How do sew a bra pocket

Wow...thanks RegulJ!  That was a very helpful video!  I have been playing around with adapting old tank tops and camisoles with bra pockets.  This lady makes converting a regular bra to a mastectomy bra so simple and with great video instructions.  Great Link!

Nice find, RegulJ! But being me, I just want to warn about the underwires being a problem with blocking lymph flow. No reason I can see why this process wouldn't work with a regular bra or a cami, though. I like the soft t-shirt fabric.

Binney

Otter I think you make a good point!  Without a breast to tightly press against as in the case of mastectomy I think an underwire becomes less of an issue.  The primary concern in that case would be the tightness of the bra band around the trunk and the straps on the shoulders.  If the bra band is tight that could certainly cause increased pressure across the chest. Underwires are probably more an issue for women with remaining breasts.

The concern is aways any highly compressive areas around a body part that is preventing the natural flow of lymph. Whether that body part is a finger, an arm, a breast or a truncal circumference.  General overall compression of the truncal area such as applied by a compression vest or shaping camisole can be beneficial to LE as opposed to garments that apply pinpoint areas of pressure. So yes I would agree with you that the underwire itself is probably less risky for women who have had bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction.

One clothing area sometimes overlooked is a tight elastic waistband on underwear, slacks or skirts.  If a waistband leaves a reddened indentation in the skin, that is probably sufficient pressure to impede the flow of lymph down the sides of the trunk and into the groin area for proper drainage.

Thank you so much! I am a small girl also and the insurance bras are too much! I will be trying this method. You are kind to share your video.

Regards,

Rose Anne

Great discussion ladies. I tried to view the video and as usual Dial-up presents too many problems. (I dont need to go away and make a cup of tea, but rather go away for holiday! ) grrrrrr!

Ive NEVER had any use for underwire bras either, even though I was pretty "well endowed". Im with you LindaLou. I think the waist band and shoulder straps would be more of an issue than the underwire. Youve explained it so well about "pinpoint areas of pressure".

Musical

also ck out the "poofy" thread on this site. i wear both, but love my poofys. at target, they sell the kids ones for 1.00 for 2, and cvs 1,49 for BIG ones..cut to size.. about underwires. was large, hAD BDMX. TRIED TO SORRY, NOT screaming, its my neuropathy..wandering fingers,, hmm back to where i was...was trying underwire from before.. its strapless and soooo comfortable, as well as cheap.. it DID sit on the underneath where they were. and they did irritate me, and cause an le problem. not bad, mld took care of it, but never had it there before, don't wanna again. im not judgin i'm just sayin... light and love   3jaysmom

I am not good at sewing, but I tried something slightly different that matched my skill level (or lack there of):

I bought a $5.00 bra (clearance) that was padded. 

I then made an incision on the inside of the bra just at the space where the cup and the strap meet to create a opening/pocket. This allowed me to fill in the open space with microbeads tied in knee-high hosiery socks (1 pair).

I then bought a $0.33 pair of knee level panty hosiery socks and 1 bag of $4.97 Polyfill microbeads (Walmart).

I filled each hose with 6oz of microbeads, tied a small not and encased the shape with the excess hose. 6 oz gave me a nice size A cup. I orginally attempted 8 oz but found it too large for comfort.

I then inserted each shape into the exisiting bra (in between the padding and the material) and hand stitched the incison back.

The one thing that I did notice is that I have to avoid wearing V-necks for the time being, as it can gape open when you bend.  As the video mentioned, if you select a bra that is high cut and has a wide gusset, you won't have that gaping problem. I am going to try that version next.

This can also be done in regular bathing suits to make them fit a prosthesis. I did this for the first time this winter when I was so frustrated with the suits I was finding for a trip, and it came out great!

I had BMX with immediate placement of TE's but lost the left one last Jan. due to skin healing.  I just finished chemo and will attempt to replace that left TE this month.  One of the things I did was to find one of my old underwire bras and make a small incision (ha, sounds surgical!) on the inside of the fabric casing that holds the wire in place.  I used a pair of pliers and pulled the wire completely out.  That left me with a fairly structured bra that would hold the prosthetic in place without the uselessness and discomfort of the underwire since the TE side isn't squishy.  

do you know how to sew something inside a cami that has a shelf so that i can fit a form in it? the shelf opens down, btw.

For a bathing suit, I used an old mastectomy bra and cut the straps etc off and just

hand sewed in into a regular bathing suit..and used a swim form

i didnt find the instructions for a cami, i found how to make a form out of microbeads and how to sew a pocket into a bra? where would i find the cami instructions on how to make an already shelf into something that can hold forms.. thanks!

I finally got around to "transforming" more regular bras this weekend.  The first one I ended up putting the pocket on the wrong cup - dur, but after that I figured it out and in no time had 4 completed.  Yippee, stocked for the next several months at least.  Now I have to start searching to buy new white ones to convert for next spring/summer.  I like to wear the T shirt type bras but I have to be careful to make sure the cup is the right shape, other than that I am starting to get the hang of this.

FYI - anyone checking out this thread who lives in the UK please check out your local Matilan store as they have now started to stock "post-op" bras which are mastectomy bras under a different name.  My mom bought me several and sent them over to me in Canada - they were only 6 sterling pounds, which is an amazing price compared to what we pay in Ontario.  They are extremely comfortable and pretty too!  Some have a lace insert so it looks like you are wearing a camisole, great with vest tops that are a little too low, they others are like cotton sports bras, great for under tight fitting tops or t shirts.