Friday, 3 June 2011

The Let Down Reflex

The sensation of the let-down reflex takes some getting used to.  It usually occurs just before you’re due to give a feed, if your baby is crying or sometimes even if someone else’s baby is crying!  But what is it?  Well, your breasts will feel full and create a throbbing, tingly sensation.   

After a few weeks you’ll absolutely get used to it.  Some mums have even reported knowing that their baby will wake up as the let-down reflex kicks in a minute or so before their baby wakes fully.  Just thinking about feeding your baby can trigger the let-down reflex. Some mums find that their breasts can leak when this happens. Our tip:  Invest in breast pads to prevent any embarrassing accidents!  We have a great starter kit that includes bra extenders, washable nursing pads, nursing band (so you don't forget which side to feed) and a laundry bag.


It is important to listen to your body and the physical indicator that the let-down reflex provides. Ensure you’re relaxed and calm as more milk will ‘let-down’ if you’re relaxed. If you’re tense or upset, only the front or fore milk will come out and your baby will be dissatisfied. A hungry, crying baby is never good for anyone’s nerves!  So, take five to get set up and get comfy.  Pour a glass of water, plump the cushions and have your phone and TV remote to hand.  You know you’re going to be nursing for at least 15 minutes – so use it as time to sit down, relax and catch up on Loose Women!

The Science Bit
The let-down reflex, also known as the milk ejection reflex, is set off by the hormone, oxytocin. It stimulates the muscle cells in your breasts to squeeze out milk. . It’s also the hormone that makes you feel love and calm which is handy given you produce more milk when calm.
 
In the first few days the oxytocin hormone also prompts the uterus to contract back to its pre-pregnancy size so you may feel stomach cramps as you feed. The more children you have had, the more likely you will be to feel the uterus contract.

The good news is once you stop breast-feeding the sensation disappears, and you never know you might be someone that never even feels it in the first place.

Breastfeeding Celebrations!


All of June we will be celebrating breastfeeding as it’s national breastfeeding awareness month later (see this post for details http://emma-jane-maternity.blogspot.com/2011/05/help-us-keep-breastfeeding-awareness.html)

Thursday, 26 May 2011

In the news

We do like a bit of publicity. So here's our latest:

Our maternity swimsuit (style 952) was featured in the July issue of Practical Parenting in the swimsuit round up. If you haven't grabbed one yet for summer, get one now! While Everyday Maternity, one of our retailers, is listed in this article, we do have several others too who stock the swimsuit. Check out our list of retailers on our website.


 
And our Nursing Top (style 826) was included in the maternity & nursing round up in Lingerie Buyer. Because the print if very small, we'll tell you what it says:

"To help new mums stay cool in warm summer weather, Emma-Jane has released a multi-purpose nursing top made from ultra soft bamboo, which is fast-drying and has natural anti-bacterial properties. Bamboo also offers natural UV protection and moisture-wicking capabilities to draw moisture away from the skin, helping to keep the wearer cool......"

So if you're heading off somewhere hot this summer, make sure you grab a stash of these.


Don't forget to come and say hi to us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (@emmajanebras).

Wednesday, 25 May 2011

One born every minute


If you missed this TV series – where have you been?  If you’re an expectant mum you’ll either be devouring every minute of this great series on Channel 4 which shows real women going through labour and giving birth or you’ll be avoiding it like the plague, put off and scared by what you’re seeing.
Either way, you’re going to have to go through it…but we guarantee once you’ve had your baby you’ll want to devour each and every episode as much as we do.  It’s emotional, funny, heart-warming and most of all amazing to be allowed to watch the wonder of new life being brought into this world.  Pass the tissues!
So for those middle of the night feeds when there's nothing to watch…click here to get the series on demand.

Remember, you can follow us on twitter (@emmajanebras) or Like us on Facebook to get all our regular updates on pregnancy, breastfeeding and being a mum!

Monday, 23 May 2011

Help us keep Breastfeeding Awareness Week alive

Breastfeeding Awareness Week takes place between 19 - 26 June 2011. But there's a snag. The Government has cut all funding for this initiative. Read about it here. You add this to the cuts to SureStart centres where many mums get breastfeeding advice and support, and you have to wonder where mums will turn to for support.

The Government says that "support and information is currently available to health professionals and parents via NHS Choices, the National Breastfeeding Helpline, UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative and the peer support programmes."

But is that enough? We don't think so and want to help.

So here's what you can do:

1. Sign the petition run by the Lactivist to encourage the Government to bring this initiative back.

2. Join the Bring Back Breastfeeding Awareness group on Facebook.

3. If you're a blogger, please write a blog post about breastfeeding and send it to us by 17 June (send all entries to melissa@peekaboocoms.co.uk). We will host a blog carnival on this blog featuring all the posts. They can be about your experiences with breastfeeding, some tips or advice, your own thoughts on the government cuts, or suggestions for mums wanting to breastfeed about where they can get help from. Whatever you like - as long as it is about breastfeeding.

4. Throughout June, we will be posting articles on our blog giving information, tips and advice about breastfeeding. So if you're a breastfeeding mum or plan on breastfeeding, please pop by and take a look.

5. If you're a blogger and would like to run a competition on  your blog to raise awareness of Breastfeeding Awareness Week and need a prize, we have a limited number of nursing bras we can give away as prizes. Please contact us on the email address given above to make arrangements.

6. If you are holding any kind of breastfeeding awareness event, please let us know about it either by emailing us or posting a comment below. We will tweet about it, mention it on this blog and put it up on our Facebook page. So please let us know what what you're doing.

Join us in keeping Breastfeeding Awareness Week alive!

Thursday, 19 May 2011

Do you have a favourite colour bra?

White, black, skin? Or perhaps something a bit brighter like pink, red or blue. What colour bra do you reach for time and time again?

And do you choose it because of its colour or because that's the bra that is most comfortable/fits best?

How important is colour or does it really not matter? And what about prints or patterns?

And are your thoughts about bra colours different for normal bras vs nursing bras?

For our retailers, do you have a colour that out sells all the rest?

We'd love to hear what you think. So share your thoughts below or pop over to our Facebook page and take our poll on which colour bra you like best.

Monday, 9 May 2011

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.