Who Knew Breastfeeding Could Make Your Feet Hurt?

I used to blog every week before becoming a Mummy but now I'm only blogging when enough of my braincells club together for a sentence. There's no doubt that running a business and being a full time parent is a form of elective insanity but here I am almost 11 months in and Butterfly Collection is thriving, the baby's still alive and most days I'm dressed by 3pm!

Before having Evelynne I had helped a lot of women find comfortable, well-fitting nursing bras. I understood the biology of breast size fluctuation, heightened skin and nipple sensitivity, mastitis and leakage but I had to experience the true mysteries and secrets of breastfeeding for myself.

I love this series of doodles by Lucy Scott

1) Breastfeeding made my feet hurt. That was not something we covered in our pre-natal classes! It took me ages to work out that it was the way I was breastfeeding that was making my feet hurt. I didn't purchase a nursing chair so I've been using the armchair in our living room. Evelynne is a small baby and my torso is long so I have to lift her a long way up to feed. I use a feeding pillow but I still need to lift my knees up to get her to the right height. I've basically been on tiptoes every few hours for almost a year, no wonder my feet hurt! If I could go back I'd invest in a breastfeeding chair (low rise) to save my aching feet.

2) I imagined that breastfeeding would be this peaceful, gentle time but Evelynne had other ideas. Since being just weeks old her favourite thing to do whilst feeding is to bounce her legs up and down, frequently kicking me in the head. As she got stronger she became very adept at trying to back-flip off her feeding pillow mid-boob!

3) When Mr Butterfly and I attended our prenatal class there was a demonstration of breastfeeding the baby in a sling. In theory you can breastfeed on the go. Fast forward 4 months and I've got two large breasts and a 6lb baby stuffed in a sling and the baby was definitely outnumbered! Trying to latch her without my GGs engulfing her entire head was impossible - no feed and go for this busty Mummy!

4) I had zero volume change during pregnancy and breastfeeding which completely threw me. I'd had clients who went up 3 cup volumes in their first trimester so I was prepared for a change to my 32GG pre-pregnancy size. I had to switch to a 34G, which is the same volume as a 32GG but on a longer band, because I just couldn't wear my band as tight anymore but the rite of passage size increase never happened and it made me wonder whether my milk would come in. Evelynne was a little early and I was induced so my milk needed a little encouragement with a breast pump. I rented a hospital grade pump and I'm so glad I did because I really don't like pumping so at least the hospital grade pump made the whole thing faster (I rented from London Drugs).

5) I've been really fortunate that I haven't had painful nipples from breastfeeding. Evelynne latches well and even with the emergence of teeth her latch is still comfortable. However, I didn't account for "boobs meet razor sharp baby talons". Keeping a baby's nails short can be tricky and they seem to go from manageable to machete-like over night! Every now and then my boobs look like they've had a run in with a tiny Edward Scissorhands. A little antiseptic cream helped the angriest scratches.

The unexpected acrobatics and physical injuries have only added to the incredibly journey that has been breastfeeding. I feel incredibly lucky that I've been able to experience breastfeeding, mini-Wolverine scratches 'n' all! xx

New baby, new boobs, new bras

It has been a rather magical six months on the baby front in my life. First my best friend Sarah gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl in December. Then my beautiful sister announced that she is pregnant with my first niece and my fabulous friend Jess is due in September. 

With all this wonderful baby news, and Mother’s Day just around the corner we're talking about new babies and the new boobs that come with them! You can find lots of in-depth information on our website but this is the top five must-knows when fitting your baby boobs.

1) Maternity bras are not nursing bras. Maternity bras are stretchy bras that change with your shape before and after baby and can be worn at night to give you extra support as your boobs get heavier and more sensitive. Nursing bras have release clasps on the cups so you can easily access your boobs for feeding. Maternity bras in D-K cups can be hard to find but there are lots of bras with stretch in the cups that can accommodate the fluctuation. Andorra from Panache is a good option.  

2) Size Matters. If you’ve never bothered with getting the right size before – bother NOW! Wearing the wrong size will make you really uncomfortable before and after pregnancy and worse than that it can actually cause infection if you get a blocked milk duct from an ill-fitting bra. Follow the instructions in our Fitting Room and check out our Bra Size Calculator to see how to keep track of your changing shape then buy the right size accordingly.

3) There’s no hard and fast rule to how often or how much your boobs are going to change, but a good tip if you’re going to breastfeed is to buy ONE nursing bra in your last trimester based on your current size at that time plus one full cup size. The chances that this will be your exact size are slim but it will be close and it will give you the instant convenience of a nursing bra when the baby arrives. Bra shopping in the first week after a new baby will be low on your priority list.

4) Good maternity and nursing bras should be made of breathable material so look for ones with a high cotton content or made of microfiber material – this will keep your skin cool and rash free. Make sure your bra has wide, soft straps to keep you comfortable as your chest becomes heavier.

5) Unless you are fastidious about wearing the correct size bra you should wear wirefree bras after giving birth. This will reduce the risk of unwanted pressure on your breast tissue which can cause duct blockages.  Never sleep in a wired bra, pregnant or not!

On average a woman’s bra size changes by two cups during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This can seem overwhelming for big busted girls but can be mind-boggling for women who go from a regular high street size like a C cup then don't know where to find a pretty nursing bra in an E cup. If the changing shape of your breasts seems a little daunting you can email our support team to talk through your concerns about maternity and breastfeeding.

Remember that this is an exceptionally special time in your life and being supported (emotionally and physically) makes the whole experience more enjoyable. Being in a supportive bra will remove some of the stress and allow you to be a happy and comfortable mother.  To all our customers who are expecting a new arrival this year, or who have just had a baby, my HUGE congratulations! xx