Keeping "The Girls" Happy During Pregnancy: A Blogger’s Maternity Sports Bra Picks
Katie from www.katierunsthis.com is back to share her thoughts on pregnancy “support”, if you know what we mean. Katie is a runner (on a brief hiatus, now a yogi!), blogger, and soon-to-be new mom! She’s an engineer, so you know she’s got smarts. Here’s her journey in bounce wear…
So I know that this whole article may fall under “Too Much Information” for some of you but there might be some of you out there that need to know the truth…if you plan on exercising through your pregnancy (and I hope that you are!) keeping The Girls under control may require frequent, if not near weekly, updating of your fitness undergarments.
Let me just start out by saying that I am not one of those women who are “gifted” with small boobs. I know that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, and there would be some “smaller” women who wish they could trade with me (and, if it was physically possible, I SO would!). I would have love to have been one of those women that, once pregnant, only developed the little basketball belly. No, no…not me. Along with my sweet baby belly came the boobs and the bootylicious rear end. (Thanks to Beyonce and Nicki Minaj for making this cool again!) This has presented some really unique challenges with exercising. I have spent more money than I would like to admit finding sports bras that work and I would like to share my favorites so far and which activities I use them for.
Old Navy
I call this my “sports bra light.” I originally purchased this in my first trimester because The Girls were so sore and I needed more support for sleeping at night. Since I am now in my third trimester, the soreness has subsided but I still get plenty of use out of this sports bra. It has become ideal for light activity like just walking around the neighborhood or doing light weight lifting or prenatal yoga. It has no underwire so don’t go getting all crazy and doing jumping jacks in it (not that you should or would be doing those any way).
After I realized that the sports bra light was no longer cutting it, I had to move on to something with more support. Like the previous choice, it is a racer back style that pulls over the head. This sports bra does not feature underwire but the seams and strong elastic band around the chest kept me snug and bounce-free. I really enjoyed this sports bra…you know, until the late 2nd trimester/early 3rd trimester hit. That is when things just got out of control.
By the time Week 26 or so rolled around, it was time to break out the big guns. Meet the Moving Comfort Rebound Racer. It is like the Humvee of sports bras…a true tanker, if you will. I was having such a hard time keeping The Girls under control that I actually broke down and called the company for suggestions. I mean, really, who would have thought I would have to have THAT conversation with a salesperson! Even smaller tasks and activities like just taking my dog for a walk around the block got The Girls a-shakin’ so I knew it was time for a heavy-hitter sports bra. While it also fits over the head, it does feature molded cups and a regular bra-like latch in the back so it makes it easier to get on and off. Somehow my 34D doesn’t seem to fit as tightly around the chest as my previous selection (making it easier to breathe), but I definitely give this one a no-bounce two thumbs up!
At first I just moved up the ranks through these sports bras, ditching the previous ones as the new one was introduced. Recently I have found uses for all of them…almost using sports bras exclusively. At this stage in the game, regular “pretty” underwire bras have become too uncomfortable and with only weeks to go, I really do not want to spend too much more money on undergarments that I know will be too big eventually. Don’t worry though, all of the above choices still look super cute under my Running for Two tank!
Follow Katie on Twitter @KatieRUNSthis
How are YOU dealing with the…ahem, gift of the pregnancy bosom? Have you had to alter your workouts or workout gear in any way to accommodate the changes in your body?
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