Outgrowing all my intimates means it's time for maternity!

With my existing stock of intimates slowly tightening around me, I've decided that it's time to invest in some new bras and panties (Read about First Trimester Must-haves). Fortunately for me, Calliope + Clio is friends with some of the best in the biz. We turned to the expertise of Kristin Wells at Forever Yours Lingerie. Mother of two and on board with FYL for 6 years, Kristin had a world of experience to share with us.

CC: Kristin, you are so authentic and enthusiastic about your work - I was immediately at ease with you. Where do you get all that great energy?
KW: Women come in with all kinds of body issues and hang-ups. When they walk out of here with the perfect fitting bra it is clear that they are also walking out feeling more confident about themselves. I find it so rewarding to enable that in women every day. Outside of the boutique, I have the opportunity to do this for in-need and at-risk women with Forever Yours Lingerie's Supportive Start Program. We collect new panties from our suppliers and gently used bras from our customers then go out into the community to fit and provide women with these very basic essentials.

Bravado Silk Seamless Nursing Bra

The most comfortable, buttery soft and stretchy fabric (stretches in four ways!)
that can be worn to bed. A god-send for tender breasts!

Moulded cups that can be removed, or replaced with nursing pads.
One-handed nursing clasps that can be switched to "regular" strap clips
when baby is no longer nursing.

Sizing is limited: S, M, L, XL; which can be a pain if you find yourself between sizes.
A must-have transition bra!

CC: On the topic of perfect fit, you are like a Fit Magician. You were able to gauge my fit almost exactly with a few quick glances and measurements. That must come from a lot of experience.
KW: At FYL, this is a requirement for fitters. There is 3 month training process before our employees fit independently. Training involves time on the floor getting familiar with the product, time shadowing experienced fitters and finally time being shadowed by experienced fitters.

Hotmilk Eclipse Nursing Bra

Not your grandma's nursing bra. Lace detail and crystal embellishment that you still feel sexy in.
Soft cotton-lined cups and straps don't trade style for comfort.

Stretchy microfibre will transition well from maternity to nursing, as milk comes in.
Convenient one-handed drop-down clasps, are great for nursing.

6 hook and eye extension gives a lot of room to grow and room to shrink again.

KW Tip: Dark dyes often cause the same bra to fit snugger in a darker colour, than a lighter colour. This is something to keep in mind, especially if you were fit for a white bra and now you are ordering black in the same style.

CC: When do you suggest that women come in for their first maternity fitting?
KW: Anywhere from 4 to 6 months. By this time you have likely had a significant amount of growth. You will need something with a stretchier cup that will grow and expand with your changing size. We also fit your bra to grow and expand with you; adjusting size and band width to give you the maximum amount of room for growth. We recommend waiting until about two weeks after baby has arrived before getting fit for a proper nursing bra. Once baby comes, size will change as milk comes in and things adjust. Some people can change one cup size while others can change up to five cup sizes.

Hotmilk Eclipse Brief
Update: This panty is so perfect, I have since ordered one in every style/colour combo available!

Not your granny's panties,with lace, ruching and surprise keyhole detail in the back,
but just as comfy.
Sits comfortably under bump. Silky soft microfibre fabric.

CC: What about underwired nursing bras?

KW: Underwired nursing bras, moulded cup bras, and generally those with a well-defined center gore, can be tricky. The fit must be perfect which means that growth should have plateaued. In the case of an underwired bra, poor fit will cause the wire to push against breast tissue and result in clogged milk ducts, which can be very painful. We recommend holding off on the purchase of these bras until after baby has arrived to get the best fit possible.

KW Tip: Same as a regular bra, the center gore of a nursing bra should lie flat for proper fit and support.