What moms want!

Had a great conversation with long time customer and long term nursing Sasha.  Was such a great conversation as she was complimenting our quality and designs.  She had bought 5 bras from competitor, and returned them all to purchase Bella Materna.  "They are a little more expensive but worth every penny."

We always want to stay informed on what our customers want and need.  Please feel free to contact us anytime Order at BellaMaterna.com !

Lean in Lean out by Sandberg worlds top women in profession

Found this to be worth my watching and reading time (which ends up in my sub-conscious 'entertainment budget'!)  CNN Video of Sandberg challenging women to 'lean in'

A great article and video to highlight our working mother struggles. I found it both inspiring and a relief to feel with other moms - Anne Co-Founder

Jessica Simpson wears Bella Materna on Katie Couric show - I bet....

Jessica has the #1591 Smooth Cup bra on!

I try not to pay too much attention to celebrities and gossip.  

BUT to be honest, I don't toot our horn enough when it comes to our loyal fans!  Especially if everyone knows them! :)  

Anyhow, Jessica ordered over the last months of pregnancy, and also called to ask for any styles we thought would be best for her.  We got the sizes that were working best for her, and sent off several more.   She emailed back: "love, love, love"!

So here is a recent article; that I really appreciated the person Jessica Simpson, not the celebrity.  

Read on!  Excerpt from Katie Couric TV show September 11!

Jessica Simpson has finally debuted her post-baby body on “Katie” -- but don’t call it a big reveal!

“I really didn't want it to be about my weight because I know that everybody has their weight and has their own issues,” said Simpson when talk show host Katie Couric asked about why she did not show a full body shot in her new “Weight Watchers” commercial. “I wanted to talk directly to people so I didn't want the big body reveal moment. It’s not really who I am and Weight Watchers was on board with that thankfully.”

The world has been waiting to see Simpson’s post-baby bod ever since she gave birth to daughter Maxwell Drew on May 1 and announced several days later that she had signed a weight loss deal with Weight Watchers to help her shed the pregnancy pounds. But now that we’ve seen Jess, she doesn't want to tell us how much she’s actually lost.

“And you’ve lost like about 40 pounds right?” asked Couric.

“More!” said Simpson.

“Can you tell me?” pressed Couric.

“No!” said Simpson with her hearty, bubbly laugh. “But it’s really not about the numbers … I’ve lost enough weight to where I can pat myself on the back… it’s a small child!”

Simpson is also aware of the pressure that she’s under to lose her baby weight and the pressure that all new moms feel after giving birth in comparison to celebrity Moms.

“I’ve been the woman who’s looked at the magazines like ‘Oh my gosh! How in the world did she do that?!’   

Now being in that position, I’ve put on more baby weight than I was planning on putting any so I think that I really have to separate myself from the world’s expectations and really just look inside of myself and have a relationship with myself and be healthy with myself,” Simpson explained. “That is really important because I want to be a phenomenal role model for my child and if I get caught up in what the world’s saying and their expectations I would not be here right now as strong as I am right now with the support system that I have.”

A sneak peek of Simpson’s new Weight Watchers commercial aired during her “Katie” interview where she echoed the sentiments of many mothers around the nation – “I’m not a supermodel, I’m just Jessica. Trying to eat real food in the real world.”

And Simpson recognizes that losing the weight is a challenge – one she didn't really think about during her pregnancy.

“It is definitely a challenge. I think during pregnancy I didn't really think about it, I just always had, you know I thought my doctors were telling me that it was just a lot of water and whenever my water broke… my whole entire stomach would go down, but that did not happen! 

“So yeah all the weight did not come out with the baby and I’ve had to really stay focused and focus on my diet and just really concentrate on what I’m putting in my body because obviously I want to be as healthy as I can because I’m a Mom now.”

But what happens when you’re a celebrity mom who’s struggling to lose the weight and you’re getting trashed by the tabloids? You don’t Google your name Simpson says!

“I definitely don’t pick up the magazines and since I’m not traveling as much I’m not in an airport where I don’t really see them. I definitely don’t Google my name ... I try to avoid it completely, but I still subconsciously know that the talk is going on so I think that every day that is a struggle for me.”

article reposted by me from HLNtv.com  

If I knew how; I would repost the personal trainer video check it out here-- great ideas for excersize that are FUN with baby!

Help with proper estimation of maternity bra size

Welcome to the world of motherhood!  

This article states some quick notes we have found to help with proper estimation of maternity bra size.

Whether this is your first baby or your sixth baby, there is always something unique each time.  Our bodies seem to change with each, even more reason for added help when finding a maternity bra, nursing bra or maternity clothes.

Properly fitting bras are especially important for pregnant and nursing mothers’ comfort.  8 out of 10 women need help finding the right size.  This is even truer when your body is changing when you are expecting!!  We try to find you the best bra, which you can get the most use of. 

I usually recommend getting a nursing bra when you are pregnant and cannot fit in your pre-pregnancy bras.  Then you will need another one near the last couple of months.  This bra we hope to fit throughout maternity, and the early months of breastfeeding.  We have many styles with flexible cup size so we can accommodate your changing body needs.

Finding your Maternity Bra & Nursing Bra Size – get out the tape measure and put on the best fitting bra you have!

Maternity Bra notes: Ideally all of your maternity bras has breastfeeding access, so you can wear them again when you have decreased back to this size, and you will have the option to nurse after having the baby.   In our experience for pregnancy, it is best to get your same pre-pregnancy band size and wear it with an extender if one is not already sewn on.  Get it 2 cup sizes larger than your pre-pregnancy cup size.  i.e. If you were a 34D pre-pregnancy we recommend a 34F with an extender.

First, measure under your breasts; parallel to the floor from the front to back, firm but not loose.  The band size is of primary importance for your proper support.   If the band is too loose, the front cannot support you.

Since your cup size is harder to gauge with measures, at about 6 months you will need only 1 cup size increase.  By the last trimester you will need a bra with 2 cup sizes larger than your pre-pregnancy size.   A soft cup, without underwire is a best first nursing bra.  It will flex with your changing body.  Our Anytime collection are best sellers from bras to gowns. See this post on our Bella Materna Blog for more help

Feel free to call us to chat about what you need or email order at BellaMaterna.com 

We are here to help! 1-888-700-8438 M-F 9am 3pm West Coast Time

Personal notes on Breastfeeding: Anne Dimond a 14 year journey of making Nursing Bras and serving new moms all over the world!

Personal notes on Breastfeeding: 
Anne Dimond a 14 year journey of making Nursing Bras and serving new moms all over the world!
Congratulations, if you are reading this you want to breastfeed your little one.  Breastfeeding can be a little harder at first, but it really pays off in the long run (kind of like exercise, or a good pair of shoes you wear in).

My personal journey was unique, just as yours is.  Yes we share some highs and lows but the bond between you and your baby is ideal when you can provide them with breastmilk!  Scientifically even 1 drop of breastmilk makes a difference.   Think how many ounces will nourish them more, we encourage long term breastfeeding: at least 6 months if not 1 Year +.

As someone who started this company (2000) long before having children (2004), I was afraid what if breastfeeding was too hard for me/my baby!  What if I couldn't do it?  Lucky for me, my dear friend Claudine had her first baby just a few months before me and said the 2 words that encouraged me more than anything: "Breastfeeding Rocks!" 

 So let me encourage you now!  Try it: "Breastfeeding Rocks!"

My first baby started to wean earlier than I had hoped.  I took a business trip for Bella Materna nursing bra sales in LA when she was 9 months old, I had stored up breastmilk for my husband and mom to give her while I was gone for 3 days.  I pumped and stored while I travelled; but when I returned she had fallen in love with the bottle - "baabaa" (no she couldn't say that at 10 months!).  I did continue to pump, but her breastfeeding quickly declined after that.  Do I wish I had brought her with me, yes, but in all parenting we try our best.
My second child was not what I was expecting either!  The only thing I made sure to do was (besides have some of the best nursing bras in the world from Bella Materna on hand) was to make sure I had the notes on engorgement on hand my book was Pregnancy & the Newborn here is a link to it on Amazon.  That was where I needed guidance, and was the most painful part the first time was engorgement.  I knew if I had the directions on my nightstand, I would get through it better the 2nd time.  It worked!

Some other thoughts I wish someone had told me: 
Keep in mind, after your little one starts solids, they may/will not feed as often.  Your body will naturally adjust to the amount of breastmilk your baby needs.  I say "needs", because it is a natural process for both of you to wean (or all 3 if you had twins...).
Your baby may only feed at night for the rest of the year, or maybe if you are back at work, a few times a day.  This transition can work for both mom and baby,  It is important to realize, if you wean and your breastmilk decreases, it may not increase again if nursing starts back up.   We encourage you to try to breastfeed longer, as this is a unique opportunity in your life!

Don't feel shamed or negative about your work to breastfeed!  Just try your very best!  There are a lot of moms who are not able to, and I know successful people who have been breastfed or not.