Hi Guys

We have a size chart on our website for our breastfeeding clothing but thought this might help top make things a little easier ,

Here are the chest and waist measurements for our Breast feeding T-shirts:

Chest in cm around: XS = 76  , S= 79,  M= 84,  L= 89  XL= 94 XXL= 99

Waist in cm all around = XS= 57  S= 60 , M= 65, L= 70,  XL= 74 XXL= 80

If you would like any other measurements to help you make the choice of which size to go for just email us or send an enquiry through our website .

All our nursing T-shirts are quite fitted so if you feel you would like a bagger fit then go 1 size up.

We will be bringing in a new range of breastfeeding clothing soon which will included other breast feeding clothes rather than purely nursing T-shirts ( keeping you guys in suspense a little longer , ) and these will run form the same size guide. Of course dependent upon design they will look and maybe fit a little different, also they will be made from different fabric which has a little more stretch in them so will be more forgiving to your post baby figure. Hope this sounds good

Take care, Liz

I know this can be REALLY painful so anything which can help is a blessing!

Always get help from your midwife or health visitor but for some on-line advice i thought this video from You Tube was quite helpful.

Cabbages seriously rock to help the pain weird but true!

I don’t think there will be many mums which breast feed that at 1 time or another don’t have a question they need answering about breastfeeding . 1 great website that can help ( to compliment your own midwife or health visitor) is the American site Kellymom , its a well established site with lots of advice on many different topics to do with breasfeeding , feeding your toddler and things like parental depression etc.

It’s really cool to be able to click on a site when you need it and get some good advice, ie when you are up in the early hours you can click on (if you have your hands free!) and get immediate advice.

There is also a forum on there but i have no idea of what it’s like but they have over 18000 facebook friends so they are pretty popular!

Check it out and see if can help you:)

I found this on the Gaurdian website, it is for today Tuesday 22nd June

Gabrielle Palmer, the author of The Politics of Breastfeeding, will be online at 2.30pm on Tuesday 22 June to answer your questions

Gabrielle is a nutritionist and a campaigner. She was a breastfeeding counsellor in the 1970s and helped establish the UK pressure group Baby Milk Action. In the early 1980s she lived and worked as a volunteer in Mozambique. She has written, taught and campaigned on infant feeding issues, particularly the unethical marketing of baby foods.

In the 1990s she co-directed the International Breastfeeding: Practice and Policy course at The Institute of Child Health in London until she went to live in China for two years. She has worked independently for various health and development agencies, including serving as HIV and Infant Feeding Officer for Unicef New York. She recently worked at The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where she had originally studied nutrition. Gabrielle has now retired from campaigning – you can read her open retirement letter here.

The third edition of her groundbreaking book, The Politics of Breastfeeding, is published by Pinter & Martin.

Post your questions on the personal, political and social aspects of breastfeeding below, then join Gabrielle on Tuesday for a live discussion.

Ok so i was pretty naive before i started my company up and didn’t actually appreciate that the word Lactivist was referring to a woman who was pro breastfeeding.  Yeah yeah i know i am dumb!

Any hows some ladies feel very strongly about the topic of breastfeeding and it can be a very emotive subject, if you are pro breastfeeding and would like to read up on current issues of the breastfeeding word i strongly recommend www.lactivist.net 

I might be biased as it is written by a lady who also lives in Bristol (yeah Bristol rocks) , but it is undated on a regular basis and it does cover up to date topics which is alway cool.

I have to admit i am on baby no 2 and i have never been to a NCT (National Childbirth Trust) class myself, but i have heard a lot of good things about them.

Although they are not free ( i got all confused with the ante – natal classes held by the local midwife and assumed they were NCT but as i found out they weren’t) lots of ladies find them beneficial throughout their pregnancy and after birth too.

Here’s a bit about the trust from their website:

The NCT started in 1956. Since then, we have worked successfully to improve the experience of becoming a parent in the UK.

We are a membership charity with over 100,000 members across the UK. Our strength comes from the dedication of our volunteers, who work through our network of branches to provide and support local services, training and evidence-based information for parents, families and health professionals. We are trusted and respected by health professionals and governments as an organisation that represents the needs of parents.

Here is a link where you can find out more about what the NCT do : http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/about-us/what-we-do

Membership:

he National Childbirth Trust is the largest and best-known childbirth and parenting charity in Europe and is the leading independent voice on antenatal, birth and postnatal issues in Britain. We provide a range of high quality services at local level and promote the principle of informed choice for women and their partners. Founded over 40 years ago by a woman who believed that the experience of childbirth had to be improved, the NCT today has around 35,000 members and 400 branches throughout the UK.

Within the Cambridge Branch of the NCT, there are many services available to members and non members alike. Support from breastfeeding counsellors; nursing bra fitting; breast pump hire; valley cushion hire; postnatal discussion groups, and nearly new sales are just a few of the services we provide. There is also a network of “Open House” groups through which you can meet other parents in your area.
     

 

Benefits include:-

Cambridge Branch Newsletter. This is a quarterly, local publication full of news and information written by Cambridge parents. Keep up to date with local events, groups, organisations and practitioners. We welcome contributions. Why not write up your birth story for us.

Free Text Book. Simply tick the box on your membership application form.

“New Generation” the NCT quarterly, national publication packed full of useful research based articles for parents.

Early Entry to Nearly New Sales. Come at 2pm to enjoy half an hour of shopping before the main doors open at 2.30pm.

Meet other parents, exchange ideas and tips and make new friends at our “Open House” groups or “Bumps, Babies & Beyond.” See your child grow up with their own peer group.

Improve your career opportunities by volunteering for us whilst you are taking a career break.

Subscription Fees help more parents to benefit from the free services the NCT offers. We have breast feeding counsellors, antenatal teachers, an “experiences register,” breast feeding help line (0870 444 8708), information booklets, and maternity sales catalogue.

 

To Join The NCT

Membership is £39 for the first year and £29 for subsequent years. For couples joining, if only one partner is a tax payer, the tax paying partner should pay the membership fee, and complete the “Charitable Giving Declaration.”

View more details at the: NCT Membership Page

Use the NCT online membership form

Alternatively eMail: Membership@NCTCambridge.org

Sometimes there is support available but it’s just knowing where to look for it, and sometimes when you need it the most you need it quickly and haven’t got time to look for it. Well thats what i thought anyway about a lot of things especially concerning matters after after child birth and raising my child. Breastfeeding is not something that we can practice , we are just kinda thrown into it and sometimes expected to get on and do it and know what we are doing, well take it from me i certainly wasn’t like that and i feel if i had known where to look for advice a little sooner then i would have continued nursing my child for longer.

Breastfeeding is not for everyone, but a lot of women feel that if they had just received a little more support they would have continued to to breastfeed for longer. One organisation i have found that gives support to nursing mothers is the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers. They have a telephone helpline which is open to anyone :

Breastfeeding Support Hotline.

08444 122 949

Please ring our counselling helpline to speak to one of our fully trained Breastfeeding Counsellors for breastfeeding support and information.

Their website is currently under construction but hopefully soon will be up and running again, they also produce a few times a year a magazine which has lots of information and real life stories of mothers and their breastfeeding experience. Here’s their website address: http://www.abm.me.uk/our%20magazine.htm

We came across this breastfeeding advice site, aimed at people in Scotland but alot of the information is general about breastfeeding and as it has such a funky name : Breastfeeding The Feedgood factor we thought you might like to check it out. 

The website runs through the benefits of breastfeeding your baby, along with how you can help support breastfeeding ie as a friend or husband / relative etc.  Also there are some personal stories on there from varing points of view ie mums, dads etc. Also the national breastfeeding helpline number is on there 0300 100 0212 (not sure if this is just for Scotland or a UK one ?) so if you have ANY questions about breastfeeding then give them a ring and they are the experts to help you out. I think with breastfeeding it is a skill that both you and your baby have to learn and along with the the other factors involved in having and raising a baby it’s not easy, and sometimes you might feel you have to give up breastfeeding when you don;t really want to , especially  if there is no one you can talk to about things. So the telephone helpline can be a really useful thing, i’m sure they have heard every question you could possible think of to do with breastfeeding and being at the end of the phone is sometimes better then being in person, gives you a bit more ammoninity (spelling?)

Take care guys, Liz

Surely every midwife within the UK should be an expert on breastfeeding and should be able to offer excellent advice ?

It’s i just seen this article on the BBC news website , and whilst i am not knocking their job at all i would have thought a fundamental part of a regular midwife’s role would be to deal with problems mothers have to do with breast feeding?

Anyway sorry going off topic there, the infant feeding advisor says one of the most common problems incurred whilst breastfeeding is “nipple trauma”, blimey that makes me winch. to quote the site”

Nipple trauma is experienced by a significant proportion of mothers.

This is directly caused by incorrect positioning of the baby at the breast, which does not allow the baby to latch on to the breast tissue sufficiently to form a natural teat shape in their mouth.This preventable injury occurs as the baby fixes just to the nipple itself, and the pressure of the baby’s gums compressing the nipple can cause significant injuries.”

I suppose it is all practice, as you can’t really experience breastfeeding until you have your baby and then it’s all systems go. Getting good advice pre birth and reading up on things though looks like it can really help.

The article also goes on to talk about:

Influence of family and friends on breastfeeding

“

Midwives recognise the influence that extended family and friends have on the decisions a woman makes. This is especially true with the management of feeding a newborn infant.

My biggest challenge is when there is unintentional undermining of breastfeeding, from well-meaning others, by recommending supplementation with formula milk.

So often it is said that a baby is “starving” and “the mother hasn’t got enough milk” or “the milk isn’t good enough”.

It takes patience and sometimes courage to re-educate those who have unintentionally been given poor advice and education when they had their babies and to convince such mothers that the baby’s behaviour is normal and that the mother will be able to provide for all the baby’s nutritional needs”

this is so true, i don’t know any friends of mine whom haven’t been given un-wanted advice on how they should or shouldn’t be doing things especially breastfeeding.!

It’s not a bad article, shame not every county has a specialist like this to talk to!

Breastfeeding is an art, and it takes practice! 

Some people are naturals , get the method down patt really quickly and off they go, they are the lucky ladies . I kinda equal it to ladies who can eat whatever they like and stay thin….it’s just not fair ha ha.

So to get in the swing with breastfeeding it takes practice, mother nature just kinda chucks you in at the deep end! It’s not like you can practice before your baby arrives and then when they are here they need food NOW!!

Just one personal note before i post the link for help with latching your baby on for breastfeeding, when first born some babies can feed constantly. After i had my daughter (via emergency c-section) she fed constantly through the night, i mean ever hour through the night. The very unhelpful heath care assistant on the ward was like “no she can’t be, thats not right, you can’t be doing it right” Well yes she was and no i wasn’t!!!! How some people get jobs on maternity wards i don’t know, but just for other new mums out there yes new babies can demand great lengths of feeding!!

Anyway Baby centre is a great website with a depth of knowledge about pregnancy/ birth , breastfeeding etc and i have provided this link which helps illustrate the better way to lactch your baby onto your breast for breastfeeding.

Please anyone if you have any other methods or tips it would be great to post a comment , so to help other mums.

How to breastfeed: a visual guide

by Sally Inch 

To breastfeed successfully, it doesn’t really matter where or how you sit or lie, as long as you are comfortable and able to bring your baby to the breast easily. 

The relationship between your baby’s mouth and your breast – what we call “latching on” or “the latch” – is what really matters. Here are some ideas and pictures to help you latch your baby onto the breast successfully. 

• Getting started 

• How to latch your baby onto the breast 

• Latching on: how it works 

• Tips to help you 

Sit comfortably, so that your back is supported and you are not leaning back. 

Raise your feet if you need to, so that your lap is flat. 

Think about using a pillow to take the weight of your baby, so that your arms are not doing all the work. Once you have had more practice, you can do without the pillow altogether if you prefer. 

In order to feed well, your baby needs to use his tongue to scoop in a big mouthful of breast. Your baby’s bottom lip and tongue need to get to your breast first, and make contact with your breast as far from the base of the nipple as possible. 

Bring him to your breast with his head tipped back, so that he is leading with his chin. With his head tipped back, let his lips touch your nipple 

He will respond by dropping his lower jaw. Move him quickly and smoothly to your breast aiming his bottom lip as far away from the base of your nipple as you can. 

Scooping in a big mouthful of breast lets your baby draw your breast deeply into his mouth, creating a teat from which to feed. Your nipple will then be right at the back of his mouth, at the point where the hard roof of his mouth gives way to the soft area. With a mouthful like this, your baby will be able to use his tongue smoothly and rhythmically against the under surface of your breast, and remove milk from the ducts. 

His jaw will move up and down, following the action of his tongue, and he will swallow your milk as it flows to the back of his mouth. This should be a completely painless process for you, because your nipple will be so far back in his mouth that it will not be squashed or pinched by his tongue. His lower gum will never touch your breast, as his tongue will always be between them, and his top jaw does not move. 

• Support your baby by putting your palm behind your baby’s shoulders and your index finger and thumb behind his ears; or cradle your baby’s head in your whole hand and push with the heel of your hand; or use your forearm to support your baby’s shoulders. 

• Trigger the reflex response you need by letting your baby’s mouth brush your nipple. Your baby will find your breast by touch, not by sight or smell – although these senses probably play a part. 

• Start to move your baby as you see his lower jaw start to drop – don’t wait until it is at its widest before you begin the movement. Once it is fully open, all it can do is start to close, and your baby will be unable to draw in the best possible mouthful. 

• As you move your baby, watch his lower lip, not his top one. Try not to worry about his top lip, and whether it will get over your nipple. Provided that his bottom lip makes contact well away from the base of your nipple, his chin will indent your breast, and your nipple will move downwards slightly and be covered by his top lip. You will not see this happen, but you will know it is right by the way it feels and the way your baby behaves. Read our article, “How do I know if my baby is latched on correctly?” if you’re not sure. 

• If you find it difficult to keep your baby’s hands out of your way, try wrapping him (swaddling) so that his arms are lying at his side. You will be able to get him closer to your breast. 

• If you are supporting your breast with your hand (and most mums do this), keep your hand as far away from your nipple as you can – preferably back on your ribcage. Once your breast is supported, keep it still, and only move your baby. 

To see all this in action, you could watch a DVD such as, from Bump to Breastfeeding which is distributed free of charge to all pregnant women in the UK. If you or your midwife don’t have a copy, you can watch it online atwww.bestbeginnings.info/video. 

Reviewed February 2009