A good friend of mine recently shared her painful pre-menstrual breast frustration with me. Not surprisingly this included pain, swelling and discomfort (the usual suspects). So, as a good naturopath I offered her food, supplement and lifestyle advice.

But then I asked her when the last time she had a proper bra fitting was? This was met tha grimace; a shake of the head, and downwards glance to her bosom. Not only had she not ever been fitted, but she had no confidence in sports because as we later discovered, she didn’t have the appropriate support.

The right fit can help minimise discomfort, and breast tenderness when suffering from pre-menstrual breast pain. Here are some tips for the right fitting bra:

• A bra that fits evenly in front and the back. So if the back is riding up then you will either need to tighten it or get a smaller size.
• The straps are not cutting into you. This may mean that the straps are too narrow, or they’re too tight, or the bra is the wrong fit.
• The straps should not be falling off your shoulders. Falling straps means that the bra is too loose, either because the straps are not tight enough, have lost their elasticity, or the bra size is too big. Either way, you are not getting the support you need.
• There should be no spillage over the cups: your breast should fit into the whole cup. Breasts that ‘wonder’ up and over usually mean that the cup is too small, which can be uncomfortable, not to mention gives a bad silhouette. A little tip for women who have different sized breast (which the majority of us do) get the bra fitted for the larger breast. If there is a great difference in size, put an insert into the smaller breast cup. I always do the jiggle, and bend forwards test in the change room to make sure that they stay put. I’ve learnt this the hard way, buying bras that fit perfectly in the change room, to later discover a constant ‘falling out-ness’.
• The underwire of the bra should not cut into you. This can mean that it is the wrong shape, or size. A well-fitted bra should feel seamless and comfortable.
• When you’re in your bra, your breasts should not be sagging down below the underwire. This can be an issue with larger breasted women, and can mean that there is not enough support. Getting the right style, brand, and fit will help with comfort and lift the breasts.

In the world of bras there are different shapes to choose from. For women who suffer from PMS, I would suggest getting fitted during this time of the month, especially if your breasts tend to get bigger. Some women will experience a marked difference in size, so having at least a couple of ‘full cup bras’ for that time of the month would be ideal. The full cup bra will fit your whole breast in the bra, unlike the lower cut balconnette bra, or the v-plunging triangular bras. The full cup bra is great when wearing tighter shirts where you want a seamless, smooth look, as well as providing excellent support. Essential for fuller cupped women, and a must in a sports bra.

Ok ladies, I hope this gives you some insight into the world of breast support, and how important it can be for comfort? Needless to say my friend has been fitted properly and along with her vitex, and b vitamins, is feeling a lot more able to bear her pre-menstrual breasts.

Does anyone have any tips or personal stories about this?

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