estimating bra size during breastfeeding

I was told to buy bras one cup size bigger for having when my baby arrives soon in June during breastfeeding but then I heard that women tend to get even bigger breasts in the very beginning with engorgement, etc -- like 3 cup sizes bigger but then maybe it platuaes back down to one bigger cup size?? The problem is my baseline is big (38 D/DD) and now during pregnancy a full DD and I wear bigger length to be more comfortable (42 DD or with an extender from my old bras). So it's hard to find bras bigger than DD in stores. The only place I found them was at jcpenny online not even in the real stores as they went up to DD which barely fit me now. So I ordered a few 42 DDD bras which are slightly big now but I figure I'll fill them out soon enough. But wondeirng if I should get even bigger cup sizes (F or whatever bigger is!) and how many bras -- will I wear them at night too and only for the first weeks but then back down to DDD during breastfeeding? B/c it takes time to order and deliver them from online and my baby is due in a couple of weeks, I wanted to try to get these ahead now. Thanks!

[AnnieBrooke]

Hi, for what it's worth, I went up two band sizes and one cup size, since going up band sizes increases the cup size (for example, a 34D's "D" cup is smaller than a 38D's "D" cup because the "D" goes up proportionately with the inch number on the band.)

Keep in mind also that your breasts will fluctuate during the day based on whether your baby has recently emptied your milk out of them or not. :)  Get one bra slightly larger than you think you will need and one slightly tighter, and then buy more once the baby is here based on what you learn from their fit.

[lovefamily]

I am very small breasted.  I normally were a B cup.  I went up one size for nursing to a C.  But when my milk first came in I was a D cup for just little while.  I wore my nursing Bra's at night too.  If I didn't I would wake up wet with milk.  I started out using disposable nursing pads.  They get expensive.  Then I heard of the great idea of taking unsented pantyliners and cutting them in half and sticking them to the inside of your bra.  They worked great and were a lot less bulky.  Finally I found some cotton nursing pads.  They were made out of the same material of clothe diapers.  I could wash them and use them over and over.  I felt like oxygen got to my breast better.  I nursed for over a year with my kids so it worked out good for me.  Don't invest too much money in Bras until you see what you will need.  Get you a couple a size up to get you by until you see what you need.    

[cutiemama]

I actually didn't get any bigger post partum. I did get bigger with my pregnancy and remained that size while I'm nursing. Everyone's different so I wouldn't invest too much in bras until your milk comes in.  Motherhood has a very good selection of bigger sizes. During the night I wore the bravado nursing bras which are more like a sports bra and more comfortable to wear sleep.

[taysmommy]

its really hard to tell, it would probably be safer to wait until maybe 3 weeks after you give birth to get a good bra, i think after a few weeks my boobs basically stayed about the same size while i was nursing, (after the engorgement goes away) but i know if i didnt nurse for a few hours, my bra would be extremly tight, but when i just got finished nursing it would be really lose, thats why i wore a sports bra most the time (while at home of course)