I'm so excited to announce that Honeypot has moved from New Road to Main North Road in Clare, South Australia; very exciting! We opened this past Monday (7th Jan) and it was full on, but wonderful. It's so nice to be able to be more accessible for customers and to actually have a window display. Our first one was nice and busy, with lots of inspiration, mostly made up of swimwear, with a glimpse of Simone Perele, Bassoni, Panache, Little Minx and Cake Lingerie. This week I'm thinking of doing a retro / pin-up inspired display with some beautiful garments from Kiss Me Deadly and Stockings & Romance, in honour of a customer who is competing in the Miss Pin-Up Australia competition! If you have any suggestions of garments you'd like to see in there, please let know ;-) Hannah has also been loving the new store, with more space to roll around on and plenty more customers to coo over her. I swear I've had people come in this week, see that Hannah wasn't there and left the shop! Nice! I was so very excited to receive my Peaches & Cream maternity bra in the post the other day and I have to say that I wasn't disappointed! In my hunt to find a great maternity bra for myself I have also been inadvertently finding great bras for my customers, and this one is no exception! First of all the gorgeous colour and the cute bows were enough to have me giggling with excitement. It is so nice to feel feminine and comfortable yet chic at the same time. I also love that this is a plunge bra, so that you can get around in tops that show a bit of cleavage, whilst still feeling fully supported. The straps aren't overly wide either (even on a 14J) so sleeveless tops/dresses with thinner straps are a definite possibility. There was no double boob effect at all and I was fully encased. When breastfeeding I felt comfy and supported by the side sling, although this one isn't for the terribly modest. It allowed me to go pretty much fully exposed, which meant Hannah had greater access. One life-changing feature that I must tell you about is the adjustable clip. When I became full with milk I simply flipped the clip up and moved it down. Alternatively, when my boobs looked like old tea bags again after a feed, I moved the strap up and hey-presto, they were back where they should be again :-) There are 2 downsides that I could find with this bra. The first was that I have developed a terrible habit of pulling my bra straps up after a feed to wiggle them back into place and so I kept undoing my feeding clips :-/ I'm sure not whether this was because they're lower down than I'm used to or because they're a bit more sensitive. The other drawback is that the seam is quite prominent at the front and side of the cups, which meant that everyone knew what was going on under my clothes when I was wearing a tighter top. This isn't a deal breaker, however, because I was feeling great in it. So, at the end of the day, I'm delighted with my new bra and will definitely be strongly recommend women of all sizes (B to a J cup) to try Lorna Drew Nursing Lingerie. I will be putting my first order in very soon to start stocking this fab brand and the Cotton Rose Peaches & Cream bra will definitely be one of them! :-D I'm absolutely thrilled to announce that Honeypot Lingerie is going to be stocking some new, award-winning brands, including Kiss Me Deadly and Lorna Drew Nursing Lingerie. Kiss Me Deadly specialises in vintage inspired retro lingerie "designed for femme fatales; glamorous, sensual and intelligent women with just a hint of danger". Their range includes suspender belts, girdles, cinchers, corselettes, basques, stockings, bras and retro swimwear, which I'm just a little bit in love with at the moment! I'll be putting my first order through for KMD in the next week or so, so if you see something you love either on the Facebook page or here on the website, please let me know (or purchase) and they'll be in your hot little hands soon! (NB - some styles are limited editions and I cannot guarantee that a certain size or colour will be available at all times; they're just TOO fabulous!)
So after wearing my new 14HH bra all day, with full breastfeeding duties, I can safely say that this is a bra I can recommend! I found the shape, lift and support of this bra to be excellent, with one of my maternity tops fitting better than it has in a long time. Feeding was fantastic because I just undid the clip and could feed Hannah straight away; no muss, no fuss. The only thing I didn't like about that situation was that if you weren't wearing a decent maternity top with good coverage, your boob is out there for the whole world to see. I found that wearing the size 14 was uncomfortable - because it's too big in the back for me I had it on the 4th hook but even then it kept riding up. Tomorrow I will need to wear the 12J and see how that goes. The other issue is that when you're fitted for a maternity bra you might have just fed your baby, or your baby is due for a feed, and both situations will impact what size bust you have. I found that this resulted in an AMAZING cleavage at one point, with a little bit more breast tissue at the top than I should have, but once I fed Hannah it fit perfectly again. Panache Sophie Nursing Bra - $73.95 (RRP $83.95) Since giving birth to my daughter, Hannah, I've found that through breastfeeding I've lost a lot of weight in just 3 months. In fact I'm just 4kg off my pre-pregnancy weight, which is amazing since I ate practically everything in sight! However, because of this, I have now considerably changed shape and size so the maternity bras I'd been wearing are no longer fitting properly. What a perfect time to take a new style for a spin?! The Panache Sophie Nursing Bra isn't a new style, but this is the first time I've stocked it in the store and the first time I've worn it. It comes in sizes 8-18 D-J cup and thank goodness it does because it turns out that I'm now a HH in some styles and a J in others! YIKES! The clips on this bra are FANTASTIC - quick releasing and easy to use, unlike some other brands (eg. Elomi Beatrice) where you have to squeeze the clip to release it and when you have a screaming baby it can take a few goes to get it undone. Instead of having an opening where the nipple comes out (like the Freya and Elomi maternity bras), the Sophie bra has a side sling, so all you have to do is release the clip and your baby has very easy access. You're still supported underneath your breast but it's so much easier for a fuller busted woman than trying to pull your breast through the hole! I'm finding the lace on the bottom of the bra at the front fine, although the fabric at the back is a little scratchy. This could be because it needs to soften up more first in the wash and I was so excited to have a bra that fits (and looks good as well) that I didn't bother washing it first. Hey! I was desperate! :-) This bra also seems to be a little bit generous in the back, which is fine because it has 6 fastening positions to accommodate body changes so it's going to last you longer. I am wearing a size 14 and I'm already on the 4th hook because I should be in the 12, but I'm finding that the 14 is still supporting me nicely. Mind you, I'm aware that the back is riding up a bit because it's too big, which is going to annoy me a lot. So, so far so good. I'll report at the end of the day whether it was comfortable to wear for a long period of time. I'm just so glad to have something supportive again! To view more information about this bra, or to purchase it, head to the Panache Sophie Nursing Bra page. I love being a mother - it's wonderful! However, there are so many things that I wish I'd been told during the 9 months that I was waiting for Hannah to arrive... You might have convinced yourself that your baby will arrive early but some 70% of first babies aren't born on their due date, with most being born late. Hannah was one of those babies. Whilst you might be happy for your baby to hang out a bit longer before being born, by the time you're one day over, generally you're trying everything to bring labour on. Despite what you've heard, some of those old wives' tales do not work! For example:
Induction is not a quick fix to bring the baby on, that is for sure! The gels were applied at 5:30pm on a Thursday, I was left to sleep on and off that night, waters were broken at 8:30am Friday morning and then the centocin drip was put in at 11am Friday because nothing was happening.
The drip will bring on contractions and how! They will become strong fairly quickly and the methods of walking around and using a gym ball work well. Unfortunately, because the drip is in, you're not allowed to take any showers so if that's a big part of your birth plan then keep it in mind. You're also limited as to where and how long you can walk around. When you're induced you will not be left alone by the midwives for your health and wellbeing. They will hang out in your room with you and it can sometimes be awkward. They're wonderful people but sometimes you may feel like groaning and moaning in peace and in those early stages you're still self-conscious about what you're doing and saying. Don't worry, they've seen and heard it all! Once labour really hots up you will become that crazy lady on 'One Born Every Minute'. You know, the one who screams and swears like a banshee at her partner then demands drugs after what seems like only 2 contractions whilst stripping her clothes off and munching on ice like it's popcorn. It's inevitable. You may end up naked, you may poo in front of other people, including your partner and at least one midwife, and you may throw up over someone. Deal with it! The birthing process may not go according to plan at all and it's a good idea to come up with a plan beforehand in case something happens. If you want your mum at the hospital in the event of an emergency, make sure your partner knows that. After all, they may not think it now, but they will be grateful for support during that time instead of being left alone in the birthing suite holding a brand new baby. Breastfeeding a newborn takes a lot longer than I ever expected! The first couple of days things are ok but once your milk comes in feeding and settling can take 2 hours or more at any time of the day. By the time you've managed to settle them they're often ready for the next feed already! Frozen cabbage leaves can help ease sore nipples or engorged breasts, so take some with you or have someone bring them in and pop them in the freezer at the hospital. Don't worry when your breasts are so hot that you not only defrost the cabbage quickly but could throw it on top of a stirfry, making your baby smell like the fruit and veg department. I like to think of it as the original source of 'cabbage patch kids' :-) Don't be convinced that your baby is going to be a boofer (and future shot putter for Australia) and not take 00000 or 0000 clothes to hospital; you may just have had lots of fluid. The hospital will provide some clothes to begin with but after the baby's first bath you can dress them up in something cute that you've brought with you. Ensure you take at least 2 bodysuits in both those sizes just in case. So. Many. Nappies!!! We bought 4 packs of 36 nappies and that lasted about 1.5 weeks - do not underestimate how many nappies you will go through! Sometimes you've just finished changing your baby and then two more nappy changes later they've actually finished pooing. There will be no warning, just be ready to back it up with another in case. Have a lot of wraps on hand because if they have an explosion it can easily soak out of the side of the nappy, through their bodysuit and onto the wrap. I find the heavier cotton-polyester wrap from Target the best, as my little one gets her hands out of muslin wraps too easily. Ready made meals in the freezer are fabulous because even though you may feel wonderful after the birth, your baby may be very needy, requiring feeds at your dinner time and you only have 2 hands. If friends and family offer to help you out, why not ask them to put a meal or two aside if they have leftovers? I'm so pleased to announce the arrival of 'Hannah Victoria' on Saturday 7th July 2012 at 1:12am. Thus begins the real task of buying, using and getting used to maternity bras!
I've posted previously about maternity bras and how much I love the brands I stock, however a good quality maternity bra is really more than simply looking nice and feeling comfy; that's right, I'm talking about those darn clips! I hadn't even considered practising unfastening and refastening the hooks on my bras until my daughter was 2 days old. I thought it would be fairly straight forward; boy, was I wrong! At the moment I only own 3 maternity bras: one Freya Dotty bra, one Freya Pollyanna and one Elomi Beatrice bra. I had been in total love with my Elomi bra but quickly discovered that the clips leave much to be desired! I simply can't get them undone easily enough and certainly not quick enough for my daughter hehe Doing them back up is equally as difficult. I'm unsure why this is so tricky, although they are made of very hard plastic, so perhaps they need to be worn in a bit? Contrast this with the Dotty or Pollyanna bras, where there's a quick release hook and life is much easier. No muss, no fuss. I'll have to take some photos of the clips and post them here. If there's one thing a new mum doesn't need it's to be worried about undoing her maternity bra with a screaming baby! Who knew that soft cup bras were actually comfortable?! I always thought that they gave no shape and couldn't possibly be as supportive as an underwire bra but I have been proven wrong these past few weeks.
Not only have I been wearing the Freya Dotty and Pollyanna styles, as well as the Elomi Beatrice maternity bra, but I've had customers buying Glamorise bras and are absolutely raving about them! One customer even said that it had become a part of her and ordered another exactly the same. Everyone's different and not everyone will like them as much as I do, but I can certainly recommend at least trying one on and seeing for yourself how comfortable they actually are. Also, I can highly recommend the Glamorise brand for older ladies looking for a smaller bust size. The Glamorise Exclusively A & B Soft Cup Bra is fantastic for just that and very affordable. I am so ecstatic that I'm now starting to stock maternity bras, just in time for the half-way mark in my pregnancy! :-D
I bought the Freya Dotty Nursing Bra, Freya Pollyanna Nursing Bra and the Elomi Nursing Bra. I love the fabric and style of Dotty and Pollyanna is cute, but the Elomi bra is nude and very grandma looking - thankfully it's sooo comfy! I was really worried that, as they're soft cup bras, they would be droopy and wouldn't give me much shape but I've been pleasantly surprised. I found the Dotty a little more conical/pointy than the other two but it's still nice. I think that the soft band instead of underwire will take some getting used to, but so far so good! |
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