatter the bump under any shirt. 

I figure having all the sizes when I breastfeed will be useful as I grow and shrink. 

BernieRae

@createillumination do you order much from them? I loved them when I was in Chicago and they do have good sales, but now that I'm in Portland shipping takes forever! I imagine it would be similar for you. I've found that Nordstrom has some of my favorites so I've switched. I think I'll end up ordering some of these tanks though from somewhere. Thanks for the rec!

BernieRae

Oooooo those bravado tanks are buy one get one 50% off at target! 

redheadbride15

@jilligan14 I just got a bravado nursing tank and it fits over my 35 week belly! I like it, will prob get more (especially if they're on sale!)

BernieRae

I am way too excited about this nursing tank. How do you think it will do in the summer heat with a lightweight sleeveless tunic? 

lickastick

Oh the target deal will be the best if thats's for real! There are a few different bravado nursing tanks I only have the "dream tank" so I can't speak to the others. 

@bernierae I think it'll be fine in the summer even though they are thick.

 I haven't notice shipping taking too long. I only buy stuff on sale because bras in my size are SOOO expensive. If it takes a bit to get to me i'm ok with that. Nordstrom doesn't seem to have sales as often as the online stores. But maybe I should be looking there more! 

lillebowski23

Attention Ladies!! La Leche League is having a nursing bra sale on Zulily that ends TODAY. 

I just bought a bandeau bra, a wireless nursing bra, and a nursing tank. I am hoping that I can nail the fitting without having tried any of them on... I was a little disappointed in the lack of larger cup sizes as my DD cup is now starting to runneth over. The bandeau seems like it will be too small, but I suppose I want the bra to be a little smaller since there are no straps.

BernieRae

for cup sizes well over DD: I have the panache Sophie wireless nursing bra and it's pretty comfortable and supportive. I still love my one and only regular bra that fits, but this is a good alternative for now and hopefully I can use it while nursing. Of course it doesn't have the shaping I'm used to, but it works under some shirts. It's pretty for a nursing bra although the texture/lace means it shows through over certain tops. 

BernieRae

My bravado dream tanks arrived! They're great! They're snug in a good way, but they've still got some stretch to them so I'm hoping they'll work out down the line. They do take some effort to take off since they're tight. Mamas who've had c-sections @sporty1216, @emsmama15 Is pulling shirts over your head an issue soon after surgery? 

Sporty1216

I don't remember having any trouble pulling things over my head, @BernieRae   I pretty much lived in the nursing tanks from target and t-shirts, so I know I was putting things on and taking them off over my head. They give you pretty good pain meds. I took them at the maximum spacing, and even then I don't remember a whole lot of "pain" per se--more weird tightness/tugging from the stitches and some "ouch" moments if I laughed or we drove over a big bump. All of which to say: everyone's experience can be different, but I think you'll be fine. 

emsmama15

I agree.  No issues pulling shirts on and off.  I also lived in the Target nursing tanks and t-shirts.  In fact, I don't know if I should even admit it, but I was still wearing them when I got pregnant.  They're just so comfy.  Obviously, I don't have huge boobs or anything.  

BernieRae

Thanks, @sporty1216 and @emsmama15. I've been trying to imagine what it will be like post c-section, where the incision will be, how I'll have to adjust my movements, which clothes will be most comfortable. I guess I won't really know until then My natural inclination when injured/post surgery is to be overly cautious with movement which I know can be counterproductive. Trying to work on changing my brain now to avoid this...I'm guessing having a baby to focus on will help. 

Sporty1216

It's hard to imagine, but your incision will likely be right at your pubic hair line--really pretty low. Mine is maybe 6 inches long? I think the thing that surprised me most (and I'd never had any surgery ever) was that I could feel the tightness of the internal stitches. It wasn't awful, just weird. And I also had/have a little flap that kind of folded over the scar--I ended up getting a yeast infection in there because it was hard to keep it dry. So, just make sure you monitor keeping everything as dry as possible once you get home. But, even though it certainly wasn't what I had planned, it wasn't awful, really. Plus, having a baby to snuggle takes your mind off of things. You'll do great. And I'm happy to answer any questions and share anything about my experience that you might find helpful. Just ask.

ETA: I totally understand about the impulse to be very cautious about movement. But, all the nurses told me that getting up and walking as soon as you are able is important. Gotta get those guts working again. I was soooo hesitant, but they got me moving and I was so glad. LO and I took lots of walks around the ward, with me pushing him in his little bassinet cart. Our destination was usually the snack room where I raided the freezer that had these awesome Italian ices. They'd better still
have those. I lived on them!  

emsmama15

Oh yes, the skin flap.  Ugh.  Not looking forward to that again.  I got one piece of advice from the nurses - after showering, use the hair dryer to dry that area (use a cool setting ), and they also gave me a big piece of this moisture wicking material and I shoved it into the flap area, which really helped.  I ended up with a wound infection, which was probably due to the large amount of blood in my abdomen since I had an intra-abdominal postpartum hemorrhage, but it happened to pop up after I didn't put the cloth in my incision and I initially thought (irrationally) that it was because of that.  I never thought about getting a yeast infection though.  Just one more thing to worry about!!  

My c-section was planned, recovery wasn't that easy, but having the baby and having us both safe and healthy was TOTALLY worth it.

Sporty1216

Great tip with the hairdryer, @emsmama15 ! Totally going to remember that. I am also going to ask about whether I can dust it with cornstarch or something once healing is underway. I've been wondering about a post-c-section abdominal binder this time too. Any experience with those?

(sorry for the detour from bra talk, folks!)

emsmama15

@Sporty1216 - no, but I'm definitely going to get one this time.  My OB ordered one for me last time and the nurses never brought it and I never asked for it.  But, I'm totally asking this time.  Actually, I have a list of things for my hubby to ask for in case I'm completely sleepy and forget like last time.  

Sporty1216

Ok! Good to know. I need to put it on a list too--I meant to ask last time, but no one offered it and after the fact I just let it slide. 

Wyattnash00

I'm trying to remember CS recovery, I actually had my catheter in for 2 days, issues, though it was awesome never having to get up to pee, I've heard getting up as soon as possible is great. Plus those Tanks look amazing, anything that is long and won't hit your scar is a big score. Now I need to just order some, add to my list:)

BernieRae

Thanks for all the insight, ladies! And it's good to know that even though various issues may have come up for you all, that in the end you're all ok! It'll all be ok. I'll be ok  

Sporty1216

It will all be okay. And you will be okay. Knowing ahead of time you're planning a c-section is both a blessing and a curse, I think. On the upside, I wish I had been way more informed last time. It never occurred to me that I would end up having a c-section, so I was clueless about the surgery itself, recovery, etc. On the downside, knowing means you can think a lot. And sometimes that gets dangerous. at least for me it can. I know I have to sometimes just not think too much about it--otherwise I can make myself anxious. Once we're done having kiddos, though, I really want to watch a video of a c-section. I'm super curious about exactly how it all happens. I just am not sure I want to know before I do it again!

Wyattnash00

Haaaa, I agree with you @sporty1216!! I'd love to see what happens behind that curtain, just not yet! And I also wish I knew more about CS, honestly I was so naive with my first and just pictured hours of labor, never an emergency CS. Probably why I was so traumatized, zero prep or knowledge on eveything, including recovery:(

jilligan14

They showed us a video of a CS in my birthing class. Everyone's faces were all scrunched up in horror. It was intense but luckily you don't have to watch it when it's actually happening. Good luck everyone!

redheadbride15

Maybe it's the doctor speaking here, but I've attended many C-sections as well as vaginal deliveries in my life and I find the C-sections less gruesome. There's a feeling of them being neat and controlled and predictable. Of course the big downside is the recovery time and chance of post-op complications. So, I'm still hoping for a vaginal delivery myself.