Win a new seamfree Emma-Jane nursing bra - your breastfeeding tips needed

When it comes to breastfeeding, there is a wealth of information out there. And while we are very, very good at making nursing bras, we will readily admit that we're not breastfeeding experts.  Which is why La Leche League is one of the organisations we support. We know there are plenty of qualified people to provide advice to mums on how to breastfeed so that it's a wonderful experience for them.

But often the best tips come from other mums. Mums who have been there, done that, got the the milk stains on the t-shirt. And that's where we'd like your help.

Post your top breastfeeding tips in the comments section below or sign up to become a Facebook fan and post your tip here and then we'll send the person with the best tip one of our new Emma-Jane seamfree nursing bras - pictured below - or if you're no longer breastfeeding, an uplifting Bliss Stick from MamaBabyBliss, for those days when you need a little lift.

 

We'll kick things off with our tip:
Sleep with breastpads in a sleep bra at night because on those rare nights when your baby does sleep for more than a couple of hours, your breasts are likely to leak!

So share yours and we'll announce a winner on 5 November.

The £10 nursing bra that feels a million dollars

Here they are....drumroll please...our brand spanking new Next Generation seamfree nursing bras! 

Designed with comfort in mind, these ultra-soft knitted seamfree bras have a brilliant fit and a soft under-band that provides comfortable support. Available in two styles (361 and 365), our Next Generation bras come with clips for quick and easy feeding, and four back eyes to fit a nursing mum’s ever-changing shape.

As our guest blogger Emily explained in our previous post, when nursing a baby, comfort is key. But we also know that many mums can’t afford or aren’t willing to spend vast sums on new bras every time their breast size changes. Our new range of Seamfree bras help mums to be comfortable all day while being genuinely affordable.

The Next Generation bras are available in a choice of white, black or skin colours and come in four sizes to fit sizes 32B – 38F. 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 will be available from Emma-Jane retailers from November 2010.

Nursing bras – why comfort beats sexy every time

Emily Vest is mum to two young (and very gorgeous) boys and is 37 weeks pregnant with her third. She’s also a prolific blogger. Her blog Pants With Names is one of the top 100 UK parent blogs. As a wearer of Emma-Jane bras, we invited her to share her thoughts with us on what she looks for in a nursing bra and to give us real mum insight into the world of pregnancy and nursing.....

 ~~~

Being heavily pregnant is many things: scary, exciting, beautiful, but one thing it is not is comfortable. The same could be said for those early days of motherhood, when everything is sore, the nipples are cracked, stitches are places you’d rather not have them and sleep is a long lost memory.

Now approaching the end of my third pregnancy, I’d forgotten just how nervy and exciting these uncomfortable days are. I know well enough from experience that everything is a phase, and that I will get back to normal again soon enough, but for right now, I just want to be comfortable.  At 36 weeks I can start looking for a new nursing bra and experience has taught me many things when it comes to making this sort of purchase.

The most important is this: late pregnancy and early motherhood ain’t sexy. How can anyone feel sexy when you have a small person hammering on your bladder, midwives talking of pelvic bones splitting and getting out of the bath requires some form of crane? The idea of sexy becomes even more outlandish after you’ve checked your dignity in at the hospital reception and vast numbers of people have prodded places usually reserved for your most loved one, and I haven’t even started to discuss the joys of the stitches and piles.

So when it comes to buying bras, sexy is so far down the list of desirable features that to even contemplate the idea of a sexy nursing bra sends me into spasms of uncontrollable giggles, probably capable of sending me into labour. I mean, could there be anything less sexy than a racy red and black number sodden in breast milk mocking your ability to think about anything apart from sleep?

I’m not suggesting that the bras can’t be pretty, after all they’ll be on display rather more than your other bras, but sexy? I could do without that particular stick to beat myself up with.

So, as I approach my third baby’s due date what would I suggest looking for in a nursing bra? Comfort, comfort, comfort (which includes fitting well and proper support; you aren’t going to find yourself nice and relaxed if the bra doesn’t fit properly). Then if you are as broke as me, good value for money (but remember comfort comes first at all times). And finally, a little mental note that nursing doesn’t go on forever and by then I might even feel like a little naughtiness so the sexy stuff will be back before I know it.

 ~~~

Many thanks to Emily for contributing this guest post. And best of luck for the birth!

Come say hi at the Baby Show for Trade

It's trade show season! Next week (10 - 12 October) we'll be at the Baby Show for Trade, Kensington Olympia 10^th - 12^th October. If you're a member of the trade, please stop by our stand (G1) and say hello. We'll be showcasing our four new nursing bra styles that will be available from the end of this month, including our Next Generation Seamfree bras.


We're also very busy working on our new look website. So watch this space for details as to when it'll go live. 


Finally, if you're not a fan already, please join our Facebook fan page here and follow us on twitter

http://twitter.com/emmajanebras

Late summer sun babymoon - what to wear with a bump

The weather here in the UK has certainly turned. Boots and coats are being dusted off, while flip flops are packed away. But if you're pregnant, now is a great time to grab some late summer sun in the Med. It's not quite as hot as the middle of summer, there are fewer crowds and prices are lower.  And if this is your first baby, a babymoon with your partner will give you the chance to spend quality time together before the sleepness nights kick in.

Going on a sunny holiday means you'll need a maternity swimsuit. The good news is that most mums feel more confident wearing a swimsuit while pregnant than they might normally - no need to try and suck in that belly or worry about not filling out the top!

If you're more interested in getting a tan than swimming for exercise, then we suggest a maternity tankini.

Style 953 from Emma-Jane has ruched sides so it can be adjusted to body changes during pregnancy. And it's easy to pull up over your bump if you want to get a tan. It comes with an elasticated bra shelf for comfort and support.

Swimming in pregnancy is a great low impact form of exercise. So if you plan on getting into the pool, you might want to try one of these one piece styles.

Style 952 has ruched sides so that it keeps on fitting throughout your pregnancy plus criss-cross straps, an elasticated bra shelf and is fully lined at the front. It comes in a stunning turquoise or black.

Style 951 has the same ruched sides, but can be worn as a halter neck or strapless. It comes in black or blue.



See it on the catwalk here

Happy holidays! Go to http://www.emma-jane.com/ to see our swimsuits or find a retailer.

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.