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.


Thursday, 14 April 2011

Breastfeeding in summer - how to stay cool

  
Breastfeeding in summer can be hot work, but mums can stay cool with our multi-purpose nursing top (style 826) made from ultra soft bamboo.

Bamboo is fast drying and has natural anti-bacterial properties, natural UV protection and moisture-wicking capabilities to draw moisture away from the skin, which make these tops brilliant for keeping cool while clutching a warm bundle to your chest.

The tops can be worn as outerwear, layered under clothes, as underwear or sleepwear. They have adjustable shoulder straps, a built-in bra shelf to give support and hold breast pads, and have clips which can be easily opened with one hand for discreet nursing. Each side opens independently for nursing, so when one side is open, the other continues to support.

These fab tops are not just eco-friendly, they're also so comfortable and cool, we think they'll become a nursing mum’s summer essential that is worn daily.

The tops are available in UK 10/12, 14/16 18/20 in black or white. They are made of 95% bamboo and 5% elastane/lycra.

Available from a number of our retailers for approximately £20, depending on outlet. Click here to see our retailers.

This is what mums who have tried to the top have to say about it:
“I bought this in black and for the established breastfeeding lady this is beautiful. I am about to get it in white.”

"These vests are great for wearing to bed, lovely and soft and perfect for night feeding.”

"Fab top, comfy and soft on delicate/sore bits. I would definitely recommend this top."

"This is really handy for nursing mums so you can feed easily and discreetly when out and about."

“The material is so lovely that I'm wearing them to sleep and just love them! They also offer enough support for a 32F bust to wear lounging around the house. I'm sure I will live in these for the first few weeks when the baby arrives in November."

So stock up now! Summer is on its way.

Wednesday, 13 April 2011

Can you still breastfeed with a baby in SCBU?

When your baby ends up in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) it can be hugely distressing. Not only is it difficult or impossible to breastfeed your baby if they're hooked up to monitors or in special incubators, but the stress of it could have an effect on your breastmilk supply. Yet poorly babies need the goodness breastmilk gives even more than normal. So how do you do it?

This real mum shared her experience with us.

I am a mum of 4 children and 1 angel. I have breastfed my last 3 babies each of them after a c- section. The 1st 2 were ok although I had all the normal problems of cracked and very sore nipples, odd bouts of mastitis and blocked ducts.
My youngest was rushed to SCBU not long after birth as she had breathing difficulties. She ended up being on CPAP ventillation for 5 days and due to that couldn't breast feed at all. I was given a breast pump when she was about 12 hours old (much earlier than normal but as I was an experienced breast feeder they let me start earlier as I insisted she had no formula) and I pumped from then till she was 5 days old at which point she was able to start to feed from me directly.
My milk came in at 48 hours after birth with no problems and I had lots!! I could fill 4 100ml bottles every 4 hours! Once she was able to feed from me directly she went from totally being tube fed to losing the tube within 12 hours and did really well. I am not sure if the expressing helped or the fact I had been breast feeding my youngest at the time until 5 months pregnant, but I had no sore or cracked nipples this time round and no other problems at all.
Lottie is now 18 months, big for her age and still breast feeding.
Sally xx.

It's great to hear inspirational stories like this. If you have a similar story to tell, please share it with us. We really want to let mums know what other real mums do to help them in their breastfeeding journey. 
Don't forget to check out our range of nursing bras!