I have had small b cup boobs nearly my whole life which have varied in size with my weight. However, now that I have started HRT, I have noticed that despite losing weight, the girls have not decreased in size and the nipples have gotten much more sensitive. Over the last 4 or 5 days or say an area just below the nipple on each has also gotten pretty achy and I have had a couple of Ouch! Moments walking into stuff.

Last night in the shower I hefted them in my hand and they felt different. Kinda a bit fattier and fuller and they have taken a more conical shape down thru the nipple. I thought I might have been imagining things until my wife came by and exclaimed "those things are huge!" I wouldn't quite say that, but it does look like the boob fairy has paid me a small visit.

Anyway, because of the ache, my wife and sister recommend I wear a bra. I do have some and I wear jog bras or a compression Tshirt when I run at this point, but it got me thinking. When did you ladies start needing to wear a bra full time? I am not ready to go full time myself yet and probably won't be until Feb/March. Should I look into more compression Tshirts instead?

I would say you should wear a bra too.   Keep in mind, a lot of women on here are AA and A cups and they have to wear bra's to be comfortable.

I'm actually in a similar boat as you.   Because of a lot of factors, I was a natural smaller 42B when I started hormones and the hormones are making the tissue denser.   Because they are getting heavier and more sensitive, I had to start wearing a bra.

Because 42B is nearly impossible to find in a store, I am using a 40C and those are working out well for me.   You'd be amazed at how much less painful and sensitive everything is when you start wearing them.

I'm virtually full time, I wear makeup and straighten my hair as part of my daily routine, buying female clothes, etc. So I'm just waiting for my boobs to get big enough to wear an actual bra. They've been sore since I start hormones and the breast buds have been getting bigger since the last day of month 1. So I say whenever you want are tired of your boobs not getting support. If they get big enough it might be painful.

I generally always wear a bra, unless it is warm out and I am wearing a spaghetti top.

To go braless it to much like what 'he' did.

Speaking socially, it is desirable to wear a bra rather than show nipples, bounce and giggle excessively or be too revealing and it is practical to wear a bra if the weight or bouncing of your breasts causes you discomfort.

The social norm is for all women to wear bras, regardless of breast size.  In addition to providing support, bras conceal the nipples and make the breasts look perkier, which is considered more attractive.  I don't know whether or not passing is something that is on your mind, but if it is, wearing a bra would probably help.

I agree that the bra is the way to go if you want to pass as a female.  Unless you have a completely flat chest, the nipples are visible through a T-shirt.

I can spot a braless woman a tenth of a mile away.  Those nipples poke through like mountains.  Mountains, I say.  Not that it's a bad thing.  I find that sexy.  But it's taboo where I live if the contours of the nipples are clearly visible.

There are plenty of bras that still show the nipple just not as pronounced. There are many women who do not wear them as they are not comfortable and  many who do because it is more comfortable to do so.  When you need support to ease distress, wear one. When in a formal setting that allows for it, wear one. You will find many formal dresses make that difficult if not impossible.

Quote from: VeryGnawty on December 20, 2010, 12:43:29 PM
I agree that the bra is the way to go if you want to pass as a female.  Unless you have a completely flat chest, the nipples are visible through a T-shirt.

I can spot a braless woman a tenth of a mile away.  Those nipples poke through like mountains.  Mountains, I say.  Not that it's a bad thing.  I find that sexy.  But it's taboo where I live if the contours of the nipples are clearly visible.

Inverted nipples are very common.

I've been sore due to the HRT. Would a bra help with this?

Epigania, I'm the same size as you and have the same trouble with finding the right size. I might try a 40C and see if that helps.

Not trying to pass as a girl full-time yet. I am currently a suburban dad most of the time. Just one with what now looks like man boobs and longish hair. The changes are getting harder to disguise though.  I won't have to in a matter of weeks when the divorce comes through and I move out of state.

Mine are fairly small (34A).  I don't need to wear one due to discomfort but I do anyway because for me it pushes them up.  That has the effect of blending with my pectoral muscles and they appear bigger.  Also I don't want them sagging on me when I get older.  But if they are causing you discomfort then it probably is time to wear one.

I'm just about a uk a cup and I've not been wearing a bra to work for the past couple of months and that's been ok as long as i walk slowly and don't run up stairs. But they do feel a lot more comfortable if i'm wearing one

My boobs are very small unfortunately so I don't need to wear a bra for support but I have to because while my boobs didn't grow my nipples certainly did and they are rather large I wear a bra all the time since a friend commented once about "how pleased I seemed to see him." ¬.¬ it was a cold breeze is all. Also I wear padded most of the time to give myself the appearance of normal boobage. v.v Stupid chest.

Quote from: Melody on December 20, 2010, 01:29:49 PM
I've been sore due to the HRT. Would a bra help with this?

Epigania, I'm the same size as you and have the same trouble with finding the right size. I might try a 40C and see if that helps.

Not trying to pass as a girl full-time yet. I am currently a suburban dad most of the time. Just one with what now looks like man boobs and longish hair. The changes are getting harder to disguise though.  I won't have to in a matter of weeks when the divorce comes through and I move out of state.

I am going to say a bra will help with the ache feeling.  I find that if I don't wear one the nipples go a little nuts.  Wearing a bra seems to fix that.

Going down a size works pretty well, but you should try them on.  Tool me forever 5o find one style that fit.

Just make sure it's a good fit.  A bra that doesn't fit right can make soreness worse.

Thanks ladies. I think a bra everyday is very close to happening. Sometime in the last week my man-boobs from gynecomastia became real breasts and they hurt and are sensitive and the nipples have partial "electricity." I just have to face up to the fact that my rate of feminization and what it entails is not something I have total control over.

Tonight I went to a holiday potluck at my local trans center and one of the cisgirls there (married to a transman) mentioned how that when she first met me she thought I was FTM I gotta think my girls played a part in that. I took it as a compliment as she thought I was a genetic girl, if a butch lesbian one. Things are happening much faster than I was prepared for.

If you're confident enough with your presentation, you should get a fitting as well.   It's a super common mistake that women make that they are wearing the wrong size bra.  They will also, once they get your size, help you find a bra that fits you.   

My Tip of the Day: When you go in, make sure you know what TYPE of bra you're looking for.  (Full coverage, Demi, Push Up, etc.)   They'll ask that and if you aren't sure, it might make you feel a little out of place.

Like I said, 42B is really uncommon.  Be prepared to compromise a bit.

A couple months in. I definitely noticed LOTS of soreness when I was in guy-mode for work.

once I went full time and wore a bra all day, I stopped noticing the soreness. The bra ends up being a shield against it. The only time I notice it nowadays is when I'm in bed without a bra on.

Quote from: Jerica on December 21, 2010, 11:22:55 AM
A couple months in. I definitely noticed LOTS of soreness when I was in guy-mode for work.

once I went full time and wore a bra all day, I stopped noticing the soreness. The bra ends up being a shield against it. The only time I notice it nowadays is when I'm in bed without a bra on.

Thanks Jerica. That seems pretty definitive.

I must say, it has been quite the experience so far as I have watched these things I've had nearly my whole life finally becoming the breasts they were meant to be. The differences in feeling and sensitivity can be quite the eye-opener. I never realized until I started transition how much my body was really only half-baked. Stuck between male and female. Not totally one or the other, but society marking me as male anyway because I was born with the wrong genitalia. I feel like I am now free to complete the path I was destined to all along and it has been an interesting ride already, even at this early stage. Sorry for the aside, but this journey has been emotional for me on so many levels and you ladies are some of the few in the world that I know who can understand.