CELEB BRELFIE

We love that celeb mummies are talking publicly about breastfeeding – and even publishing brelfies (breastfeeding selfies).

Here we share some of our favourites:

Super -model Gisele Bundchen: The ultimate breastfeeding multi-tasker!  

 

PINK – you rock! This picture was taken as Pink prepared for a photshoot of an album.  She said: “It’s time we support what’s healthy (breastfeeding) instead of judge it.” (We couldn’t agree more!)

Tamara Ecclestone – shows just how natural it is to breastfeed your little one – anywhere!  And in actual fact you need to double take to know that she is actually feeding – as is often the case.

Miranda Kerr demonstrates what a special time it is breastfeeding your newborn

The Brelfie makes it onto the front cover of Elle

ROYAL BRAS

Here at Emma-Jane Maternity we are really excited to rename our entire range of maternity, nursing and sleep bras after royal mums, to celebrate the birth of Kate and William’s son.

As you can imagine we’ve had lots of fun matching our bras to the royal mums!  Picking Kate was an easy one – it had to be one of our next generation bras.  Elizabeth, like her mum before her, is possibly the most loved monarch of all, so it had to be our customer’s favourite bra.  Diana, was much harder.  In the end we decided a sleep bra was the most respectful choice. 

As mum to a future monarch, Kate will face worldwide scrutiny as every snuggle, kiss and public gesture is splashed across the worldwide media.  We understand just how important it is for all mums, and especially royal mums, to feel comfortable and at ease.  All of our lingerie is designed to deliver maximum comfort at a time when mums’ bodies are undergoing lots of changes.  Dressing for comfort on the inside enables all new mums to focus on their precious little ones.

We have been making maternity bras for over 25 years.  New mum Kate heralds the next generation of Royal mums and we could think of no greater mark of respect than to rename our entire bra range after some of the most inspirational and much loved royal mums in history.

Next generation range

The next generation range of Emma-Jane Maternity and Nursing bras will see you through the latter stages of pregnancy and through breastfeeding.  They are designed to grow with your body as your breast size increases.  Ultra-comfortable, easy to wear and affordable, they are the perfect choice for mums and mums to be.

Bra 361 renamed Elizabeth

Emma-Jane’s most loved bra is named after our treasured monarch, Elizabeth II.  Mum to four, grandmother to eight and now a great grandmother, she is not only an inspirational role model for her own family but a nation.  Available in black, skin or white.

Bra 362 renamed Kate

Kate is the embodiment of the ‘next generation’ and it’s only fitting Emma-Jane renames its next generation nursing 362 bra after the mum of the future king/queen.  Add a splash of colour, available in fuchsia and blue.

Bra 365 renamed Zara

The queen’s grand-daughter is a thoroughly modern royal and Emma-Jane is delighted to rename the padded next generation bra after the mum-to-be.   Available in black, skin or white.

Classic Maternity Bra 
Maternity bras prevent milk ducts from becoming blocked and should be worn in the last trimester.  Opt for a maternity bra that has the room to expand as you do, during your pregnancy.

Bra 311 renamed Margaret

The Queen’s sister and mum of two, the classic maternity bra, renamed Margaret provides the perfect support and comfort as your breasts begin to change.

Nursing Bras 
If you are planning to breastfeed, the best time to buy your nursing bras is during your last month of pregnancy. You’ll need a minimum of three bras.  As our grandmothers say: One on, one in the wash, and one in the drawer. With your breasts weighing an extra 750 grams and more than 5cm bigger it’s important to feel comfortable and relaxed through every stage of your pregnancy. 

 

Bra 411 renamed Sophie

This is similar in style to the Margaret bra.  It’s silky soft with moulded cups for a smooth look, it’s a classic style that complements Countess of Wessex, Sophie, mum of two.

Bra 412 renamed Sarah

Named after mum of two daughters, the Sarah bra comes with Supalite, titanium underwires that won’t cause milk-ducts to block.

Bra 428 renamed Mary

The Queen’s grandmother and mother to six, this renamed, award-winning bra is pretty, comfortable and supportive.  It’s been a long-standing favourite that mums keep coming back to.

Bra 429 renamed Alexandra

The Alexandra bra is named after mum of six including George V.  This is a beautiful feminine fit for mums wanting an extra special nursing bra.

Bra 442 renamed Charlotte

Charlotte had ten sons and six daughters!  Among them were George iV and William IV.  She is the first royal mum to have lived at Buckingham Palace which she and the family moved into in 1762. This bra is a great everyday nursing bra – whether you have 1 or 16 children!

Bra 451 renamed Anne

The queen’s only daughter and mum of two, we have renamed the bra that has a dainty spot print, with cups lined in organicpure cotton making for a supersoft feel against sensitive breasts. 

Bra 342 renamed Diana

A seamless bra to help provide a truly comfortable night’s sleep, Emma-Jane named this bra after the mother of William and Harry.

Bra 371 renamed Victoria

Queen Victoria, mum to Edward VII,  had four sons and five daughter and 42 grandchildren.  A true matriarch and revered monarch, the Victoria bra is a modern, practical sports bra style with a wide elastic underbandthat doubles perfectly as a sleep and nursing bra. 

Breastfeeding Beyond a Year

Quite simply, breastfeeding post 12 months is absolutely fine.  Why not?  

For many women in western society there is an unsaid opinion that we should stop breastfeeding by the time our babies hit 1 year old.  It's the raised eyebrow with the accompanying "Oh, you're still breastfeeding?"

It's fact that the World Health Organisation actually recommends that women continue to breastfeed their children up to two years or more!

We say, feed as long as you like!

Ten Facts Why We Love Breastfeeding

1. Breastfeeding reduces the risks of breast and ovarian cancer later in life, and helps women return to their pre-pregnancy weight faster.

2 WHO says adults who were breastfed as babies often have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol than those who weren't.

3 Across the world, less than 40 per cent of babies under the age of six months are exclusively breastfed.

4 Breastfeeding burns approximately 500 calories a day.

5 There are more than 4,000 species of mammal, and all breastfeed their young.

6 According to a survey carried out by the Office for National Statistics in 2005, 35 per cent of British babies were being exclusively breastfed at one week, 21 per cent at six weeks, seven per cent at four months and three per cent at five months.
7 The same survey said 78 per cent of new mothers in Britain attempt breastfeeding, compared with 99 per cent in Norway, 91 per cent in Italy and 84 per cent in Spain.
8 In the UK, breastfeeding is more common among mothers who remained in education beyond the age of 18: 91 per cent, compared with 59 per cent of those who left school at the age of 16. (suggests where we really need to focus our efforts then...)
9.  Poop is less smelly (if any in some cases)
10 It's less hassle!  On tap, ready to go anywhere, anytime

Breastfeeding - The Ins and Outs

Did you know there are three different types of milk you will give to your baby?  

In the first three days after your baby is born you will produce Colostrum.  Colostrum is packed with your antibodies which are passed to your baby to help develop their immune system.  It’s a great start!  It contains half the carbohydrates and fats of regular milk and is specially adapted to meet the immediate needs of the newborn.  Really, Mother Nature is quite marvellous!

Around Day 3 your ‘milk will come in.’ This means your breasts will fill with the fore and hind milk baby needs to develop.   The fore milk will satisfy the baby’s thirst while the richer hind milk will make your baby feel deliciously full.  Because there are two types of milk it is important that each breast is emptied entirely before switching breasts if baby is still hungry, otherwise it’s like giving your baby plenty to drink but no food.  A minimum of 10 minutes is needed. 

If you express, it’s possible to see the difference.  Fore milk looks quite watery, while the hind milk is more yellow, thicker and richer. 

Amazingly there are 15 -20 openings in the nipple (why does no one ever tell you this stuff) out of which the milk flows.  The milk is stored in clusters of cells, called alveoli that look like bunches of grapes.   

The milk travels along the milk ducts (mini pipes) and out of the nipple. 

Will there be enough?

There’s always enough!  Breast-feeding an infant is a supply and demand function. The more (and longer) a baby nurses, the more milk is produced.

Sucking

Although it might look like a baby is chewing on your nipple, ultrasound images show he actually removes milk by creating a vacuum – also known as sucking.

When the baby’s tongue is lowered and the vacuum is applied, the milk comes out of the breast, and doesn't involve any compression of the nipple - it's not a milking action at all – no we’re NOT dairy cows in training.

Infants who struggle to breastfeed usually generate a much weaker vacuum than successful breastfeeders. This may explain why babies with a cleft palate often fail to breastfeed, as do premature babies who don't have strong enough mouth muscles to suck hard enough.

Last job – burping

You know yourself how much it feels to have a big burp after a satisfying meal.  Well babies are just the same.  Burp your baby by sitting him on your lap with his head down or over your shoulder and rubbing his back.  A great tip for a baby with trapped wind is to walk up and down the stairs with him over your shoulder. And don’t forget the muslin to catch the inevitable!  

Funny Breastfeeding Memories

Here our Emma-Jane mums give us an insight into the funnier side of breastfeeding

• I was using a breast  pump once, when a man asked me if I was making cheese! I thought he was joking and laughed!  I have since found a site on the internet where they actually sell cheese made from breast milk.
• I was sitting with friends in a park in Leicester breastfeeding my baby, when a man rode by on a bike.  He stared so hard, he wobbled like mad and fell off!  Boy, did we laugh!!
• When I was suffering from cracked nipples I was desperate for some relief and tried an old wives remedy.  I chilled a few large cabbage leaves in the fridge and then lay them on my nipples.  For a couple of seconds it felt great but the leaking milk soon mingled with the warm leaves….and it smelt terrible like rotting veg.
• By baby number three I could answer the door to the postman whilst feeding, managing a toddler hanging off my leg and being the phone – now that’s what I call multi-tasking!
• The inevitable embarrassing leakage patches and having to rush home to change while desperately shoving toilet roll in my bra to limit further damage and searching for something to cover up
• Standing under the hand dryer in the ladies to ‘resolve’ the wet patch
• Being bitten my baby – now that’s painful and also indicated to me that it was time to move on from breastfeeding
• Not funny but poignant..all of my final feeds have been a middle of the night feed when the house has been silent, the world is calm and it’s just me and my baby enjoying our last feed together in the rocking chair
• Breastfeeding memory – feeling my breasts at every feed to try and remember which side to start
• Feeding in front of my dad and actually my father in law and feeling quite natural about getting my breasts out – but the thoughts of doing that now fills me with utter horror.
• Your breasts feel  like a milking cows udder when utilizing an electric pump and the shape your nipples stretch to has to be seen to be believed
• Walking around with my arms encircled in front of me when making the move to bottle feeds – the thought of anyone bumping into my tender, swollen and extremely sensitive breasts during those initial days bordered frightening - talk about defining your personal space!
• Being shown the size of my friend’s breasts and asked if that was normal as they’d grown to gigantic proportions during pregnancy – I had to be honest as say they were the biggest pair I’d ever seen