KBBF Advent Event - Snoob Breastfeeding Scarf

We are two mums, each with four children, all of whom were breastfed. We produce and sell the Snoob, a stylish breastfeeding scarf that offers a mum discretion and versatility. It provides cover, comfort, and style. It is a generously proportioned circle scarf made of 100% jersey cotton and is available in four different colours. When not being used whilst breastfeeding it can simply be worn as a scarf.

We launched the business in May this year and are going from strength to strength. We have a number of lovely stockists, have run competitions in collaboration with other baby-related businesses, and have enjoyed very favourable reviews. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with customers loving the Snoob's stylish versatility.

In addition to the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Advent Event we are celebrating our first Christmas at Snoob by running an exciting Christmas giveaway from 1 December featuring fab prizes from Boobiemilk, Naturest Purest, Indulge Mini Me, Sophia's Choice, Wild Planet, Petitguili and the Pudding Club.  Check out our website for more details. In addition a limited edition charcoal grey Snoob will be available to purchase from 1 December (perfect for Christmas parties!). We are delighted to be asked to take part in the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Scavenger Hunt Advent Event.

Enter for a chance to win a Snoob Breastfeeding Scarf by using the Rafflecopter below.  You can also enter by heading over to the Snoob Breastfeeding Scarf Facebook Page, liking the page and commenting on the Giveaway image highlighted there.

Throughout December there will be lots of lovely breastfeeding prizes up for grabs from lots of lovely companies.  Find out about all the prizes up for grabs here and follow Keep Britain Breastfeeding on Facebook for updates..

All competitions will end at Midday on December 24th and winners will be drawn within 14 days

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep Britain Breastfeeding Advent Event 2013

Happy Holidays from Keep Britain Breastfeeding.

We have a little event running through December 1st-24th to help share the Christmas Cheer as the weather gets colder and the days grow shorter.

16 fabulous breastfeeding friendly companies have come together at this busy time of year to bring you 24 amazing prizes, so you have 24 chances to win something great!

Breast Milk Keepsakes

Monkey Mama Necklaces

BoobieMilk

Snoob

Thrupenny Bits

Breastfeeding Calendar 2014

Ardo Breastpumps

Cherub Chews

BreastVest

Mama's Cookies

MamaScarf

Rayne Beau Boos

Close

Juno Magazine

Feed Me Mummy

Coastal Path Creations

Throughout December you'll get the chance to enter each competition by visiting each of these companies Facebook pages and finding the Giveaway image.  Each image will have a sprig of holly and the words KBBF Advent Event on them so that they can be identified easily.  

When you have found the giveaway image you can read the terms and conditions.  You must LIKE each Facebook page, LIKE the image and answer the question on that image by leaving a COMMENT.  We'd also love you to SHARE the image, but it is not mandatory to do so.

Companies will also be sharing information with you about themselves throughout December on this website so that you can get to know them a little better.  When you read these posts you will have the chance to enter some of their competitions via the rafflecopters on those posts.  Some companies are also including rafflecopters on their Facebook pages to give you extra opportunities to enter their competition.

Click on the Advent Event Tab at the top of this website page to check out exactly what you can win and to find the links to each Facebook page.  You can also keep up to date by subscribing to this website on the right hand side or by LIKING the Keep Britain Breastfeeding Facebook Page.

To get you started, here is the first BoobieMilk competition Rafflecopter.  You can also find the BoobieMilk giveaway #1 on the BoobieMilk Facebook Page for a £10 gift voucher.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BoobieMilk at the Guildford BabyExpo November 24th, 2013

BoobieMilk is going on tour again!  This time we are coming to Guildford for the first BabyExpo event at the Surrey Sports Park.

As usual we will be fitting and selling nursing bras from Hotmilk, Carriwell, Emma-Jane and Bravado.  We will also be bringing some gorgeous nursing necklaces, nursing vests and sports bras.

Do come along and say hello, we are offering a 15% discount on all purchases on the day if you pre-book an appointment.  Email karen.mccully@gmail.com for an appointment slot.

Show information -

Date - November 24th, 2013

Time - 10:00am - 4:00pm

Location - Surrey Sports Park, Guildford GU2 7XX

Price - £3:00 in advance (or try this link for free tickets and use VIPINVITE as the coupon code)

Here is a little taste of the products you will see at the BoobieMilk stand 181

Monkey Mama Rainbow Wooden Teether and Twiddle Necklace

Bravado BodySilk Seamless Nursing Bra

Crochet Bead and Wooden Teether Twiddle Necklace

Hotmilk Eclipse Nursing Bra in Black

Snoob Breastfeeding Scarf

Lactivist Goodies

We look forward to meeting you!

The Most Comfortable Maternity and Nursing Bra You Will Ever Wear!

Bravado BodySilk Seamless Nursing Bra

I'm trying to think back to the first time I met the Bravado Bodysilk Nursing Bra.  I'm going to estimate that it was the Summer of 2008 at the ILCA conference in Las Vegas at Red Rock.  I don't remember owning one while I was pregnant with my first but I remember owning one shortly after he was born.  William was 6 months old when he attended his first breastfeeding conference, and no, he did not gamble!

At the time I was initiating a breastfeeding support programme and had been given the go ahead to provide free nursing bras as an incentive for low income exclusively breastfeeding women.  The Bravado Original and BodySilk Seamless nursing bras are the ideal bras for such an initiative because they are fabulous nursing bras that are great throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding, comfortable and easy to fit.

I still own and wear my first ever BodySilk nursing bra.  If my dates are right it's now five years old and I still love it as much as the first time I put it on.  The fit has been perfect through five years of nursing and 38 weeks of pregnancy and nursing.  The support has remained, and the bra has held together amazingly (unlike the nursing bras I purchased during my first pregnancy which fell apart very quickly).  I've never been a fan of the padded bra for nursing but it is removable and padding is very popular for many reasons so a great asset.

So, there's my history with the Bravado Bodysilk seamless nursing bra.  Let me go into specifics to tempt you into trying it out for yourself.  Why should you spend £30 on a seamless nursing bra when you can find others on the market for less money?

Supportive - The nice wide band provides a great supportive base which is really comfortable, particularly when your ribcage expands during pregnancy.  The 3-wide row of back fasteners adds to this support and give a lovely sense of security.  Support has been weaved into the seamless fabric so that the breasts are supported in the appropriate places and the quality, two layered fabric provides great support even up to an F cup and above.

Flexible - The four back settings provide a great range for the expansion of your ribcage during pregnancy.  If you start out at the beginning of your pregnancy at the tightest setting you have room for baby to move up into your ribcage during pregnancy and then the ability to move back down the band settings after delivery.  The seamless fabric has the ability to grow with you so that as your breasts change and become heavier and larger in size with the breast tissue and milk changes you have no need to buy a new bra.  Between feeds the breasts may be greatly different in size which is accomodated by the fabric that grows and shrinks with you.

Functional -   The BodySilk seamless nursing bra is supportive, flexible and amazingly comfortable.  It moulds to the body creating a lovely silhouette with and without the padding.  The side sling is narrow enough to provide great access to the breast for feeding and skin to skin contact, yet is strong enough to withstand 5 years of wear and tear.  The nursing clip is easy to open with one hand and clips closed so that you know without looking it's done.  The moulded foam cups provide a smooth line under tight clothing and provide great coverage for a prominent nipple or bulky nursing pad.  However, the two-layered design provides good coverage even without the padding.

Value - Every week I speak to pregnant women and new Mums that have spent too much money on bras.  The reality is that you don't need to buy 3 new bras each time your breasts/ribcage changes in size.  You don't need to buy maternity bras that are non-wired but have no access for nursing.  You don't need to buy 3 bras each time you grow out of the previous 3 you purchased only a month ago.  You can truely wear one sized bra throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding.  So, yes I believe that the £30 price tag is worth every penny knowing that you don't have to worry about you after this and can focus on your baby.

Bravado have designed a number of essential colours for the BodySilk Seamless and they also bring out seasonal colours for those a little bit more adventurous.

The BodySilk seamless is currently available at Boobiemilk in Black.  If you'd like to order a different colour do pop me an email telling me which colour you would like and I will be happy to add it to my next delivery.  Check out the colours available to order on the BoobieMilk Facebook page.

Monkey Mama Nursing, Teething and Babywearing Necklaces have arrived at BoobieMilk

"My baby has become distracted while nursing"

"My baby is teething and has bitten me while nursing"

"I'm being pinched during feeds"

"My hair is being pulled when my baby is in the sling"

Small but sometimes significant complaints made by many a Mummy which can be overcome with the addition of a beautiful accessory - A Nursing Necklace.

On Wednesday November 6th, 2013 I received a delivery of some absolutely stunning examples of nursing, teething and babyweraing necklaces from the lovely Monkey Mama.

What do I love about these nursing necklaces?

Great thought and attention to detail has gone into sourcing the materials that make up each necklace.  The highly durable and non-toxic resin beads have been handmade in Indonesia by a small cottage business and fairly traded throughout their journey to the UK.

The wooden teething rings are crafted from ash grown in an ecological region of Continental Europe away from heavy industry.

The necklaces themselves are designed and handmade in the UK using super tough cotton cording and strong knotting techniques for extra security.

 

Beautiful

Functional

Safe

Ethical

A piece of jewellery that you can feel confident to wear around small children which has many, many uses and will last for years to come.

Prices start at just £12.75.  See all styles that are available and place your order here or Like the BoobieMilk Facebook page and receive free shipping.

Thrupenny Bits is Joining BoobieMilk at the Bluewater Baby Show in October 2013

I'm so excited that I will be returning to the Baby and Toddler Show at Glow, Bluewater in a couple of weeks.  It might just be my favourite time of year, and it happens twice a year so it's even better than a Birthday.

Baby and Toddler Show at Glow, Bluewater October 11-13th, 2013

This time I'm being joined by the lovely Melissa from Thrupenny Bits so I might even get to take a squash break this time!  If you haven't heard about Thrupenny Bits then you are in for a real treat.  Breastfeeding pillows that are beautiful, portable and are made from gorgeous and sumptuous fabrics. 
Take a look at these lovelies -

The Ultimate Breastfeeding Pillow

The Ultimate Feeding Pillow is a little bit larger than the regular pillow so will last a little longer especially with a bigger baby.  Inside you'll find a fire retardant and hypoallergenic removable cushion so that you can wash the cover whenever you need to.  The outer cover makes the ideal toddler bag too both because of its size and the fact that it has inner pockets for your essentials.  I do love a product with multiple uses, making the Ultimate breastfeeding pillow a great value.

I hope you'll come and pay us a visit at the show.  As usual I will be fitting and selling nursing bras all weekend and I will be bringing styles from Hotmilk, Emma-Jane and Carriwell up to a size 42H.  I will also have nursing vests, washable nursing pads, nursing swimsuits and belly supports.

Why not schedule an appointment with me and save 15% on your purchase.  If you are looking for something in particular do let me know karen.mccully@gmail.com.

Here is a code to save on show entry, but keep an eye out for your chance to win free tickets over the next few weeks as I announce new products and introduce you to Melissa from Thrupenny Bits.

Save £10 by booking 2 tickets for £20 or 2 VIP tickets for £40 by using code BBW26 here

Why Has My Nipple Gone White?

When I was first breastfeeding William I had a lot of breast and nipple pain after feeding.  One lactation consultant thought thrush, another thought vasospasm.  After meeting a lot of women in similar situations and reading on the subject it seems that vasospasm is often diagnosed as thrush.  Thrush has become more popular over the last few years and I meet a lot of women who have been diagnosed but haven't received any relief from the typical treatments.  I guess it's a case of looking for zebra's when you should be looking for horses.  There are two main reasons for nipple blanching or vasospasm, and I imagine that the first reason (compression) could be a cause of discomfort in quite a number of cases.

Nipple blanching due to compression will happen when the nipple becomes squished during nursing stopping the blood from circulating and leaving the nipple white.  As the blood rushes back in you can feel pain similar to pins and needles which usually starts after the feed and can last quite a long time between feeds.  The pain can be tingly, shooting.  I felt like I wanted to hold my breast and couldn't easily ignore the pain.  There are a number of causes of nipple blanching due to compression -

• A poor or shallow latch when the nipple doesn't reach the soft palate during feeds.
• Baby clamping down on the nipple/breast due to a fast flow or fast let-down to slow the flow.
• A high or bubble palate which can cause the nipple to not reach the soft palate during feeds.
• A tongue-tie which prevents the tongue from having a typical range of motion.

Improvement of the latch through working with a breastfeeding specialist or a referral to a tongue-tie specialist can reduce and indeed remove all symptoms.

Nipple blanching due to Raynaud's phenomenon can occur with anyone that suffers from this condition which causes sudden vasospasm in the extremities (hands, feet, nipples).  The nipple turns white and then often blue and red before returning to its normal colour as the blood rushes back in.  Coldness can often set off the symptoms, so women often report feeling pain when they step out of the shower or when they walk down the freezer aisle at the supermarket.

There are a number of ways to reduce or treat symptoms -

• Keeping the breast/nipples warm and avoiding cold (Breast Aid Breast Warming Pads are perfect as they cover the nipple and use body heat to keep the area warm)
• Avoiding caffeine and nicotine (vasosconstrictors)
• Nifedipine has been found to help in some cases at low dosage.

I think it is important to look at the entire picture when working through breastfeeding problems.  Quite often thrush or mastitis are the only conditions associated with breast/nipple pain and I think that treatements are often issued without looking for a cause.  Treatment that doesn't work can lead to an early end to breastfeeding.  I'm not diagnosing anyone, just giving you a little bit of information so that you can go away and really think about your symptoms and what they really mean.  Sadly, Doctors who write prescriptions don't usually work with mothers on position and latch which in many cases I'm sure could be the solution.