First of all, I want to thank you all for your amazing support. I have received an overwhelming response after my apparition on the Dragons’ Den show on CBC this Wednesday and this has proven to be extremely positive and encouraging. I am really glad that they chose to present both breastfeeding and the Momzelle nursing tops in a positive light.
Erin, the mom who was breastfeeding on TV, in front of millions, did an amazing job, and so did her very cute baby (now almost a year old, can you believe it?).
I am super proud and I want to say that all this would not have been possible without the help and love of my brother and business partner Vincent Poirier, who really encouraged, supported and worked with me from the beginning to make Momzelle possible.
Nothing makes me happier than knowing that our nursing clothing business inspires and empowers other women.
For those of you who missed the show, here is the Momzelle segment:
On Monday, March 8th, the National Post will publish an article following-up on the deal I made with Brett Wilson. A photographer came to the office yesterday and took a few pictures. I was so busy when he arrived that I did not even take the time to look at myself in the mirror! I wonder what the picture will look like… Natural, that’s for sure!
Also, here is a little article that I wrote for the Yummy Mummy Club, describing how I felt a few days before the airing of the episode.
I wish I had been shown some of these before the birth of my daughter. It took me months to discover some of them were even possible!
It can be useful to know various breastfeeding positions, but it is by no means necessary to try them all during the first week. Changing position can be very useful to empty some parts of your breasts that are engorged. I once heard of a woman who could only feel better when she was breastfeeding “on top” of her baby, resting on her forearms. I would have never thought of that before hearing it! It does make sense, though, that depending on your breast angle, gravity will play its part and some parts of your breasts will empty more quickly than others.
Here are 5 breastfeeding positions worth a try
1. The Football Hold: Look at the baby’s legs against the wall! This is a great position for breastfeeding twins, as the baby is not blocking the way to the other breast.
Football Hold Breastfeeding Position
2. The Reversed Cradle Hold: I find that this is a great starter position, as it allows you to really well position your breast.
Breastfeeding position: the reversed Madonna/Cradle hold
3. The Cradle Hold is a classic. You can start with the reverse cradle and switch to the cradle when you feel comfortable.
The Cradle Hold Breastfeeding Position
4. Side-Lying down: THE breastfeeding position for everyone who had a c-section. The baby is not pressing on the rough spots and you can rest. It is also a nice position at night.
Lying down while breastfeeding
5. The saddle hold: I like this one, especially for older babies. At some point, they are tall enough to sit on your lap and nurse! Before they reach that height, you can put a cushion underneath their bums. This is worth a try.
Saddle Hold Breastfeeding Position: natural with older babies, great with baby carriers.
6. Lying on your back (the Australian hold), the baby breastfeeding face down on you: no one had told me that I could breastfeed this way and I was fighting with tons of pillows to get my baby to latch on with the side lying position (she was small and my breast was too high for her to reach it when I laid on my side). After a few months, I tried this position and I really wish I had tried it earlier. Being small-breasted, it just made more sense for me to nurse this way. No more need for any pillows!
The Australian Hold breastfeeding position (lying on your back)
Little pieces of advice:
For all positions, make yourself comfortable. Try not to bend towards your baby but to rather bring him up to your breast’s height.
When sitting down (in the Madona position), put the baby’s arm that is on your thigh around your waist.
When lying down on your side, bring the baby’s bottom against your abdomen so that he has a better latch.
In the “Australian” position, have your baby lie diagonally on your abdomen.
I’d love it if you could let me know what positions worked best for you and why. Was this entry useful for you?
Vincent and I, the co-founders of Momzelle nursing clothing, are back from Las Vegas. I was totally inspired by the seminars and all the high fashion that we saw there. We heard the CEO of Zappos speak about the customer service, the best one being the one that delivers “happiness” to the customer. I believe we are on the right track, since our main goal is to make mothers fell good about breastfeeding in public. That’s quite directly linked to happiness!
Christine Poirier and Vincent Poirier, from Momzelle nursing clothing
This is a first! I did not think it would ever happen, partly because somehow I do not have access to the blog stats and I am not able to see how many people read it, and partly because I am very impressed by great line-up of bloggers they associated me with. I am amazed that someone so far away from my computer not only read the blog but also liked it. I’m very grateful.
Vincent and I are preparing for our trip to Las Vegas next week. We will attend the MAGIC tradeshow (February 16-18). It is THE biggest tradeshow in North America for women’s clothing and accessories, with all the big players exhibiting (the booth from Chinese Laundry was just amazing last year, I can’t wait to see it in 2010!). I am looking forward to all the trends forecasting seminars… It will be inspiring for sure! It is not really the place to find maternity and nursing wear designers, but oh boy, can’t you see nice things over there.
Today’s breastfeeding quote is from Grantly Dick-Read (1890-1959), who is considered to be the father of natural childbirth. He encouraged mothers to give birth with as little medical intervention as possible, educating parents about the benefits of giving birth naturally. Whether a woman gives birth by c-section or not (let’s acknowledge that about a third of American women now give birth by c-section) breastfeeding remains the answer to the three baby’s demands stated below by Grantly Dick-Read. Ain’t that grand?
A newborn baby has only three demands. They are warmth in the arms of its mother, food from her breasts, and security in the knowledge of her presence. Breastfeeding satisfies all three.
~Grantly Dick-Read
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Australia’s Gen-Y is embarrassed to publicly breastfeed, says a new survey conducted by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The Australian Heraldson published this article today:
Don’t grasp the benefits
Calls for new promotional campaign
The mums and dads of the future don’t fully grasp the benefits of breastfeeding and are unlikely to do it in public because it’s embarrassing, a study suggests. The survey of Generation Y adults, who’re likely to have kids in the next five to 10 years, has sparked calls for a new campaign to promote breastfeeding as culturally acceptable. The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) surveyed 114 men and 182 women, aged between 18 and 29, online about breastfeeding.
More than 50 per cent of women believed it would be uncomfortable to breastfeed in public, and a majority of men and women did not want their child to be breastfed in public for fear of embarrassment. And 75 per cent of respondents said it was unlikely their child would be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life as recommended by the World Health Organisation. QUT Professor Rebekah Russell-Bennett said the survey showed the need for a new campaign to promote breastfeeding to young adults.
“In Australia less than half of Australian infants receive any breast milk at six months and only 18 per cent were being exclusively breastfed,” Prof Russell-Bennett said. ”The study found while 34.5 per cent had been exclusively breastfed for at least four to six months, only 22.6 per cent were considering exclusively breastfeeding until at least six months.” Prof Russell-Bennett said the study showed both young men and women did not understand the benefits of breastfeeding and perceived bottle feeding as convenient and easier.
Most did not know the answers to basic questions such as what age should infants be introduced to foods and fluids other than breast milk or formula, and does breastfeeding prevent allergies and infections in infants.
One of our new retailers in the UK, Milkbug, publishes interviews with their designers. The newest one? Momzelle. Read what I had to say about the creative process behind Momzelle on the Milkbug website.
I think the interviews in “Meet our designers” is a great way for moms to get to know a brand better!
It is now confirmed, I will be on the CBC Dragons’ Den show on March 3rd 2010, 8PM. Tune in to see a new mom (my sister-in-law, Erin) breastfeeding in front of 1 700 000 viewers! Talk about promoting breastfeeding… Youhouuu ! Dragons’ Den is a reality TV show in which entrepreneurs “pitch” their business idea to rich investors. Having created Momzelle after the birth of my daughter, in order to feel at ease while breastfeeding her in public settings, this show was a perfect fit for my brother and I’s business. Unfortunately, you will not see Vincent’s pretty face on the show, he decided to let me face the Dragons alone (luckily, Erin was there:) I’m so glad I got such a great woman’s support)!!!
Incroyable mais vrai, le Elle Québec m’a choisie comme une des 28 femmes de l’année (numéro du mois de mars 2010, p.72). Sur la photo où j’apparais avec ma fille Cécile dans les bras, je porte le col roulé d’allaitement Momzelle noir (55$). Je flotte !
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