Supporting our bosom buddies! - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

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Supporting our bosom buddies!

LindaLittleBear profile image

So I'm putting together a hospital bag and I'm told I need a good non wired front fastening support bra!

Recommendations needed!

Words of wisdom welcome!

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LindaLittleBear profile image
LindaLittleBear
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14 Replies

hi no experience of this but have you googled post surgery bras?

Quick search M&S has front fastening with a zip!

worth going to M&S if you have one close just for advice and fitting even if you don’t buy there?

good luck with preparations!

LindaLittleBear profile image
LindaLittleBear in reply to

Good advice, I had a look at marks and will pay them a visit. Thank you 💕

annpavitt250448 profile image
annpavitt250448

I wear front fastening bras from Chums catalogue, since I broke my numerous bone last year and can't reach behind to fasten a back doing up one. I find them very good.

LindaLittleBear profile image
LindaLittleBear in reply toannpavitt250448

I had a look a Chums, reasonably priced bra. My only concern was the sizing as it was dress size and not cup size. I hope you are well on the road to recovery with that break!

annpavitt250448 profile image
annpavitt250448

I found ordering a size up from dress size worked for me. I hope you get the bra you want and surgery goes well.

Petitlady profile image
Petitlady

I had OHS in June. I could not get on with front fastening bras there was too much fabric at the front rubbing on my wound. Prior to surgery I also tried an M&S bra with a zip and had to return it. When I breathed in the zip popped down and I am no Barbara Windsor! What works best for me is a Royce Grace bra. I also got back extenders from M&S which I used for the first couple of weeks. I simply fastened the bra at the front and then twisted it round before pulling up the shoulder straps. I am still wearing these now without extenders in my pre op size.

Petitlady profile image
Petitlady

PS. Post surgery often seems to mean mastectomy. Our requirements are not quite the same

LindaLittleBear profile image
LindaLittleBear in reply toPetitlady

So very true. My online search result indicated that. Hence my call out for advice!Thank you! 💕

Cee-Cee1 profile image
Cee-Cee1

Immediately after a bypass, I found any bra to be uncomfortable to be honest and couldn't wear one. I wore a fluffy dressing gown while in hospital over my front buttoning PJ's and when I got home I lived in baggy t-shirts for a couple of weeks. I kept a padded gilet handy to shove on very quickly before I answered the door when anyone dropped in. It's the first time in my life that I've been pleased I'm not particularly well-blessed in the lady upper frontage department! I'd really recommend front-buttoning PJ's for hospital too, as it's much easier for the nurses and docs to check leads etc. and it means you're keeping your bottom half covered with PJ trousers when they do! M&S do a great range of post-op bras after breast surgery though, a quick look online might be an idea. I've added a link to the BHF bra recommendation which is quite interesting:

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

Petitlady profile image
Petitlady in reply toCee-Cee1

I also found wearing a bra very uncomfortable. I bought a couple of the BHIS bras as they were recommended but I couldn’t get on with them. The front fastening was in contact with the surgery scar. There is a fair bit of trial and error

Rhinos67 profile image
Rhinos67

I bought a pack of 2 front fastening post surgery bras from Asda online. Very responsibly priced as I didn't intend wraring them for long. They just came in sizes S, M, L etc so were OK, but not the best fit. When I came out of hospital I bought an M & S post surgery bra on my proper size. A much better got, but the ugliest underwear I've ever owned, but there is no vat if you make sure that you are buying it due to surgery . Needs must though and it's relegated to the back of the cupboard now. I progressed from that to an M & S bralette. Also non wired and much prettier.Joanne

😊

Kevins-girl profile image
Kevins-girl

I’d agree that it is trial and error. 3 weeks post surgery tomorrow. First week only baggy T-shirts would do as could not stand anything across my chest. Second week I could start to wear a front fastening sports bra for a couple of hours per day before it all got too much and this week managing most of the day. Got the bra’s off Amazon - came in s/m/l so took a punt on l and fitted fine as not snug across my chest.

Front fastening pjs in hospital were perfect and I went for short sleeved as it enabled easy access for blood tests, blood pressure monitoring and less likely to get tangled up in a cannulas etc. Also blooming hot in hospital so kept me as cool as possible!

Good luck!!

KIMMY60 profile image
KIMMY60

I tried wearing a very stretchy sleep bra in hospital, the one nurse let me keep it on for ecg but the specialist insisted it had to come off feel so embarrassed with everything hanging out, especially as mixed wards and they aren't that careful with the curtains

Thanksnhs profile image
Thanksnhs

Hi I just used brallettes, I had my op during lockdown and it was my nurse that bought them for me in Asda , I had no trouble putting them over my head. I could also wear my usual wired ones. I am small and thin maybe that's why it was easy for me to wear them. They were really comfy. I hope everything goes well take care char

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