Sew in pockets for regular bras?

Faith316

Has anyone used their own bras and just bought some of the sew in pockets for them?  I would appreciate any feedback.  Any particular ones seem to work best?  I typically wear sports-type bras.  I have an upcoming unilateral mx scheduled early Feb. and am exploring my options.  I am large-breasted (46D) and if these pockets work well, I'd just as soon use them as buying new bras.  Thanks for any replies.

OneBadBoob

Please see instructions at Adapt a Bra to Accommodate a Prosthesis.

SoCalLisa

I bought some sew on pockets too, but they are flimsy and don't hold my prosthesis in place...a disaster with my bathing suit...so I took a old, real mastectomy bra cut it up and sewed it into my bathing suit,,now that worked

Kodapants

Yes, I did. My bras worked so much better than the others. The reason, when I had boobs I was built without cleavage, more fullness on the sides. So when I tried the others they center the boobs right in front and that looked weird to me. I was always use to plunging bras. I use a bra thats discontinued its a Olga's Christina 36D. You can buy the material on line or any Breast Prostheses store. My second bra I uses leopard stretchy material that my mom made a blouse out of. sewing them in by hand was hard, I followed the outline of the cup. my bra in under-wire so I feel and look normal and can wear tight shirts.

dreaming

American Cancer has a booklet that has all kind of ideas to make regular bras and other details, I get my mastectomy stuff at Metro Medical they cost less and have several brands.

celia088

I sew my own "pocket" into any bra that i like.  I got my first bras to go with my prosthesis at Nordstrom's where they have tailors who sew pockets into the bras that don't come with the pockets already.  They were really expensive--like $80 per bra and you are limited to only 3 or 4 depending on insurance coverage.  I decided to get bras that i like at Walmart and sew in material myself.  I used a similar material that Nordstrom's used--kind of like men's undershirt material but not too stretchy, and pinned it to the back of the cup and folded under the hem as i went along and cut the excess as i pinned.  I basted it on by hand and then machine-sewed it, added a hand-sewed snap to fasten the material on the side of the cup.  It was not too hard. The mast. bras that come with the pocket had pockets that were made out of net material and were kind of loose in the bra cup.  I couldn't imagine how they worked and those mast. bras were really ugly and expensive.  My pockets that i sew are very different shaped than the pockets in that article that OneBadBoob posted above.  Mine are not 2-layered and they open to the side (not the top) of the bra strap, where the snap is sewn.  If you have any questions please PM me.

SoCalLisa

Hi Celia..

Actually, I get the mastectomy bras for free...six a year..

with Medicare and Tricare for life

celia088

Hi SoCal, Before i had Medicare i could only get 3 a year with Tricare. With Medicare they write 4 on the rx. Hmmmm i will have to check about that. At Nordstrom's i had to pay up front and then i was later reimbursed by Tricare. Not so good if you don't have the moolah to begin with.

I just got Medicare a few weeks ago!! 

SoCalLisa

I get three every six months...I don't have to pay upfront at two of the places I go

and they take care of all the paperwork...both places are independently owned

not a chain..

They are very nice also..

Ruthie

Faith, 46D? - and you're going to try to do what?  I too was 40-42 D and wore sports type bras and swore I'd never wear an underwire.  First of all, you need to be properly fitted, measured, etc. bec I'd bet the ones you have are not fitting you properly now (don't lie - they's big girl).  You'll need an Rx fr either or both primary and/or br. plast. surg. and go to a place that's within network and make appt., they'll do the paper work.  Well, I'll get back to that part.  I take bathing suits to dry cleaners and have pockets sewn in, you're better off w/a prof espec., etc.  I had rt mast and left proprac. mast. and am abt. to sched. surg. recon on left one this wk.  I've lost abt. 45 lbs. since the beginning of this (2004) and for the first time, (I'm 5'7" 125 lbs) wore underwire and they were comfortable but now I don't wear the underwire (or feel I need the extra support - as the new one is rather perky indeed - soon no bra hopefully) and am 36-38 C, my temp. implant was 425 (saline) and perm 375.  Celia, I too went to Nordstroms and anyway, found out that with at least Aetna, only allowed $20 towards bra, more like the sports front closure bras which already have the pockets.  Also Sears/LE have mast. suits.  I had called ins co prior and was told no dollar limit and to submit a reimbursmt, blah blah ...and well... yes, the all too familiar ...well, I'm sorry you were misinformed...Now I have BCBS and (now this is the tricky part) try to get a straight answ fr ins co - like - well can I get 10 bras or 2, every yr or w/in 12 mths, but also, we know that whoever services you, they get the approval code before processing your order etc.  Well, was that long enough - if not, I can get back to the ins. topics - nevermind. (tee-hee).  Anyway girl, woman, get those things in perspective, you can't afford to have one of those (and my 1st prost was 11 - huge - now I have a partial sz 3 for the other) fall out of a pocket you sewed - that's taking some chance - I know, I've tried it without one - didn't work.   

guthr13

Hi - my daughter needs to have pockets sewn in her swimsuits.  When you take your suits to the cleaners/tailor do they have the material to make the pocket for the suits?  What type of fabric did you use...the mesh that's in mastectomy suits or something else?  We need to get this finished before spring break.  She's not a cancer patient, but she has severe breast assymetry and is only 14. Thanks.

lvtwoqlt

guthr, I don't know about providing the fabric for a cleaner or tailor to do it but a soft knit fabric would work in swim suits if you had to find the fabric.

Sheila

guthr13

Thanks - I just ordered some pre-made amoena pockets, I hope they will work for a swimsuit.   I know what she has is not life threatening, but it's very hard to deal with an almost A on one side and a C+ on the other at age 14.  She has a mastectomy bra, but it's tough to find a bikini with pockets that will hold a swim form.  Thanks for your suggestion.

lvtwoqlt

Have you checked out www.breastfree.org ? It is a site by a woman on this site with a lot of information about prosthetics and garments. there is a page about swimwear.

Sheila

guthr13

Yes,thanks,  that's where we found out about the Amoena Swimform.  They have some great choices for swimsuits, but there are no mastectomy suits on any US websites that we've seen that are "young" looking.  She did get one Lands End tankini, but there are no choices for bikinis; she's only a size 6.

purplemb

I don't even sew the pocket in anymore, but yes I used my own bra's... for swimming I used the poofies sewn right in, they wash up nicely and dry fast..

I have started a website for my bra, form, program please check it out if you can

www.pinkstock.webuda.com

I make no money at this but can use all the help, collecting forms and other things those with out insurance can use..

thanks

guthr13

What do you mean you used your own bras?

Lowrider54

I was a 40 D and already wearing the underwires...the prosthesis fit right in and I really didn't need a pocket or new bras.  For swim suits, I used the poofy form like purplemb.  For my riding gear, I took my leathers to the bike shows and had the leatherworks folks adapt my halters and vests with pockets for the prosthesis and an underwire cup for the real breast.  Worked well.