Are you comfortable?

We regularly browse parenting forums to see what mums are chatting about. And one subject keeps on coming up - how to find a comfortable maternity bra.

We know that when you're pregnant, almost everything feels uncomfortable, whether you're trying to bend over, eat more than three bites of food or go to sleep. With a baby pushing up into your ribs and ever-growing breasts adding to the weight, finding a bra that is comfortable could become something of holy grail search.

Everyone is different and no one bra is going to work for everyone. But we do know that our Emma-Jane maternity bras are designed with your comfort in mind. And they regularly get rave reviews for exactly that: Comfort!

For example read these reviews on our Smooth Maternity Bra (pictured above)

Besides the make of bra, the other critical component is getting yourself measured correctly. You can measure yourself but you might find going to a professional will help. Use our size chart to work out your size.

Remember these tips for maximum comfort:

When fitting a maternity bra, ensure you have room to grow by fastening the bra on the tightest hook and eye setting. As your rib cage expands, you can adjust it to give yourself extra room.

Make sure the straps are wide enough to support you without digging in. They shouldn’t be too stretchy.

Ensure the centre seam lies flat against your breast bone and isn’t riding up too high at the back

Make sure that the cups fit snugly and smoothly covering most of the breast with no overflow at the top

To see our full range of maternity bras, go to http://www.emma-jane.com/

What do you need for breastfeeding?

You've decided to breastfeed and may be wondering what you need to be prepared. Many nursing mums will say you need to buy nothing - that's the joy of breastfeeding, it's far cheaper and simpler than bottle feeding. But there are things that will make it easier. We've suggested some must haves and some nice to haves:

Must haves:

• 2 to 3 comfortable nursing bras that give you good support, with drop down cups. When breastfeeding, particularly in the early days, you won't be thinking about co-ordinated, sexy lingerie. You'll be thinking comfort, comfort, comfort. Trust us!
• a sleep bra. When you're sleeping (those few rare hours!) your breasts can leak. A sleep bra makes it easy to hold breastpads in place, gives you support and is comfortable to lie down in with no hooks and eyes to dig in.
• a nipple cream. Mums swear by well known brands like Lansinoh and Kamillosan or you could try all natural creams like  Aaah Soothing Balm from MamaBabyBliss.
• Breastpads. Some people are lucky enough to get away without needing them but most feeding mums will need them. So stock up!
• Muslins. These simple squares of fabric are brilliant for putting over your shoulder while you're winding your baby and help avoid having a posset covered back. They're also great for covering up if you're out and about and to mop up after milk sprays when your baby decides to pop off the breast and have a good look around. Years later you'll find they make greater dusters too.

Nice to haves:

• A support pillow. You can buy specially shaped ones but a regular pillow works too
• A breastfeeding chair. Again, nice to have a proper chair to sit in when feeding but as long as you have a comfortable chair and ideally something to raise your feet, you can get away without having to buy one
• Feeding tops. These make feeding when you're out and about much easier. But if you are cash strapped, you can get away with just some regular vest tops that are loose enough for you to pull down and have an unbuttoned shirt over the top for more coverage. The vest helps keep your tummy covered, which just after giving birth, you won't really want to flash to the world.
• A breast pump. If you're trying to get your baby onto a schedule, rather than feeding on demand, or if you want your partner to have a turn at feeding, you might want to use a breast pump. If you do this, you'll also need bottles and a steriliser.

Little extras

• A large insulated mug for tea so that it stays warm while you're feeding.
• A water bottle - again, you will get thirsty while feeding and it's great to have on hand nearby without having to try reach forward for a glass
• Snacks - healthy snacks to give you the energy you need
• Face cloths - heat them up with hot water (or make very cool with ice water) and apply them to your breasts when they're engorged. It helps relieve some of the pressure, particularly in the middle of the night.

Happy feeding! And if you have any suggestions of must haves or nice to haves, please share them in the comments section.

Add maternity tights to your Autumn wardrobe - and stay comfortable

You're pregnant. It's turned chilly. And you have a really important meeting at work today that requires you to dress to impress. You've invested in some fab maternity skirts, wrap-around tops and to-die-for boots, but this cool autumn breeze means your legs are going to get cold. The solution: tights.

The problem is that most regular tights either won't fit over your bump or if worn below your bump, simply roll down with embarrassing consequences. Maternity tights are the solution.

Emma-Jane has a range of matenity tights, all of which fit over the bump with expanding waistbands and shaped feet. The top selling style (553) comes in black or natural skin colour, 20 denier with a slight glossy sheen and has a special gusset that supports the bump, without being restrictive. And at just £4 a pair they're definitely worth investing in for comfort at the office.

We also have 40 denier, maternity support tights, footless tights and our supersoft maternity tights which are available in black, chocolate, mid-blue and purple to make a fashion statement!

This is what our customers have said about our tights:
"Very comfortable, perfect, loved them"
"Lovely. I really like the fit."

"I was very pleased to come across these maternity tights as other brands seem so expensive. The tights are very comfortable, and are a good fit. I can imagine that the one size fits all does not work for everyone, but at this kind of price, I was very happy with the product.

And read this review by Sarah Powell from Parentdish:
"The Emma Jane tights are very comfortable indeed, with a good-sized, shaped panel for the bump (I'm still wearing them at 36 weeks), and a lovely smooth feel. The black is properly black, even in colour, and did make my swollen calves feel slimmer and more shapely, which was a real result. They're a very good price too at £5.

I have two small niggles with these tights; one pair did go through at the toe quite quickly, and also some of the elastic snapped at the waistband, though I'm fairly certain that's because I washed them at too high a temperature by mistake. My overall verdict, though, is to definitely give them a go, I think you'll like them."
Or read these reviews on Mumstuff.

So just because you're pregnant, doesn't mean you can't work those fabulous Autumn fashions. Get some tights and strutt your stuff!

Emma-Jane to reveal new range at Kind + Jungend

It's trade show season and at Emma-Jane, we're ready to showcase our four new nursing bra styles starting this week at Kind + Jungend in Cologne.

Like all of our products, the focus of our new items is comfort, support and affordability. Our new range includes:

• Style 361 – one of two new Next Generation seamfree knitted nursing bras, designed for maximum comfort and everyday relaxation at an affordable price point. Available in white, black and skin in  sizes 32 to 38 (fitting cups B – F).

• Style 365 – the second of two Next Generation seamfree knitted nursing bras, with removable foam pads for comfort with excellent fit. Available in white, black and skin in 4 sizes 32 to 38 (fitting cups B – F)

• Style 431 – for larger busts, a beautiful embroidered nursing bra with sizes running from a 32DD – 40K. It includes a choice of three detachable straps – clear, cushioned and stretch – to ensure maximum comfort and support. Available in white.

• Style 442 - a lightly padded t-shirt nursing bra with dainty scalloped edging and embroidered straps, giving a flattering line. Available in black and skin and in 4 sizes 32B - 38F

The new products add to our already extensive maternity wear collection, which includes bras, lingerie, nightwear, swimwear, tops, tights and accessories. Nursery retailers are invited to see the full range at the our stands at:


• Kind + Jungend, Cologne 16th – 19th September

• Baby Show for Trade, Kensington Olympia 10th - 12th October

• Harrogate Nursery Fair, Harrogate International Centre 19th - 20th October

For more information go to http://www.emma-jane.com/ or contact sales@emma-jane.com to place orders.

More changes to our maternity wear

We have now added underwired nursing bras with Supa-Lite underwires for an even wider choice.

The award winning Emma-Jane collection is wear-tested by expectant and nursing mothers and is recommended by hospitals and clinics throughout the world.

We have a continuing program of product design and development. We welcome your suggestions to offer you products to enhance your pregnancy and nursing experience.

If you need expert help or advice with choosing an Emma-Jane product our Maternity Lingerie Consultant will be delighted to help

Emma Jane Maternity Wear

Maternity Wear by Emma-Jane Maternity

Emma-Jane has remained the UK’s favourite brand of maternity and nursing lingerie for over 25 years.

As the largest maternity lingerie brand in the UK we use our expert knowledge to create lingerie and accessories that are perfectly considered for the new generation of mothers.

Specialising exclusively in maternity wear we offer the very latest designs that are not only fashionable and beautiful, but also incorporate the latest technology to provide the most practical solutions for pregnancy and motherhood.

Our increasing maternity collection now includes:maternity soft bras, nursing bras, sleep bras, lingerie, tights, support belts, breast pads, bra extenders, nightwear, swimwear and tops. 

Visit us Maternity wear and nursing wear by Emma-Jane