How to go on a date when breastfeeding

I get asked all the time about how and when to pump if Mum needs a break or wants to get out of the house without the baby.  Valentines Day is just around the corner, and if you have a brand new baby you might be thinking about whether it's possible for you to spend a little quality time with your partner with an exclusively breastfed baby.

Valentines day is extended in my household because it is also my husbands birthday.  What we usually do is decide to celebrate Valentines Day on one date and my husbands birthday on another date.  Of course this makes it even more difficult because we have to find care for two children on two days.  So I thought I'd take you through the planning and execution of having a date with a new baby.

Venue

You have two choices for venues for your first date after the birth of a newborn.  You can either stay at home or go out.

• If you have a baby that goes to sleep early in the evening and sleeps through til midnight or later, you don't have to go out, grab a movie and a £10 meal deal from M&S and snuggle in front of the television for the evening.  Staying home will save you money and effort because you won't have to pay restaurant prices or a babysitter, and breastfeeding on demand can carry on as usual.
• If you decide to leave the house, a little planning is involved.  You will have to find a babysitter and you may want to leave some milk behind for feeding purposes.  Think about how baby usually sleeps and try to work around this to its full potential.  If baby sleeps for a long time earlier in the evening you can go out early.  If baby goes to bed at 7pm and usually wakes at 11pm think about going out between 7 and 11 to minimise the need to pump.  You can also find a venue close by so that you can get home quickly and you can then spend more time at the restaurant having adult conversation.
• You could decide to spend the night without baby at a hotel.  This is a possibility for some parents.  You would want to decide if it is right for you.  If the baby is a little older and sleeping longer at night, there may only be a need for the sitter to feed once or twice in the night.  I know I didn't want to leave my babies overnight for a long time, and you might feel the same.  At 18 months my husband and I had our first baby free night.  We were staying at a hotel for a conference (breastfeeding conference), and my Mother had decided to visit while we were there (Orlando).  We booked adjoining rooms and she took care of William for the whole night.  We were there if needed, but we weren't needed.  At 18 months I didn't need to pump during the night, but for a small infant you would need to set the alarm to pump as many times as baby would usually feed to reduce engorgement and maintain supply.  You would also need to pump a few times leading up to the night out to provide milk for your sitter to use.

Pumping

Planning ahead for a night out allows you to pump over a number of days to build up a stash of milk for your evening out.  You could pump last minute, but you might not pump enough as you would be a little tense and pumping leftovers so your evening out might be ruined.
Think about how often your baby nurses during the time of day you will be out and decide approximately how much milk you might need, then add a little bit just in case.  From personal experience I would say 2-3oz can be a typical feed for a normal breastfed infant, but some babies take a little bit more from a bottle (We've all done it - "Just finish the last bit").
If you don't pump regularly, you will be pumping leftovers so don't expect a whole feed.  If your body is not used to pumping, it may take a few times to get anything at all.  A good time to pump might be during a nap or you could feed twice from one side and pump the other.  Many Mums have more milk in the morning and find it a good time to pump. If you add a pumping session to your day regularly, your body will increase production and continue to make that extra feed if you want a stash of milk for future use.
Of course, hand expression is a great tool for every breastfeeding Mum to know and can be used just as effectively as a pump with practise.

Babysitter

You have a few choices:

1. You.  If you decide to stay home for a nice romantic meal, you won't have to worry about a babysitter.
2. Parents or family members.  If they live close by this would be really cost effective, and they might think you're doing them a favour letting them have a whole evening with their grandchild.
3. A babysitter.  I don't know what the going rate is in the UK, but the one and only time we had a babysitter in the US it cost us $50 for 4 hours.
4. You can babysit share.  We did this when William was a year old.  We had some friends that had a baby of a similar age and swapped babysitting duties.  We chose two dates and babysat the other couples baby for free and then they did the same for us.  If you get a group of three couples together you could even get to double date with another couple and then rotate.

Food

I don't think you should have to avoid anything when you are breastfeeding, I'll leave you to make sensible decisions about your food consumption.  I am sceptical about different foods you eat affecting baby in negative ways (I know you may not agree), and I have never had to remove a food from my diet while breastfeeding so I can't possibly understand this situation either, so I would tell you that you know your baby best and if you need to avoid certain foods, you'll probably want to continue to avoid them during your date.
I have always understood that alcohol is removed from the milk in a similar rate as it is removed from the blood, so about a unit per hour.  If you are sensible and don't drink more than a unit per hour while you are out there should be no reason to avoid breastfeeding when you get home.  However, you know your body better than me, and if you feel too drunk to hold your baby when you get home, you probably shouldn't be taking care of a baby or breastfeeding a baby, (or bedsharing with your baby), and please don't drink and drive.

Taking that first step towards going out without your baby can be stressfull.  It may not work out the first time you try, but keep on trying.  The more planning you do, the easier it will be and the less stressed you will feel.  I know that the first few times my husband and i ventured out after having our second were a little stressful, but we went somewhere local (within a mile), and actually Ellie would never even know that we had gone because she has slept through each and every time.  Each time I have pumped and it has gone to waste.  So give it a go and have a great time.

If you have enjoyed reading this post and would like to read more posts about breastfeeding and indeed join the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Scavenger hunt to learn, share and win breastfeeding goodies, then take a look at some of these bloggers who are participating throughout the Month of June.  You may also want to take a look at Bravado Designs, a company that has been designing and manufacturing nursing bras for 20 years.  They have provided an original nursing bra as a prize for the Grand Prize for the hunt, take a look at their website to see their other great bras and tanks.

Natural Mamas

My Thoughts on Things

My Gorgeous Boys

Where Roots will Flourish

Life Happens So Smile

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The many uses of nipple cream

Let me first of all say that I have no medical background and I'm not offering advice instead of a Doctor.  If you or your child is sick then you should consult your Doctor.

These are a few uses that I have found for nipple cream over the years, please add your own uses in the comments below -

1.  To soothe sore nipples (remember nipple cream isn't a cure, you should still seek help to make sure that the latch and position are as good as possible).

2.  As nappy rash cream.  My son never really had nappy rash, we used cloth but all of his friends at daycare had nappy rash all the time and the carers insisted that I provide something for them to apply after every change.  I gave them nipple cream and they stopped nagging me, they even complimented me on how it kept him free from rash!

3.  To soothe the itch of a mosquito bite.  There were lots of mosqitoes in Baltimore and they all lived in my garden.  After being bitten my entire limb would swell and it would itch like crazy.  A dab of nipple cream and the itch immediately went away.

4.  As a "magic cream" for every fall, scrape and bump involving my Son.  Everything was better after applying the "magic cream".

5.  Butt cream.  Apparently ( I don't ride so I cannot say for certain), when you ride a push bike a lot there can be chafing down below and when you run out of bikers butt paste the next best thing is nipple cream.

6.  Lip Balm.  We used to have samples at my old job and the staff would use it to moisten their lips.


As I said earlier, nipple cream is not a cure for sore nipples.  Do not apply nipple cream and expect all your problems to fade away.  If you have sore nipples there is probably a reason, and it can usually get better with a tweak in the position or attachment of the baby.  Take the opportunity to go to your local breastfeeding support group before it gets worse.  I have heard a rumour that you can get nipple cream on prescription if you can persuade your Doctor to write one, but don't forget you can use your own breastmilk to help soothe sore nipples.  Hand express a drop of milk, rub it on your nipple and air dry.

If you have enjoyed reading, you will find more articles about breastfeeding at these locations.  Softbots has kindly provided a nursing top for the Grand Prize, but they also sell cloth nappies, washable nursing pads and much much more so take a look.

Mixed Bag of Allsorts

Dispelling Breastfeeding Myths

Smiling Like Sunshine

Petra

Diary of the Milkshake Mummy

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Quite Possibly the Most Rewarding Job EVER!

Can you tell that I LOVE being a breastfeeding peer supporter?

I get to wear this really pink t-shirt and call myself a Breast Buddy, but who cares?  I get to help women reach their breastfeeding goals and see cute babies.

So breastfeeding peer support isn't really new to me.  When I started work as the Program Manager for a WIC Program in Maryland, US one of the first things I did was work out a way to start a breastfeeding peer counselor program for our low income Moms.  Peer support has been found to be the most influential form of breastfeeding support and if I find the reference from the study they carried out at Hopkins on the Maryland WIC program I'll post the link J Hum Lact 2009 Nov 25(4) 435-43 if you are close to a library or have access to the journal online.  The study looked at local WIC programs in Maryland with breastfeeding support and categorized them as having a peer support program, no program and only lactation consultant services.  The programs with peer support services had the best breastfeeding results.  The program I was in charge of was not included in the study because we had both peer support services and a lactation consultant whose soul purpose was supporting breastfeeding full time.  I am biased, we would have rocked that study, but sadly we were too good to be included (my opinion only).

We were really lucky to have funding to pay for our peer counselors in WIC, and in the year I left (2010) the federal government promised additional funding that could only be used for peer support programs to make sure that every program had them, so cool.  One of my last actions as program manager was to interview and then hire two new peer counselors to help spread the workload and spend the money.  We had a great program.  I hired a lactation consultant who worked full time with the peer counselors and program participants to provide services that they would otherwise not be able to afford.  We ran breastfeeding classes, support groups, breastfeeding focused baby showers and events as well as providing nursing bras and pumps free of charge. 

Where was I in all of this you may ask.  Apart from doing all the hiring and budgeting, I also trained alongside our first recruits and provided support and counseling services when others were out of the office.  My plan was to eventually train as an IBCLC (Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant), but work and my first baby delayed me somewhat. Second baby didn't help, but our circumstances have changed somewhat.

My family and I moved back to the UK in 2010 to be closer to family, my husbands work, and to have our second baby.  I didn't feel that I'd make the best hire at over 5 months pregnant but I still wanted to stay involved in the breastfeeding "World", so I went along to the local breastfeeding support group.  Yes, most of the women there had new babies but I knew that it was really important to know where to go for help if I had any problems breastfeeding my second baby.  Support groups had been a life saver in the early months with William, and it's so much easier to get to one if you know where they are and how to get there, everything is so much harder with a new baby, especially a first one.  Plus, I was still breastfeeding William so we practised being gawped at (he was almost 3 at the time and carried on nursing until he was almost 4).

I discovered at group that peer counselors (peer supporters in the UK) helped to run the local groups and that they would be training new volunteers in the near future.  I immediately signed up.  The position is a voluntary one requiring 16 hours of training if my brain remembers correctly.  The training took place over 8 weeks at a children's centre and the teachers were NHS paid, a lactation consultant and a breastfeeding counselor.  By this time Ellie had arrived, and she came to learn all about how to support breastfeeding too.  Having already taken the USDA training in the US, it was more of a refresher for me, but it was great to learn the English terms for all things breastfeeding.

Examples -

Football Hold - Rugby Hold
Weaning - ceasing breastfeeding in the US, introducing solids in the UK

There are lots of differences between the two peer support programs that I have been a part of which just shows that these programs really adapt to each inidividual circumstance.  The peer support program in the US targetted low income women of different races and cultures and the peer supporters that were recruited reflected this.  It was felt that women responded more positively when supported by a true peer, someone going through the same things in their lives who could speak to them in their own "language" (I use "" because I think there are many languages within each language, and although we may all be speaking English, we may not necesarily understand each other, a teenager may respond differently to another teen or a 30 year old or a 60 year old).

My fellow peer supporters in England are more homogenious.  My town is not very colourful (but I say that after living in Baltimore for 8 years), and many of the women I meet would not be income eligible for WIC for example, but the Town is ever changing, and mine is not the only accent in the room.  I do feel though that because the peer supporters are volunteers, it may be difficult to recruit and train women with lower incomes or younger women who don't drive.  Statistics do tell us that older more affluent women are more likely to choose to breastfeed, but I do come from a piblic health background and I'm constantly looking at things from the point of view of "How can a lower income family access this service?"

I digress.  Why do I love being a Peer Supporter?

• There is cake.
• I get to hold really adorable babies.
• I am welcomed into every single hospital room with open arms and a huge smile.
• I can spend as long as needed with Mums in the hospital room and answer all of their questions so that the midwives can get on with their other many duties.
• I could make a difference in people's lives for something that is so important for many new Mums.
• I talk about breastfeeding non-stop for hours without boring people.
• I work with some amazing breastfeeding professionals and learn so many new things every day.
• I share the good times and the bad times with new Mums and their babies and be there for them when they need it.
• I get to share that aha moment when it all fits into place and then they do it again on their own and get the cofidence to carry on without me.
• I receive thanks from women who I haven't even helped, I just watched as they tried again and succeeded.
• I share precious first experiences with new parents.
• I have the knowledge and the experience to answer those questions that new Mums feel silly about asking, it happened to me too.
• I help Mums to learn how to hand express and see that YES they do have milk.
• I get a vote on the baby's name if it hasn't been decided yet.

It can be easy to get very involved in every case, and I think I manage my emotion very well when it comes to going home at the end of the shift/group.  I work in the moment and try to equip new Mums with the confidence to continue when I'm gone and the knowledge of where to go and who to call if they need it.  It's very easy to get emotional when a supplement has been given for the wrong reason, but you have to stay logical and work with what you have at THAT moment and work towards the Mums goals not yours.  You also have to know when you need to ask for help and who to ask.

I encourage you to volunteer in your local community, you can make a real difference and you might even enjoy it!

10 Things I Love About Slings

A Maya Ring Sling

1.  You can breastfeed in a sling hands-free.

2.  Babies love to sleep in a sling because they can hear your heart beat and feel all warm and snuggly while you get on with your day.

3.  You can hold the baby, calm the baby, sing to baby and get chores done all at the same time.

4.  Going for a hike is easy with a sling, obstacles are easily navigated because you have use of all four limbs.

A Mai Tei Asian style Carrier

5.  The baby feels included as part of the conversation and has a birds eye view of the world.

6.  Slings are great in crowds, you can't lose baby in the crowd and you don't have to maneuver a buggy through the throngs.

7.  Slings are great for getting through tight places.  Much easier when out in the woods, going shopping, walking around National Trust houses with lots of stairs, and shopping centres where lifts are few and far between.  You can leave the buggy at home.

8.  Slings are great when you have older kids because you have two hands free to push a swing, push a buggy, hold a hand and catch then before they run across the road.

 Hotmilk Nursing Camisole

9.  Slings are great when you are out with a friend because two buggy's don't always fit side by side on the pavement so you can walk together instead of in single file.

10.  Slings enable you to hold your baby for longer without hurting your arms or back.  The weight is spread, and you don't have to stand funny with your hip out.

What do you like best about using a sling?

Mother's Day and the Sussex Baby & Toddler Show

 

I did a really small Baby Show last year which was very poorly attended, and it turned into a bit of a blood bath at the end between the organizer and a disgruntled stall holder (not me).  It was an opportunity for me to see how I could handle doing nursing bra fittings at an event.  Out of the twenty people who came through the door, five were fitted and bought nursing bras.  It showed me yet again that there is a real market for well fitting nursing bras, and also that I really needed a second person to help me out so that I could focus on the fittings and not worry about missing people as they sail past.


The Sussex Baby & Toddler show was held in Hastings at the Hastings Centre (near Conquest Hospital) on Saturday March 10th from 10-4pm.  Over 1000 women and their families attended and it was a lot of fun.  It was extremely hard work.  I drove down to Hastings the day before to set up.  I had an amazing space as you can see, I even had a very professional looking fitting room with spotlights and some great display racks which hung from the walls and provided tonnes of hanging space without cluttering the floor.  I also had the priveledge of sponsoring the breastfeeding room which I wish I had taken a photo of.  It had comfy chairs, flowers and water provided by the organizer (Teresa) which I was allowed to add to.  After asking the kind readers of The Lactivist and Dispelling Breastfeeding Myths I decided to take along some foot stools, pillows, toys for the lids, breastfeeding info, magazines and some decorations.  The magazines were kindly donated by JUNO, and the artwork on show were large canvases of little Ellie nursing in public.

The day went by really fast.  The stall was right at the entrance, so we met loads of really great pregnant and breastfeeding Mums as they entered and shopped and left the event.  There were loads of activities for the kids to do while parents shopped, a bouncy castle, messy play, face painting....... and bacon rolls for anyone who was hungry (yummy).

I'm so glad that we went.  I spoke to lots and lots of women who have already had not so great experiences with nursing bras, and it was nice to be able to share my experience with them.  You don't have to spend a fortune on nursing bras to be comfortable throughout your pregnancy and breastfeeding journey, prices start at just £10.  You don't need to be fitted and but new bras every 4-6 weeks as many women are being told on the High Street, there are many bras out there that can accomodate changes in breast and band size.

So, I did overstock the shop as you can probably tell from the picture.  My first big show and I didn't want to run out of anything.  So, I am now sitting at the computer surrounded by nursing bras and nursing vests that need to go so I can see the floor again.  Please pop over to my website to take advantage of my Mother's Day Sale going on NOW.

Take advantage of this great deal and shipping is of course FREE when you spend £50!  Treat yourself to a new Deluxe Emma-Jane 830 Nursing Vest which has a much higher cotton content and feels incredible to wear.  The Show attendees LOVED them.

If you missed out on the Baby Show you missed out on meeting GEORGE!! and here he is with my Mum.

Have a fabulous first Mother's Day.  I remember my first Mother's Day.  I was walking across the street towards the supermarket in Maryland, USA.  Dodging traffic with William in a sling because the footpaths aren't really seen as a necessity, everyone else drives to the supermarket.  As a huge SUV passed us on the street the passenger leaned out of her window and yelled "Happy Mother's Day!".

Breastfeeding Rooms - Why Do We Need Them?

I will be sponsoring the Breastfeeding Room at the Sussex Baby & Toddler Show in Hastings on March 10th at The Hastings Centre.  This will be the first time I have sponsored a breastfeeding room and so I have asked around to find out what has been lacking and what people feel should be available in a breastfeeding room. 

As with the majority of breastfeeding questions, there have been an assortment of responses. There are some women that feel there is no place for a breastfeeding room because we should proudly breastfeed in public.

While I agree that women breastfeeding in public protected by law, and I am very happy to breastfeed ANYWHERE!  I do understand the need for women to be able to remove themselves from a public place to feed their child if they so wish.  There are many reasons a woman might want to feed in private and I'm sure we can all relate to many of these reasons -

1.  Maybe you just want to relax.

I visited the London Baby Show this weekend with Ellie in a sling.  We spent about an hour walking around the exhibits taking it all in, but after the train, the tube, the DLR and walking around the exhibit I just really wanted to sit down.  Ellie wanted to stretch her crawling legs too, and the most quiet, comfortable place to sit in the entire show was the breastfeeding room.  Look at these chairs, even the stools rocked.  I must admit, it wasn't the easiest place the find.  I think Tommee Tippee was sponsoring the "feeding area" and forgot to sign post the breastfeeding room.  It was hidden at the back behind the microwaves and bottle warmers.  I agree that they could have spent some time sprucing the place up.  But honestly, what else do you need?  I just fed Ellie and kicked back to listen to Annabel on stage probably standing close to her body guard (I didn't actually see her at this show, but did see her at Earls Court last year with what could only have been her body guard standing close by, serious expression, he didn't answer questions).  It was quite busy in the breastfeeding room, and Ellie was entertained for ages making new friends.

2.  Babies can be easily distracted as they get older.

We've all been there.  Baby gets to what? 3,4 months old and suddenly decides that they want to be involved with everything and everyone.  When baby starts pulling off the breast at the drop of a pin, this can be both a sore time for Mum and an embarrassing time for Mum.  Of course I have felt no embarrassment since the birth of my son in a room full of ten strangers, but I can definitely see how having your entire breast showing in public might be embarrassing especially if baby didn't tell you about it.  Yes, I'm thinking of you @Diaryofafirstchild in that lawyers office.  It happens to us all.  Sometimes during this very normal phase of development babies will feed a whole lot better when they are in a quiet, dimly lit room without distraction.  The feed is quicker, the exposure is reduced, and Mum stays sane.

3.  Maybe you just want to check out the breastfeeding facilities.

Yes, Mummies can be nosey too.  Just as I had to see the breastfeeding room at the London Baby Show, so I like to check out other such facilities in stores and shows.  Worst might have been a well known baby superstore in the US.  The store could be seen from my house, but when your 1 month old baby is hungry, you do not have time to waste.  I usually fed on the rockers at the back of the store, but the feeding room is at the front and I happened to be at the front.  The room was seperate from the toilets thankfully (they also have the worst toilet facilities in the modern world), but the room was a little grubby.  The room was dimly lit, but I think this was only because the bulbs had blown, and this awful music was being piped into the room.  I think it was the stench coming from the trash can next to the changing mat and the accompanying flies that topped it off though.  I will never understand why food and toilets need to go together when babies are involved URGH! 

The best facilities have to be Nordstrom (a department store), and maybe stores provide something similar in the UK.  Nordstrom usually provide a women's lounge in their stores.  It is not necessarily provided for feeding, but it makes an excellent feeding room.  It is a room that you go through to get to the toilets which is filled with comfy chairs, tables and mirrors.  Women can feed there, apply make-up, take a breather etc.  Some of these lounges even have a little alcove with a chair for those who want a little privacy and a seperate room for changing the baby.  I just loved that I could meet other Mothers feeding in the lounge, and also spread the word of breastfeeding just by feeding in a place where many women would see it.

4.  It's your  First Time nursing in public.

I've written before about my first time nursing in public, and it was at the international arrivals gate of BWINursing in Public post.  Practice at home, take a friend, and if you are still unsure find somewhere more private like a changing room or breastfeeding room.  Breastfeeding Suport Groups are THE best places to practice because you can get a look at all the other Mums and see how they do it, and ask people where the best places to go with babies are.

5.  The way that you feed can be awkward.

Every baby is different and every Mum is different.  Breastfeeding doesn't always run smoothly and you may not want the whole world to see you at possibly not your best.  Again, this is a good time to go to a Support Group just to get out of the house and meet other Mums who will be sympathetic.  There are many reasons that breastfeeding is just not simple yet -

• Your right breast is a gusher.
• Your left breast is a gusher.
• Larger breasts may be harder to conceal with a baby's head.
• You're using nipple shields.
• You're using a Supplemental Nurser System.
• You need to use a huge pillow.

All of these reasons are temporary speed bumps that can be overcome.  Your baby will grow and learn to deal with your gusher, and you will both learn to breastfeed easily and even quickly.  Hopefully you'll find the support that you need at a Support Group and be able to feed wherever, however, and whenever you want to.

My final picture is that of a breastfeeding room at a recent baby show that I attended.  The baby show was heaving and there were no seats left anywhere to sit down.  I happily sit on the floor to nurse, but the buggies would have probably run me over.  We checked our map and discovered that the breastfeeding room was at the other end of the building which took us over 20 minutes to get to.  By this time Ellie wasn't particularly happy.  The room was also next to the stage and very loud.  It wasn't well signposted and random people kept walking in looking to buy something and quickly turned to leave.  The door to the outside was left open a little and the room was very cold.  As you'll see from the picture it was a nice room with comfy chairs, water was provided and there was a display of information about breastfeeding.  A local breastfeeding counselor was also on hand to provide any support or tips you might need which was great!

As I sat nursing my daughter a lady came up to me and asked me to hurry up and leave because some performers needed to use the room to get changed and they were waiting outside.  Yes, I was asked to stop breastfeeding in a breastfeeding room!  My Mum threw a fit.  The breastfeeding counselor was right behind her.  I sat and fed Ellie, took a breather, burped her a little and put her to the other breast (she's a one breast kinds girl every other day).  We then packed up our stuff and left the show.  Here is the picture -

 One final word about baby shows today

USE A SLING!!!!!

So, I finish with this.  Breastfeeding in public is the best, I love it and do it and hope that others will do so too, but at the end of the day some women just don't want to or can't and breastfeeding rooms are amazingly useful for tonnes of different reasons.

I do draw the line at the public toilet, so please don't do as recommended on the TV show Loose Women.  I almost cried while watching a recording of the show where women that are looked up to by many people in the UK were told that breastfeeding in public is shameful and should be hidden.

BoobieMilk will be fitting and selling nursing bras at an upcoming baby show in Sussex.  BoobieMilk is also sponsoring the breastfeeding room.  Please pop along to the show and say hello, I'm offering 15% off all pre-booked appointments.

Sussex Baby & Toddler Show

Saturday March 10th, 10-4pm

The Hastings Centre

The Ridge

Hastings

TN34

Go to my nursing bra fitting page to send me a message or leave a comment here

Why Every Mum should own some HOTmilk

From now until Valentines Day I am running a sale on Hotmilk Lingerie which includes their nursing bras, matching bikini briefs and nursing camisoles.  All Hotmilk styles at BoobieMilk will be an extra 15% off regular prices.

You won't need to enter a code or do anything different, the prices are as marked.

I wanted to take this time to tell you more about Hotmilk and their products, and why I love them so much.

Hotmilk Lingerie came into being after company co-founder Lisa Ebbing became pregnant and couldn't find any lingerie that compared to the lingerie she was used to wearing, so with co-founder Ange Crosbie Hotmilk was born in New Zealand.  In very few years the company has grown and Hotmilk Materity Lingerie is now available all over the globe.  Pregnant and breastfeeding women everywhere have embraced lingerie that makes them feel confident, comfortable yet still sexy. 

As you know, I only stock nursing bras and products that I personally use, so let me tell you why I have chosen to stock Hotmilk and why every pregnant and breastfeeding woman should own their own Hotmilk Lingerie.

Hotmilk is GREAT for pregnancy!

Hotmilk Blaze Nursing Bra & Bikini (30-38 B-F) - £25.50* set

Who wouldn't want to look like this when pregnant?  But really, for the majority of us pregnancy is a time when we are forced to wear clothes that don't fit that well and don't look that good.  I spent my whole pregnancy pulling up trousers that refused to remain in place and ended up around my knees whenever I had my hands full.  Enter Hotmilk and their stunning lingerie.  Wearing this jet black bikini with diamante embelishment you wouldn't even care that your trousers are round your ankles, it covers everything you want it to and looks amazing.  The design fits under your pregnant belly and still looks great once you've lost that baby weight after all that breastfeeding.

The Hotmilk nursing bras are ideal for pregnancy and breastfeeding and with a little bit of luck and expert fitting you can get good wear out of them.  The nursing bras are designed with 6 lots of hooks and eye fittings in the band which are there to allow for changes in rib cage size over your pregnancy.  Typically, the baby pushes up into your rib cage during your pregnancy.  Being able to loosen the band a number of hooks means that you get more wear out of it, and you also have the option to tighten the band once the baby is born.  

Hotmilk is GREAT for breastfeeding!

Hotmilk Radiance Nursing Bra & Bikini (32-42 B-H S-XXL) - £21.25* set

Hotmilk lingerie is great for breastfeeding because of the easy one-handed clips that open for easy access to the breast for feeding.  It is so much more though.  The 100% cotton lining feels amazing against delicate skin, and the straps haven't been forgotten.  The straps on the Hotmilk Radiance nursing bra are slightly cushioned and also lined with 100% cotton for a great, comfortable feel.  The full cup style is really great for keeping your breasts in check during the day and night by providing excellent coverage and support.  The last thing you want is for your boobs to fall out (the 4 boob look is not great for breastfeeding), and the full cup and the correct size keep this to a minimum.

Hotmilk makes you feel AMAZING!

Hotmilk Luminous Nursing Bra & Bikini (32-42 B-H S-XXL) - £31.88* set

I know from my own experience that being pregnant and having a baby can change the way you feel about your self image.  It can take a knock if you put on a few extra pounds (that you need to) during pregnancy, and when you are trying to lose that weight after the baby arrives (which can take time).  You also have a new baby to take care of and may not have as much time to spend on yourself.  You'll also find that your body changes and it may take time to be able to wear your "before baby" clothes.  You'll also have to think about nursing in your clothes, so you'll find yourself wearing the same clothes week after week because they are comfortable and accessible.  A beautiful set of lingerie that is comfortable to wear and functional for nursing is a great gift for a new Mum.  It can give that ego a boost and make you feel "you" again.

Hotmilk is Comfortable to Wear!

Hotmilk Shine Nursing Camisole in Beaujolais (S-XXL) - £25.00* each

The materials used to make Hotmilk Lingerie and Clothing are specifically chosen to provide the utmost in comfort.  As I mentioned previously, the nursing bras are all lined in 100% cotton to make them as comfortable as possible.  Pregnancy and breastfeeding can result in sensitive breast tissue and nipples.  The last thing you want to wear is a nursing bra that makes this sensitivity worse.  The cotton modal used for the Hotmilk Shine nursing camisole is super soft against the skin, and the beaujolais is a really pretty colour for any pregnant or breastfeeding woman.  The straps widen as the sizes and cups increase to provide more gentle support on the shoulders.  Please read a review here.

Hotmilk is SEXY!

Hotmilk Radiance Nursing Bra (32-42 B-H) - £17.00* each

Hotmilk is SEXY!  Yes, you can feel and look sexy when you are pregnant or breastfeeding (or both).  The satin, lace and microfibre fabrics give great quality and finish to the lingerie, the diamante accents add just that little bit of bling, and you can even add a sexy nightie to the mix.

Hotmilk make Fabulous Matching Undies!

Hotmilk Luminous Nursing Bra (32-42 B-H) - £28.05* each

Something I missed when I had my first child was matching lingerie.  You just feel more put together when you have a matching bra and knicker set, and wear them on the same day of course.  I remember back to the first time I wore my Hotmilk matching lingerie and it was a revelation to me.  After having children you can let a go a little and stop worrying about what you are wearing because you have a baby to take care of, spit up and poop to clean up.  Even if you decide to wear this lingerie under your loungewear you will feel amazing, and it will bring back a twinkle to your eye.  You partner will LOVE it.

Hotmilk is not your usual breastfeeding lingerie!

Hotmilk is definitely like no breastfeeding lingerie you have ever worn before.

• It has matching knickers
• It is comfortable day and night
• Your husband will be glad to see you in it
• You won't ever be embarassed to be seen wearing it
• It is great quality
• It has bling
• It'll make you feel a million dollars
• It fits around your pregnancy bump

Basically...... There is no reason not to wear Hotmilk.

*prices are correct 31/01/12-14/02/12