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. 

The Benefits of Breastfeeding

Money Can’t Buy You Love – The Benefits of Breastfeeding

With over 25 years’ experience of making maternity and nursing bras that deliver in the comfort factor every time we asked some of our Emma-Jane mums from our group of Testers  what they felt were the benefits of breastfeeding.

Marine, mum of two including a 6 month old, said she loved the feeling of closeness with her baby and the extra special bond that she shared with him.  Marine was happy to fit in around the needs of her baby and liked working to his “rhythms” feeding him when he wanted. 

The mums we spoke to realised that physical contact is not only important to newborns, helping  them feel more secure, warm, and comforted but the mums themselves benefited  from this closeness and quiet time too.   

 Angela , mum of 3 and Karen mum of 2 year old Mia, and 8 year old Hannah were among the mums who said that they enjoyed the freedom of breastfeeding.  They could go out all day, if they wanted without worry.  No need to sterilize bottles, buy, measure and mix formula or think about warming the formula, or even having enough formula .  And there are no bottles to warm in the middle of the night! Breast milk is on tap and always at the right temperature for babies.

Less time spent winding, was a bit of a breastfeeding bonus! For most babies, breast milk is easier to digest than formula.  

The health benefits breast feeding brings were very important to our Emma-Jane mums.   The cells, hormones and antibodies in breast milk protect babies from illness. Our mums felt that breastfeeding was protecting their baby and giving him the best possible start in life. 

And…breastfeeding is also better for the environment. There is less rubbish and plastic waste compared to that produced by formula cans and bottle supplies.

Interestingly no one mentioned the expense of bottles and formula compared to the  cost savings of breastfeeding.  Our mums rated feeling close to their babies followed by the  flexibility that breastfeeding offers over the fact that breastfeeding is free.

Launch of our dainty new 451 nursing bra

It’s been a busy year at Emma-Jane Maternity as we continue to introduce new lines to our award winning product range.  Our latest new arrival is the 451 nursing bra, a smooth bra with dainty spots, available in either black or white.

Priced at £25.00, it's available in sizes UK32-38 B/C D/DD E/F.

As with all Emma-Jane bras, the 451 gives a smooth and comfortable fit.  For extra support each cup is made with two layers of fabric, and is lined with organic pure cotton for added luxury.

Each cup opens individually so when one cup is open the other continues to give support.  The four back eyes allow adjustment as a woman’s body changes shape post pregnancy, and the bra extender 586 can also be used to increase the length of the bra.

Emma-Jane designer Freda Scholey said, “This lovely soft bra is very comforting against the skin, whilst being practical and supportive.  It’s not just our children we want to wrap in cotton wool, sometimes it’s ourselves too, especially in the months after delivery when a women is bonding with her child.  Clothing is an important part of how we feel about ourselves, which is something we really recognise at Emma-Jane when we’re designing and choosing fabrics.”

Emma-Jane Celebrates 500,000 Sales

We're all celebrating at Emma-Jane after sales of our 428 style nursing bra hit half a million.   One of the most popular products in our range, this pretty, comfortable and supportive bra is multi award winning, having picked up several accolades as well as being widely recommended across online review sites. 

The design gives breastfeeding women support and ensures they feel feminine whilst feeding.  From a practical perspective, the cups are made from 100% cotton, which is soft yet strong, and the undercups are made from two layers of fabric, giving it extra support for ladies requiring larger sizes. 

Additional support and control comes from the restricted stretch in the elastane sides and bra straps.  Clips on the cups give quick and easy access for breastfeeding and each cup opens individually, so one cup can continue to offer support whilst the other allows for feeding. 

Available in sizes UK 32-40 B-J (EU 70-90 B-J).

Gold Standard

 We’re celebrating here at Emma-Jane as Practical Parenting and Pregnancy Magazine has awarded Gold to our Next Generation Seamfree bra, style 361.  The bra achieved the Gold standard after real mums tested the nursing bra to ensure quality, comfort and affordability.

This award was won against stiff competition, including garments from international companies such as Bravado! Designs and HOTmilk.

We knew the Next Generation Seamfree bra style 361, had already proved to be a hit with mums, but we’re delighted to have the Practical Parenting mums’ seal of approval.  

“The comments we’ve been receiving about this bra confirm that pregnant and nursing mothers put comfort first.  And in tough economic times, a bra that delivers comfort along with good value is going to be a winner,” says Emma-Jane designer Freda Scholey. 

The Next Generation Seamfree bras deliver value in three ways:  excellent value, versatility - the fact that it can be used as a maternity and nursing bra, and stretch cups which adjust during the day as the breasts change shape.

The Next Generation bras are available in a choice of colours - white, black or skin - and in four sizes to fit sizes 32 – 38 B-F. Available from Emma-Jane retailers. Go to www.emma-jane.com  for more details.

Maternity Bras - when to buy, what to get & how to fit

You're pregnant! Congratulations. In no time at all you'll have a lovely bump, but long before that appears, you might start to notice changes to your breasts. First they'll feel tender, similar to how they feel when you're pre-menstrual. This tenderness will last for the first trimester of pregnancy.

At around six to eight weeks, your nipples appear larger and the veins in your breasts appear more prominent. This is because the volume of blood circulating in the body increases throughout the pregnancy. Over time your breasts will get larger, heavier and in need of better support. That's where maternity bras come in.

It is important that you take care of your breasts during pregnancy. As your breasts have only ligaments and no muscles, they could be stretched if they are not properly supported.  A well designed maternity bra is the best way to support your breasts comfortably and preserve your shape.


 

When to buy?
Most expectant mothers experience growing breasts well before a growing tummy and as soon as your pre-pregnancy bra begins to feel uncomfortable that is the time to buy your first maternity bra – roughly month 4 but possibly a lot earlier than that.

Your breasts will continue to change and grow and you may need to adjust your bra or change bra size throughout your pregnancy. Expect your breasts to weigh an extra 750 grams more and be 5cm bigger!

Avoid regular underwire bras as the wires can cause the milk ducts to become blocked, as your milk comes in, and are more uncomfortable during pregnancy.

What to look for?

Remember these four key things when choosing your maternity bras:

Support :  You will need wider straps, sides and underbust band, with firm elastic straps to eliminate 'bounce' and give you the extra support you need.

Coverage:  More fabric over breast area. This will provide increased comfort as your breasts become more sensitive.

Adjustability: A minimum of 4 rows of back eyes will allow your bra to grow with you.

Comfort : They should have a high cotton content or other microfibre breathable fabric as your breasts will tend to perspire more.

Get the correct fit

Use our size chart  to work out your size or visit one of our retailers for a bra fitting. Important things to remember:

-        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

Our maternity bra style 311 (pictured) is loved by mums as it ticks all the boxes above. See it here or go to our of our retailers to get one. They retail for around £13.95 - so great value for money too.

Our £10 seamfree bra is a hit!

We have written about the praise our newest nursing bra - style 361 - has had in the past, but it's been getting even more, so we thought we'd share.

We always knew that the price of our seamfree Next Generation bra would be a hit, because at just a tenner, you can get three bras for the price you'd normally pay for one.  But it actually delivers great value in three ways:

• the low price;
• the fact that it can be used as a maternity, nursing and sleep bra;
• and the single cup size that fits from B to F as breasts change so mums don’t need to spend a fortune on different size bras.

But it's not just the value that is making mums love this bra. It's all about how comfortable it is. And let's face it, when you're pregnant or breastfeeding, comfort is a must (as is plenty of chocolate). The reason it's so comfortable is because of the ultra-soft knitted seamfree fit and the soft under-band.

Here are some of the comments the Next Generation bras have been receiving are:

"I'm expecting a baby in a few weeks time and regular bras were starting to get very uncomfortable. I purchased these and they have been excellent. They fit very well and are really comfortable. I will be buying some more!" From Figleaves.com

"I think these are excellent value and incredibly comfortable especially in comparison to the other non-wired maternity bras I have. It is the perfect bra to sleep in if you want some extra support overnight and it is what I put in as soon as I get through the door in the evening. I haven’t had my baby yet and so can’t comment on the ease of breastfeeding but the clip / unclip seems very easy to use. Overall fantastic comfort and value and what can be an uncomfortable and expensive time!" From Figleaves.com

"I’m 6 months pregnant & found this bra really comfortable. Plenty of room to expand, but still supportive. Good value too." From Figleaves.com

"Brilliant that it goes from sizes B to F. Genius!" From a Wear Tester report

"Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!!!! I just wish I'd known about it a year ago. Definitely the best nursing/maternity bra I have ever worn. Definitely recommend it to everyone I know. 10 out of 10." From a Wear Tester report 

"Every pregnant woman or breastfeeding mum needs a wardrobe staple when it comes to underwear and the Emma Jane Next Generation Seamfree nursing bra might just be the one. True to form, Emma Jane has designed a price-conscious garment that rolls comfort, support and value into one, making it a real contender to more expensive seamfree bras on the market."

Leading parenting site Madeformums.com.

“This bra is great value & due to its great shape & fit it's really comfortable. I have been wearing this bra for the last month of my pregnancy both day and night and I'm sure I'll still be using it for the next 6 months for feeding.” Babyworld review

“The Emma Jane 361 nursing bra is a pleasure to wear day and night! It is seamfree and stretchy so very comfortable and discrete under clothing. Overall I found it to be a quality garment at a great price.” Babyworld review

Love this bra. Being that the cup size covers from B-F it's great to wear straight after birth as milk supply settles as your size can vary hugely during this time! The ruched center works well and adds nice detail and the knitted underband is very comfortable. It's a great bra in my opinion!” Babyworld review

The Next Generation bras are available in a choice of white, black or skin colours and come in four sizes to fit sizes 32–38 B-F. Style 361 has a recommended retail price of just £10, while style 365 which offers removable foam pads for comfort with excellent fit retails at £16. Both styles are available from Emma-Jane retailers. Go to www.emma-jane.com for more details.