I don't know about you all, but one of the first signs that I was pregnant (other than my freakishly heightened sense of smell, noting a colleague's exact Jo Malone fragrance combination from across the hall) had to be the excruciating pain in my breasts - it was like the usual PMS tenderness multiplied by 50!

Then the swelling began, accompanied of course, by the darker and considerably larger nipples (caused by hormonal changes and a temporary increase of melanin). I then realized that my breasts no longer belonged to me, nor did they belong to my husband as he had liked to believe. They now belonged to the baby growing in my belly and required some extra care and some new underwear!

So I was a pre-pregnancy 32D, a pregnant 34DD, which turned into 36E by the third trimester. But the real fun came after I gave birth. Can you say 34G? And my last, but certainly not least bra size was 34H. Yes, they thankfully do make them in that size, though they are not easy to find.

Not sure what size you need? Get fitted at a local bra shop - I went to Linda's on the Upper East in NYC (also available online). However, even Linda did not have much of a selection available for my fabulous new porn star bosom. So I went searching online (my favorite activity) and discovered Breakout Bras, which had an excellent selection, good prices and free shipping.

When choosing a bra, go for supportive over sexy. Also, go for the softer materials with minimal seams (especially near the nipple area). And I highly recommend investing in a good sleep bra for nighttime. Not only was the soft, nonrestrictive style cotton bra (which I could not believe I had not discovered earlier) great in keeping my bodacious boobies in place at night, but it was a life saver for when my milk came in for keeping the breast pads (more on those later) in place while I slept.

Also, if you do plan on breastfeeding, you will want to buy a nursing bra sometime during your third trimester and bring it to the hospital with you. Think about choosing something with a bit of room to grow as your breasts will likely grow with engorgement.

Another tip if you plan on breastfeeding, that my friend Jolene shared with me, is to prepare your increasingly sensitive nipples for the wear and tear of the process of feeding and pumping by literally "toughening" them up. Take your favorite moisturizer, I indulged in Crème de la Mer, and massage it into your nipples daily.

If your tender breasts can take it, really rub it in. The reasoning - the more you get your nipples used to rubbing the less your baby's suckling will distress them. And feel free to rub the cream all over your breasts to help the stretching skin stay moisturized and help prevent stretch marks.

-Julia Burke, Baby Blitz Editor

Fun Fact: Some believe that the reason why the areola, the area around the nipple, grows in size and gets darker during pregnancy is to make it easier for the baby to spot its source of nourishment.

 

Plus: Read about how to prevent stretch marks!