Bra Discomfort

[KaitlynS]

I tried on my first bra today and i wore it to school and i really liked wearing it, but after awhile i started having a lot of discomfort. Can someone tell me why that might be? Could it be it was the wrong size? Should i take it off after a certain number of hours? It started bothering me after about eight hours.

[Drea]

Probably not the right size.

Most male rib cages are so wide that it is easy to end up with an under-wire (well plastic usually) that pokes in at the sides of rib cage.

Band size being too small is often a common problem since larger band sizes typically means larger cup sizes as well so MTF if they are trying to be natural often go short on band size to get a workable cup size. Some bras stretch better than others.

On rare occasions I have had a bra with some defect that causes irritation. One of mine right now, same brand, model number and size of others I have has something that I can't find. I think it may be a piece of the plastic thing they put the price tag on with. Anyway when I wear it, I can feel the end poke into my shoulder blade. It isn't noticeable at first but it inevitably gets worse and after a few hours I can't stand it.

[VickySGV]

There is an old riddle that goes:

What is the difference between a Cross Dresser and a Transgender Woman?

The Cross Dresser can't wait to get home and put a bra on. The Trans* Woman can't wait to get home and take her bra off!!

The same is true of the Cis women in my life and most who are not more than passing acquaintances. Bras do get uncomfortable after a while. While some are labeled "18 hour wear", I have had no better luck with them than anything else, even carefully fitted and super expensive bras. I even suckered in to a custom made bra that cost over $100, and at some point, even it gave out on the comfort.

As Drea has mentioned, we may need to opt for the next larger band size and smaller cup if they make it, or get an extender to increase the band size. I have tried both, and its a throw of the dice as to if that works not at all, one time, or many times.

You may want to put a tiny bit of talcum powder inside the bra cup, or just rub some where the band and straps go. Be sure to keep the area below your breasts dry and change the bra if you have been sweating for any length of time, and keep them very clean.

[Guest AshleighP]

Agreed about the sizing issue. And, some are just more comfortable than others. And, it takes some getting used used to. Some of mine I wear all day with no issues, a couple start irritating after a few hours. The fun part is experimenting to find the right size and style for you. I have become so comfortable wearing a bra that I found myself adjusting the shoulder strap while talking to a customer the other day at work. My point is, when you find the right one, it just becomes a natural part of your attire that you don't think about, you just wear. Have fun with the process!

[Guest]

Not much to add from here. Bra sizes and jean sizes are all over the map. I wear for the most part a 44c but that can range from 42-46 and b or c. Sometimes extenders help. Hug. JodyAnn

[Charlize]

My wife thought i was nuts to want to dress as a woman with the bra being the #1 problem. Young girls wear training bra's not because they need support but to get used to the things. I'm relatively comfortable at this point but there are certainly times when while working on the farm i want to scream. The worst perhaps is when i stacking hay in July, perspiring and adding bits of hay to the mix. The resulting rash is nasty.

Give it time, get the fit just right and prepare for a bit of discomfort from time to time. It seems to go with the territory.

Hugs,

Charlize

[KaitlynS]

The discomfort was between my breasts and towards the bottom of both breasts. Most of it was where the underwire was. I was wearing a 38B, but i think a 38A or maybe a 36A would be better.

[Guest Clair Dufour]

Bras differ between function and fashion. A lot of us here can remember when the girls in sixth grade

on would wear torpedo bras stuffed with cotton and tight sweaters! Now days unless dressed up, wear

the minimum to get the job done and go for comfort. Sports and soft cup bras take up a lot of space

in the bra department. Also, some use them like binders to reduce the attention. Some come with pockets

with push up inserts that can also take breastforms for those that want more. I wear mine all three

ways as its sooo comfortable even if I don't want to present. In short, spandex has replaced the cotton

bra in many cases. But I want my women's clothes to be softer, more comfortable and lighter than men's

wear. Put both outfits on a scale and you'll see the difference? Also, there is layering. You will

often see women with as many as three shoulder straps showing to get the comfort and/or look they want.

But, this is how you learn, by trying everything in the women's section to see what you like and what

works best for you.

[Drea]

The discomfort was between my breasts and towards the bottom of both breasts. Most of it was where the underwire was. I was wearing a 38B, but i think a 38A or maybe a 36A would be better.

Okay so you speak to the underwire problem I mention.

You must be very small rib cage for a MTF to really manage a 38 underwire without it trying to pull your breasts in much less even consider a 36.

More often the problem for MTF is that they may fit a 38A or 36B cup, but actually need a band something in the range of 40 to 44. Pretty hard to find small cups in the larger band size.

I have gotten away with a 38 non-underwire of a few types where I was seriously stretching the band because I really need a 42 or 44 band. Other 38 size bras the elastic was just too tight and would become uncomfortable.

Band extenders can be used with 38 size band to alleviate the stretch factor so that helps comfort, but it throws off the proportions a bit and underwire are shaped to be the right proportion for the band, not the extended band. Thus they try and hold your boobs in too close. Pressure points at the center and at the outside edge of the underwire then form creating discomfort.

A well fit bra should be pretty comfortable as long as you aren't too big on top or stuff your bra so it is heavy. Too much weight will make it uncomfortable.

The times I get discomfort is when my bra gets wet from rain, putting bra on too soon after a shower or from perspiration. In the folds under the breasts the bra doesn't dry and it will start to chafe.

[StephanieVikingGirl]

I love that joke about transsexual women who can't wait to get home in order to take our bra off! I don't mind spending time in the ladies changing area in order to find the most comfortable bra. I have a small rib cage so I can fit a 36 band, but it is a bit snug, so I wear 38 band bras. I currently own three bras, 1 is a 38 B which used to fit, but now my girls are too big, so I wear one of my newer bras which are both 38 C cups. My bras are lightly padded which has come in handy at work, it protects my girls while working as a bicycle wine tour guide. I am in the off season, so I am not wearing a bra today, I usually don't on days off. I have been wearing bras only since going full time, a bit over a year ago, so it is still a bit new to me. In the hot weather during the bike season, my bra can get uncomfortable after awhile, so I really do take it off as soon as I get home. Interesting apparel, I am just so glad to find ones that fit.

hugs,

Stephanie

[Drea]

I love that joke about transsexual women who can't wait to get home in order to take our bra off!

I had thought about commenting on this old hackneyed joke when it came up. I tend to feel trans people by and large can't take a joke and, have a hard time laughing at themselves and why give it any more attention than it deserves.

And by the way, as I knew the joke, it was "transsexual" not "transgender woman". I find the substitute interesting because transgender was a term coined by non-transsexuals and a term used primarily by CD to describe themselves.

In any case, the joke contains the message to those who aren't transitioned "I am a real woman you are not otherwise you wouldn't be so fascinated about wearing a bra". A claim of more validity.

It also is saying "hey you may like to wear a bra as often as you can but I get to wear one so much that I tire of it". A message of more privilege.

The joke in its way is the same as someone pulling out their being on hormones or their surgical status as means of saying they are better.

I know many of the modern day transgender folks wish to throw CD under the bus, have no compunction about pathologize CD as "just a fetish" and who insist CD are not transgender.

So it doesn't surprise mw when CD are made the butt of jokes like this one. I don't see many CD telling that joke but I've seen lots of ones in transition bring it up.

While I believe it is useful and necessary to have discussions about the different needs of folks, that we are in fact not all the same, that in fact we don't all have the same needs, but I think it is very unfair to say some are better than others.

I will end it at that. Understand my point is not to bas someone on the head for being politically incorrect within the community, but rather to cause one to think past the superficial humor in the statement the joke makes. And by the way, I have seen the joke brought up in the past specifically by folks intending to say they are better and that the other person is less.

[StephanieVikingGirl]

I apologize Drea for referencing that non-PC joke. I also apologize to any who I may have offended, I didn't mean it in any disparaging way. I am sorry. I do believe in inclusion, heck we are all transgender, that is the reason we have this term, it is meant to be inclusive. We have common cause, against the haters. I am a very liberal hippie chick in truth, and I love everyone.

hugs,

Stephanie

[Drea]

I apologize Drea for referencing that non-PC joke. I also apologize to any who I may have offended, I didn't mean it in any disparaging way. I am sorry. I do believe in inclusion, heck we are all transgender, that is the reason we have this term, it is meant to be inclusive. We have common cause, against the haters. I am a very liberal hippie chick in truth, and I love everyone.

No apologies needed Stephanie, I wanted to generate some thought about the bigger picture. Peace

[Cosmo]

Leading lady and woman within both stock large band small cup.size bras as in 42+ in A and B size cups. I haven't tried any of them but I do like the Bali illusion neckline in 42b with an extender. Fits the bill and is comfortable even on first day. Really did wonders for relieving back and chest pain.

[Guest]

I currently own three bras,

Interesting apparel, I am just so glad to find ones that fit.

hugs,

Stephanie

Ah, I must be a bit of a clothes horse???

I just gave away nine good bras and kept my ten favorites. It took a while to find what fits me well and still has fashion.

In my new smaller world I had to downsize. I gave away five full boxes of clothes. I was happy to, as most were given to me by girlfriends that lost weight, gained weight, whatever.

One of my joys in life is trading clothes with girlfriends, yet another perk the boys club doesn't get. Giggle. Hug. JodyAnn

[Guest Clair Dufour]

A rule of thumb that has been around for a long time is, that if you can't hold a pencil under your

breast you don't need a bra. Also, that at some size plus time, sag happens regardless of bra wearing

or not. Sorry, I don't have links. Now, we all start off using bras either to hold breastforms or

push up what we got and find comfort in women's wear. If I went to the effort to grow and/or augment a

pair, I sure would not hide them under a bra and layers of cloth. Some of my best crossdresses involved

breastforms handmade with a lot of sag under just a thin tank top and fully padded out 14W jeans! In

short, look around and say to yourself. I can look like her or her but, not her, just like other women

do.

[Guest]

Try 007b.com forgood information. Hug. JodyAnn

[Guest Ladyinker]

I must be the odd duck here, I don't mind my bra at all. I also don't mind my bottom under garments either, and yes I tuck. My only clothing issue is the vast discrepancies in sizes here in the U.S. between manufacturers.

Erin

[tracy_j]

We get discrepancies between manufacturers too, some shops being more notorious than others. I have found that in some it is essential to try things on whereas in others you can be fairly confident of fit.

With reference to bra's I have found that getting the right size make a real difference. Wearing a bra with a too short band size and an extender usually results in some discomfort and irritation with straps falling off my shoulders. As I am not on hormones and don't need a regular cup size, local suppliers are not useful so I now buy online. It is possible to find online stockists of bra's for the smaller woman. Look up Dainty Lady in the UK (maybe international delivery). I must admit though I am waiting for an overdue order but they are slow. Maybe things are made to order due to unusual sizing.

Tracy

[tracy_j]

Just to raise this again - I have received my latest order from Dainty Lady. For anyone who is interested I have got a bra off the shelf which fits me perfectly from them. Uk size 40 AAAA cup - tiny but not being on hormones = male boobs lol. They stock such sizes in different styles

Tracy

[Guest Clair Dufour]

I don't know UK sizes but I grasp the concept. That grey zone between small women's breasts and large

man boobs? A soft sports bra and perhaps a bit of tissue for a better look is what I fancy unless its

something special to dress up for. Where I go, I don't have to put them on the p(x)ss about a prostate

operation, hormones or transgendered and such. But, I can see myself blaming it all on National Health!

I can see it now on PinkNews, "NH made me Trans*"! Silly, perhaps but, we use every advantage we can

find.

[Guest]

I must say i am still experimenting with what bra to wear and when to wear it.

Sometimes i go with racer back and sometime i go with no underwire.

Today i wore my "bombshell" super padded with a cami, and tomorrow i will probably go bra-less under a baggy sweatshirt.

I cant say i have an urge to wear one and i love the feeling once it comes off.

As far as pain goes: i have found that different bras have different problems. I.e. Falling straps, scratchy band material, straps that cut in to shoulders, padding ripples, oh and dont even get me started on underwires!

But for all of us it is a choice to wear it for various reasons so there is also the option to not wear one. (Granted it may mean you will need to change how you dress)

[Guest Lizzie McTrucker]

I'd respond to this but I'm busy looking for a pencil.

My original thought for the OP was maybe the band was too tight? It should be snug but not tight. I've had to experiment to find my correct band size which involved trying various combinations of band size and cup size until I found one most comfortable. Then after being full-time for about a year, I felt comfortable enough to go in to a store for a proper bra fitting, mostly to verify if I was wearing the correct size (which I was). A good, properly fitting bra, should be comfortable to wear all day and not be annoying or cumbersome. Also the band of your bra should feel like a hug and not a python wrapped around you.

Be good to your girls, ladies!

[Guest archer99]

I took the leap the other day and went to get a proper fitting bra. Mind you I was in male mode. I just told the sales lady that the bra was for me and I wasn't sure what I wanted. She was great she showed me some and asked if I wanted to try some on. It was mid afternoon but nobody in the store. She set me up in a cubicle away from the others and helped me measure to get the right size. I was wearing to small a bra. I ended up getting 3 beautiful bras .I was wearing a 34b with forms . But I recently got new forms (pals triangles). My bras ended up being 36c . She even complimented me on the size of forms. Saying she has had other cross dressers and Transgender customers who went to large for their frame and mine were perfect for me. That made my day.

Moral of the story is a proper fit makes all the difference.

[Rachael]

I recently sent back two orders to leading lady.i was looking for a bra that would fit the calculator said get 38 AA . ( my bust measurement is 38) way to small. Second order 40 AA still tight. A 42 C fits well and a 44 front hook fruit of the loom fits nice but is a little tight under the arms. I just received my breast forms ordered before I found this sight. I really like them so the 42c and 44 fit comfortably now. Thanks for the tip on dainty lady I will look them up.