They are currently "sitting pretty" to receive a donation of $20,000 from the Chase Community Giving Program to support their cause, but NEED YOUR VOTE to maintain their position in the top 200 until the contest closes at midnight EDT on Monday, July 12, 2010! This will take no more than two minutes of your time and will benefit moms and babies everywhere today and in the future.

So if you are on Facebook, please add the Chase app so you can vote for them, share the link on your profile and rally your friends any way you can so they will vote too! (I know, I don't like adding apps either, but after voting I just went to Account, Application settings (top right of your FB page) and clicked on the "X" beside the Chase app to remove it - EASY PEASY!)

Why did I vote for Best for Babes?  Well aside from the aforementioned love affair, they got my vote (and should get yours too) because they:

• inspire, prepare & empower moms - to give breastfeeding a makeover and give moms the solutions they need to make it work!
• believe ALL moms deserve to make an informed feeding decision, & to be cheered on, coached and celebrated without pressure, judgment or guilt, whether they breastfeed for 2 days, 2 months 2 years, or not at all.  
• put pressure on the booby traps, not moms, so that they can achieve their personal breastfeeding goals!
• are raising awareness of the WHO Code and how violations hurt both breastfeeding and formula-feeding moms
• interview breastfeeding celebrities like Gossip Girl actress Kelly Rutherford to help bring breastfeeding back into the mainstream
• attract moms on the fence about breastfeeding with positive images (see above), information and resources
• boost & complement the efforts of the entire breastfeeding movement, including the United States Breastfeeding Committee, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, Baby-Friendly Hospitals, and many more
• are funded entirely by WHO Code compliant sponsors with all individual donations going directly towards education & outreach
• educate & influence the media
• are building the “mother of all causes” through grassroots and social media such as Facebook and Twitter to restore breastfeeding to its rightful place among highly visible disease foundations like Komen, American Heart Association and the Juvenile Diabetes foundation because breastfeeding lowers the risk of all these diseases and many more, plus it reduces the burden on the environment!
• are the only non-profit that is running a modern and innovative ad campaign that has the potential to reach millions of moms. With the CHASE community giving grant, they can leverage donated media space and run the campaign on billboards across the country for a fraction of the regular cost AND get more celebrity interviews that will put this issue on the map of the media and the mainstream in a positive and game-changing way.

Now GO VOTE! Thank you. :-)

Tags: breastfeeding, 'chase community', 'best for babes', 'who code', 'breastfeeding celebrities'

I love talking to people - consumers, competitors, retailers, colleagues. I am a Gemini and thus very curious about pretty much everything (except politics lol - can't stand politics!) I ask LOTS of questions. I am very social. But I think the reason I love talking to people so much is because I ALWAYS learn something!

I am normally a C cup and was a D when I was pregnant/nursing, so I had NO IDEA what large-breasted women go through, especially after their milk comes in and they grow yet another cup size or two. Can we say F, G or H cup ladies?

A while back, I was speaking to a woman at a tradeshow who told me she was unable to double pump because of her very large breasts. This is how it went down at her house: Grab hold of a breast with one hand and raise it so that the nipple was no longer facing the floor. Then with the other hand, hold the pump flange on the breast. No double pumping for her (unless she grew a third and fourth hand that is)!

And then she shared with me how PumpEase enabled her to double pump! She wasn't totally hands-free, but she was able to double pump. Needless to say she was ecstatic to cut her pumping time in half as well as to increase her supply by pumping both breasts at the same time.  As you may or may not know, pumping both breasts simultaneously results in higher prolactin levels in the blood and thus produces more milk.

She was also able to pump on one side and nurse on the other with the PumpEase - another way to stimulate both breasts and get more milk! Nursing on one side and pumping on the other will also generally result in pumping more milk as your baby triggers you milk ejection reflex (letdown) better than a pump will.

And now that you know how to double pump with large breasts, here is a great article on breastfeeding with large breasts.

Oh and sorry about the almost picture-less post.  I couldn't find any images on the internet that were "suitable" when I Googled "pumping with larger breasts" or any combination of those words IF you know what I mean. ;-) We did include a picture of our favourite brand of breast pump though - Hygeia!

If you're fairly well-endowed and used a breast pump, please tell us about your experience below. We'd love to hear all about it!

Tags: 'double pumping', larger breasted women', 'pump hands free', hygeia

I worked with the wonderful Cathrin Witt on this project. I was responsible for taping it and tried my best to follow Cathrin's guidelines for shot angles and such, however I'm no professional in this arena so you can blame the "not so great" lighting on me. Cathrin was in charge of editing - adding music, stills and titles - and making it look all pretty and professional!

The cool thing is, Cathrin (or Cathy as I knew her as in high school) and I reconnected on Facebook a couple of years ago, yet did not meet face-to-face or even speak over the phone to get this video produced. She lives in Bellevue, WA - about two hours south of me AND in a different country!

So just think... if the next time that Cathrin and I venture down the video production road, we actually work together in-person, we could potentially have Oscar material on our hands! Should we clear off our mantles Cathrin?

Anywho, take a gander at the video and let us know what you think. You like? No like? Tell us all about it below!

Tags: 'how to pump', 'hands-free pump', 'nursing bra', 'easy expression'

Lately I've been thinking that we've been home from taping our Dragons' Den pitch for over six weeks now and about the fact that I haven't had the time to get to this blog post (and honestly feeling pretty guilty about it). We got home very late the day after taping (a Saturday) and then had to go get the girls the following morning. And then it was straight into a new week in which we presented to a panel at Small Business BC for The Successful You Small Business Awards - Business Growth Category and then BANG! Rebekah got marrried and went on her honeymoon for two weeks and I'm still not caught-up! Finally, throw in an order to our distributor for almost 1700 pieces just to keep things hopping!

Then I thought... "Hey, I'm actually doing you guys a favour!", because now you'll have six weeks LESS to wait until Season 6 of Dragons' Den starts on September 22nd and we all start biting our nails to find out if we made it to air.

So really, that was a good thing right? I said RIGHT? Ahem...

Without further adieu, here's the lowdown on our whirlwind trip to Toronto, Ontario and the fabulousness that was standing in front of Jim Treliving, Kevin O'Leary, Arlene Dickinson, Robert Herjavec and W. Brett Wilson to pitch "our little business". Although I cannot tell you anything about what happened after I stepped onto that set, I will tell you that we had a blast and would do it all again in a heartbeat!

Now all the moms out there will know that "getting out of town" when you have (two) small children, whether you take them or not, is no small feat in itself. Not only did I have to pack for myself, but I had to pack for the business AND for both the girls (in separate suitcases no less as one was going to my sister's in Vancouver and one was staying with my Mom so she could still go to school). And I HATE packing. I tell ya, I was cursing Mike's name under my breath when he was all done in 10 minutes!

Our flight was at 7 am, so we ventured to be at the airport and parked by 5:30/6:00 am.  I didn't get to bed until 3 am. (I was packing, remember?) Do the math people. At least I was nice and tired that evening to help me adjust to Toronto time.

We flew WestJet for the first time and were pleasantly surprised by the friendly staff, the easy check-in and the fact that after booking the window and aisle seats on both legs of our trip, that we ended up with the middle seat empty (which was, of course, our plan, he, he, he). But really folks, ANYTHING is better than Air Canada, right?! We are planning to fly WestJet again when we travel to Vegas in October for the ABC Kids Expo.

So we arrive in Toronto, on time, collect our bags and jump on their amazing transit system, affectionately known as the TTC, which after paying only $3.00, dropped us off in the shopping mall below our hotel - how cool is that?! Speaking of our hotel, we splurged and stayed at the Fairmont Royal York, one of the old CP hotels, and it was grand to say the least (we didn't splurge THAT much, the Dragons' Den had a corporate rate there). Look up and to the lower right for a couple of pictures of this fabulous old world hotel. We get up to our room, I texted Pandora La Glamme, our fabulous model, to make sure we were still on schedule for taping the next day and then we relaxed for a bit while I went online to find a nice vegetarian restaurant to check out for dinner.

After weighing online reviews against the distance from our hotel, we decided on Sadie's Diner, which was still quite the hike (but I needed it) and it turned out to be an EXCELLENT choice.

Sadie's made THE best vegetarian hamburger that I have EVER had and then our waiter offered to make me a fresh batch of his homemade lemonade (YUM!). Mike ordered samosas and a wrap and was very pleased (and stuffed) as well. If you're ever in Toronto, even if you're not vegetarian (because you know I'm a flexitarian), check it out! It had a great 50's diner feel, awesome staff, great food and even better prices! AND they had a "breastfeeding welcome here" sticker on their door! It was fun explaining my business to the tattied and pierced (male) waiter when the subject of the nature of our trip came up. He was all over it though!

Next on the agenda was COFFEE!!! I had spied a Starbucks on our walk down so we headed towards it and got caught in a horrendous downpour. Even with an umbrella (thank GAWD I grabbed it), we were still soaked by the time we got inside. So we hung there for a while, then caught a bus back downtown and hit a liquor store so we could have some drinks back in the room.

We hung out, had a drink and I rehearsed my pitch with Mike a few times before turning in. Then I was up again at 6 am (that's 3 am my time) to get ready and rehearse some more before Pandora La Glamme showed up. (No rest for the wicked huh? For me, it was all about being prepared).

It was so great to finally meet Pandora (Suzy) after only speaking on the phone and via email for over a month. Well, she was just as fabulous in person (maybe more? is that possible?) as she was long distance and I was psyched for the pitch. She got ready, I practiced the pitch some more, we practiced together and then it was time to head to the CBC Studios about a five minute walk away. BUT, Pandora was having pastie problems. She had hand-made beautiful, red, glittery, heart-shaped pasties to wear during the pitch, but they weren't dry enough and thus weren't staying "in-place". What to do.... what to do... yikes!

We arrived at CBC just before our noon call time and after checking-in (and being told we were third on), were given a multi-page NDA to sign (and attempt to decipher). We waited in the lobby for about 40 minutes for someone to come get us. While waiting, a bunch of other pitchers arrived and it was fun trying to figure out
what their businesses were by what they were wearing, and what props they were carrying.

Finally a runner - Bryan - came and got us and took us upstairs via a large freight elevator. First on the agenda was a prop check. We were instructed to lay out everything that we were taking on-set onto the table. Then we waited for executive producer Tracie Tighe, senior producer Lisa Gabriele and our segment producer Molly Duignan to come by to check the props and hear about our pitch. We had already discussed our pitch with Molly at length weeks ago over the phone, but this was the other producers' first taste of it.

Bathroom break! Pandora checked her pasties again and we realized that we couldn't use them at all. We let Bryan know and he called for the costume department. (Sorry, we don't have any pics of the problematic pasties.)

Next was a tour of the set. Along with the four other pitches in the afternoon segment of taping that day, we walked through the big doors (the ones that you see people LEAVING the set through on the show) onto the set and met Kevin, the floor director, who told us where to walk onto and off the set, where our "mark" was when we stood in front of the Dragons, what not to do (mention the date or time of year as who knows when your segment will air) and a bunch of other "TV stuff". This was our first glimpse of the set and especially the chairs that would every so shortly be filled with actual Dragons. The whole thing was VERY surreal. At this time we got an update and were told we were second on.

Bathroom break again (just in case) as we were getting mic'ed next! We were supposed to go to the lounge/holding area next, but there was no time...

Next was hair and make-up along with a chat with Sandra Rayner - the CBC business consultant - about our numbers and our "ask".  After being told previously that my numbers were "good", I was encouraged to raise the stake that I was offering for the amount of cash that I asking for. I was a little thrown-off by this so late in the game, but dealt with it all the same...

Then a lovely lady from the costume department showed up with some new (albeit oh so generic) pasties for Pandora and she went to the bathroom to take care of her booby business! (Sorry, no pics of this either guys!)

Then we were on! eep! I was pumped up with adrenaline more so than nervous. Another lovely lady walked Pandora and I out of hair and make-up and down the hall to a sign that said "ON THE AIR". We walked onto the backside of the set where a bunch of sound techs had me start my pitch to check my mic. It was a dud - and apparently the first one in something like 14 days of taping!  So then they had to re-mic me... (Hey, I didn't mind all those male hands down my top for a second time!)

Then it was time for "the walk". If you've ever watched the show, the pitchers walk across a breezeway with backlit windows and then down a flight of not-so-easy-to-navigate stairs onto the set. Well, to get up to that breezeway, we had to walk UP the stairs behind the set. I admit my knees were a little wobbly as I walked up the steps and then down the other side - I didn't exactly wear flat footwear... <-- fashion victim!

Aaaaaand that is where the story ends (for now) my friends.

Before I go however, I must give a huge shout out to ALL of the people that we met during our short, but memorable afternoon at the CBC - Dragons' Den studios. Not only was everyone we met friendly, down-to-earth and super helpful, but they genuinely wanted you to do well! And for that, I thank you!

After dropping off our gear at the hotel, Suzy, Mike and I headed DIRECTLY for a cute little Irish pub downtown and had a much-deserved drink and late lunch. It was good to finally take a breath and relax, even if just for a moment.

To top-off the day, Mike took me to the top of the CN Tower for dinner as an early birthday present.  We had a wonderful time - good conversation, great wine, fantastic food and we had an excellent view of the sunset. Then we spent Saturday cruising Toronto's famous shopping districts - Yonge Street, Queen Street and Yorkville among others - and I picked-up a few things.

So if you have questions about anything that you just read or saw in the pictures, please leave a comment below and I will try my best to answer them. And please also keep your fingers and toes crossed that the next Dragons' Den blog post comes sooner than later...

Stay tuned!

Tags: 'dragons den', travel, CBC, Toronto

Last Friday, the USA Today Pregnancy & Wellness Report, produced by Media Planet, will reach 2.2 million readers in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York.  It will be distributed to ob/gyn offices and physicians through the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, will be carried in all Destination Maternity stores, will be distributed at March of Dimes events, will be circulated to 25,000 members of the United States Breastfeeding Committee and all member organizations, and to all physician members of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.   

The ad was the brainchild of The Best for Babes Foundation, whom I am extremely proud to be a sponsor of at the Silver level.

Why is this ad different from others?  Why did I support this unique, groundbreaking ad?

Bettina Forbes, co-founder of Best for Babes explains:

No scare tactics: There are no pregnant moms riding mechanical bulls or participating in log-rolling contests, unlike the government's ad campaign, which was criticized for a whole lot of things, including succumbing to formula lobbyists and making moms feel guilty if they couldn't breastfeed.  Breastfeeding rates actually went down after that campaign.  (Too bad we don't have the $3 million to spend on our campaign!)

It has mass-market appeal:  Unlike the Ohio billboards that got flak for showing a black baby drooling breast milk that looked really unappealing, the ad urges all moms to find the right support, whether they breastfeed or not!  THAT is truly a first.  We're taking the pressure OFF moms and putting it on the "Booby Traps".

Highlights donor milk:  Most moms don't know that donor milk is the 2nd best choice to breastfeeding, and don't have access to it.  Formula is 3rd.

Raises awareness of the WHO Code:  The WHO Code was designed to protect moms who WANT to nurse from being derailed by aggressive formula marketing (like doctors giving mom free samples, which have been shown to decrease breastfeeding duration) but which NOBODY in the mainstream knows about.  There is NOT ONE formula ad in the issue, unlike practically every high-circulation, mainstream pregnancy & parenting magazine and website, which we worked very hard to persuade Media Planet to uphold.  All of the sponsors in our ad are WHO Code compliant, including Evenflo, the only WHO Code compliant bottle maker (and parent company of stellar breast pump Ameda) - we think they deserve kudos for that!

It's positive!  Just like with parenting, we have to be careful not to only react to bad behavior but to recognize and reinforce good behavior.  We need to create as much media attention and buzz for ads or marketing campaigns that get it right as we do for those that get it wrong.

While Best for Babes has already experienced tremendous support and kudos including feedback from actress Alysia Reiner...

"The ad is so fantastic, so hip but informative, warm but also sassy & smart, LOVE IT!  So proud to be involved with you guys." ~ Alysia

I'd like to appeal to you to help them raise further funding to roll-out this campaign on billboards, bus stations and doctors' offices around the country.  Please help to spread the word about it via Facebook, Twitter, email and by simply talking to others.  (To make it easy for you, there are quick links to share on Facebook and Twitter at the top of this post... click away!)

So did you get your copy of USA Today on Friday?  If not, you can download the Pregnancy & Wellness Report here.  Tell us what you think of the ad, the report and let us know if we can count on your for support of this very important initiative.

Tags: 'best for babes', 'breastfeeding versus formula', USA Today

It was actually Madeleine Shaw of LunaPads that first put the bug in our ear about producing an organic version of PumpEase.  Honestly, I wasn't that jazzed about the idea at first.  For starters, I knew printing organically on a knit was a long shot.  And we are all about the fashion here at Snugabell, right?

And then Madeleine mentioned it to me again - expressing how well-received she thought an organic PumpEase would be by moms.  I agreed the "green" trend was very prevalent in our industry and was likely going to continue.  I voiced my concerns about the prints and we discussed the options.  I considered producing organically dyed solids - picturing a soft green and a lavender (green and purple being my favourite colours, so no surprise there).  We also discussed doing "natural" or unbleached cotton, but I was worried it would look "dirty" next to our white hook & eye.  Something just wasn't sitting right in my gut (and I REALLY listen to my gut!).

But I continued to move forward...  I worked with my wonderful fabric supplier, ordering several strike-offs before the custom-milled organic knit was perfect.  Our final pick had a wonderful weight and hand - so incredibly soft!  And then we sampled it, and something happened...

I had this incredible vision of an unbleached organic cotton PumpEase - the beauty being the simplicity of it all.  And in the next moment, I remembered what my design teacher always told me, "KISS - Keep It Simple Somehow" - aaaah, affirmation.  It saw it and it was beeee-autiful!

In the meantime, we were also designing the new packaging with the help of Sally of Whitespace Design.  All of our current boxes are recyclable, but after consulting with our packaging manufacturer, they helped us choose a stock for the box that was more eco-friendly.

Things moved along swimmingly for awhile until it was time to schedule the photo shoot and I got stuck again - really stuck!  I wasn't sure how we could communicate "organic" while maintaining our signature cheeky marketing style!?  Then one sunny afternoon, I was driving home from my fabric supplier, (I do all my best thinking when I'm driving) not even consciously thinking about the look for the shoot and it came to me - Mother Nature.  The model would depict MOTHER NATURE!  I was STOKED!  As soon as I got home, I went online and two hours later I had the whole look finalized.  It just goes to show that you can't force inspiration!  :-)

Everything pretty much fell into place from there (even despite the delays).  I got to play stylist and source the model's ensemble - borrowing an incredible corset from Melanie Talkington of Lace Embrace (we went to design school together) and enlisting my talented friend Dawn to help me make the headpiece.  Add a ballet skirt and white leggings and we were set!

The day of the marketing shoot was incredible!  As always, Claire Reid was behind the lens and thanks to my husband Mike's suggestion, Talysia Ayala was in front - she depicted "the look" so perfectly that the images barely needed editing!

A couple of weeks later, we did our product shoot at the beach, which was equally fabulous as you can see from the image above.  OK, I'm gushing again now... you better go check out PumpEase Organic and tell us what you think before I become "that parent" and pull ALL the pics out of my wallet.

Tags: organic, 'hands-free pumping bra', 'organic nursing bra'

Even though it is all about the fashion, it isn't ALL about the fashion!  Yes, that's right - the bold colours and prints of PumpEase are better for your baby too!  According to Dr William Sears...

"The best way you as a parent can stimulate baby's vision is using black and white stripes or light and dark contrasting colors. So what about those nice soft pastels that used to be so popular in baby toys and nurseries? While these may look pretty to you, they do nothing visually for your baby. Research has proven that black and white contrasts register powerfully on baby's retina and send the strongest visual signals to baby's brain. Stronger signals mean more brain growth and faster visual development. Surround a baby with soft pastel colors, and you might as well be blindfolding him. Surround your baby with black and white or light and dark pictures, and watch your baby's eyes light up.

While baby's vision may be one of the least developed senses at birth, visual input during the early months may have the most profound effect on baby's developing nervous system. What exactly does this mean? Why is visual stimulation so important for a baby? How can you as a parent or caregiver best stimulate your newborn's visual senses?

How a newborn's eyes detect light.
At birth, a baby's retina is not fully developed. The retina is the back layer of the eye that detects light. An adult retina can distinguish many different shades of light and color, but a newborn retina can only detect large contrasts between light and dark, or black and white. So while an adult can appreciate various shades of pastel colors on the wall of baby's nursery, a newborn may only see them as one shade all blurred together. Why is this important?

How visual stimulation makes baby's brain develop.
At birth, the nerve cells in baby's brain are disorganized and not well connected. While baby grows, the brain receives input from all five senses. This input causes nerve cells to multiply and form a multitude of connections with other nerve cells. This is why visual stimulation is so crucial. For example, if a baby is kept blindfolded the visual center in his brain would never develop, the optic nerve would shrivel up, and baby would never develop vision. On the other hand, if you provide continuous visual input into baby's eyes, the retina thrives, the optic nerve grows, and the visual part of baby's brain thrives and develops by leaps and bounds."

So if you're planning on pumping on one side and nursing on the other (yes you can do this with your PumpEase!), choose Snowy Leopard or Galaxie Black to best stimulate baby's vision.  And if you've never considered pumping on one side and nursing on the other, you might want to.  Here's why...

1.  When you nurse your baby, your body releases the hormone oxytocin which causes
     your milk to "let down".  So while you're suckling your baby on one breast, your other
     breast will often leak (usually into a nursing pad that you throw away or wash).
     Although it varies, some moms leak a LOT of milk.  Regardless, I'm sure you'll agree
     that any milk saved is a good thing!

2.  The more frequently both breasts are emptied the better it is for your milk
     supply/production.

3.  This is the ultimate in multi-tasking (and we, as women, were made to multi-task
     right?)

So there you have it - look HAWT, stimulate your baby's vision to promote brain development and make more milk - ALL with PumpEase!

I have to add that I find it über interesting that if you were to blindfold your baby from birth the optic nerve would shrivel up and your baby would actually end up blind.  I know that newborn babies don't see much more than shadows and I know that black and white patterns are good for baby's vision, but had no idea the extent of the consequences if baby's vision wasn't stimulated fully.  How about you?  Tell us about it below.

Tags: 'baby brain growth', 'visual stimulation', 'PumpEase prints'

Take for example Old Navy infant and toddler socks.  You know the ones I'm talking about?  The triple-roll socks that have rubberized writing on the soles stating the size (so handy when you have two little ones that are close in age).  The ones that were/are $1.75/pair or six pairs for $10.00 (it's been a while since I've bought them, so I may be a bit off on the price).  Well a few years back when my now five year old was a baby, we bought them by the bucket-full.  Every colour under the sun and two each of the neutrals.  And then my younger daughter wore them and then I passed them on to my sister and her daughter wore them.  And they are STILL in good condition!  I think I've thrown out maybe two or three pairs after 5-1/2 years and three kids!

They were all cotton with a bit of spandex.  They faded a bit over time and even shrunk a teensy bit (such is the nature of cotton), but they LASTED and LASTED and LASTED.  I recommended them to everyone I met that had kids.

Then I bought a couple of new pairs for the girls last fall as we were having family pictures done and we were all wearing black.  I needed new inky black socks.

So I went to our local mall and bought two pairs - one for each of my daughters.  They felt a bit silkier than before but looked the same.  I noticed that they were now made with 81% cotton/17% polyester/2% spandex.  Hmmm...

Six months later, I threw both pairs in the garbage because they had LARGE gaping holes on the balls of the feet - not even on the heel.  I was choked!  SIX MONTHS!  I guess they added the polyester to prevent the fading or the minimal shrinking or perhaps because polyester is cheaper?  Or maybe because they didn't have enough repeat customers due to the fact that their old socks lasted too long...  ???

I will never buy them again.  Ever.

I'm on a roll with the socks, so I will continue.  I bought a couple of pairs of Calvin Klein ladies' black dress socks for myself eons ago (honestly, they're older than my kids).  They are just now starting to wear thin, no holes yet, just wearing thin.  Did I mention that I've had these socks for years?  I think it is going on ten years.  Seriously.

So seeing that they were starting to wear thin, I decided to go the The Bay (where I had bought them) and buy more.  Of course, they didn't have exactly the same ones ten years later, but I bought what I thought were comparable socks.  Two pairs each of two different styles - footies and anklets.  Calvin Klein.  After two months, they had holes in them.  All eight of the socks had holes in them.  And not on the heel or where the balls of your feet sit either.  The holes were in random spots around the ankle where the knitting machine did the full-fashioning (shaping) to make the sock "bend" to go around your ankle.  Random holes on my new socks.  My background in the apparel industry tells me they are simply poor quality and/or they no longer do product testing and/or they have lowered their quality control standards.  A lot.

Every time I'm folding laundry and start pairing-up the socks and see the HOLES, I get annoyed.  AND then I see my 10 year old socks in the pile that are still in one piece!

What the heck is with the crappy socks???

Needless to say, I am choked.  Again.  And I need some answers!  Where oh where can I buy decent socks?  I just spent a good 10 minutes searching online for "cotton socks" and nothing really comes up!?!  Update:  I think I found the answer to my dreams (literally):  Sock Dreams!  Check them out!

But WHY do companies do this?  As a business owner, I understand the desire to increase your bottom line, but are you not shooting yourself in the foot (pun most definitely intended) if your product becomes sub-standard and you lose customers?

I.just.don't.get.it.

I remember about a year ago, we received a bad batch of production from our factory.  It was either 600 pieces and we sent back 400 or 800 pieces and we sent back 600.  Yes it cost us twice as much in quality control to check every PumpEase two times.  Yes it delayed our orders.  Yes it was frustrating!!!  However there was no question in my mind that they all get sent back to the factory.  I couldn't even fathom sending out a sub-standard product and "hoping for the best".  No way.  Not even an option.

In my mind, my product, my company and my reputation are all very intricately woven together.  If my company starts producing shoddy goods, that reflects on me personally.  It's just not going to happen.  I give you my word.  And I am super-duper proud of the high quality that is reflected in our products.  :-)

So, tell us... have you ever experienced a particular brand's quality decreasing over time?  What did you do about it - just accept it or switch brands?  Do you expect, as I do, consistency in quality when you are loyal to a particular brand?  Please leave your thoughts below.

Tags: 'quality control', socks, 'sock holes', 'calvin klein'

And then literally FIVE minutes before heading into a meeting on Wednesday morning, my business line rang downstairs in my office.  I high-tailed it down there, although not exactly sure why as it wasn't yet 9:30 and that is generally when I start my day.  I also don't usually answer calls that say "blocked" on my call display, but I answered this call.  And it wasn't like I was even THINKING about it being Dragons' Den.  Come to think of it, since my audition, I haven't been rushing to the phone every time it rings hoping the call display reads "CBC".  Honestly, we've been so busy with the new product launch, that I keep forgetting about the whole scenario (until someone asks me about it of course).  But there she was on the other end of the phone - the producer that I pitched to on that day 3-1/2 weeks ago in downtown Vancouver.  I actually recognized her voice as she has a raspy, Bonnie Tyler thang goin' on.

OMG!  I'm going to Toronto!  Holy crap!  She gave me a few dates to choose from and told me to get back to her ASAP as they fill-up fast and I "don't want to get stuck with the last day as the Dragons are grumpy by then."  OK then...  not going there!  She also sent along a 10-page "Contestant Guide" with tips and tricks, what to expect, what you can and cannot do, etc.  Interesting reading...

What did I do next?  Update my Facebook and Twitter statuses of course (lol).  "Wendy is goin' to Toronto. woot woot!" it said on Facebook.  The ensuing comments were hilarious I must say.  And so supportive once I'd fessed up.  Thank you all again for being so wonderful!

After my meeting I called Mike at work to tell him.  I don't call him at work often as I have to call his team leader and ask to speak to him.  Previous calls of this nature have occured when my water broke (with both my daughters) or when Antonia recently was injured at school - you get the picture.  He said, "What's up?"  So I told him and he answered, "I knew you'd get on."  (Thanks hon).  Then I emailed all my friends that are not on Facebook (or not on it often) to share the good news as well.

That evening I sat down and searched for flights.  I was pretty envious of my friends to the south as I scoured different dates on our whole TWO airlines that fly to Toronto right now.  NOT.MUCH.TO.CHOOSE.FROM.  However, by the end of the evening, I had decided that May 13th was the date (Lucky 13 right?).  So I emailed Molly (the producer) before I went to bed so that she would have the information first thing in the morning Toronto time.

Upon waking the next morning I had an email from Molly stating that "the 10th and the 14th are better now".  So... back to the drawing board.

According to the guide, I have to fly-in at the latest the evening before and cannot fly out the same day as my taping (in case they run out of time and have to push me to the next day).  I have now decided on the 14th of May, so we will be in Toronto from the 13th to the 15th.  Still have to book our flights though...  I am just relieved that we have a firm date.

Later that same day, Molly called to discuss my pitch and my numbers and gave me even more great advice and ideas on how to NOT end up on the cutting room floor.  She was so helpful.  Fantastic!

So my next order of business is to edit my pitch according to her advice, book our flights and find a model that lives in Toronto who wants to appear on Dragons' Den.

Oh, and to decide what to wear.  Can't forget that!

Stay tuned...

Tags: 'Dragons Den', CBC, Toronto, audition

So I am very happy to have met our very first "official" Snugabell Gal to whom you are about to be introduced.  Rebakah came into my life via very unrelated circumstances.  I had been wanting and needing an assistant for quite some time and then *poof* there she was...

Hello! My name is Rebekah and I'm Wendy's new creative assistant extraordinaire!  We've been working together now for a few weeks and I have already learned so much from her.  Let me give you a little background on myself...

I graduated last April from Capilano University's Illustration & Design progam (IDEA).  Since then I've embarked on a new path filled with illustrating children's books and creating colourful, whimsical paintings.  My business is Rebekah Joy Plett Illustration.  If you would like to learn more, you can Fan me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter and/or visit my blog.

I derive a lot of my inspiration from old fairytales and nursery rhymes.  On the left is one of my favourite paintings inspired by the rhyme, "Sing a Song of Sixpence". 

I've also had the privilege to work with several children's book authors in the last year.  BlueBeary, written by Kathleen McMillan, was my first published illustrated work and remains a pride and joy of mine.

In the Fall of 2009 I launched my first line of greeting cards called The Cavorting Hippo.  They have been a delightful success and I look forward to donating 10% of the profits to the Canucks For Kids Foundation once they have all sold.

Last September I entered the Roller Derby Fresh Meat Bootcamp to begin training.  I hardly knew my right foot from my left when I started but I managed to remain upright on my rollerskates and made it past all the tests and cuts.  In February I was drafted onto the Faster Pussycats team (as seen to the right - that giant purple thing in the front is my butt).  On April 10th we had our season opener 'bout and we won!  (Not without any bumps, bruises, or elbows in the face of course).  Watch for me at about 2:42 in the vid link above - I'm Xanadoozy.  Roller Derby has been a real challenge in my life but it has brought a balance to it as well.  The girls look tough, but they are also very sweet and kind.

In December of 2009 I became engaged to my lovely fiancé Darren (pictured here with me in Pender Harbour last summer).  We are getting married in June (I've always wanted a Spring wedding) and I can't tell you how excited I am to have all our families come together to celebrate and eat cupcakes!  (Not to mention a delectable brunch... Mmmm... waffles!)

I met Wendy in February and we hit it off immediately.  She has a wonderful family and I love seeing her girls when I'm at work.  They always greet me with a big, warm smile and an enthusiastic, "Hi!".  I look forward to working with Wendy and learning even more about (someday) becoming a Mom and of course about PumpEase and running a business.

Thanks Rebekah!  Soooooo... have you ever met anyone who plays Roller Derby?  I hadn't until now!  And not only do I think it is super cool, but Mike and the girls and I are going to check out Rebekah next time she is derby-ing closer to home.  What a hoot!

Rebekah is not only talented and dynamic, but I have found in these last few weeks, that she is a hard-worker, very open-minded, patient and truly a positive person all around.  We are blessed to have her as part of the Snugabell team.

Won't you all welcome her with some comment love?

Tags: illustration, 'kids books', artist, 'roller derby', 'hippo cards'

A Summary of the WHO Code
(International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes)
World Health Organization (WHO)
Geneva, Switzerland, 1981, 1986, 1994, 1996, 2001

Have you heard of “The Code”, aka “The WHO Code” aka “The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes”?  If the answer to that question is “yes”, do you know what the WHO Code says?  Could you explain it to someone?

Many people, even mothers, even breastfeeding mothers, cannot, so here is our explanation of the code.  Psst!  This is really important, so pass it on!

The WHO Code includes the below 14 important provisions (let’s see how many infractions we can find in our daily travels shall we?).  Why are there so many infractions?  Well, because in North America, The WHO Code is voluntary – and thus it has no teeth.  Some countries, such as Iran, have adopted The Code as law and now infant formula is available ONLY by prescription and comes in a can with a generic label.  I sure would like to see that day in both Canada and the US I tell ya!

Oh, and one more thing… did you know that the USA was the ONLY country out of 189 that voted “NO” to adopt The Code in 1981?  Shame.on.you!  Let’s kick those formula company dudes OUT of the government’s bed NOW.

Here we go…

1. No advertising of products under the scope of the Code to the public.

Products “under the scope of the code” include breastmilk substitutes, including infant formula; other milk products, food and beverages, including bottle-fed complimentary foods, when marketed or otherwise represented to be suitable, with or without modification, for use as a partial or total replacement of breastmilk; feeding bottles and teats.  So basically, infant formula, follow-up formula, bottles and nipples.  Nope, I’ve never seen these types of products advertised publicly ANYwhere (eye roll).

2. No free samples to mothers.

How many new moms (including yours truly) have been given free samples at the hospital, in their doctor’s office, at a “baby/pregnancy” fair, even through the Welcome Wagon?  According to a recent CDC study, nearly 2/3 of first-time mothers received a free sample of infant formula in the mail.  The formula companies will market directly to moms, against The Code, every.chance.they.get.

3. No promotion of products in health care facilities, including the distribution of free or low-cost supplies.

Have you seen pads of note paper or posters “sponsored” by a formula company at your doctor’s office or hospital?  How about the infamous formula company diaper bags given out at so many US hospitals? (read about it at Ban the Bags).  In fact, studies show that formula marketing bags shorten exclusive breastfeeding duration, even when the formula samples are removed from the bags.  To quote Dr. Alison Stuebe, the woman behind Ban the Bags, “No for-profit company gives anything away for “free”.  Formula companies give these bags to mothers as a marketing tool and their goal is to have the hospitals actually hand the bags to the moms because that implies that the hospital is endorsing a particular brand of formula.  If this wasn’t going to sell more of a particular brand of formula, it would be against the interest of the shareholders of these companies to let women have these bags.”

In fact, according to a recently-released Canadian study from the Toronto Department of Public Health, “Of 1,500 first-time mothers surveyed, 39 per cent were given formula at hospital discharge.   As a result, many of these women stopped breastfeeding sooner than those women who weren’t given formula.  Women who didn’t receive the free samples were 3.5 times more likely to be breastfeeding exclusively after 2 weeks.”

“The impact of promoting formula as they leave the hospital gives off mixed messages to new mothers”, says Linda Young, director of maternal newborn and child health at Toronto East General Hospital.  “They give it to the women ‘just in case’,” she said.  “But the real message is that you will probably fail... and one bottle leads to another.”

Listen ladies, by accepting this “formula company shwag”, you are lining the formula companies’ pockets AND more importantly sabotaging yourself. Just.Don’t.Do.It.

4. No company representatives to advise mothers.

Last summer, I participated as a vendor in a baby fair.  Our table was located about ½-way around the perimeter of the venue.  To the immediate right of the entrance door (like that wasn’t planned) was a formula company’s table.  They were giving out FULL CANS OF FORMULA!  Every person who came by our table had the bag that they were given upon entry to the fair with a can of formula sticking out the top.   I took off my badge and went by their table, posing as a consumer.  I asked about the cans of formula.   Boy were they friendly! They told me that all I had to do was to sign-up for their “program” and I would get the kit which included the can of formula (can’t remember what they called it – something obnoxious though, like “breastfeeding support kit”).  Signing-up for the program included handing over my email addy (of course).  Yup, that’s right! Get the mom-to-be on your mailing list so you can inundate her with emails right after she has her baby, when she is sleep-deprived, vulnerable and in a hormone-induced, emotional state.  And make sure she has a big can of your formula in the cupboard so that when the going gets tough around 4-5 weeks and she is wavering with the whole breastfeeding gig, it is there at the ready to taunt her!  These companies undermine women’s confidence by making them think they won’t be able to breastfeed and then guess what? That notion manifests and they cave.  Don’t listen to anyone that tells you, “One bottle of formula won’t hurt your baby.”, (even if it is your own mother).  Perhaps it won’t hurt your baby, but it will hurt the breastfeeding relationship you have with your baby and it will hurt your supply.  Trust me, it happened to me, “way back when” before I knew any better.

Today, I know to ask whether a consumer baby fair complies with The Code BEFORE I sign any contracts to participate as a vendor.  Not.Going.There.Ever.Again.

5. No gifts or personal samples to health care workers.

Please see #3.  This practice is rampant.  You can find extensive and truly interesting information about it here, here and here (and that was just a quick Google search).  It is high time health care workers AND HOSPITALS told the formula companies to go away, no thank you to your freebies and don’t come back. EVER!

“There has always been controversy about hospitals receiving free formula.  It is why Toronto East General Hospital – the only Baby Friendly hospital in the city and among about two dozen in (Canada) – cancelled its contract in 2005”, said Linda Young, director of maternal newborn and child health.

“When the formula companies put together a contract, they list all the things that they give – the formula, the nipples, and the bottles, and it comes up to a big number,” Young said, adding there is sometimes a signing bonus of anywhere between $130,000 and $150,000 which hospitals can use for other programs and services.

The only other GTA hospital that Young knows of that is buying formula instead of getting it free is Lakeridge in Oshawa.  “Any kind of money is hard to give up for a hospital,” she said.

6. No words or pictures idealizing artificial feeding, including pictures of infants, on the labels of the products.

OK, so “most” of the formula companies have switched to little duckies, bunnies or hearts on their labels in lieu of baby images, however, there are still many infractions.  For example, Enfamil’s Enfagrow Premium Next Step Lipil has an image of a baby and a toddler on the label and is marketed towards 9-24 month olds.   Of course aside from images, the infant formula labels are chock-full of skewed half-truths, scientific-sounding jargon and warm & fuzziness that the formula companies are hoping will be (mis)interpreted as idealizing artificial feeding.  Believe you me, they spend plenty of time and money writing the copy “just so” to convince parents to buy.

7. Information to health workers should be scientific and factual.

The information coming out of the formula companies “looks all scientific and factual” but their claims are taken out of context, skewed and again, worded “just so” by their high-powered marketing departments to brainwash you into thinking their products are “as good” as breastmilk.

8. All information on artificial feeding, including the labels, should explain the benefits of breastfeeding and all costs and hazards associated with artificial feeding.

So I haven’t read an infant formula can for a while now, however, I do know that most formula companies include the disclaimer, in very small print, stating “breastmilk is best for your baby”.  But do they detail the costs and hazards associated with artificial feeding?  Hmmmm?

9. Unsuitable products such as sweetened condensed milk should not be promoted for babies.

OK, I’m at a loss on this one.  Are there people out there that give sweetened condensed milk to their babies?  So I Googled “sweetened condensed milk for babies” and got just 4 results, mostly blogs talking about “way back when” when our mothers or grandmothers did just that, or forums asking if they can do it now.  I guess it is safe to say that if there are people asking if they can do it now, then there are others that haven’t bothered to ask.

I do know that in 3rd world countries, where they often enjoy a strong breastfeeding culture, that after the formula companies have given out enough free samples so that the new mother’s milk has dried-up, she, who can’t afford to buy more formula, may substitute (sweetened) condensed milk or other milk products to feed her starving baby.  She may also mix the formula with a higher ratio of water to make it last longer.  Oh and that would be mostly unsanitary water.  This practice by the formula companies has killed millions of babies. Yes. Millions.

10. All products should be of a high quality and take account of the climatic and storage conditions of the country where they are used.

High quality? Riiiiight.  You know that $20-30 can of formula that you’ve seen on store shelves?   Well the contents are worth about a quarter.  Yes, that’s right.   Twenty.Five.Cents.  The rest of the money is spent on marketing.  But wait! There is a CODE prohibiting the marketing of breastmilk substitutes.  How can formula companies be spending millions, perhaps billions on marketing when this is against The WHO Code?

Not to mention the 57 product recalls of artificial foods from 1982 to 2007 – that’s over 9 MILLION units.  Ahem… breastmilk is NEVER recalled.

11. Promote and support exclusive breastfeeding for six months as a global public health recommendation with continued breastfeeding for up to two years of age or beyond.

I think a good first step is to prohibit the marketing of formula to under 6 month old infants.  Just take it off the market.   Period.   For the less than 3% of woman that can’t physically breastfeed, they can get it by prescription.  Then let’s watch our breastfeeding initiation rates and the rates at 6 months postpartum rise meteorically.

As for the promotion and support, it is mind-boggling and heart-breaking to hear the countless stories from moms - the misinformation, the contradictions depending on who was working the ward that night, the lack of training in medical school and it goes on and on.  We are working on it though!  Organizations like Best for Babes, for example, are working tirelessly “to help moms beat the “Booby Traps” – the cultural & institutional barriers that prevent moms from achieving their personal breastfeeding goals.  To inspire, prepare & empower™ moms.  To give breastfeeding a makeover and give moms the solutions they need to make it work!”

12. Foster appropriate complementary feeding from the age of six months recognizing that any food or drink given before nutritionally required may interfere with breastfeeding.

It’s really quite simple: babies don’t need ANYTHING but breastmilk for the first 6 months of life.  From 6 months onward, it is recommended that you continue to breastfeed while providing nutritious complimentary foods for up to two years or beyond.

13. Complementary foods are not to be marketed in ways to undermine exclusive and sustained breastfeeding.

Just as infant formula is marketed to undermine exclusive and sustained breastfeeding, so are complementary foods.   Being aware is half the battle. Educate yourself and spread the word!

14. Financial assistance from the infant feeding industry may interfere with professionals’ unequivocal support for breastfeeding.

We all know that the formula companies are in bed with the government.   How else have such initiatives such as the 2004 “Babies Were Born to be Breastfed” public service ad campaign, launched by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council, been kyboshed at the last minute by formula company lobbyists?  Yes, that’s right, they made them water-down the ads to the point that they were mostly ineffective, then turned around and doubled their marketing budget to $50 million. And breastfeeding rates went down again.

It is a sad state of affairs when profit and political gain are placed at an exponentially higher level of importance than the health of our own children.

Think about it.  Talk about it.  Do something about it.  Today.

If you weren't aware of the provisions of the WHO Code, will you now be watching for infractions?  Will you report them?  Please share!

It was a little less than two years ago that I quit my job of almost 21 years at a large telecommunications company to accept a position in the BCIT Entrepreneurial Skills Training (BEST) program - a government sponsored self-employment program.  The program consisted of 10 weeks of classroom training and another 38 weeks of support from a business advisor, to whom we had to submit monthly reports, and a little bit of monetary support via Employment Insurance.

The program was one of the best things I've done for personal and professional development in recent years, but the PEOPLE are what I remember and value the most!  There were 17 of us "budding entrepreneurs" accepted into the program and I'm still in contact with more than 10 of them while three have become good friends whom I see or talk to on a regular basis.  We also keep in touch with our business advisor who joins us for coffee from time to time.

It was during the BEST program that I was reintroduced to the show Dragons' Den on CBC (I had heard of it, but had never seen it).  We watched a few episodes as part of our classroom training.  I was intrigued.

Dragons' Den originated in Japan and versions of it have emerged in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, The Netherlands, Finland, in the Middle East and of course our own here in Canada. More information can be found on Wikipedia.  There is also a similar show in the US by the name of Shark Tank in which Robert Herjavec and Kevin O'Leary also appear.  (I watched this show once, but didn't like it nearly as much).

This is how it works in a nutshell... you pitch your business to five self-made millionaires/billionaires in the hopes that they will invest in your company in exchange for a stake in it.  The catch is, you have to leave with at least as much money as you asked for.  Therefore, if you over-value your business, they will have to take a larger stake to give you the money that you're asking for.  Capisce?

Back to the classroom...  so the Dragons' Den audition tour came through town and our business advisors and instructors encouraged us to apply.  I considered it... briefly... and promptly chickened out. ;-)

Fast forward to the Fall of 2009.  I generally don't watch TV, but I am now ADDICTED to Dragons' Den on CBC, Wednesday nights at 8 pm.  My husband is too.  I now feel like I'm ready to apply but according to the website, "Applications are currently closed. If Dragons' Den returns for another season, applications will open in spring, 2010. Please subscribe to the newsletter for audition announcements."  What do they mean "if"?  I start visiting the website regularly only to see the same message over and over.

Now it is, I believe, February 2010.  Mike and I are in our usual spots on the couch snuggling on a Wednesday night when "the Den" breaks for commercial and they announce the audition tour!  I immediately go online and sign-up for an email alert that will advise me of the date(s) for Vancouver.

The dates are set within a few weeks - I can audition on March 13th or March 27th.  I ask my friend Donna to model for me.  She says yes (YAY!) but can only do the 27th (I am relieved that I can procrastinate until then).  You may remember Donna from our How to Take an Overbust Measurement video.  Donna had her baby just a few days after that video was shot - a little girl named Serenity who is now almost six months old!  Honestly, it feels just like yesterday that we shot that!

It is now a few weeks before my audition.  My "BEST" gal pals Pauline Siu of flora and fauna and Kathy Day of Earthly Presence and I decide that a "dry run" is in order.  Kathy recruits Ethical Bean's owner Lloyd Bernhardt to participate as well (thanks Kathy!).  We scramble to find a time that works with everyone's schedule.  Another date set - whew!  Finally the day arrives and I head over to EB at an ungodly hour with my homemade banana cake (it was the least I could do).  Let me say once again - THANK YOU ALL for participating.  The feedback that I received was invaluable.  Really.  Oh and if you haven't tried a Chai Tea Latte from Ethical Bean.  Oh my GAWD you haven't lived yet! (and I'm a Starbuck's Toffee Nut Latte die-hard).  But I digress...

Up to this point, I hadn't allowed myself to TRULY think about the audition or the possibility of me ACTUALLY going to Toronto (if I was chosen to go to tape) and thus I was pretty non-chalant about this whole "Dragons' Den thing".  But when I got to the EB boardroom last Wednesday morning, I got nervous!  I realized after the fact, that I was nervous for a couple of reasons.  First, I wasn't prepared enough.  And second, it was now REAL.  Probably the biggest thing that I took away from those couple of hours, aside from all the great advice and feedback that I received, was that in order to get through this audition, I had to prepare, prepare, prepare and then prepare some more!

I know my product inside and out, I know my numbers inside and out.  But when I get frazzled (yes I DO get frazzled sometimes), I forget everything. And then some!

So true to form (I'm a master procrastinator), there I was on Friday night - AFTER movie night with my daughter - re-writing my pitch, timing my pitch, editing my pitch and practicing my pitch while folding the laundry (so that I had clean clothes to wear to the audition).  I was feeling pretty good about it when I turned in around midnight and quickly hoped to myself that I didn't dream about the audition ALL.NIGHT.LONG.

Mission accomplished - no dreams about Dragons. :-)  I got up early and decided to see how much of the pitch I had retained overnight.  It must have sunk-in overnight as I felt pretty confident and decided to jump in the shower (where I practiced my pitch some more).  Then Donna arrived and I ran it by her, Mike, Antonia and Michaela.  Oh no!  Feeling a bit nervous again.  Well, no time for that - off we went to hook-up with Leslie Cairns - founder of the Buggy Bag - who was also auditioning.

We had previously discussed going down early - around 8 am - to beat the line-up.  Then we heard from someone that auditioned last year who said not to bother going down early as they scout the line-up and pull people randomly (my girlfriend that works in film had told me they might do it this way, so it sounded legit).  So we showed up right at 11 am...  aaaaaaand there were already 37 people ahead of us.  Yup, first come, first served.  They told us to put our name up on the board and allow 15 minutes per person.  Quick calculation...... that's 9+ hours.  GROAN!

I texted Mike to let him know that I may be a little later than I had originally thought.  And I updated all my friends and family on Facebook and Twitter.

We found some seats and tried to digest the fact that we may be spending the next nine hours in this room.  I tried to practice my pitch some more, but it was pretty noisy in there with more than 50 people, plus they were playing last season's episodes of the Den.  So we started chatting with people to pass the time.  I met the owners of Pee-pee Teepee.  I was familiar with their product but didn't know that they had diversified to include other products like shoes, blankets and clothing.  So awesome!  We'll see them in Vegas this year at the ABC Show.  And Jamie from S2S Nation (his website isn't quite live yet) - cool, limited-edition, custom-designed, bamboo and organic cotton t-shirts.

A couple of hours in, they were only at #11, so we decided to refuel.  I had been craving sushi for a couple of weeks so we headed across the street to a Japanese restaurant.  I eyed the Starbucks on the opposite corner for my "dessert".  After stuffing ourselves with yummy sushi and then grabbing a Chai Tea Latte (not nearly as good as EB though), I was totally recharged and feeling über confident for the first time since arriving!

When we got back to the room, the board was a mess - there seemed to no longer be any semblence of order with names crossed off randomly all over the place.  So Donna went up to the fellow holding the "official list" and asked him where we were at.  Donna came back and I asked her what the verdict was.  She said, "I'm not telling you."  I said, "We're next?"  She said, "Pretty much!"  I was ready!  Woot!

The next thing I knew, we were in the next room pitching!  I started my shpiel when about 1/2-way through they interrupted us to say, "Show us how it works."  So we jumped to the demo portion of the pitch and they started firing questions at me, all of which I answered. :-)  Then they took a picture of Donna with the PumpEase on and asked if they could take two samples back to Toronto with them.  And then they told us we did a great job and we were done!

After we left the room, Donna said, "You are SO going to Toronto." and promptly offered to be my model there as well.  I was so focused on my pitch that apparently I missed a bunch of stuff - whispering, body language, eye contact.  But I'm not counting my chickens just yet...

We walked back into the waiting room and everyone asked how we did.  I said it was awesome (because it was) and I tell ya, if it hadn't been 4:00 already, I would have dragged both Donna and Leslie off to the bar for a double!  We were definitely on a "high"!  As it was, had to get home to Mike and the girls for dins.  However, we did head out that night to a local pub with a bunch of friends including Angie, whose hubby was playing in the band.  I had a coupla Caesars, danced a coupla songs, caught-up with a coupla friends and had a great night!  Cheers Dragons!  I'll catch-up with you in T.O.!

Are you a fan of Dragons' Den?  Do you have a favourite pitch?  Please share it with us below...

We are excited and honoured to announce that earlier this month the PumpEase hands-free pumping bra was named a winner of the Parent Tested, Parent Approved (PTPA) Seal of Approval!

After our last attempt at being recognized for our product, you may think we were a glutton for punishment, wouldn't you?  Well, I dusted off my pants, dried my tears and did some extensive research on the other programs out there before I got back on my horse.  And I am pleased to share with you that, after doing said research and narrowing my choices down, I found myself chatting with the people at PTPA Media (before I submitted my product), and my faith in these "awards programs" was somewhat reinstated.  At least enough to give it another go.

During my "pre-submission" chat with PTPA Media, they were completely up-front about ALL the fees involved to be evaluated by their product testers as well as the licensing of the Seal of Approval if you indeed are named a winner.  Everything we discussed was also clearly outlined on their website on an easy-to-find page.

Let's be blunt here.  These awards programs are a business, plain and simple.  They are out to make a profit just like the rest of us.  Having said that, there are businesses out there that provide a good product/service/customer care and then there are others that.. well.. don't.  Guess which one I am going to choose to deal with?

However, I'll admit that I was nonetheless expecting the worst (still licking my wounds I suppose), but was pleasantly surprised with the level of customer service that I received from PTPA Media.  Every email, every phonecall, every voicemail and every letter that I was promised, I received.  There were no surprises, no delays and no misunderstandings.  Everything that I paid for, that was CLEARLY explained to me, I received.  This makes Wendy a happy girl!  (I love happy endings!) :-)

As you may already know, I am a huge proponent of extraordinary customer service.  Not just good, not just excellent, extraordinary.  And if you've ever had the occasion to deal with me on a customer service issue, then you already know that I won't stop until you are happy.  Really happy.  I want to make you say, "Wow!".  Aside from the obvious reasons that customer service is so important to us, I believe that this, along with web 2.0 practices (I'll quote Peter Shankman here) transparency, brevity, top-of-mind and relevancy, FLATTENS THE PLAYING FIELD for smaller companies like ours to compete with the "big guys".  This is the beauty of doing business in today's world.  And I love it!

But let's get back to the award!  We received some great feedback (both positive and not so much), all of which is super useful for us going forward with new product development and current product improvements.  I will now share some of the accolades with you... *blushing*

"This product more than met my expectations. At first, when wearing the hands free pumping support, I was very stiff and slow in my movements as I was unsure how supportive the product would be in holding my breast pump. In a short period of time, I realized that the breast pump was secure and I was able to move normally without worrying about my breast pump falling off.  I inserted batteries in my breast pump so as to not be restricted by the cord length and then attempted various activities. I was able to clean my house, prepare meals, surf the internet, type emails, read books, knit, and interact and play with my 2-1/2 year old and 6 month old, all while pumping. In addition, I pumped with the PumpEase hands-free pumping support while nursing on the other side. With all these activities undertaken while wearing the support, the breast pump was held securely. At no time did it feel like the breast pump felt loose or in danger of falling off. The hands free pumping support held the breast pump on my breast with evenly distributed pressure in such a way that was more consistent and secure than holding the breast pump by hand, resulting in an increased amount of milk being expressed."

"The quality met my requirements. The product appeared very well made and was very easy to care for. It cleaned up very well and dried quickly. I wore the product for lengthy periods on its own and with the breast pump in order to see if it would begin to sag or stretch out. After lengthy and day to day use, the support maintained it's shape, and comfort without stretching out or becoming loose."

"The hands free pumping support is very comfortable to wear. It is supportive enough to hold the breast pump in place securely, while not feeling restrictive. There were no parts of the support that scratched, poked, pulled or pinched the skin. I wore the support both alone and over my nursing bra. The product was just as effective either way."

"I received the "Tuxedo" style which is black with white trim. It is very appealing and classy looking. For others that enjoy more colour, there are other prints available which are just as fashionable."

I could include more, but don't want to bore you.

And here is some of the constructive criticism...

"There were a lot of latches on the front of the bra to close it. Too many for my liking."

"I didn't really care about the style and colour because no one sees it but me."

"Taking the equipment out and apart was a little challenging and sometimes my milk would leak onto the bra as I was taking the equipment off."

"I found it took extra time to set up to pump rather then just pumping like I normally do, it took me some time to get comfortable."

"I think the product is over priced. I think that $30-ish would be fair. I think that the competitors are over-priced as well."

At this point, I'd like to thank all the product evaluators for their thorough and honest opinions.  As I've said many times before, we LOVE feedback because that is one of the many ways that we can make things better for YOU, our customer!  And isn't that what it's all about?

So keep your eyes peeled for further announcements about PumpEase as this marketing campaign unfolds.  If you have any feedback about PumpEase, please leave it in the comments below.  Bring it on!

And for the record, I have STILL yet to hear from iParenting Media.
I guess they're not calling me back huh?

Have you been wondering where we've been hiding since the end of January?  We do apologize... we've been JUST a tad busy! 

What with the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and the pending launch of our new product on May 1st, we admit we have fallen quite behind!

Let's start with the Olympics.  I have to be honest with you - I wasn't that jazzed about the Olympics coming to town.  I'm a bit of a control freak (shhhh!) and the thought that our city was going to be "invaded" (for lack of a better word) by essentially the world, well... disturbed me.  I was checking my calendar and planning any trips into the city BEFORE and AFTER the games.  It was the unknown.  How crazy would it be?  I didn't want to know.  And I don't think anyone really DID know.

And then of course there is the money that we have spent for the last SEVEN YEARS getting ready for this world-class event.  There has never been an Olympic Games, from what I understand, that broke even, let alone made a profit... so obviously as a taxpayer, I was concerned about that as well.

BUT (and this is a big "but") then there were those Opening Ceremonies.  I actually missed the better part of them as I was out to dinner with my girls, my mom and my sister's family for my niece's 7th birthday (DH was working afternoon shift).  Afterwards, EVERYONE was talking about how fantastic they were.  Twitter and Facebook were all a-buzz.  No matter where you were, you heard about them.  AND.I.MISSED.THEM.AND.I.WAS.STRESSING.ABOUT.IT.  Ya, I know, I'm a geek.  For the record, I bought both the opening and closing ceremonies on iTunes a few days back so now I have them for all prosperity.  So there!  But I digress...  They were touting our Opening Ceremonies as one of the best in the history of the Olympic Games and Canadian pride swelled in everyone's hearts - I didn't have a chance - I was HOOKED!  You see, I am a pretty proud Canadian anyways.  I have a big Canadian flag on my house 24/7/365.  When I travel, I wear a Canadian pin on my person.  And now I have not one, but TWO Canadian flags on my car.  And although I would like to experience living in another country at some point in my life, I would always, ALWAYS come back to Canada... Vancouver, Canada - my home!

So we decided, after swearing up and down that we were going nowhere near downtown Vancouver between February 12th and 28th, that we would check it out.  Mike and the girls and I ventured downtown on Sunday, February 21st with my sister and her family.  We caught the Skytrain as we had NO IDEA what the parking would be like (turns out that because so many people were scared of the parking situation and thus took transit, there WAS actually parking throughout (most of) the Olympics!  Who Knew?).  We headed to see the cauldron first.  There were wall-to-wall people so we didn't wait in line for the viewing platform.  And despite the gorgeous sunshine, it was COLD and WINDY down at the waterfront, and in general, that day... BRRRRR!

Then up Burrard to Robson Street.  We window-shopped and people-watched.  We saw the zip line and its 6+ hour line-up.  We cruised past the flower-bedecked Vancouver Art Gallery (aka The BC Pavillion).  We met up with my good friend Vici and her dog Max... We saw street performers and tons of people, people, people!  And it was SO COOL to see the "sea of red" - almost everyone was wearing red for Canada!  After a quick lunch we walked some more, checking out the amazing transformation of the beautiful city that we call home.  The Residences on Georgia (corner of Georgia and Howe Streets) were wrapped in a HUGE Canadian flag. I wonder how many millions of people took this pic?

We then went to the Olympic Store at The Bay.  I had to eat my words because I had already told my sister that I was NOT going downtown to go "shopping".  But we were both SO JONESING for the zip-up hoodies with "CANADA" emblazoned across the front that we totally went tourist.  First we went inside only to find out that the only way into the Olympic Store was via an outside entrance.  And yes, there was a line-up.  Keep in mind that you don't get anywhere "quickly" on a weekend during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, let alone with eight people including three kids under 8 and a 14-month old.  So off we went to go back outside.  The line-up looked L-O-N-G (over a block and 4-5 people deep) but was only about a 20 minute wait.  Did we get our hoodies?  NOPE.  We found out later that they were sold out pretty much everywhere.  I even asked my cousin who lives in Regina, Saskatchewan to check there and in Saskatoon where she just happened to be the following weekend - NADA!  BUT they're on Craig's List for $300+ if you REALLY want one.  I REALLY want one, but not "$300 want".  We did get a couple more things for the girls though and they were pretty stoked about that!

It was a good day - and I hope the girls will both remember "the day they went to the Olympics".  Here we are on the Skytrain home.  As you can see, the girls are pretty tired and so is Mom and Dad.

But Mama wanted to check out the Olympics "adult-style" so off my friend Vici and I went the following Thursday, February 25th!  It was the evening of the day that the Canadian Women's Hockey Team had won the Gold Medal (for the third straight time by the way... ahem).  We didn't have a clue how "nuts" it was going to be downtown, so we started out in Yaletown and after kyboshing waiting in line to go into LiveCity Yaletown, we decided to check out some of the False Creek pavillions.  There were line-ups everywhere, but most of them moved fairly quickly.  Many of the pavillions had free admission and I had "heard" which ones were especially good and which ones were sleepers - but I soon found out it just depended on the night and who (athletes, celebs, media) were inside.  The Saskatchewan Pavillion* was our first stop ... meh.  Had a drink and got our pics taken with two RCMP officers decked out in their red serge.  Off to Ontario House.  Again, not quite the "party" we were looking for (yes, we was lookin' for a PAR-TAY).  Had a drink and off we went.  We went by Molson Canadian Hockey House and tried to get in there.  Ahem... private event - $900 to get in (no joke).  Well, I guess that's where the women's hockey team was hangin'!  They obviously had no idea who we were.  I mean, look at my boots!  How could they NOT let me in in those boots!

We then headed back to Yaletown and went to the Yaletown Brewing Company.  They had a rockin' live band and the place was packed!  SCORE!  We miraculously found a couple of seats and started chatting with our neighbours.  EVERYONE was in a great mood!  We met some lovely people from all over the world including Kimmy and Hannu from Finland (I had never met a Finn before - too cool!).  That's Kimmy with Vici and I below.  I was having fun "discussing" (read bragging) about how Canada was going to "whoop their @SSES" in Men's Hockey.  Hannu and I texted each other over the next few days - teasing each other to the max - after Finland's loss to the USA (I have to apologize to all my American friends as I was rooting for Finland.  After that initial Canada-USA game, I'll admit I was trying to avoid you!) and right up to THAT NAIL-BITER GOLD MEDAL GAME!  My goodness, Mike and I were GLUED to the TV that day - I nearly had a heart attack!  I think Mike's poor thigh was bruised from me hitting it everytime we scored!  Now please look the other way while I gloat... CANADA RULES HOCKEY!  Not to mention the records that we broke:  Canada won more gold medals than any host nation in Winter Olympic history AND it also marked the most gold medals Canada has won at any Olympics — winter or summer.  Finally, Canadian WOMEN were first in GOLD overall!  LOVE IT!

But I must say, meeting people from all over the world and listening to them "gush" about our city was right up there with all the medals and the broken records.  Their words acted as a MIRROR, so as to remind us, when we are "too close" to all this fantasticness (is that a word?) and taking for granted where we live, that we really DO have the pleasure of living in one of the greatest cities in the world!  Needless to say, I was feeling pretty proud to be Canadian that night too!

We danced, we drank, we got home at 3:30 am... groan!  I was soooo dragging my butt the next day (but it was worth it!).  Then two days later, I did it all again - this time with my hubby Mike.  We walked Granville Street, checking out the cool art installations, we hooked-up with friends and we ate pizza-by-the-slice at the wee hours of the morn' after leaving Doolin's Irish Pub - part of Irish House.  Guess what time we got home... yup 3:30 am.  Thank goodness Grandma had the girls overnight and we could sleep-in a teensy bit past their normal wake-up time of 8 am.  Twice in one week and I was thinking, "I'm too old for this".  Then I came to my senses and realized that I'm just out of practice.  Yup, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

And here it is the middle of March already, a full 2 weeks after the closing ceremonies, and I am just getting to this blog post.  So yes, we are still behind, however, the good news is, we've FINALLY hired an office assistant (official trés cool title TBA) so we hope to be back to posting a little more regularly going forward.  Her name is Rebekah and we're counting down the days until she starts (this Friday, March 19th - T minus 5 days and counting woot!), so please watch for our blog post introducing her - she is quite an interesting gal!

And we promise to really try not to go MIA ever again...

I almost forgot!  If you want to hear more about the other reason that we are so far behind - our fantabulous new product, ETA May 1st - you will simply need to keep coming back here to check.  But I WILL tell you this... you are going to love it!

So what did you do during the Olympics?  Were you lucky enough to go to any actual events?  Any victory ceremonies?  The opening or closing ceremonies?  Tell us about it below!

*I am linking to pages that were live during the Olympics as well as at the time of posting, however there is no guarantee how long they will stay "live".  I apologize in advance for any dead links.

The United States Breastfeeding Committee issued the below updated press release today.  Please donate milk via an HMBANA milk bank (and that includes our milk bank here in Vancouver, BC) and/or continue to donate funds to HELP HAITI!  Here at Snugabell Mom & Baby Gear we are proud to donate $2.00 from every PumpEase sold to Doctors Without Borders until February 14th (which will then be matched dollar for dollar by the Canadian Government).

January 27, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPDATED STATEMENT:

Breastfeeding is the First Line of Defense in a Disaster

Washington, DC--The Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC), International Lactation Consultant Association/United States Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA/USLCA), and La Leche League International (LLLI) strongly affirm the importance of breastfeeding in emergency situations, and call on relief workers and health care providers serving victims of disasters to protect, promote, and support mothers to breastfeed their babies. During an emergency, breastfeeding mothers provide their infants with safe food and water and disease protection that maximize their chances of survival.

This week, the International Milk Bank Project and Quick International Courier coordinated a shipment of milk from the HMBANA member banks to supplement a mother's own milk for the premature, medically fragile, and orphaned infants aboard the U.S. Navy ship Comfort stationed off the coast of Haiti. This milk will help this small group of infants. In this highly unusual circumstance the infrastructure associated with the Comfort's resources allows U.S. sourced donor milk to help fragile Haitian babies.

Donor milk, however, is not a solution for the large number of infants and young children affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Members of the public who wish to promote the survival of mothers and babies in Haiti can donate money to the following organizations: UNICEF, Save the Children Alliance, World Vision, and Action Against Hunger. These organizations are using best practice to aid both breastfed and non-breastfed infants. Members of the public can be confident that donations to these organizations will support breastfeeding and help save the lives of babies.

Interventions to protect infants include supporting mothers to initiate and continue exclusive breastfeeding, relactation for mothers who have ceased breastfeeding, and finding wet nurses for motherless or separated babies. Every effort should be made to minimize the number of infants and young children who do not have access to breastfeeding. Artificially fed infants require intensive support from aid organizations including infant formula, clean water, soap, a stove, fuel, education, and medical support. This is not an easy endeavor. Formula feeding is extremely risky in emergency conditions and artificially fed infants are vulnerable to the biggest killers of children in emergencies: diarrhea and pneumonia.

As stated by UNICEF and WHO, no donations of infant formula or powdered milk should be sent to the Haiti emergency. Such donations are difficult to manage logistically, actively detract from the aid effort, and put infant's lives at risk. Distribution of infant formula should only occur in a strictly controlled manner. Stress does not prevent women from making milk for their babies, and breastfeeding women should not be given any infant formula or powdered milk.

There are ongoing needs in the U.S. for human milk for premature and other extremely ill infants because of the protection it provides from diseases and infections. If a mother is unable to provide her own milk to her premature or sick infant, donor human milk is often requested from a human milk bank. American mothers can help their compatriots who find themselves in need of breast milk for their sick baby by donating to a milk bank that is a member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

For more information about donating milk to a milk bank, contact HMBANA at www.hmbana.org. Additional information for relief workers and health care professionals can be provided from the United States Breastfeeding Committee at www.usbreastfeeding.org, ILCA/USLCA at www.ilca.org or www.uslca.org, or La Leche League International at www.llli.org. A list of regional milk banks is available on the HMBANA Web site at www.hmbana.org/index/locations.

USBC is an organization of organizations. Opinions expressed by USBC are not necessarily the position of all member organizations and opinions expressed by USBC member organization representatives are not necessarily the position of USBC.

United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC)

The United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) is an independent nonprofit coalition of 41 nationally influential professional, educational, and governmental organizations. Representing over half a million concerned professionals and the families they serve, USBC and its member organizations share a common mission to improve the Nation's health by working collaboratively to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. For more information about USBC, visit www.usbreastfeeding.org.

###

________________________________________

United States Breastfeeding Committee

2025 M Street, NW, Suite 800

Washington, DC 20036

Phone: 202/367-1132

Fax: 202/367-2132

E-mail: office@usbreastfeeding.org

Web: www.usbreastfeeding.org

Have you donated to the relief effort in Haiti?  If so, tell us to which organization you donated and why you chose that particular one.  If you have any other thoughts about what is happening in Haiti, please share.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Richard and Janette Cassidy, owners of Pumps 4 Mums - the exclusive retailer of PumpEase in the UK.  I have to admit, I kinda liked writing the interview questions, so this may become a regular feature on our blog (I'm just nosy is all).  Please read on to find out more about this amazing couple running this amazing company.  I was wow-ed (and I don't wow easily).

Wendy:  How long have you been in business selling breast pumps?

Richard:  We are into our 3rd year of selling breastpumps.

Wendy:  Have you always been in the same location?

Richard:  We've always been located in 'The Midlands'.  Currently, we live in Aldridge - a town on the edge of England's 'Black Country'.

Wendy:  How did you come about being in this business?

Richard:  By accident! Jeanette's first experience of pumping was with our daughter Alexandra. Alexandra had been born 8 weeks early due to mum's pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome, and spent a long time in special care. She was unable to feed normally, therefore Jeanette expressed in hospital but later managed to establish breastfeeding. On returning to work, Jeanette expressed at home. She was already an experienced NHS nurse, but her experiences in hospital motivated her to train for an additional Health Visitor qualification where her practice was more 'baby' orientated. More recently, Jeanette retired from her role within the NHS for health reasons. Having recently given birth to our 2nd daughter, Jeanette suffered quite badly with PND. I had already formed the company and was buying and selling bankrupt stock. We first became an Ameda agent for no reason other than so that Jeanette had something to do.

Wendy:  What is your company mission/vision?

Richard:  To be the best at what we do. We don't mis-sell, we try to establish exactly what it is that the mum is trying to achieve by owning a pump. When a customer calls us with a problem, I reassure them that I'm glad they bought their product from us because we will help them. If it's physiological, Jeanette will take charge, if it's mechanical I'll get it sorted - fast.

Wendy:  How is the breastfeeding culture in the UK? Is breastfeeding encouraged? What about breastfeeding in public?

Richard:  At present in England, mothers do not yet have an absolute legal right to breastfeed in public. However, a mother who is nursing a baby of 6 months or less cannot be asked to leave an establishment. New laws (The Equalities Bill) are making their way through parliament and should come into force in October this year.

"Discriminating against a woman breastfeeding in public has been unlawful (under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975) for more than 30 years, however, this Bill makes it explicit that it is unlawful to force breastfeeding mothers and their babies out of places like cafes, shops and public transport."  Source:  babyfriendly.org

Jeanette thinks that breastfeeding culture is changing for the better, with more shops and public places offering breastfeeding areas, as opposed to directing mums towards the nearest toilet!

Wendy:  What are the breastfeeding initiation rates in the UK? Are they increasing?

Richard:  There are more breast feeding clinics, supoort groups, helplines and breastfeeding counsellors/infant feeding coordinators than there have ever been, however, it remains that a majority of UK mums have given up by the time the baby is 8 weeks old.

Wendy:  What does Pumps4Mums do to promote breastfeeding?

Richard:  Most mothers who call us have already made their decision to use a pump to help them continue to breastfeed.

Wendy:  How long do moms get for maternity leave in the UK?

Richard:  Statutory entitlement to maternity pay is 39 weeks. The earliest one can claim is 11 weeks before due date, although many mums choose to start their maternity leave much later.

Wendy:  What is the best part of what you do?

Richard:  Probably when we've helped a mum whose milk had stopped to re-establish a supply.

Wendy:  Tell me about your family. How old are your child(ren) and if older, do they help out with the business?

Richard:  Our children are 13 (sometimes helps with the packing) and 4 (she answers the phone occasionally and she knows she's not supposed to)!

Wendy:  Is there anything else you would like to add?

Richard:  Yes - I'm really sorry to have taken so long to do this!

Richard, your answers were definitely worth waiting for and I can honestly tell you that I am very proud to have you and Janette representing PumpEase "across the pond".  The way in which you conduct your business aligns perfectly with Snugabell Mom & Baby Gear's corporate vision.

Did you enjoy hearing about one of our retailers?  Would you like to see more interviews in the future?  Leave a comment below and tell us about it!

A few months ago, I stumbled across a press release entitled "Ready Made Inc. debuts new disposable baby bottle prototype at Smart Baby Expo."

And I quote, "The new biodegradable paper based design was a major selling point for parents who are concerned with the environmental impact of plastics and the threat of Bisphenol-A in plastic baby products."

You have GOT to be kidding me.  Talk about a green wash!  How on earth can this company tout this DISPOSABLE, FORMULA-FILLED bottle as "green" (and keep a straight face).

Now that 2010 has arrived, this product is going to be hitting the shelves, or to quote the manufacturer, "will be sold in stores throughout the US and be available to global humanitarian markets" (excuse me while I vomit).  And so I thought I had better make you aware of it...

My colleague Diane Sam of MoBoleez summed up the carbon footprint of infant formula production quite nicely in a recent blog post:

"Think about all the consumption of natural resources, landfill space, etc. that goes into the production, packaging and delivery of formula, a completely derived and unnatural product that, with adequate support and education, should be very rarely required. Consider this quote:

"If every child in America were bottle-fed, almost 86,000 tons of tin would be needed to produce 550 million cans for one year's worth of formula. If every mother in Great Britain breastfed, 3000 tons of paper (used for formula labels) would be saved in a year. But the formula is not the only problem. Bottles and nipples require plastic, glass, rubber, and silicone; production of these materials can be resource-intensive and often leads to end-products that are not-recyclable. All these products use natural resources, cause pollution in their manufacture and distribution, and create trash in their packaging, promotion, and disposal."

Source:  "Mother Nature Loves Breastmilk" by Dia Michels

Plastic bottles and nipples are rarely recycled, take over 200 years to break down, fill up landfills and when burned, release toxic pollutants into our air... that we breathe... that our babies breathe.

Then, let's talk about the dairy industry. Most breastmilk substitutes are made from cows milk. The biological equivalent of walking up to a cow in a field and sucking on her tit. The mass factories that produce this milk contribute to a polluted environment in a myriad of ways. Here's a few:

• Cows excretion and flatulance produce 100 million tons of methane every year, which equals 20% of the earths total emissions. (Methane is the second most problematic gaseous contribution to the greenhouse effect and global warming).
• The fertilizers used to grow feed for dairy cows pollute rivers and groundwaters.
• The ammonia from cow pastures and slurry tanks cause acid rain.
• The clearing of land for pasture means deforestation, an increase in greenhouse gases, the destruction of animal and plant species and erosion of the soil. For example, each kilogram of baby milk produced in Mexico "costs" 12.5 square meters of rainforest.

Think Soy is better? Even the production of soy based formulas are detrimental to the environment:

• Soy formulas require just as much natural resources and energy to produce and package.
• In Brazil, forests are cleared and burned to create soy plantations. The soya beans are then used to feed cattle and as the base for soy based formulas.
• The growing of soy beans requires a high input of fertilizers and irrigation."

Source:  Breastmilk: A World Resource by Andrew Radford

Sadly, according to Ready Made Inc, 85% of consumers surveyed at the Smart Baby Expo, a consumer trade show, said that they look forward to using the Ready Made bottle, with 20% of them stating that they would use them DAILY no matter what brand of formula came inside!    Good GAWD people - the last thing we need is more disposables in our landfills!  I mean convenience is one thing, but convenience to the point of drowning our planet in garbage is certainly another!

What I find most disturbing however, is that this bottle is also being targeted towards the developing world - to prevent the spread of HIV no less!  Ready Made states in their press release that, "One-third of children in Africa with the AIDS virus contracted the disease from breastfeeding."

This is NOT TRUE.

According to Wikipedia, "The transmission of the virus from the mother to the child can occur in utero during the last weeks of pregnancy and at childbirth. In the absence of treatment, the transmission rate between a mother and her child during pregnancy, labor and delivery is 25%.  However, when the mother takes antiretroviral therapy and gives birth by caesarean section, the rate of transmission is just 1%. The risk of infection is influenced by the viral load of the mother at birth, with the higher the viral load, the higher the risk. Breastfeeding also increases the risk of transmission by about 4%.

4%. Four percent. Not 33-1/3%. Not one-third. FOUR PERCENT.  I guess they just got there numbers mixed-up there, right?

They might as well just climb into bed with Nestlé as far as I'm concerned.  And I won't be the least bit surprised if the brand of formula that indeed ends up in those bottles IS Nestlé!

The truth is, on December 1, 2009 the World Health Organization (WHO) updated their HIV recommendations on preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.  Tanya from Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog explains...

"In the past, it's been the recommendation that women who are HIV positive not breastfeed as long as formula feeding is "acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable and safe".

Many women in developing countries don't have access to clean water, much less the resources to purchase formula, and not breastfeeding puts their infants at a high risk of death and disease. In one recent study of 14 developing countries, not breastfeeding resulted in over 325 deaths per 1,000 births compared to 35 deaths per 1,000 births among breastfed babies.

That's why breastfeeding, even though it may mean that a child becomes infected with HIV, is considered safer than not breastfeeding in much of the developing world. Both feeding options carry significant risks, but a child is far likelier to die early in life if he is not breastfed.

So, until today, the recommendation has been that women in developing countries feed their babies breastmilk substitutes only if it is "acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable and safe." Otherwise, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended during the first six months of life, to be discontinued as soon as is feasible thereafter.

This has been a really difficult recommendation to follow, for several reasons. Exclusive breastfeeding (considered the safest method) is relatively rare. Weaning from exclusive breastfeeding to no breastfeeding at six months, as you can imagine, is extremely difficult. And women face significant stigma when not breastfeeding. Unlike the US, many developing countries never lost the "breastfeeding culture", and not breastfeeding is considered a give away that a woman is HIV positive.

But recent research has shown that when HIV positive mothers take antiretroviral drugs while breastfeeding, it reduces the risk of transmission dramatically. Access to ARVs has increased significantly in recent years. Accordingly, the WHO has changed its recommendation:

WHO now recommends that breastfeeding continue until the infant is 12 months of age, provided the HIV-positive mother or baby is taking ARVs during that period. This will reduce the risk of HIV transmission and improve the infant's chance of survival.

"In the new recommendations, we are sending a clear message that breastfeeding is a good option for every baby, even those with HIV-positive mothers, when they have access to ARVs", said Daisy Mafubelu, WHO's Assistant Director General for Family and Community Health."

I for one would NEVER buy a disposable baby bottle.  If people say that it would be convenient "on occasion" to use such a product, then I say it wouldn't be too inconvenient "on occasion" to use a reusable and recyclable BPA-free plastic or better yet, glass baby bottle and wash it and dry it and use it again and again and again.  And then I would pass it on to another mom.  I really have a hard time throwing anything in the garbage.  I donate clothing and household items that we no longer need or want; I have made the switch to LunaPads reusable menstrual products and the Diva Cup; we are avid recyclers and composters; we use reusable grocery bags and stainless steel water bottles; we buy organic as much as we can; and the list goes on and on... Then you hear about a company like Ready Made and it undermines you and everyone else that is trying to make a difference in our society... in our world.

And now that I'm researching this further, I've found many other companies selling pre-sterilized, single-use, disposable baby bottles - albeit not filled with formula - such as Steribottle and Vital Baby, to name just two.  I had to stop searching as I kept finding more and more!

I also had to laugh that the Vital Baby bottle was labeled "from 0 months" and yet had a fast flow nipple.  And then parents wonder why the baby has "reflux".  But I digress...

Please know that I am not attacking mothers that formula feed, whether it is by choice or by necessity.  Rather, I am upset with companies like Ready Made that skew the facts and bring questionable products to market all in the name of the allmighty dollar.  They simply don't care about anything else than their bottom line, but try to make you believe that they are being socially responsible.  If they really want to help the HIV pandemic, why don't they develop a truly green product and then donate a percentage of their profits to purchase the ARVs that these HIV positive mothers so desperately need?  Nestle?  Did you hear that?

So tell me how you feel about single-use baby bottles, either empty or filled with formula.  Tell me what you think about these companies that attempt to green wash us.  Tell me all about what you're thinking.  (And if you see the Ready Made bottles in stores, please let me know!)

In the summer of 2008, I exhibited at the DONA Conference here in Vancouver, BC.  As we all filed-in to set-up our wares for the vendor area, my eyes kept wandering over to my neighbour's table.  If you don't already know this about me, I am a jewelry FREAK!  My neighbour was ceramic artist Susan Kirk and her beautiful, hand-crafted Nursing Mother Goddess Necklaces had caught my eye.  I'll admit that by the end of the 2-day conference, I left with several of her pieces.

A Nursing Mother Goddess Pendant celebrates and honours breastfeeding, thus making it "the" perfect gift for new mothers and their families, doulas, lactation consultants, midwives and ob/gyns.

These stunning hand-crafted ceramic pendants are available in four non-toxic, low-fire glaze colours - Stone Turquoise, Ivory (shown left), Ebony and Terra Cotta - effortlessly coordinating with anything and everything in your wardrobe!

Understated yet eye-catching, she will be a conversation-starter every time you wear her!  I can't tell you how many people have commented when I wear mine.

The Nursing Mother Goddess Necklace measures 2" tall (pendant portion) and is carried by a 25" black satin cord that is easily adjusted to be shorter if desired.

Tell us what you think about these necklaces.  Would you like to see more of this type of product in our online store?  Leave a comment below to share!

Have you heard?  We want YOU to help us design our new door hanger!  If you haven't seen our current door hangers, grab a look as the new one will have the same die cut and will most likely also have the Breastmilk Storage Guidelines on the reverse side.

Just leave a comment on the wall of our Facebook Fan Page with your slogan and/or design idea and you will automatically be entered into the contest.

To get your creative juices flowing, here are some of the slogans that we've come up with in the past.  Note that we've never used any of them... this is just to give you a "feel" for things.  In other words, we need your help as we're not too jazzed about any of them.  We know you can do better!

There's a really good reason NOT to knock right now!
Please Do Not Disturb - I'm Expressing in Style!
Please Do Not Disturb - Mammaries at Work!
Please Do Not Disturb - Pumping Zone!
Please Do Not Disturb - I'm in a Milky Way!
Please Do Not Disturb - I'm Pumping for the Cause!

So submit a sassy idea for our new door hanger and if we choose yours, you win!

What will you win if we pick your entry?  A PumpEase Sampler Pack featuring a PumpEase in your choice of size and print, a Breastmilk Storage Guidelines fridge magnet, one of our Do Not Disturb door hangers, one of the NEW door hangers that YOU designed and a Nursing Mother Goddess Necklace (coming soon to our site)!  Retail value $75.00!

Contest closes January 15, 2010.

We can't wait to hear all your ideas!

Did you know the 10.6 million women-owned businesses in the US employ 19.1 million workers?  That's 1 in 7 employees.

Did you know that minority-owned small businesses account for $591 billion dollars in national revenue?

Do you make an effort to purchase goods made by entrepreneurs and small businesses?  If you don't, perhaps you may want to take a second look at this fantastic and growing industry.

According to Collective-E...

"When you Buy Entrepreneur, it enhances your ability to find something perfect, unique and special for everyone on your list.  Everyday at Collective-E, we are fortunate to discover new and unique entrepreneurial brands ranging from multi-million dollar cosmetic and handbag lines to brownie companies run out of home offices; organic jewelry companies to massage therapists and everything in between.  You can find out about more of them here.  Though their size and scope may vary, they share a passion for providing unique and high quality products to their customers and for creating a better life for themselves and those who work with them. Not only is it a way to shop and support something important this holiday season, but it feels good too!"

"Entrepreneurs have the best ideas with the freshest inspiration. Find gifts for friends, family, or a little pick-me-up for yourself. You'll find unique pieces of jewelry, bridal designers, baby gifts, wine consultants, accountants, and much more. Collective-E members update this section all of the time as a live gift guide!"

Not only will you find UNIQUE and AMAZING products and services across all categories, but you will be supporting a vital, yet oft-overlooked part of the economy.

Entrepreneurs are everywhere!  Purchase a gift certificate at your local indie restaurant or neighbourhood hair salon; patronize a boutique in your area; shop on a favourite online web store.  Shopping local supports your community - these entrepreneurs are your neighbours, your family and maybe even your employer!

Buy Entrepreneur this holiday season and beyond!

As you venture out to finish (or start?) your Christmas shopping, you will notice the seals of various "awards" emblazoned on toys, baby products, pregnancy products, parenting products and the like.  iParenting Media Awards (IPMA), Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA), National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA), The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval and the list goes on.

These "seals" look very impressive.  I can't paste them into this blog post for reasons that I will explain later.  I had always thought the product had actually won an award, like an actor wins an Oscar or like someone wins "Business Woman of the Year".  You know, a "no strings attached" kind of award because you actually did something really well?

Nope.

Back-track to September 2008:  I was at the ABC Show and while I waited in the Starbucks line-up, I started a conversation with another exhibitor (those were long line-ups!)  Her product had won numerous awards a number of years running.  I was very interested in the exposure that she said the awards had given them, so when I returned home, I looked into several of the award programs for PumpEase.  To my surprise, you had to PAY to apply and the fees ranged from $275 USD to $450 CAD per product.

Money was tight then as a start-up, but I felt I had to "play the game" - you know, save face amongst my competitors.  Wouldn't the consumer wonder why my competition had received awards and I hadn't?  From the research that I've done, most consumers do NOT know that these "award programs" are really not awards at all, but high-profile, paid product reviews (just sayin').  We had no money, so I filed it in the back of my mind for a while...

This year, I decided to go for it.  I conducted what I thought was thorough research, bit the bullet and applied for an iParenting Media Award.  Note:  for the remainder of this post, I am ONLY speaking about the iParenting Media Awards program unless I mention another awards program specifically.

I was required to send in 4 identical samples - the same size; the same colour; the same style.  I also had to submit a product graphic electronically and of course include my cheque for $300 USD.

The communication from iParenting Media was very good.  I got automated messages when they received my entry, when they were shipped to the reviewers, and when they were being evaluated by the reviewers.  I also received an email from Jeanne Murphy, Program Director, requesting information from me as follows:

1. Where did you learn about the iParenting Awards program?
2. How would you rate our customer service to-date on a scale of 1 - 5 and why? (1 being the best)
3. What tradeshows do you exhibit at or plan to exhibit at in 2010?
4. Do you submit your products to multiple awards programs? If yes, what is your criteria for choosing?
5. Do you have any specific comments or requests of how we can serve you better?

I answered every question and got a nice thank you email back from Jeanne.  And every email that I received reminded me that I could login on Wednesday, November 11th, the day the winners were announced, to see a "snapshot of feedback" from the reviewers.

Fast-forward to November 4th.  I got a voice mail from iParenting Media stating that I still had to pay the $300 fee.  When I called them back, I told them that I had sent a cheque along with my submission, but they said they never received it.  After checking that the cheque hadn't cleared my account, I paid the fee with my credit card over the phone.

Now it is November 12th.  I had completely forgotten that the awards were announced on the 11th - too busy at Remembrance Day celebrations with Girl Guides I guess.  The morning of the 12th, I logged into my account and there was nothing there.  I went to the announcement page and I was not on the list of winners for the Feeding category.  I checked my account again.  Nothing.  No feedback.  No "you won" or "you didn't win".  So I emailed "help@iparentingmediaawards.com" at 7:52 am:

Good morning,

I am logging into my account this morning and see no feedback for my product PumpEase hands-free pumping supports at all.

Please get back to me asap with an explanation.

Thank you,

Wendy Armbruster Bell

I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.

I called their "Hotline" 1-888-808-IPMA (4762) and reached voicemail at EVERY extension that I tried.  I left two voice mails.

I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.

On November 13th at 8:27 am, I emailed Jeanne, the nice woman I had corresponded with a few weeks prior:

Good morning,

I logged into my account yesterday morning and saw no feedback for my product

PumpEase hands-free pumping supports at all.  I called two different people and sent an email and got no response.

Can you please tell me why there is no feedback?  I am wondering if my submission got messed-up somehow as I had sent a cheque WITH the product, it got lost, and then a week or so before winners were announced, I was called to say that I hadn't paid.  I then paid my credit card.  But it looks like my submission was overlooked.

I would really like to hear from someone before the weekend.  You can call me toll-free at the number below.

Thank you,

Wendy Armbruster Bell

I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.

On Monday, November 16th, I checked my account again.  Feedback!  And this is what it said:

Thank you for participating in the iParenting Media Awards program.  Your award status is determined by the results of surveys that were answered by three independent, external evaluation sites.  The reviewers answered many questions about your product that contributed to a score for your product.  They also offered subjective feedback which is shown below.  We provide this information as a courtesy to your company.  The feedback does not count toward determining your score and award status.  They are just the opinions of our reviewers.  (OK, so how is this feedback useful to me then?)  It went on...

What features would you add, remove, modify or enhance about this product?

1.  The only recommendation I can come up with as far as the PumpEase hands-free pumping support is the packaging that the product arrived in was damaged and open with the product falling out of the bottom of the package. I'd suggest marketing the product in a more stable package for the sales floor.

Ummm...  I shipped my 4 samples in a sturdy box that I regularly use for media samples.  Proper packing materials were used so that nothing could shift during the shipment.  Therefore, the only explanation to this feedback is that after receiving my samples, iParenting then shipped the individual PumpEase out to their reviewers in unsuitable packaging - perhaps an envelope?  My packaging is a BOX, similar to boxes that you buy regular bras in.  I challenge iParenting Media Awards to find ANY bra box that would have survived being mailed in an envelope!  Secondly, we don't ship to our retailers in envelopes; we ship to them in cardboard boxes (obviously).  In fact, our retailers LOVE our packaging as it is attractive, chock-full of information, merchandises well and has an oval cut-out in the front so that consumers can see and feel the fabric.  How an improperly packaged "one-off" shipment can be compared to bulk shipments is beyond me (note their statement that "the package should be more stable for the retail floor").

2.  This product would occasionally slip as the pumping process would go on. The clips held it snugly in place; however, the tube had a tendency to fall, especially as the cups became fuller during the pumping process. Modifications to hold the product in place better would be nice. While I loved the vibrant colors, it might be nice to see the product come in a more neutral shade for occasional discretion.

If the PumpEase was slipping during the pumping process, then the reviewer was wearing the wrong size.  Due to the fact that our sizing is based on the customer's bra size and the fact that over 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size, sizing is a challenge for us for our online sales, but a challenge we have risen to quite nicely (if I do say so myself).  I can proudly say that we currently have a return rate of 0.25% for sizing AND manufacturing defects combined.  We have 3 size charts on our "Fitting Room" page and a video demonstrating how to measure yourself for a PumpEase.  We also work with customers over the phone and/or via email to make sure they have the correct size if they are unsure.  Did the iParenting Media Awards people even consult the size chart on the back of our box?  If they did, were the reviewers confident that they were wearing the correct bra size?  Did they take a simple Overbust Measurement to make sure they were getting the correct size?  Something tells me... No.

And as far as the "neutral shade" - we already have one.  It is black with white binding.  It is called Tuxedo.  It is one of our best sellers.  Did the reviewer even check our website before deciding that the print we sent was our only offering?  Remember, the 4 samples I sent had to be identical in colour, size, style.  Something tells me... No. 

3.  I would suggest offering better packaging: show some kind of detail on the front of the packaging to actually reflect the use of the product. Also offer a list of breast pumps this support works best with. This did not work well with my pump.

The detailed image reflecting the use of the product is on the back of the package - there is only so much real estate on a product package.  Our packaging was professionally designed by Pencilworks Studios Inc and we get nothing but compliments on it by consumers and retailers alike.  Funny that this reviewer states that the PumpEase didn't work with "her pump" but neglected to state what brand of pump that is.  Hmmm...  how convenient.  We GUARANTEE PumpEase to work with ALL breast pumps on the market therefore this feedback is kind of irrelevant in my opinion.  We have sold close to 10,000 units in our first full year of business and NOT ONE of our measly 0.25% of returns was because it "didn't work well with my pump".

So obviously I was quite deflated by this feedback.  This is my invention and believe you me, a lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into it.  As I read and re-read the feedback, I realized that every point was entirely moot:  I should redesign my packaging because iParenting Media doesn't know how to properly package something for the mail?  And I should redesign my product and/or adjust the sizing because the reviewer was wearing the wrong size?  Or maybe I should offer yet another neutral fabric because they can't read my website?  Finally, I guess I should redesign my product to "work with the mystery breast pump".

And then on top of all that, I realized that I never received any answers to my custom question - something that was supposed to be included in my $300 submission fee.  I guess I could ask them about that if they would actually return my phone calls or emails.

As a heads up, you CAN resubmit the same product (and yes you have to send them another $300 to do so) but ONLY if you change something.  So I had another question:  Do I have to change something that was mentioned in the feedback or can it be anything?  So I called Jeanne Murphy citing that I had indeed received my feedback (albeit 6 days late), but that I had questions about the process.  That was on Monday, November 16th.

I HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE TO-DATE.  TODAY IS DECEMBER 15th.

If there is one thing that gets my goat is poor customer service or in this case, NON-EXISTENT customer service.  It is appauling that this business (and yes, this "award program" is just a business) is falling over backwards to help you UNTIL they get your $300 in their hot little hands and then you are completely ignored.

With the risk of sounding like a sore loser, I wanted to make you, the consumer and fellow Mompreneurs and inventors, AWARE of the truth behind the iParenting Media "Awards".  I was discussing the situation with my husband and a colleague of mine, attempting to justify (to them and probably to myself) choosing iParenting Media Awards over the other programs.  I told them that iParenting Media Awards was the only one that was ISO9001:2000 certified.  My husband, who works for Toyota Canada Corporation (who is ISO 14000 certified), reminded me that being ISO certified ONLY means that they follow a set of standards for their business processes, NOT that they have any integrity!  (touché honey!)

And here's the clincher...  I have since found out from several recipients of the award that after you "win", they send you an 8-1/2 x 11" certificate and about 6 of each of their two styles of seal stickers (the regular IPMA and the "HOT").  Then they advise you that you can't USE said stickers on anything but demo products and promptly try to sell you a licensing package, starting at $1000 USD and UP, to use the iParenting logo.  That's right folks.  You WIN the award but you are not allowed to use the seal without paying them yet even MORE money.  You can't use it on your website; you can't use it in a press release; you can't use it on your packaging; you can't use it in your trade show booth.  You CAN use the words "iParenting Media Award winner" and you can display the certificate in public and that's it.

Funny how that wasn't mentioned anywhere in the submission process.

In fact, I had to dig through the deep, dark bowels of their website to find ANY mention of it at all.  I found it under Customer Service/Benefits and Promotion of Award Earners.  As you can see below, they gloss over the point, not mentioning a dollar amount at all, but only vaguely mentioning a "licensing package".  Make no bones about it, these paragraphs are written "just so" so that unless you have prior knowledge of the licensing fees (and thus can read between the lines), it is easy to misunderstand what they are stating:

Do I have to pay to promote my IPMA Award if I win?

No.  iParenting Media provides all IPMA Winners with a permanent Award Certificate and we encourage you to display the certificate when promoting your Award.  IPMA winners have equal opportunity to participate in on-camera interviews at industry events.  iParenting Media also provides each Award winner with a document that clearly provides the proper way to maximize the benefits of your IPMA Award at no additional charge.  Additional promotional opportunities are available for purchase.

So they give you a paper certificate like this one:  But you can only use it at trade shows or other public events.  You can't put it on your website or in a press release or anywhere else for that matter.  You can't give it to all of your retailers, because you only get ONE copy and are not permitted to reproduce it in any manner.

Are physical stickers available if we want to put them on our winning product?

Yes.  Each iParenting Media Award winner is provided with a courtesy supply of both Classic and Hot award stickers for use on their demonstration units.  Additionally, each IPMA winner is provided the opportunity to purchase additional seals at any time in the future for the winning product as long as the product is not modified from the award-winning version.

I wonder how much these stickers cost?  Oh and if you pay the licensing fee for the digital images, you can't make your own stickers with it - you have to buy their pre-made stickers.

Are digital images available if we want to put them on our website, print materials or packaging?

Yes. iParenting Media Award winners may license the Hot and Classic IPMA Award images.  A variety of packages are available to suit your needs.

Again, no mention of the cost and certainly not that the licensing will cost you more than three times the cost of the product submission itself!

Then I found this gem here:

Do you require final packaging?

We do not require final packaging, only final product. Our philosophy is that some companies with outstanding products may have large marketing budgets or recognizable characters to influence a consumer's purchase. Therefore, the packaging is not included in our criteria.

So the packaging is NOT included in IPMA's criteria, yet 2 out of 3 of the feedback that I received was regarding my packaging.  Hmmm...  I think iParenting Media Awards is talking out of both sides of their mouth.

I say BUYER BEWARE.

I have since done extensive research on some of the other award programs mentioned at the beginning of this post and I can tell you that they are NOT all alike.  As an example, PTPA discloses the licensing fee in detail and UP FRONT for the use of their logo if you win their award and if you don't win, you can resubmit within 6 months for NO EXTRA CHARGE.  You also get your evaluator feedback in its entirety and TWO custom questions.

So will I submit to another program?  A few weeks ago I said, "ABSOLUTELY FREAKING NOT!"  Obviously, my perception of these programs was "slightly" skewed by my experience with iParenting Media (duh).  Now that some time has passed and I can look at the situation more objectively, I will say, "Never say never!"  If you can look at the process with your eyes wide open, knowing up front the ENTIRE cost that is potentially associated with it, considering the accompanying PR and exposure that is received as a "winner" (which is usually very good), then you can make a sound business decision on whether you want to pursue it.  On the other hand, if you go in thinking it will be a $300 deal only to find out that in order to promote your winning product you have to cough-up big bucks (big-non-budgeted-for-bucks), then they kind of have you by the balls, don't they?  Anywho, if I take the plunge again, you'll be the first to know!

Have you had any experience with these awards programs?  Not yet perhaps, but were considering submitting?  Did you think they were real "awards" like I did?  Drop us a comment below.  We'd love to hear ALL about it!

I've been home from Las Vegas for about 5 weeks now (yes, I've been trying to get to this post for a while).  And I must say, I'm not big on tourist traps...  AT ALL.  If I end up in a touristy area incidentally - like when I travel to destinations off the beaten track but have to fly in to a touristy area - I'm gone the very next day.  Why? You simply don't experience the real city/country in the touristy areas!  And I want to experience the real culture.  Examples:  New York City's Times Square, resort towns in Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican... and well, Vegas is pretty much the King (or should I say Ace) of all tourist traps.  Just soooo commercial (yuck)!  BUT.I.HAD.A.FANTASTIC.TIME!  Las Vegas Rule #1 - Keep an open mind.

Why were we in Sin City?  Well, PumpEase made its official debut at the premier tradeshow of the juvenile products industry - The ABC Kids Expo! (woot, woot!)  We were at the show with our Distributor - Sandy of Le Duck Distributors.  Sandy represents PumpEase and our colleague Diane Sam's product MoBoleez.  Together we are the Le Duck Team (see below, L to R:  Sandy, Darlene, Diane and myself).  And don't we look brilliant in our flora & fauna tops?  Pauline Siu, a hot, new Vancouver designer, created these amazing tops for us to wear at the show.  Visit her site to check out the rest of her locally, ethically and sustainably-made Eco-Fashion label!

Not only was the show fantastic (read: we wrote lots of orders, made many great contacts and are following-up with more potential retail partners), but the networking was phenomenal!

Now, on to the show itself - we were in a great location and had great neighbours!  Milkies was on one side, LilyBugs was across the aisle and My Brest Friend was kitty corner to us.  We also cruised the show and chatted with Francie Pants, Simple Wishes and Four Peas among many others!  And it was fantastic to finally put a face to a name as we met some of our retail partners for the very first time - like Britt Pegan of Milkface and Jill Broussard of BreastPumps.com and BreastPumpsDirect.com!

Although this was a business trip, all work and no play makes Wendy a dull girl, right?  Enter Darlene, my BFF who flew down from Kelowna, BC (about 4 hours from where I live) for a visit and to help work our booth.

The first day in Vegas, 2 days before we had to set-up the show, we decided to go for a walk - you know, scout things out a bit.  Las Vegas Rule #2 - just because you can "see" your destination, doesn't mean you should "walk" to your destination.  I think we walked for 9 hours that first day!  Our poor feet!  I have to admit, I was a bit worried about working a 4-day, 1,000,000 square foot tradeshow after that first day, but my feet persevered! (yay).

I have to backtrack now to a couple of weeks before we left.  Dar emailed me and asked me if I "wanted to get my nose pierced with her" while we were down in Vegas.  Um. No. Not really.  Who knew that my closest friend of 24 years wanted to get her nose pierced?  Anyways, after several taxi rides, a wild goose chase and a 16 year old "piercer" who told Darlene she looked like a teacher (lol), our mission was accomplished (and in lieu of getting my nose pierced, I held her hand and took the pics)!  That's her to the right - under the knife, er, I mean needle.  Las Vegas Rule #3:  If they look 25, they are 16.  And yes, we are old.

Darlene and I also bought tickets to see La Rêve after chatting to a very nice lady at a discount ticket outlet outside of Circus Circus where they had $2 Strawberry Margaritas with quite the kick (the real reason we stopped).  The discount ticket lady told us the story of Steve Wynn and how, after owning 3 of the majors in Vegas (Treasure Island, The Bellagio and The Mirage) and then being ousted in a hostile takeover by MGM, he persevered to build the Wynn and Encore Hotels.  Further, he created his own Cirque show and designed a ROUND theatre to showcase it in, so that there was NOT ONE bad seat in the house.  We paid just under $100 each for our tickets - fantastic seats - AMAZING show! (The pic to the left is the finale - those flowers were probably 20 ft in diameter).  The seats with "partially obstructed views" at the Bellagio for "O" were OVER $100 each (umm... who would pay over $100 for a partially obstructed view?)  AND I confirmed "discount ticket lady's" story on Wikipedia.  Las Vegas Rule #4 - You don't always get what you pay for.

One of the highlights of the trip was our breakfast meeting with Bettina Forbes and Danielle Rigg, founders of the Best for Babes Foundation, of which we are a corporate sponsor.  Until that morning, we had only chatted on the phone and via email, Twitter and Facebook.  The energy in the room was palpable as I also got to meet other BfB corporate sponsors like Sheri & Melinda of Earth Mama Angel Baby, the ladies of My Brest Friend, Line of GlamourMom, Shari & Joe Criso of My Baby Experts and The Birth Boutique (one of our new retail partners - stoked about that!), Leslie of NutraBella and the lovely ladies of Hygeia!

Another fantastic morning was spent taking the Zappos tour!  I was absolutely inspired by every moment that we spent at their head office in Henderson, Nevada (just outside of Vegas) - WOW!  And that's what it's all about at Zappos - making their customers say "WOW!"  You can find out a bunch of super interesting information about the Zappos culture here - which is at the core of everything they do.  Here are some points that really stuck with me (in no particular order)...

• they had a nicely appointed  "Mother's Room" for employees that are breastfeeding and/or pumping - and moms can pump when they need to.  Do you hear that Totes-Isotoner?
• if you're tired while you're at work, you can take.a.nap.on.company.time
• all the departments are decorated in a unique and fun theme ---> there's the mullet of Zappos Recruiting - and they had mullet wigs for everyone to wear!
• 2 weeks into your training, they offer you $2000 to QUIT if you don't feel you are absolutely passionate about being a part of the Zappos team (this saves them money in the long run - smart)
• the company lunchroom is stocked with food (for free) and the vending machines don't take money
• their customer service department is empowered to do "whatever it takes" to make the customer happy - they recounted a story of a customer that had recently lost her mother and the Zappos employee had flowers sent to her - WOW!
• they ship free (in the USA) BOTH ways - yes, that means even for returns!  Why would you shop anywhere else?
• they have no call "stats" to meet in their call centre (as a former call centre employee, this is UNHEARD of)
• Tony Hsieh's desk (he's the CEO in case you didn't know) is in a cubicle, just like everyone else, amongst employees (there's Diane sitting in Tony's chair)
• at the end of the tour we were invited to peruse a "library" of Tony Hsieh's favourite books and take as many as we desired (no joke!)

I could go on and on - truly a great place to work.  And has the company sufferred by empowering their employees, bending over backwards for their customers and making Zappos a fun place to work?  I hardly think so.  Zappos.com has been around for just over 10 years and now does $2-3 million PER DAY in online sales.  They broke $10 billion annually in 2008.  Absolutely mind-blowing!  Las Vegas Rule #5:  Think Big!

We also enjoyed a great dinner with Madeleine Shaw of LunaPads (my friend, colleague and informal mentor) and her BFF Ann.  AND we were smart enough to get off the strip to where the food was less expensive and of MUCH higher quality (see tourist trap rant above).  We had an amazing Indian dinner at Gandhi. Mmmmm!  And we had a very cheeky and funny waiter to round out the evening!

If I havent mentioned LunaPads to you before, I must tell you a short story.  I met Madeleine at a Fashion Industry meeting in the late 90's.  At that time she was just bringing LunaPads to market and was struggling with the packaging design.  Madeleine also owned a women's clothing store that had a small factory in the back and had done a small run of production for me (this was when I was designing and manufacturing a women's sportswear line).  Madeleine gave me a LunaPad.  I was kinda grossed out by the whole idea of reusable menstural products but graciously accepted the gift.  I never used the pad.  I put it in my bathroom cupboard.  I looked at it from time to time.  I moved 5 times.  I never threw it out.  ---> Fast forward to 2008.  I had reconnected with Madeleine as I was struggling with the packaging for PumpEase and a colleague suggested I speak to her as our products both shared a "non-mainstream" vein.  I went to her website.  I read the testimonials.  I was intrigued.  I placed an order.  I gave away my Costco-size box of tampons to a friend.  I have never looked back.  I'm more aware of my body.  I'm doing something good for me.  I'm doing something good for the environment.  I'm doing something good for my daughters.  My bathroom garbage doesn't overflow with garbage every 4 weeks.  Check out LunaPads. Really.

Two more dinners, one at Mon Ami Gabi (yum) and the other at the Cheesecake Factory (double yum) were spent with Dawnn Whittaker and her husband Marc of Cheeky Chops.  Dawnn is a former Nanny turned Baby Contentment and Child Sleep Consultant.  Dawnn was a client of my other company, Moda de Vida Design and then I became a client of hers and I can tell you that she walks on water!  My girls, aged almost 5 and almost 3 sleep 12+ hours/night and my almost 3 years old still naps 45 min in the afternoon.  If you're having a problem with children and sleep, contact Dawnn.  It is never too late to give your children the lifelong gift of good sleeping habits!

We also went on the rides at the top of the Stratosphere (that's the view of the strip from the top).  You may not know this about me, but I am a bit of a thrill seeker - I LOVE things that scare me.  I will go on ANY rollercoaster that they build.  I have bungee jumped, I'm a certified scuba diver and I am planning on trying skydiving very soon (a tandem jump so I can experience freefall).  I also want to get my motorcyle license, a plan that was kyboshed when I found out I was pregnant with my first daughter.

If you are not familiar with the rides at the top of the Stratosphere, they are 1149 feet above the Las Vegas strip (just sayin').  We went on the Insanity and the X-Scream.  Oddly, I.HATED.BOTH.OF.THEM.  I REALLY hated both of them.  So weird.  I'm glad I did it though (just so I can say that I did).  Then we went down one level to Fat Tuesdays and each got a 26 oz margarita for the road.  Something tells me we did that in the wrong order.  Las Vegas Rule #6 - Booze first, white-knuckle rides second.

So off to Fremont Street we went - that's the old (original) strip in case you didn't know - and except for my 3-day whirlwind trip to Vegas last year for the ABC Show (when I worked Diane's booth to get my feet wet for this year), I hadn't been to Vegas since the old strip WAS the strip (see paragraph #1 re:  tourist traps).  So I figured out it had been about 28 years since I had been on Fremont Street and the last time I was there was with my Dad.  And then I got all melancholy - I still miss him so much!  So I shed a few tears for Dad and then we continued to have a blast because Darlene and I always, always, ALWAYS have fun together (and that's what my Dad would have wanted).

So are you wondering why I haven't mentioned any gambling yet?  I WAS in Vegas after all.  Well gambling really doesn't interest me.  Last year, the first time I had been in Vegas since I was "of age", I sat down at a slot machine, put in $10 and it was gone in 5 minutes.  B-O-R-I-N-G!  This year I figured I had to try it again considering I was there with my BFF that I ALWAYS have fun with!  So I started with $2.  I chose a penny slot, but a "real" one - with the actual wheels that spin and a handle to pull (what's the point of playing a slot machine that is all computerized???) - and it took me 45 minutes to lose the 8 bits.  It was fun... a little.  I staked a claim on that machine and walked away.

The night we went to Fremont Street, I won't lie to you, I was a bit tipsy!  When we got back to our hotel, I found "my" slot machine and thank goodness no one was sitting on the stool as I may just have booted them off!  I put in $20 this time (I guess I thought I was a high roller fueled-up with margaritas and all).  I played and lost and won and lost and won again.  And I started using the button instead of pulling the arm (too funny!)  In the end, during my entire 7 day stay in Vegas, I lost a whole $19 and enjoyed it enough to try it again next year (not the losing part, the gambling part).  Pretty.cheap.entertainment.

Well there you have it.  I finally learned (albeit temporarily) how to balance my business with downtime and had to go all the way to Las Vegas to do it!  I made some new friends, reconnected with some old ones and enjoyed some new experiences.  Now I'm counting down to the show in 2010 where I will hopefully meet Deidrea Haysel of Hot Mama Gowns and Katie O'Neill of KT Steppers, just two of the many fabulous Mompreneurs that I have met on Twitter and Facebook over the past year or so.

Have you been to the ABC Show?  Are you familiar with any of the great companies and products that I mentioned?  How about 26 oz margaritas from Fat Tuesdays?  Leave a comment below and tell us about it!

Today we updated our Fitting Room with a great video, that you can view below (and you're not allowed to laugh about the still image, ahem), demonstrating the correct way to take an overbust measurement.  About a month ago we also added a third size chart containing the measurements between the horn openings on the different sizes of PumpEase.  You asked.  We delivered.

It IS all about YOU, our customer (and no, I'm not being corny).  Our goal is to make your visit to our website as enjoyable, informative and satisfying as we possibly can.  So take another look around and don't forget to leave a comment with your feedback about what you DO see/like/dislike and also about what you WOULD LIKE to see... so we can make PumpEase.com even better!

xo
Wendy

Today's ramblings are in response to Annie's post over at PhD in Parenting earlier this week in which she invited us to "interview" our child about their mother (that would be me) and share the responses.  So this evening I sat down and asked my daughter the questions below...  She was a little hesitant after about the 3rd or 4th question, asking if this was for school or Sparks (lol).  Anyways, you can now disregard all the info over on my Meet Wendy page as THIS IS THE TRUTH... according to Antonia.

What are mothers for?

Taking care of kids.

How are mothers made?

With skin.

What ingredients are mothers made of?

Skin, blood, eyes, a nose and a mouth.

Why am I your mommy instead of another woman being your mommy?

Because I love you.

What kind of litle girl was I?

You had long, dark brown hair, brown eyes and were wearing a black shirt with blue pants.

What did I need to know about Daddy before I married him?

To know if he was real.

Why did I choose Daddy to marry?

Because you liked him.

Who's the boss at our house?

Daddy.

What's the difference between mommies and daddies?

Girls have earrings.

What do I do in my spare time?

Play.

What would it take to make me perfect?

Wear pretty, long earrings with diamonds and lipstick and have long, pretty eyelashes.

If you could change one thing about me, what would it be?

Your eyes would be green like Daddy's.

So there you have it... she thinks Daddy is the boss!  I am going to have to have a serious talk with that girl!  (where HAVE I gone wrong?)

I welcome you to join in the fun - ask your son or daughter the same list of questions and link back to this post.  You can put the url of your post in the comments.

I was recently in Las Vegas and took the Zappos.com tour.  When their bus came to our hotel to pick us up, I was both surprised and pleased to see that it had seatbelts (and yes I put one on)!  I can't remember ever riding on a bus with seatbelts and in fact, I always wondered why they didn't have them especially when you hear of the busloads of school children seriously injured or killed after being involved in an accident.

This got me thinking about an oft-discussed, "remember when" conversation amongst my sisters and I... "Remember when we were kids and Mom and Dad both smoked in the car WITH THE WINDOWS ROLLED ALL THE WAY UP?  And remember how we used to tuck the seatbelts in behind the seat because no one wore them?  And remember how mothers used to ride in the front passenger seat with babies on their laps? And remember when Dad used to go out for drinks with the guys after work and drive home drunk all the way from downtown Vancouver?"

IT ALL SEEMS SO WEIRD NOW.  I feel quite uneasy if I ever ride in a motor vehicle without a seatbelt (e.g. in a taxi, bus or limo).  Our babies are in 5-point harness, rear-facing car seats.  My Mom NEVER smokes in the car - in fact, she doesn't even smoke in her own house, or anyone else's for that matter (even if the homeowners themselves do)!  In fact, many US States and Canadian Provinces (BC, Ontario and Nova Scotia) have passed laws prohibiting smoking in your car if you have children with you.  And who risks driving drunk anymore?  Not I, and I'm sure, not you either.

It's all what we're used to - the cultural norm.  These changes didn't happen overnight.  When the change first occurs, people resist because generally, people don't like change.  I remember HATING to have to wear a seatbelt when it became law.  Today, when I get into the car, I couldn't imagine even backing out of the driveway without a seatbelt.  It feels weird NOT to have it on!  So gradually things change and then everyone thinks back to "remember when" and how, in contrast, their past behaviours feel so odd and distant and CRAZY today!

And speaking of "what we're used to", what other mammals do you know that drink milk from another species?  And what other mammals do you know that drink milk past infancy?  The fact that we have been brainwashed by the Dairy Industry to think we should ingest cow's milk as the "norm" is a perfect example of the blinders we wear in our culture.  When you REALLY sit down and think about this, humans drinking cow's milk is NOT NORMAL.  Yet many of us do it without ever questioning it.

The same goes for the Formula Industry and their marketing campaigns that have brainwashed both health care professionals and consumers to really believe that artificial feeding is as good as breastmilk.  I believe that formula should only be available by perscription and in a tin with a generic label - no brand names, pictures or promotional messages such that it is in Iran.  But I digress.  That is a whole other post.

Another example is fashion, albeit a bit less significant societally, but may resonate with some readers all the same. Do you remember when skinny leg jeans came into style? (yes I know I am dating myself).  I remember thinking I would "never" wear them.  Yuck! I loved my bell bottoms!  But there we were a few months later enmasse.

So why then, when we hear of a woman cross-nursing a baby, something that was a cultural norm only a little more than 60 years ago, are we squeamish or worse, even mortified?

My sister sent me an article that she had ripped-out of the October 2009 issue of Canadian Family magazine entitled "Bunch of boobs".  It is a true story by Catherine Connors, citing a situation she found herself in - with painfully engorged breasts, sans a breast pump and an offer to nurse another woman's hungry baby - an act that would solve both problems - settling the hungry baby and relieving her painful engorgement.  The article also appears on her blog bearing the title, They Shoot Wet Nurses, Don't They?

I think Angie Felton of ParentDish sums it up quite nicely in her article, Cross Nursing - Natural extension or disgusting and weird?, in which she writes, "When I was in the midst of my own nursing years (I nursed all four of my kids) nursing a friend's baby wouldn't have been more intimate to me than giving them a bottle, simply a means to END THE CRYING. However, I was in a completely different mindset where breasts were purely utilitarian baby feeding devices. I'm no longer at that point, and can understand people being grossed out at the thought of breastfeeding someone else's child."

But shouldn't we all take a step back, adopt a similar mindset and realize that breasts ARE utilitarian baby feeding devices?  I know it is hard to wade through all the sexual images we are inundated with in our culture to achieve clarity on this, however, this is the reason women have breasts and men don't.  Think about it.  I also realize that this task may be more difficult for non-moms - I didn't become a mom until I was 38 years old and thus had formed opinions (albeit misinformed ones) about many subjects around breastfeeding and motherhood.  For example, my opinion about the length of a mother's breastfeeding relationship with her child was summed up in a statement such as, "If they're old enough to ask for it, then it is time to wean."  How naive was I?  Today I am quite irritated by the term "extended breastfeeding" because it labels it as an "outside the norm" activity.  How can we view breastfeeding a toddler as "weird" when the experts at the AAP, the AAFP, Health Canada and the WHO all recommend exclusively breastfeeding your baby for the first six months of life and continuing to breastfeed for up to two years and beyond?  I was wrong.  I was misinformed.  Educate yourself.  It's your responsibility to do so before voicing an opinion.

I too am finished breastfeeding my children, however, if I had milk today and found myself in a situation similar to Catherine's, I'm certain I would partake.  As far as how I would feel about it, I think it "could" feel a little weird, almost illicit (only because of the cultural perception) to breastfeed another mother's child, however, I don't think that feeling would last more than a few seconds before it changed into exhilaration, empowerment and inspiration!  I believe I would actually feel quite proud - as though I was a trailblazer for all women!

With regards to HIV and other communicable diseases, the "knee-jerk" reason most commonly heard in opposition of this issue, I trust that the mothers of today are intelligent women and will use her common sense in choosing a wet nurse or a cross-nursing partner that she trusts.  I simply don't accept that as a valid reason not to cross-nurse.  Mothers will protect their child in every aspect of parenting including this one.  Case closed.

So the next time you witness or read something in the media that makes you feel uncomfortable or upset, perhaps take the time to do a little research.  Find out the where's and the why's; if it has ever been the "norm" in the past, find out WHY it went "out of fashion" (for lack of a better word) and decide for yourself if that reason is something you agree with or if its the result of unfortunate shifts in our cultural thinking.  Change isn't ALWAYS for the better.

So would you nurse another woman's baby?  Tell me about it below.

I was recently reading an article that noted that the German word for breastfeeding is stillen (pronounced shtil′-in) which translates literally as "to quiet and comfort (the baby)".  I thought it was a lovely translation and was immediately curious (I'm a Gemini - it's a curse) to find out what the word for breastfeeding is in other languages as well as what they would translate to literally.  Therefore, I set forth to pick the brains of all my cosmopolitan friends.  Here is what I found out...

Japanese

bonu (bow-new) translates to "mother milk".  From what I understand from my friend Pearl, this is a more casual way of saying breastfeeding.  She went on to say the following, "Ok, so... bonu o noma seru is the formal way of saying breastfeeding. The "o noma seru" means "to make drink". Even though none of those words is a literal translation for "baby". One would just understand the phrase to mean breastfeeding."

"Another more casual way would be ochichi o noma seru. The word "ochichi" is an informal way of saying breast, but when used with "o noma seru" would mean to breastfeed. It's hard to give literal translations, because it's the way words are used in the context of conversation that creates the definition of words. I guess that's why Japanese is so hard to learn unless you live there and speak it all the time."

"The phrase in the article below akachan ni oppai o ageru is yet another way you could say it - "akachan" means baby, "oppai" is another slang for breast."

This is a great article about the Japanese culture and brieftly speaks to the fact that the Japanese aren't all "hung-up" on nudity (like we are in North America).  It also explains that there are not that many slang words for breasts because the Japanese feel that breasts are nothing to be ashamed of.  Hmmm...  a lesson there perhaps?

And finally, a short and humourous article about formal and informal Japanese speech.  Thanks again Pearl.  I learned a lot!

Spanish (Mexico)

darle el pecho (dar′-lay el pay′-cho) translates to "give the breast".  Thanks Delia!

Welsh

bwydo o'r fron (boo-eed-ore-vrom) From my friend Claire:  "Bwydo literally translates to feed and fron again literally translates to breast and if we conjugate this to a verb then we would write in the form of bwydo o'r fron... which translates to breast feeding.  A lot of words in Welsh do not translate directly, but this one does.  So there is no rough translation (similar words that would be a close translation when required) this one is as clear a translation as ever."

Chinese

Bu Ru 哺乳 (boo′-roo) translates to “feeding human milk”.  Thanks Jackie!

Italian

allattare al seno (a-la-tar′-ray al say′-nyo) translates to "give milk on the breast" but in general people say simply allattare.  Thanks Giovanna!
 

So I guess my mission to find another language that was as lovely as the German translation must continue...

Therefore, if you speak another language that isn't noted here and know the word for breastfeeding and how it translates literally to English, please share in the comments below!  We'd love to hear more!  Or if you find an error in our post, please let us know that too!  Maybe I should have majored in Linguistics?

Anyone who spends any amount of time pumping breast milk for their baby realizes quickly how mind-numbingly boring it can be.  One of the biggest let-down killers is bottle-watching: waiting for the bottle to fill and only getting the drip, drip, drip...  Be one of the many women who exclusively pump (EP) and you quickly realize that these hours of your life must be filled with something other than waiting for the oxytocin release.  After I finished my year of EPing, I calculated that I had spent approximately one entire month of my life with my breast pump.  And while I never question or regret the choice I made to express milk for my son, I also know that this time was not always relaxing or enjoyable.  Finding something to do while pumping, however, can help make the experience more enjoyable.  So what are your options?

There is (excuse the expression and the pun) the boob tube.  During my midnight pumping sessions I became a connoisseur of late night and late, late night television.   I truly believe David Letterman and I had a personal relationship.  (Note to self: I must reconnect with him.)   Emergency 51, Marcus Welby, and Quincy were all on in the wee hours of the night and got me through many 2 a.m. pumping sessions not to mention teaching me all about emergency medicine and autopsies!

Sleeping of course can not be discounted as an option.  Yes, it can be done!  While usually not a planned activity during pumping, you will be equally surprised as I was the first time you wake up, milk overflowing the collection bottles, and a sense of disorientation overflowing you.  While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend sleeping as an option, it is possible, does happen, and when it does happen to you, know you are not the only one!

Talking on the phone can be a very pleasant way to pass the time (as long as it’s not your nosy mother-in-law you are talking to) and keep your mind off the bottles.  However, you might want to carefully consider who you are talking to so when the inevitable question of “What is that noise?” arises, you can answer without embarrassment or at the very least have a quick, and perhaps distracting, response preplanned.

One of the most common methods to pass time while pumping is to surf the web.  With countless hyperlinks to follow, filling fifteen to twenty minutes of your time is quite simple.  Catching up on posts on the many discussion boards focused on expressing breast milk helps to build community, camaraderie and support which is so critical in what can be a very isolating activity.  On the downside, you have to avoid the many opportunities available on the internet to spend money!

What else can you do?  Really pretty much anything.  I have even heard of women who drive their car while expressing!  And when you start to consider all the possible ways to pass the time while pumping, you begin to wonder, “Just how do you manage all these things while trying to operate the pump, hold the collection bottles, do breast compressions, deal with the overflowing bottles...?”

Well, watching television can be done without the need of hands.  Sleeping can easily begin without a need for hands, but pretty much anything else will require an extra set of hands- or the use of the ones you already have.  For me, this was accomplished through my wonderfully short stature.  In most cases, this is a detriment, but when pumping, my short stature allowed me to precariously perch the collection bottles on my knees with one forearm pressed against one bottle and the hand on the same arm holding the other bottle.  This of course only frees up only one hand making very slow work of typing and requires everything be within close reach.  For women nursing at the keyboard they have come up with the acronym “NAK” (nursing at keyboard) to explain poor keyboarding or spelling.  I have yet to see anyone use “PAK” (pumping at keyboard) but perhaps it is time it is used as well.

Since I was pumping, more than five years ago, there have been a myriad of products come to market that allow for hands-free pumping.  Hands-free devices provide a certain amount of freedom impossible without them.  While not necessary, a good hands-free bra can allow women to focus on something other than the bottles and the milk being expressed and actually help to improve the volume of milk expressed.  Using a hands-free bra can actually reclaim some of the time spent pumping and turn it into something that you can use for yourself.

So, what do YOU do while pumping?  Drop us a line below and tell us about it!

Stephanie Casemore is the author of Exclusively Pumping Breast Milk: a Guide to Providing Expressed Breast Milk for your Baby.  For more information on exclusively pumping or to purchase Stephanie's book, visit www.ExclusivelyPumping.com

When I see a woman that is clearly wearing a) the WRONG bra size or b) a bra that should have been incinerated years ago, I have to admit, I visibly CRINGE!

Why do women do this to themselves, and to "their girls"?  WHY ARE 80% OF WOMEN WEARING THE WRONG BRA SIZE?

I think a big chunk of the reason is that women buy bras from stores where, if you can actually find a person to help you, said person knows NOTHING about fitting a bra.  Ladies, you are NOT saving any money buying cheap, crappy bras!  Well, maybe you "think" you are if you wear them until the spandex is completely rotten and your puppies are hanging down to your belly button (sorry for that visual), but you're not.

I am a firm believer in the mantra that you get what you pay for.  If you buy a bra from a department store for $25, $35 or even $45, that is what you will get - an ill-fitting $25, $35 or $45 bra.  Now if you go to a specialty boutique and get professionally fitted for a bra, you will probably spend around $100, but it will FIT YOU and last two, three, even four times longer!  You do the math!

For example, the last bras I purchased were from La Jolie Madame in Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver.  La Jolie Madame have been in business for 25 years and the owner and staff will not sell you a bra without properly fitting you.  They carry bras sized from 32A to 46H and feature Vancouver's best selection of the finest European labels like Chantelle and La Perla (drool) that are drop-dead gorgeous (see pics to the right and below)!  You will just LOVE slinging your bosoms into these delectable pieces of art every morning!  And I don't know about you, but wearing a really stunning piece of lingerie under my clothes - as my little secret - makes me feel faaaahbulous!  And yes these are my "everyday" bras.  I deserve it and so do you!

It's not just about looking and feeling great either (although that is VERY important to us women)!  There are health problems associated with wearing the wrong bra size.  According to this article, it can harm the actual breast tissue, cause poor posture and produce neck and back pain.  And this article talks about how effective breast support can relieve the pain associated with sports, PMS and hormone problems.  I found this point to be particularly interesting:  those "compression-type" sports bras are not the ticket after all.  You are better off with a bra that encapsulates the breast like the Playtex Cross Your Heart designs.  Who Knew?  And to think I ran a couple of 1/2 marathons wearing my compression sports bra.  (oops!)

Another great place to shop in Vancouver is Diane's Lingerie, a fixture on South Granville for over 25 years.  Owner Diane Thomson describes her store as "your gateway to BC's greatest selection of quality bras and beautiful lingerie."  Diane's carries sizes 32AA to 56JJ (wow!)  She also states in her Bra Fit FAQ that women should be fitted twice a year for a bra and that throughout your lifetime you will wear six different bra sizes!  Weight gain, weight loss, puberty, gravity, pregnancy - all these things will affect your bra size on an ongoing basis.  You also won't necessarily wear the same size in different styles of bras either - balconette (my personal fave), push-up, strapless, demi cup, full cup, halters, minimizers, the list goes on.  Colour and brand can also make a difference!  So don't make the mistake of finally getting professionally fitted and think that you are going to be a "36C" until the end of time.

While I have mentioned only Vancouver stores in this post, most cities will have at least one bra/lingerie boutique that has staff trained to provide a professional fitting.  Look in your local Yellow Pages under "Bras" or of course, online.

It was over 4 years ago that I last visited La Jolie Madame (I think I'm going through withdrawal).  I bought 4 bras and I admit, dropped a few bills.  BUT they are just starting to wear out NOW.  Say it with me... YOU DO THE MATH!

Now, there is a commitment when you buy high-end bras - you must take care of them (don't worry - you will WANT to take care of them because they are so beautiful).  I hand-wash the really fancy lace ones (well I soak them in the sink - pretty effortless) and others go into mesh lingerie bags before going into my washing machine on the gentle cycle.  I use "Zero" or a comparable fine-washables soap (make sure the soap you choose is spandex friendly) whether I am washing in the sink or the machine.  But they NEVER and I mean NEVER go in the dryer.  EVER!

It is no coincidence that bras are referred to as FOUNDATION GARMENTS.  What is a foundation?  According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, a foundation is "an underlying base or support; especially the whole masonry substructure of a building".  Also "a body or ground upon which something is built up or overlaid".

In other words, get a well-fitting bra or your clothes and your boobs will fall down - and it won't be pretty.

In a properly-fitted bra, you will look thinner, taller and your cupcakes will look perkier.  And for those well-endowed ladies out there, you won't have backaches or grooves in your shoulders anymore.  In fact, if you can "feel" your bra when you are wearing it, you are wearing the wrong size.  Other signs of an ill-fitting bra are:

• the back rides up
• the straps dig into your shoulders
• you have red marks on your body after you take it off
• you tug at your bra throughout the day
• you have bulges at the tops and sides of the cups
• you have bulges on your back

So what does this have to do with breastfeeding?  Well if there is ONE TIME in your life that you should get properly fitted and spend some extra dough on a bra, it is when you are pregnant and/or nursing!

Another reason that I am writing this post (other than my inherent desire to accost people in public and drag them off to get properly fitted for a bra) is because of our product - PumpEase™ hands-free pumping supports.  Our size charts tell our customers to choose their PumpEase™ size based on their maternity or nursing bra size.  Considering the "80% statistic", this can be challenging at times.  Having said that, we get very few returns for sizing because we encourage our customers to contact us for help if they are unsure of what size to buy.

Still, it would be sooo much easier if there was a Bra Police that enforced the "Professional Fitting Before Purchase" law across the land.  Then I would see perky boobs everywhere and that would make me a very happy camper!

Have you ever been professionally fitted for a bra?  Were you surprised at what size you actually turned out to be?  Leave a comment below and tell us about it!

My husband is a vegetarian.  His sister and her husband are vegan.  My Dad (RIP) only ate a specific kind of white fish (he HATED salmon).

So when it came time to pick a caterer for our wedding, I had a tall order to fill.  I (of course) began by doing online research and found some names of local caterers and what people were saying about them.  I called a caterer on my list and when I described our requirements to the woman who answered, her response was, "Are you going to bend over backwards for just a few people at your wedding?"  Uh... yes I am.  We're talking about my (at the time future) husband, his family and my DAD!?!  After "snarky lady's" rude remark, she said she would fax me some menus to look over.  My mouth hung open as I read over them.  What she listening to me at all?  Every single one had beef or chicken as the main course.  Hello?

I made a few more calls, all of which were pretty much dead-ends.  Everyone was flogging the same-old, same-old "roast beef and lasagna" or "chicken and pasta salad" that you encounter at every wedding...  I knew that I wanted my wedding to be unique in every aspect INCLUDING the food!  And I knew I could do it with our limited budget (I am very resourceful).

Then I found Sugar Mountain Catering and David Macmillan purely by chance.  It was a random comment on a wedding forum by a newlywed who was raving about them.  It wasn't long before I was speaking to David on the phone.  He explained that custom menus were his specialty and how he in fact thrived on the creativity and challenge of them.  He described unusual pairings that he had carried off with flying colours - like the Japanese bride and the Jewish groom or the Persian fellow that married the German girl.

While the first woman I called chastised me for being "too" accommodating towards my guests, David welcomed the challenge I had with open arms.  I could actually hear the wheels turning inside his head and feel his excitement for the creative process that he was about to embark on.

As David says on his site, "We work within your budget and cater any ethnic cuisine. Our chef thrives on custom designing menus to suit your specific needs and looks forward to sitting with you for a menu consultation and providing a tasting for you and your spouse-to-be in the comfort of your own home free of charge."  It was a match made in heaven.  It almost felt too good to be true!

So then it was time for the tasting.  It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G to say the least.  David and his wife came out to our home, brought the wine, and proceeded to create 4 dishes for us to taste.  Honestly, he had me after the first bite.

And he was warm, genuine and authentic.  And so was his wife.  It was like eating with old friends.

On the day of our wedding, everyone RAVED about the food.  Even if they weren't sure about a particular dish at first, they were happily surprised.  My uncle's words to my Mom were something along the lines of, "Well the food was certainly different, but I tried everything and it was all EXCELLENT!"  I was so very happy that there was something for everyone AND that it was delicious to boot!

Then to top it all off, my Aunt asked me if I could get the recipe for a particular salad that David had made featuring Granny Smith apples.  There was no hesitation on David's part at all to share it with her.  I've honestly lost count of how many times I've recommended Sugar Mountain Catering.

I had an expectation of an experience as I sat down to dinner on my wedding day and David Macmillan and his team at Sugar Mountain Catering delivered that experience.

So figure out what you're good at, ensure there is a need for it, and do it CONSISTENTLY.  Then put that into a statement.  That is your BRAND PROMISE.

Do you have a brand promise?  Please leave a comment below and share.

As you may or may not know, I feel very strongly about a woman's right to breastfeed in public.  I saw this ad and thought it was brilliant.  Or in Aussie lingo, a R-I-P-P-E-R!

So who has a connection at INFACT Canada or the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada or better yet, at the Department of Justice of the Government of Canada - the department responsible for the upholding of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?  Specifically Section 15(1) and Section 28.  Let's lobby for some breastfeeding ads like this one!  Short, sweet and OH SO to the point!

You like?  Leave me a comment with your opinion!

Welcome to the June Carnival of Breastfeeding!  The theme for this month is Nursing in Public.  Be sure to check out the other bloggers' posts below.

I never really had a problem breastfeeding in public, but the oogles and stares indicated to me that a lot of other people did, which in turn, made me a teensy bit uncomfortable, but never enough to deter me.  I usually draped my shoulder with a receiving blanket to appease the gawkers (did I say that?) however since the baby's head would jerk and pull it off, I was forever adjusting.  I thought it was a pain in the ... well, you know.

I was never too jazzed about those big, bulky nursing covers either.  When I see a mom using one even to this day, I immediately think, "what big, bad thing is she hiding under that thing?"  'In my humble opinion', it sends a message that breastfeeding is something to be covered up and ashamed of.  "It is illicit, top secret, too awful to be seen with the human eye."  How ridiculous!  I also think that in warm weather, the baby would be sweltering under there.  Although they seem to function well for moms, they are definitely NOT for me and I imagine a lot of other moms feel the same way.

I have met so many Mom-Entrepreneurs since having my children.  It makes me so happy when I hear about yet another fantastic product that was created by a Mom that couldn't find "something" in the market, and thus created it herself!

One of these Moms is Diane Sam, the creator of MoBoleez®.  She has come up with an ingenious invention - the world's first breastfeeding hat!  Being that I had already weaned both my daughters, it almost made me want to have another baby... almost. ;-)  Your baby wears the hat on their sweet little head, therefore his or her movements don't cause any "indiscretions".  The great big brim of the MoBoleez® gives moms a bit of privacy without covering-up the breastfeeding like it is some "big bad secret".  And here's a bonus - once baby is done nursing, she can continue to wear it as a sun hat!

MoBoleez hats draw attention to breastfeeding in a fun, positive and fashionable way which is one of the things that breastfeeding needs to be once again accepted into the mainstream culture as it once was at the beginning of the last century. 

Isn't it time?

Do you/did you breastfeed in public?  If so, were you comfortable or not so much?  What, if anything, did you use for a cover?  I'd love to hear from you!

Check out these other bloggers' posts on Nursing in Public (updated throughout the day):

• Lucy and Ethel Have a Baby: Nursing in Public - Boobs Out and Proud
• PhD in Parenting:  Would You, Could You, Nurse in Public?
• Dirty Diaper Laundry:  Breastfeeding in Public - Talents - I Haz It
• Kim Through the Looking Glass: Here, at the Restaurant?
• Grudgemom: Nursing in a Room Full of People You Know
• Mum Unplugged: Awww, is He Sleeping?
• Massachusetts Friends of Midwives: Nursing in Public - Chinatown, the Subway, the Vatican, and More
• Mother Mary's Soapbox: Breastfeeding Oriana
• Tiny Grass: Nursing in Public as an Immigrant
• Mommy News and Views: Breastfeeding in Public
• The Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog: Get Kicked Off a Bus for Nursing in Public? Here's How to Respond
• Breastfeeding 1-2-3: To Cover or Not To Cover
• Stork Stories: Little Old Men... & Nursing in Public
• Chronicles of a Nursing Mom: Why Worry About NIP?
• Blacktating: Thank You for Nursing in Public
• Musings on Mamahood: NIP, No Tuck
• Mama Knows Breast: Products That Can Help You Breastfeed in Public
• babyREADY: A Wee NIP in the Park!
• Tales of Life With a Girl on the Go: Planes, Trains and Automobiles - We've Breastfed in them All
• Breastfeeding Moms Unite!: Nursing in Public:  A Fresh Perspective on Nurse-Ins
• Hobo Mama: Easy, Discreet Ways to Breastfeed a Toddler in Public
• Breastfeeding Mums: Nursing in Public - What's a Breastfeeding Mother to Do?

I was reading the Motherwear Breastfeeding blog the other day, as you know I so often do, when I followed a link in one of Tanya's posts and ended up on this site.  I have to say that I thought I'd died and gone to heaven!  The concept behind Best for Babes has lived in my head for some time now.  I always thought that I would find the time to start something like this (I know my friends and family are rolling on the floor laughing right now).  Having said that I am absolutely thrilled that it has already been brought to fruition!

The attitude, the approach, the images, the sass and their slogan - "Giving Breastfeeding a Makeover" totally resonated with me.  I immediately emailed the founders, Bettina and Danielle, and we scheduled a conference call to discuss how I could get involved!

To start we are proud to announce that $1 from the online sale of every PumpEase™ will be donated to the Best for Babes Foundation to help moms achieve their personal breastfeeding goals.

Here is a glimpse of the Best for Babes Mission Statement...

To give breastfeeding a makeover - to market, brand and mainstream it, acting as a catalyst to elevate this cause on par with Komen, Juvenile Diabetes, (Red)™ and others.

To shift the focus and pressure off moms and onto the “booby traps” - the cultural and institutional barriers to breastfeeding successfully - and to helping to remove those barriers through positive social pressure.

To harness the power of celebrities, corporations, foundations, fashion, advertising, the medical community and the media to bring about a cultural change that embraces, celebrates and supports breastfeeding moms.

I encourage you to visit their site and find out how you can get involved.  Donate, follow them on Twitter, join their Facebook Group and tell everyone you know about them!  Anything and everything you do will help.  It is an especially vital time with the recent introduction of the Breastfeeding Promotion Act in both houses of Congress as well as the Breastfeeding Petition to President Obama to make breastfeeding a high priority in his adminstration - to promote it as preventative care to save lives, reduce disease and save the US Health Care system billions if not trillions of dollars.

"Hey!" you say, "Are you not Canadian?"  Yes I am, born and raised.  However, it has to start somewhere and like it or lump it, we all look to the US for direction sometimes.  The situation in the US is critical with the skyrocketing Caesarian rates, the plummeting breastfeeding rates after moms and their babes leave the hospital and the lack of education and support for the breastfeeding mom.

Besides, I love my US customers and Best for Babes will help women worldwide, not just in the good ole USA.

So please visit the Best for Babes site and then come back here and tell me what you think!

Since few people have experience with exclusively pumping breast milk, it is often difficult for a woman who is exclusively pumping to find understanding and sometimes even acceptance.  Women who breastfed without difficulty often do not understand how difficult and emotionally trying it can be when breastfeeding problems are encountered and some may believe a woman who is exclusively pumping did not try hard enough or gave up too early.   Women who chose to formula feed often do not understand why a woman who exclusively pumps would not choose to feed formula if breastfeeding is difficult or not possible.

The reality for most women who end up exclusively pumping in order to provide their babies with breast milk is that they experienced difficulty attempting to breastfeed and reached a point where they needed to make a change in the way they fed their babies.  Yet, given their strong belief that breast milk is the best food for infants, they dedicated themselves to providing expressed breast milk.  Sometimes, there has been a lack of support or access to qualified lactation consultants and this has made a difficult situation even more challenging.  But often, women who end up exclusively pumping have consulted and worked with lactation consultants.  However, the stress and challenge of a situation often compounds until a change must be made in order to remove the pressure from an increasingly stressful experience.  The breaking point for every woman is different, and the challenges are different for every woman.

The option of exclusively pumping as an alternative to formula feeding is one that is usually not discussed in prenatal classes or pregnancy magazines; indeed it is an option that is largely unknown and greatly misunderstood.  Yet even though many women make the choice to exclusively pump when breastfeeding has not worked out, women who are exclusively pumping often feel alone and isolated.  Feeding expressed breast milk by bottle falls between the two most commonly known methods of feeding an infant -breastfeeding and bottle feeding formula- and therefore leaves mothers who are exclusively pumping between the two groups without a clear source of support or information.

Ways to Support Exclusively Pumping Mothers

• Educate, educate, educate! Women need to be educated about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding needs to become common place, expected, and supported. New mothers need to know others who are breastfeeding or who have breastfed and have the opportunity to watch babies breastfeeding. The best support is to provide the assistance and education necessary to remove the need to exclusively pump for as many women as possible. The vast majority of women who exclusively pump would breastfeed in a heartbeat if it were possible for them.

It is important to let women know that breastfeeding can require work and dedication.  While it is normal and natural, it is a learned skill for both mother and baby.  All too often, breastfeeding is given cursory attention or the difficulties that can occur are never mentioned to new or expectant mothers.  As a result, if a new mother, already tired and likely overwhelmed from having a newborn to care for, faces difficulties trying to establish breastfeeding, she may simply give up under the mistaken belief that breastfeeding is normal and natural and should therefore also be easy, and that somehow, she has failed or isn't capable of breastfeeding.  This education and support needs to be given in both the prenatal and postpartum periods.

Of course there are situations where breastfeeding is just not possible or complications arise which make breastfeeding difficult.  In these situations, it is vital that women who must exclusively pump be given accurate information and unwavering support.

• Give credibility to exclusively pumping as an alternative to formula. Share the option of exclusively pumping breast milk with women as an alternative to formula prior to the birth of their baby. Some may be concerned that talking about exclusively pumping as an alternative method to provide breast milk may cause some women to choose it as an alternative to breastfeeding or quickly give up trying to establish breastfeeding if they are having difficulties. This concern is understandable, but with proper education and an honest discussion of the requirements to initiate and maintain lactation with a breast pump very few women will choose to express breast milk instead of breastfeed when breastfeeding is possible. And indeed, without the option presented to women before they experience difficulties, there is the very real risk that new mothers will turn to formula when they experience troubles, diminishing their milk supply, and making it all that more difficult to breastfeed. When presenting the idea of exclusively pumping, it is important that it be discussed as an alternative to formula feeding and not an alternative to breastfeeding. There is absolutely no equal to breastfeeding, but there are far better alternatives to feeding formula.

• Acknowledge the tremendous emotional impact breastfeeding can have on a woman, and even more so, the emotional impact of not breastfeeding. It is often difficult to come to terms with the reality of your experience compared to the expectations you had for it. Many new mothers expect to breastfeed, yet we know that breastfeeding is not always easy and does not always work out as planned. It is important to recognize the emotional toll this lost expectation can have. Comments such as "You just need to keep trying a little longer", while sometimes true, do not take into account the tremendous emotional load a new mother may be straining under. Simply acknowledging the loss, grief, and disappointment a woman feels can be important. A simple question such as, "How can I help you?" can mean a lot. Validating her feelings and encouraging her abilities are also extremely important. Comments such as "I understand why this is so upsetting for you" and "You are a good mother" can provide the boost that is needed to continue persevering.

Often prior to making the decision to exclusively pump, women are in an unending cycle of breastfeeding, bottle feeding to supplement their baby's needs, and then expressing their milk with a breast pump.  This cycle is exhausting and almost impossible to continue for an indefinite period of time- especially without support.  Add onto this cycle the stress of having a premature baby or ill infant, or other complicating factors, and a new mother can easily and quickly become overwhelmed.  Be prepared to offer not only a listening ear but to also offer concrete support to assist in all other aspects of her life.  Many women who end up exclusively pumping turn to it as a means of self-preservation after becoming overwhelmed with the cycle of breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and pumping.  Sometimes the emotional price of continually trying to breastfeed and not having the situation improve is enormous and overwhelming; sometimes a woman needs to move on.  Support her decision.  Recognize it as her decision.  Acknowledge the fact that her baby is still receiving breast milk.  Provide information and support if breastfeeding is still desired.  Again, acknowledgement and support can go a long way.

• Help exclusively pumping women connect with others for support and information. There are numerous internet discussion boards and mailing lists dedicated to exclusively pumping moms and many others available for women who are generally expressing breast milk whether it be exclusively or while they are at work. The benefits of sharing with others who are going through the same experience as you, and feeling the same emotions as you, are enormous. Women who are exclusively pumping often think that they have invented the idea and feel as though they are the only woman in the world doing it, but this is far from the truth.

• Family and friends must provide support and encouragement. The importance of breastfeeding and breast milk must be understood by everyone supporting a new mother. The time requirements and schedule of a woman who is exclusively pumping is extremely challenging and will not only affect the mother, but will affect everyone in the family. Help with the new baby, older children, and household work is often necessary in order for the mother to be able to dedicate the necessary time to milk expression. In addition to practical support, it is also very important that family and friends support the efforts of the woman to provide breast milk for her baby. Questioning the importance of breast milk, suggesting the baby be fed formula or asking why she doesn't "just breastfeed" undermines a mother's efforts, does not acknowledge her struggles, and gives her yet another obstacle to overcome.

There is no doubt that the option of exclusively pumping can be a difficult path to choose, but the value and benefits of breast milk are undeniable, and, when breastfeeding is not possible, exclusively pumping breast milk, as the World Health Organization recommends, should be seen as the next viable option for feeding a baby.  This alternative can be made much more viable for a new mother with support, understanding, knowledge, and acknowledgement from those who surround her.

Stephanie Casemore is the author of Exclusively Pumping Breast Milk: a Guide to Providing Expressed Breast Milk for your Baby.  For more information on exclusively pumping or to purchase Stephanie's book, visit www.ExclusivelyPumping.com

Had I met Diane Sam of MoBoleez® about 3 years earlier than I did, I would have had one of her hats in every color!  As it is, I met her when I had already weaned my youngest daughter so I didn't get to take advantage of her ingenious invention!  It almost made me want to have another baby... almost. ;-)

I really didn't have a problem breastfeeding in public, but the oogles and stares indicated to me that a lot of other people did, which in turn, made me a teensy bit uncomfortable, but never enough to deter me.  I usually draped my shoulder with a receiving blanket to appease the gawkers (did I say that?), which I was forever adjusting due to the fact that the baby's head would jerk and pull it off.  I thought it was a pain in the ... well, you know.

I can't say that I'm too jazzed about those big, bulky nursing covers either.  When I see a mom using one, I immediately think, "what big, bad thing is she hiding under that thing?"  "In my humble opinion", it sends a message that breastfeeding is something to be covered up and ashamed of.  "It is illicit, top secret, too awful to be seen with the human eye."  So ridiculous!  I also think that in warm weather, the baby would be sweltering under there.  Although they seem to function well for moms, they are definitely NOT for me and I imagine a lot of other moms feel the same way.

If I had had a MoBoleez, adjusting the cover due to the baby's movements would have been irrelevant because she would have worn the hat on her sweet little head!  A little bit of movement here or there doesn't matter at all.  The great big brim of the MoBoleez gives moms a bit of privacy without covering-up the breastfeeding like it is some big bad secret.

And here's a bonus - once baby is done, she can continue to wear the MoBoleez as a sun hat!  There has never been a better time to buy a MoBoleez - their brand new line, dubbed MoBoleez Couture features fashion-forward fabrics that are reversible to a solid so you are getting "2 hats for the price of 1".

MoBoleez hats draw attention to breastfeeding in a fun, positive and fashionable way which is what breastfeeding needs - to be once again accepted into the mainstream culture as it once was at the beginning of the last century.

Isn't it time?

Do you/did you breastfeed in public?  If so, were you comfortable or not so much.  What, if anything, did you use for a cover?  I'd love to hear from you!

I don't have a lot of patience:  I'll wait 20 minutes maximum for a table at a restaurant; I don't do the "get up at 4 am and line-up at the Electronics Store" Boxing Day thing; and heaven help you if you keep me waiting more than 15 minutes for an appointment!  (I am now ducking from all the people that I've kept waiting since I've had my kids and have become one of those "perpetually late" people).

I thought having children would help me have more patience - uh... nope.  It just makes ME late now (see above).

Therefore I am pretty stoked to finally be revealing our new Classic Collection!

It has pretty much been KILLING ME waiting to share this with you!  We started choosing fabrics about 7 months ago.  We chose our "classic" woman 4 months ago.  We brainstormed on marketing ideas 3 months ago.  We did the photo shoot in March (after being snowed-out the first time we scheduled it).  And finally, finally, finally Verry Cherry, Snowy Leopard, Forget me Not and TUXEDO <----- the "secret" print, are here!  And you are going to LOVE them!  I still can't pick a fave - I love them all!

I would like to talk a bit about my beloved Audrey Hepburn and why we chose her to be our "classic" woman.  Aside from the fact that she was stunningly beautiful to her dying day, Audrey was the epitome of grace, sophistication, style and absolute modesty.  Soon after Hepburn's final film role, she was appointed a goodwill ambassador to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).  She then dedicated the remainder of her life to helping impoverished children in the poorest nations of the world.

I have to admit that I've always loved Audrey Hepburn (and I'm not one of those people that swoons over celebrities).  One of my favourite movies of all time is Robin & Marian, which was Audrey's first film after taking nine years off to raise her children.  She stars with Sean Connery (slurp, drool - OK, maybe I swoon a bit here and there - how can you resist that accent?) and if you haven't seen it, you absolutely must rent it this weekend!

Audrey was a muse for the designer Givenchy, an award-winning actress, a dedicated humanitarian and yes, a breastfeeding mother!

Therefore it was pretty much a "no brainer" to mirror our Classic Collection marketing around one of her most famous movies - Breakfast at Tiffany's - and for which she received an Oscar nod for Best Actress.

Tell me what you think - I la-la-la-love feedback!  The Classic Collection prints?  The marketing image?  Everything!  Drop me a comment below.

I recently came across this fantastic resource on the Lansinoh website and wanted to share it with you!

"In very rare cases, some mothers who have meticulously expressed and frozen their milk for later use have discovered to their dismay that all their frozen milk has turned rancid.  This happens when a mother produces milk that is high in lipase, the enzyme that breaks down fat in the milk. Depending upon the level of lipase in her milk, some mothers notice this rancid smell after their milk has cooled in the refrigerator; others, notice it only after the milk has been frozen for a while.  Thankfully this doesn’t happen often, and this can be prevented. 

It is suggested that every mother who is planning to freeze her milk should freeze some test batches of milk and thaw it out after a week or so to be sure it has not become rancid.  If the mother finds that after freezing and thawing her milk that it has a rancid smell, she can prevent this from occurring in the future by heating her expressed milk to a scald right after collecting it and then quickly cooling and freezing it.  Scalding inactivates the lipase.  Once the milk has acquired the rancid smell, however, treating the milk will not help.  It is not known whether or not this milk is safe for the baby however, most babies refuse it because of the taste."

You can find more information on this subject on the KellyMom website.  She states that the milk is in fact NOT harmful to your baby, but the stronger the taste, the more likely that he or she will refuse it.

Have you ever found that your breastmilk "turned" after refrigerating or freezing?  If so, did you throw it out or did your baby drink it anyways?  I never encountered this personally, however I would love to hear your stories!  Please drop me a comment below.

UNICEF, WHO, WABA and the scientific & medical communities all recommend initiating breastfeeding within one hour of birth.  Evidence shows this can prevent up to 22% of all deaths among babies less than 1 month old in developing countries.  It is also known that, like other mammals, human babies can instintively initiate breastfeeding on their own (provided they are kept between mother's breasts).  This is called the "Breast Crawl".

I just stumbled upon this amazing video detailing the breast crawl of a newborn - something that has been documented to take, on average, 30-60 minutes.  This particularly speedy little girl found mom's nipple in just over 10 minutes!  Everything that is happening here is so perfectly designed by nature:  the skin-to-skin contact helps keep baby warm and initiates mother-baby bonding.  Baby's "kicking" on mother's belly stimulates the womb to contract, which helps to deliver the placenta and reduce bleeding.  The baby smells the food close by, begins salivating and starts her "trek" to mom's nipple.   I was very moved by this video. Then I sat back and wondered why I was so moved... this is nature... this is how it should be.  Best for mom.  Best for baby.  Simple.

The Breast Crawl was first documented over 20 years ago (Widström et al, 1987) however, I don't think many people have heard of it.  I hadn't until today, have you?  I would be more than happy to see widespread recommendation of the baby crawl as "the method" for initiating breastfeeding.  Drop a comment below and tell me what you think.

Exclusively pumping breast milk is best thought of as an alternative to formula feeding.  While there are some women who decide to exclusively pump even before their babies are born, they are by far the minority.  Instead, most women who exclusively pump fully intended to breastfeed and believe strongly in the benefit and value of breast milk.  When confronted with difficulties or situations that make breastfeeding difficult or impossible, these women turn to the use of a breast pump to ensure their babies receive breast milk.

The reasons women exclusively pump are extremely varied: the premature birth of a baby; the illness of the baby or the mother; problems with breastfeeding including such things as a poor latch, thrush, cleft palate, poor weight gain, a lack of milk (either real or perceived), and the early introduction of a bottle leading to nipple preference; and the separation of mother and baby including women who must return to work soon after the birth of their babies.  It is difficult to briefly discuss the many reasons women exclusively pump, but there do tend to be some similarities in most women's experiences.

Self-preservation is an often mentioned factor in the decision to exclusively pump.  New mothers are overwhelmed with emotions.  Hearing your baby scream every time you try to nurse, enduring extreme pain when nursing, or having a baby who is unable to get enough milk to satisfy her can add to an already tumultuous period.  Also, for women who are breastfeeding, bottle feeding to top up the baby's intake, and then pumping to maintain or increase supply while the baby learns to breastfeed or the mother is able to resolve difficulties she is experiencing, the cycle becomes overwhelming and, even with a strong support network, can make it extremely difficult to continue for very long.

Often a mother is not able to truly focus on mothering and enjoying her new baby, and instead, is solely focused on providing nourishment.  Life becomes consumed with feeding the baby, which can, in and of itself, add additional stress to the situation making breastfeeding all that more challenging.  The decision to exclusively pump can, for some women, bring back a balance in their lives and in their household and enable them to refocus on their babies while continuing to feed their babies breast milk.

The decision to exclusively pump is not made lightly.  The vast majority of women who decide to exclusively pump do work with lactation consultants before making their decision.  And although pumping and bottle feeding becomes the primary method of feeding, many women also continue to work on breastfeeding and solving problems that were making it difficult to breastfeed.

Yet, even though the hope of exclusive breastfeeding may still remain when a woman starts to pump, many women do get to a point where they no longer attempt to breastfeed.  Many struggle with the emotions they feel as a result of not breastfeeding and not having the breastfeeding relationship they thought they would have with their baby.  For many, the strong emotions felt when they do not see success breastfeeding are too difficult to continue reliving over and over again.  The disappointment and frustration often prove to be difficult to cope with on a continuing basis and as a result the decision to exclusively pump is made.  Working with a lactation consultant during these first few weeks of pumping is extremely important if a transition to exclusive breastfeeding is desired and an important time for lactation consultants to maintain close contact with women in order to assist them to breastfeed successfully.

Perhaps the strongest motivating factor for exclusively pumping is the strong belief that breast milk is the best way of nourishing a baby.  Most women who exclusively pump do not feel that formula is an option; it is something they would prefer not to feed their babies.  Therefore, when they are confronted with difficulties breastfeeding (or the inability to breastfeed), and are unable to resolve the situation, they turn to what is often in their minds, the only option available to them.  If the women who exlusively pump did not have this as an option, their babies would most likely be switched to formula.

Exclusively pumping is a viable alternative to formula feeding.  Knowledge is key, however.  A breast pump will not initiate or maintain a milk supply in the same manner as a baby.  Women who have been able to exclusively pump long-term tend to follow a similar set of guidelines.  Support and accurate information are extremely important indicators of success for women who are exclusively pumping.

While breastfeeding is undoubtedly the best method of feeding a baby, the fact remains that certain circumstances make breastfeeding difficult, and sometimes, women decide to bottle feed.  The reasons for this decision and the emotions that surround the decision are varied, but in all cases, exclusively pumping can ensure that it is breast milk in the bottle instead of formula and provide more babies with the best start possible in life.

I a jewelry fanatic.  I always tell people that if I hadn't gone to Fashion school, I would have taken a silversmithing course or attended FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) for Jewelry Design.  I still plan to have a 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) career around jewelry at some point of my life. Yup, I am THAT passionate about it.

For my 40th birthday, I bought myself a jewelry armoire (that's it to the right) so that I could more readily view and enjoy and WEAR my collection that had until that point, lived in various boxes and as a result didn't get worn and loved as much as it should have.

I absolutely LOVE this armoire!  You can find this one and others like it at Armoire Gallery.  I shouldn't have waited for my 40th to buy it that's for sure!

So the other morning @TheBoobLady followed me on Twitter and I promptly visited her site and blog (I visit the sites of every new follower by the way).  It was there that I saw the next addition to my jewelry collection... drool!

You've heard it is Barbie's 50th this year right?  Well, an amazing New York jewelry designer by the name of Margaux Lange is making jewelry out of Barbie parts!  Sounds weird?  Perhaps... but take a look and make your own decision - I think you will be pleasantly surprised!  I am not-so-secretly coveting the Have a Heart Bust Pendant.  L-O-V-E the tie-in with breastfeeding.  Now I just have to decide which color to get...

What piece of Margaux's jewelry do you like?  Drop a comment below and let me know!

No, I wasn't just trying to bait you with that headline...  The Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition has developed Breastfeeding Management, in their words, "a reference for supporting breastfeeding mothers".  This is software that can be downloaded from their website for FREE and will run on your iPhone, your iPod Touch or your Palm PDA.

What will they think of next?  Sigh, almost makes me want to have another baby so I can try it out...

Some of the highlights of the software include:

• breastfeeding management for new mothers
• breastfeeding resources
• Approach to Early Breastfeeding tool (for evaluation and triage of breastfeeding in the first 2 weeks of life and to help those having difficulty initiating breastfeeding)
• FAQ's
• database of medications and general guidelines for their use by lactating women

A funny thing happened to me one morning a month or so ago.  I got up, made the bed, got cleaned-up and wandered down to my office to do some work before the kids got up.  This was all pretty much the status quo until I looked at the email inbox on my laptop as I walked through the kitchen... KABOOM!  I had over 20 eNewsletter sign-ups, lined-up one after another, in my inbox...     huh?

Our website states that we will send you a FREE Breastmilk Storage Guidelines fridge magnet if you sign-up for our eNewsletter.  We would get people signing-up "here and there" but nothing like this!  I looked at the sign-up forms and the subscribers were all being referred by this particular website that listed "free" things.  We Google our brand name (PumpEase™) regularly to monitor our brand, address any customer service needs and to keep an eye open for new testimonials etc.  We had seen the fridge magnet offer on other "freebie" sites for quite some time, but nothing notable had ever happened in terms of a flurry of subscriptions.

Then it got referred to another give-away site and another and another...

I finally had to temporarily pull-down and rethink the offer.  By the time I did that, I had almost 90 subscribers - all in less than 2 hours!  Now this may sound like peanuts to some (business) people, but for us, a start-up early in its second year of business, it was quite substantial.

We have now reinstated the offer, however with a built-in email address verification so we at least know we are receiving valid email addresses in exchange for the fridge magnet/envelope/postage and labour spent fulfilling them.  For example, one of the email addresses was "idontthinkso@no.com".  Um... no.

I contacted the owners of the "freebie" websites, explained our situation and after a few days, the eNewsletter sign-ups petered-out to a more "normal" frequency.  I should note that after verifying the email addresses manually, we fulfilled every single magnet, including one that we sent all the way to Russia (our offer is now only good in North America).

This is the first time I have ever experienced anything that belonged to me or any of my websites going "viral".  It was scary and exciting all at the same time.  Scary, because I felt a bit out of control (yes, I'm a control freak), however the reinforcement of the sheer power and speed of the internet was both inspiring and most definitely exciting!

According to Wikipedia, viral marketing "refers to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives (such as product sales) through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer viruses. It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet. Viral promotions may take the form of video clips, interactive Flash games, advergames, ebooks, brandable software, images, or even text messages. The basic form of viral marketing is not infinitely sustainable."

A simpler definition, from marketingterms.com is "A marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message."  So basically, glorified word-of-mouth marketing (my fave marketing channel).

If you Google "viral marketing", the results exceed 4.2 million.  Wikipedia has captured the top organic result and following it you will find "The Six Simple Principles...", "7 Tricks..." and "The New Rules...".  So there is lots of free advice out there.  But do you think viral marketing can be planned?  Or do you think it just happens?

According to the CMA (Canadian Marketing Association) "Viral is Not a Strategy" - you can plan for it all you want, however, in the end, you don't decide if something goes viral... everyone else does.

In my humble opinion, you can look at and learn from other campaigns that have gone viral.  Be inspired by them; dissect the "why" of the viral outcome; try to pull something from them that may work in turn for your business.  And keep plugging away - it will happen when you least expect it.

And now for some inpsiration:  The Top 10 Viral Marketing Campaigns of all Time.  My wheels are turning...  ooooh...  aaaaah...

So I am sitting here waiting for one of my blog posts to go viral...............................

Ahem...?  I'm waiting...  Hellooooooooooooooo?

Have you ever had anything go viral?  Tell us about it by dropping a comment below.

My husband is a worse worry wart than I am (he is sooo going to be in trouble when our girls become teenagers and start bringing the boys home).  One of his biggest worries when our girls were little was SIDS - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  Even though we tried to do all the right 'stuff' to reduce the risk - we are non-smokers and our house is smoke-free (check); we had very healthy pregnancies (check); we put our babies to sleep on their backs or sides (check); we breastfed (check); we used a baby sleeping bag and kept the babies' room at an appropriate temperature monitored by a thermometer (check).  We did what we could but of course we still worried.

The good news is, there are many, many more things you can do to reduce the chance of your baby dying of SIDS.  Here is a great complilation from Dr Sears outlining the latest research on SIDS reduction - so you can perhaps worry just a teensy weensy bit less.  :-)

Drop a comment below with any questions or comments.  We love to hear from you!

I have had a few queries and comments here and there as to why we've chosen to use hook & eye over Velcro® for the PumpEase™ closure.  Let's talk about that shall we?

While I believe that Velcro® is a fantastic product, it definitely has its "issues" (that's right... Velcro® needs therapy).  Let me explain... my husband likes to wear these cargo-type pants with a gazillion pockets on them.  They also have a gazillion pieces of Velcro on them to close said pockets.  When it comes time to do the wash, they drive my C-R-A-Z-Y!

Before I put my hubby's pants in the washing machine, I must make sure that each and every piece of Velcro® is perfectly lined-up with its partner so as to minimize the chance of the hook side of the Velcro® catching on and snagging other garments - usually knits - in the wash (look at those evil hooks in the picture to the right!)  Then I have to turn the pants inside-out because there is always a chance of one of those gazillion pieces of Velcro® coming undone during the wash, especially after the garment has been around for a while and that dreaded hook side is all caught-up with fuzz, dust, loose threads and hair (yuck), and as a result doesn't grab the loop side quite as well, but somehow is still quite capable of snagging other garments and completely ruining them!  This is, of course, extremely time consuming when I have two little ones running around; I barely find the time to fold the clothes and put them away, let alone all the work actually getting the wash INTO the machine in the first place!

More often than I would like, even with all my preventative action, I pull the clothing out of the washing machine and a lowly piece of Velcro® has completely mutilated yet another garment - and it is uncanny how many times that garment belongs to YOURS TRULY!

Why don't I wash my husband's pants separately you ask?  Well, we have a front-loader so as to reduce the number of loads of laundry we do for both economic and environmental reasons, therefore that kind-of defeats the purpose doesn't it?  There are sometimes only one, maybe two pairs of these pants in the laundry at a time.

Why don't I get a new husband?  Uh... NO.  My husband is a keeper!

Why don't I get my husband a wardrobe consultant?  Well, I have tried to convince my... umm, er, sigh!

But I digress, Velcro® is especially "attracted" to knits because they too have "loops" as part of their construction (see the diagram to the left).  And guess what?  PumpEase™ are made from a knit.  Are you starting to understand why we chose NOT to use Velcro®?

Now some of you may counter that hook & eye will "catch" on things in the wash too.  Yes, that is certainly true, however when you remove the hook & eye that is caught on another garment, you unhook it and that's it.  To avoid this altogether, we recommend either simply hand-washing your PumpEase™ or washing it in a lingerie bag and hanging it to dry.  Basically, care for your PumpEase™ in the same way that you care for your better intimates.  On the other hand, there is no way to remove Velcro® from the "victim" garment without damaging it in the process.

Another aspect that we considered when making our decision, is that Velcro® is extremely noisy when detaching and if your baby is sleeping nearby, this could potentially wake the little monkey.  Apparently the US Army had the Velcro® company develop a "silent version" that reduced the noise by 95% so as not to betray soldiers' positions (it is used profusely on their uniforms), but it is a military secret (no joke).

Finally, we figured that most women are pretty darn familiar with hook & eye considering that has been the primary closure on foundation garments for over 100 years.  What better closure to deal with, bearing in mind that you will likely be bleary-eyed, sleep-deprived and donning and doffing your PumpEase™ in the dark?  Women are used to hook & eye - we have been fastening and unfastening it "blindly behind our backs" for years!

Tell us what you think - agree? disagree? have another closure idea?  Drop a comment below.

All of us can exercise on our own. So why don’t most of us do it? And if we do, why do most of us eventually stop?

Exercise psychology is a vast and complex area of study. Through research, experts have found that there are a variety of factors that effect exercise adherence. After almost 20 years in the fitness industry and six years specializing in pre and postnatal fitness, I have learned that a key factor is exercising in a group. Here are the top five reasons to exercise in a group:

You’ll work harder

Exercising in a group is energizing! Most people work an average of 20 per cent harder in a group or with a trainer than when on their own.

You’ll stick to it and so will your baby

People who attend fitness classes or play team sports are 50 per cent more likely to be lifelong exercisers. The children of lifelong exercisers are much more likely to be active themselves.

It’s good for your mental health

Exercise, whether alone or in a group, helps to prevent and manage depression. It clears our minds and releases our natural mood enhancers called endorphins. However, research shows that the mental health benefits are significantly greater when exercising with a supportive group of ‘like people.’ This is especially true for pregnant women and new mothers.

It’s efficient

Women who attend pre or postnatal specific fitness classes often praise the multiple benefits. Not only do they get a great workout, they also get to build relationships with other moms and moms-to-be, learn about their bodies, and gather helpful community information.

It’s good for your baby

While you are pregnant, you will begin to see the value of creating a support network. Having a community means having the support you need to be the best mom you can be. After baby arrives, he’ll benefit from the sights and sounds of coming with you to class. He’ll try to track your movements with his eyes and move with the music. He’ll even grow to interact with the other babies. After a while you’ll notice that attending class has become part of his routine too.

So get out there and find a group fitness class that works for you. You’ll be glad you did!

Melanie Osmack is the founder of Fit 4 Two® Pre and Postnatal Fitness, a BCRPA Registered Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer and mom of two. You can contact her at melanie@fit4two.ca

I'm always taken aback by people/corporations/doctors/governments that focus on the end-result of an issue instead of what caused it in the first place.  I will liken it to the medical practice of treating symptoms instead of finding out what is causing said symptoms and addressing that.  Take, for example, a person that suffers from chronic headaches.  Don't just give him/her a pain killer, rather FIND OUT why he/she is getting the headaches in the first place!  It could be a sensitivity to something they are eating or something in their environment, eyestrain, stress, dehydration, the possibilities are endless!  And yet, people seem to be OK settling for the "quick fix" - usually drugs.  It is nothing but a bandaid.  Maybe they don't know that they have other choices?

So the formula companies and other 'questionable parties' spearhead these studies about toxins in breastmilk while conveniently skirting around the fact that there are toxins in pretty much everything on earth INCLUDING FORMULA.  Unfortunately, it is an example of the classic scare tactic that is so commonplace in American culture today - another desperate attempt to market their product to the masses.  Their message?  "Don't breastfeed!  You will poison your baby!  Feed your baby formula!  Formula is safe!"

Sidebar:  Did you know that if you Google "help with breastfeeding" or "breastfeeding problems" the top (sponsored) search results are links to formula companies' websites? grrr....

I believe that the information that should instead be shared as a result of these studies and many others is, "The earth is polluted, so much so, that there are toxins in everything from soup to nuts including breastmilk AND formula.  What are we going to do to stop the pollution?"

Tell me what you think.

And I thought it was awfully nice of the police officer to clarify that she was being cited for having an unrestrained toddler in her lap, not the fact that she was "breastfeeding in public" especially when Ohio is one of the states that has a law with language specifically allowing women to breastfeed in any public or private location.  Read the full story here.

Sometimes I think people should have to obtain a license to have children.  Think about it.  You need a license to drive a car, keep a dog, take care of other people's children, go fishing and many other things.  But you can have a baby and do "whatever you want with it", no matter how immoral, reckless or manipulative... until you get caught, IF you get caught at all.  What do YOU think?

Have you ever had a piece of clothing "fall apart" the first time you washed it or even before you washed it?  An open seam; a hem that has let go; a loose button?  Yes?  Chances are you wore it without washing it first.  When you wash a garment, the threads that make up the stitching swell and their fibers "lock" together.  This makes the stitching more resilient to wear and tear and less likely to "slip" undone and open that seam or let that hem down.

So if having to mend brand new purchases annoys you as it does me, then wash before you wear!

This goes for your PumpEase™ too!  Your hands-free pumping support has bar tacks at opposite ends of the horn openings to reinforce the area of your PumpEase™ that will sustain the most wear and tear (from insertion and removal of your breast pump horns).  We want this stitching to be locked into place to give you the best performance possible from your purchase, therefore...
please wash your PumpEase™ before you "Pump Without the Frump!™"

So tell us what side of the fence you're on - the "wash before you wear" crowd or the "I can't wait" crowd!

Anywho... she explained in her email that although they weren't taking on any new products at that time (due to the economy of course), that they wanted to carry PumpEase™.  She called our product "recession-proof" (and she said it "rocked" and a bunch of other nice stuff!)

I have been reflecting on that email from time to time over the last few months.  And I've come to the conclusion that she was right. PumpEase™ IS recession-proof!

Let me explain:

During hard economic times, people "cocoon".  What do they do when they stay home? - make babies of course!  There has actually been talk of another baby boom - perhaps not as big as the post-war baby boom that we are all so familiar with - but a baby boom no less.

Artificial feeding costs almost $2000 USD annually.  Breastfeeding provides all the nutrients your baby needs, is always the right temperature and is FREE.  It also protects you and your baby from a myriad of diseases.  Kind of a no-brainer I'd say.

New Moms are likely to have to return to work sooner than planned to bring some money into the household, therefore more women will be pumping!  If you are buying or renting a pump, what's another few dollars for a PumpEase™? - a product that lets you multitask while pumping - your boss will love it and so will you!  And of course you will need one of our sassy Do Not Disturb door hangers to announce to all of your coworkers that you are busy "Mommy-tasking"!

And then of course, you can't argue with the numbers.  We had our best month ever in January 2009.  Everyday on the news, in the papers and on the internet, all the talk is "doom and gloom" - people losing jobs, families losing their homes, businesses closing (I feel for ALL of you, really I do).  And yet, we are filling more orders than ever and are 'business as usual'.

I've been reading articles here and there about consumers' spending habits during an economic downturn.  Research indicates that people cut corners with the "everyday" stuff - groceries, toiletries, items that don't really matter too much - however, psychologically need that one "luxury" item to boost their spirit, to make them feel special, to remind them that things will get better.  Go ahead!  Treat yourself to something special whether it is a PumpEase™ or something else you really want!  You deserve it - and don't you dare feel guilty!

It reminds me of a job I had about 20 years ago (yes I was a victim of child labour).  The employee parking lot accommodated only a fraction of the people who worked in the building, therefore some of us had to park on the street.  There was a 3 hour parking bylaw, but it was only enforced (with a parking ticket) if a resident complained.  Needless to say, we quickly got to know which addresses NOT to park in front of due to them housing particularly 'grumpy' homeowners that had nothing better to do but to call the city to give us a ticket.

So Facebook, I appeal to you as follows:  If you are going to pull pictures and cancel accounts, then each and every picture posted to Facebook MUST be screened using identical criteria.  Therefore, if a picture of a mother breastfeeding her baby, with the baby's head positioned in such a way that no part of the areola is exposed, is considered obscene, then so is a picture of a burlesque dancer wearing pasties.  It is as simple as that - the same rules MUST apply to all parties.

Here is a copy of the press release issued by the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine last month.

Facebook flack regarding breastfeeding mothers

New Rochelle, NY, January 12, 2009 - "The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine feels that the social networking website, Facebook, would be well advised to review its policy banning photographs of breastfeeding mothers. Such a policy perpetuates the notion that breastfeeding is an unseemly bodily function best kept from public viewing, a misguided and antiquated concept that has no place in contemporary society. It further perpetuates the idea that formula feeding is normative when breastfeeding is, and should be considered, normative infant and young child feeding. Health professionals widely acknowledge that breastfeeding is biologically unique and appropriate for the mother and infant.

Throughout most of history, breastfeeding, whether performed in private or otherwise, has been regarded as a natural and wholesome aspect of daily living. In fact, some of the greatest works of Renaissance art dealt with the theme of the Virgin Mary breastfeeding her infant son (the Madonna Lactans).  Note from Wendy - no less than 47 images, in Wikipedia alone, appeared when I Googled "Madonna Lactans".  I have incuded one such image to the right - and a stunningly beautiful one at that.  And yes that is a COMPLETELY EXPOSED areola (gasp! - what were they thinking back in the 16th century?)

So important is breastfeeding for the well-being of infants, mothers, and society at large that no less than forty four states have enacted legislation safeguarding the right of a mother to breastfeed in public. The Surgeon General's Blueprint for Action on Breastfeeding encourages "images of breastfeeding as the normal way to feed infants in most places women and their infants go." Facebook should certainly be considered one of those places."

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine is a worldwide organization of physicians dedicated to the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding and human lactation through education, research, and advocacy. An independent, self-sustaining, international physician organization and the only organization of its kind, ABM's mission is to unite members of various medical specialties through physician education, expansion of knowledge in breastfeeding science and human lactation, facilitation of optimal breastfeeding practices, and encouragement of the exchange of information among organizations.

Very well stated.  OK, Facebook... are you finally going to step-up to the plate?  Tell me what you think - will Facebook ever eat their words?

If, furthermore, this medicine had no ill side effects, and its production had absolutely no adverse environmental impact, we would scarcely be able to believe our good fortune as a species. Now, what if the fantasy were to be extended a bit, so that we imagine this miracle substance to be not only all of the above, but also free of charge? In other words, no one stands to profit economically from its production, promotion, or distribution. In fact, the only adverse impact at all would be an economic one on a billion-dollar multinational industry built upon a competing but clearly inferior product..."
- Barbara Quick

Guess what? She's talking about breast milk.

If you remove all the cultural stigmas, red tape and white noise, it is really a no-brainer, isn't it?  Tell me what you think.

I have a new-found respect for Mr Rogers after watching the elusive "Episode 364", (originally aired in 1968 - the show's first season) where he discusses how baby animals and human babies drink their mother's milk.  I stand corrected on the date of this episode; it was originally aired in 1984.  Thank you "MarFv"!  The clip includes wonderfully detailed footage of moms nursing their babies that ironically would most certainly be pulled from Facebook today.  Apparently Mr Rogers was a heckuva lot more open-minded and forward-thinking over 41 years ago, than a good percentage of people today.

Ever since I saw that clip I have been obsessed with finding out more about the much-parodied Fred Rogers and his "Neighbourhood".  I think I'm in love. 

Fred Rogers wrote every episode as well as composed all the music for every one of his "Neigborhood" shows.  He regularly dealt with many issues that other children's programs glossed-over like divorce, war, competition, anger and death.  He was concerned with teaching children to love themselves and others.  In fact, research confirms that 'Mister Rogers Neighborhood' can help children develop the important skills they need for learning in and out of school.  How many of today's programs would even come close to this?  I think I'll be buying some DVD's for my girls to watch. 

Here are some other little-known facts (at least to me) about the famed Mr Rogers:  He was a vegetarian that swam every morning and neither drank or smoked.  'Mr Rogers Neighbourhood' had no commercials when it was on the air, running for 28 minutes solid.  He was an ordained Presbyterian minister.  One of his heroes was cellist Yo-Yo Ma whom appeared as a guest on his show.  'Mr Rogers Neighborhood' won four Emmy Awards and Fred Rogers won a 5th for Lifetime Achievement in 1997.  Fred Rogers was cited as one of the most prominent witnesses influencing the Supreme Court decison in the case Sony Corporation of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc (Betamax v. VCR).  He held 40 honorary degrees and won numerous awards.

Fred Rogers died on February 27, 2003 from stomach cancer, shortly before his 75th birthday.  'Mr Rogers Neighbourhood' aired for over 33 years (that's 998 episodes - the longest running program on PBS).

"Can you say 'breastfeeding'?  I knew you could."  (Sorry I couldn't resist).

Please share any special stories you have about 'Mr Rogers Neighborhood' and its beloved creator.  I'd love to hear more!

There are many reasons to pump.  The majority of these reasons are still relevant if you are separated from your baby and perhaps even moreso.  Therefore, the fact that security "became anxious" because there was no baby tagging along with said breast pump is ludicrous!  Of course she didn't have here baby with her.  She was travelling for the day to an NDP caucus meeting in Kamloops and needed to pump BECAUSE HER BABY WOULDN'T BE THERE TO EMPTY HER BREASTS!  Does anyone else find this as ridiculous as I do?  Use your common sense people!

Security's only suggestions were to check the pump as regular baggage (however she feared running back to check-in would cause her to miss her flight), or to leave the ice packs behind.  I guess they are ignorant of the fact that breast milk can only be stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours.  What good is a breast pump without the means to store the milk?  And was it therefore the ice packs that were the real problem not the pump?

I think perhaps the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, the body responsible for security at Canadian airports, needs to educate themselves about breastfeeding, pumping and the working mother!

Have you ever travelled by air with your breast pump?  With or without your baby?  In your carry-on or checked luggage?  Tell me your stories and share your opinions.

Breastfeeding reduces babies' risk of the following diseases as noted below:

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS):  36%
Type 1 Diabetes:  19-27%
Type 2 Diabetes:  39%
Leukemia (acute lymphocytic):  19%
Leukemia (acute myelogenous):  15%
Asthma:  27%
Gastrointestinal infections: 64%
Lower respiratory tract diseases:  72%
Atopic dermatitis:  42%
Acute otitis media:  50%

Breastfeeding reduces mothers' risk of the following diseases as noted below:

Type 2 Diabetes:  4-12%
Ovarian Cancer:  21%
Breast Cancer:  28%

OR if you want to see the flip side...it seems to have more impact:

Artificial feeding increases babies' risk of the following diseases as noted below:

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): 56%
Type 1 Diabetes: 23-37%
Type 2 Diabetes: 64%
Leukemia (acute lymphocytic) : 23%
Leukemia (acute myelogenous): 18%
Asthma: 37%
Gastrointestinal infections: 178%
Lower respiratory tract diseases: 257%
Atopic dermatitis: 72%
Acute otitis media: 100%

Artificial feeding increases mothers' risk of the following diseases as noted below:

Type 2 Diabetes: 4-14%
Ovarian cancer: 27%
Breast cancer: 39%

You should be aware of the fact that this is NOT a complete list.  Breastfeeding protects against many more diseases and scientists continue to do research around this topic.  Enough said - BREAST IS BEST - always has been, always will be!

Do these numbers surprise you?  alarm you?  make you even happier that you are/did/plan to breastfeed(ing)?  Tell me what you think.

    
           Forget Me Not                         Snowy Leopard                         Verry Cherry

Oh and by the way, we haven't given away the store here.  There is a 4th print that you will just have to WAIT to see.  And it is absolutely going to be our Best Seller!

Tell us what you think...

Jill Lepore wrote this article for The New Yorker magazine.  I felt it was a very interesting and thought-provoking piece talking about, among other things, the increase in pumping in our culture and the possibility of it having a negative affect on the progress we have made with women's rights to breastfeed in public.

National Public Radio interviewed Jill Lepore on the same subject.

Tell me what you think and leave a comment over at Motherwear too!

During production, our manufacturer uses a felt pen to mark the location of the horn openings.  Normally drillholes (small holes in the fabric) are used for this type of marking in the factory, however we have opted for the felt pen to preserve the integrity of the fabric in light of the fact that the horn openings are one of the most important areas of our product.  This felt pen washes out in an instant!  If you touch it with water, it will "bleed" immediately and change to a purple color.  Dabbing it with (I use cold) water a few times, front and back, and then tamping with a paper towel removes the dot in its entirety.  Or you can just let your washing machine do all the work for you.

Just thought you'd like to know!  I will try to post some pictures of the infamous black dots soon!

My sister Denise, who was induced for her first daughter's delivery (Olivia is now 5-years-old), laboured at home for about 20 hours.  I was the DD as the lower mainland of British Columbia has been abnormally blanketed in more than a foot of snow for over a week now and I am the only one who has a 4x4!  When we arrived at the hospital, she was fully dilated and delivered the baby in about 20 minutes and 3 pushes!  Way to go Denise!  Dr C, our amazing family doctor, didn't quite make it in time, but the nurses as Royal Columbian Hospital were fantastic.

Oh and I should mention that Dixie has a really good latch, has been feeding beautifully and Mom Denise will be pumping in 4-6 weeks with her PumpEase™.  She is also looking forward to using her MoBoleez™ once the snow melts and she can get out of the house!

Dixie, named after my Dad Richard - who almost always went by "Dick", is a truly beautiful baby.  What an amazing Christmas present!  Drop a comment below if you are a Christmas baby or if one of your children are.

Happy Holidays to all of our customers, readers, friends and family!  To celebrate Dixie's arrival, we are offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders until New Year's.  Use coupon code 'FREESHIP' at check-out.  No worries if we're out of stock in your preferred size/print, order anyways as we are expecting production to arrive from our factory any day now.

Amazingly enough, Claire's and my husband work together and therefore we met purely by chance.  Our first 'conversation' was via Facebook and we immediately clicked!  We have now worked together on two commercial shoots as well as two family photo sessions - one environmental and one in-studio.  What a difference a professional photographer makes!  No more cookie-cutter family photo sessions for us (sorry Sears)!

The most recent family photo session had SO MANY fantastic shots that there was no clear 'best picture'.  We had a helluva time picking!  With Sears (sorry again....well, not really), we were lucky to find one shot that would suffice for sending out to family and friends for a Christmas card... and now we have the opposite problem!

If you live in the lower mainland of British Columbia, leave a comment below and you will be the lucky recipient of a coupon for $100 off a session with Claire Reid herself.

A - helps avoid allergies; immediately available; antibodies are passed from mother to baby through her milk; nutrients are more easily assimilated

B - creates close bonding between mother and child; reduces risk of breast cancer; contributes to optimal brain development; breastmilk doesn't stain clothing

C - comforting for baby; convenient; changes as baby grows; no constipation; colostrum is the perfect first food

D - digests more easily; cannot be duplicated; allows delay of solids; fewer dental problems (promotes proper jaw, teeth and speech development so there is less need for expensive orthodontics later)

E - easy; enjoyable; enhances relationship with your baby

F - fulfilling; always fresh; gives you a free hand for reading, etc; fewer health problems means a happier baby

G - giving of yourself; a great way of meeting emotional and physical needs; less garbage and other environmental wastes

H - breastfed babies are healthier; babies are meant to have human milk

I - inexpensive; immunity factors are only found in breastmilk

J - joyful experience; ready in a jiffy

K - spend less time in the kitchen (mixing, washing, sterlizing, warming...)

L - loving; you can join a fun mother's group like La Leche League; less spitting-up and stomach upsets

M - delays the return of postpartum menstruation (but not necessarily ovulation); something only a MOM can do for a baby

N - perfect balance of nutrients; night feedings are easier; natural

O - prevents overfeeding; less diaper odour; reduces the chance of obesity later in life

P - prolactin helps you feel motherly; helps prevent serious health problems; milk supply is pure

Q - quiet time together; best quality nutrition; pratically unlimited quantity

R - relaxing; less rashes for baby; recommended by the Canadian Pediatric Society, the World Health Organization and The Breastfeeding Committee for Canada; completes the reproductive cycle:  conception, pregnancy, birth, lactation

S - satisfies all the senses; superior infant food; saves time, effort money and resources

T - always the right temperature; travel is easier; time-tested through the ages

U - uniquely suited to each baby; contracts uterus helping to expel the placenta and control blood loss; universality of breastfeeding is a link with mothers all over the world

V - especially valuable in special situations (prematurity, jaundice); taste of breastmilk varies from skim to creamy during each feeding

W - helps mother's weight loss by using extra calories; no need to worry about baby's food supply; encourages normal weight gain for baby; called "white blood" because of the life-giving properties

X - x-tra cuddling builds strong ties of love

Y - it's yummy of course!

Z - these are only a few of the zillions of advantages to breastfeeding your baby!

I'd love to hear about any other ABC's of Breastfeeding that you can think of!

adapted by Sandra Yates, 2003, from the original by Mary Clarke, Andrea Meyer and Mary Jo Rodgers, Minot, ND, USA, with a few additions by yours truly, Wendy Armbruster Bell, 2008

"About 20 years ago I was in an antique store, somewhere in Oregon, or maybe it was California, it doesn't matter, really.
As I was rummaging through an old box of used postcards and black and white photos I happened across an envelope, small and unassuming, with the name 'Alice' neatly scripted across the front.
I moved it aside, without looking at the contents, because at the time I was more interested in the postcards.
I made my selection, 3 or 4 of them if I remember right, and then reached again for the letter to put it back in the box, but instead curiosity got the better of me, so I took it to the front desk with the postcards.
I paid for the lot, including the letter, and I remember he didn't bother to look at it either, nor did he charge me for it, he said, "If you want it, take it, it's of no use to me"...so I took it. I eventually read it and it remains one of my favorite little 'found' treasures, I kept it safely tucked away for years, until I came across it again the other day, in the back of a drawer.
I have faithfully typed it out, page for page, line for line and word for word, as it was written almost 90 years ago, (including all the errors and lack of punctuation).
I thought it was appropriate to share, on this Remembrance Day".

~yvonne

515834 J Goode
No 4 com 4th Div Train
Armourie
Halif
NS

Friday
25/6/16

My Dear Alice

We have been inoculated again to day and my arm is sore, thats our second dose, we have another to have yet. Well dear I don’t feel to good I havent had a word from you or anybody yet I am worrying how you all are We are going to sail Tuesday or Wednesday for sure I would like to hear from you before we sail it is trying my patience

We are suppose to sail on the Olympia a very big and fast boat I have not much to write dear That fellow asked me if you knew Lower Lodge Factory he used to work there. Say Alice quite a bunch of us boys have written postcards and stamped them and they have been sent to a womans  house in Vancouver one of the boys mothers place, when we arrive in England we between us are sending a cablegram to this woman and she will post all our cards letting you know when we landed you will know sooner that way I hope you all are behaving yourselves at home as well as you can now your overseer is away on his vacation You can address my mail to the Armouries Halifax until you hear from me in England. Well dear sweetheart be brave and take great care of the dear kiddies for me don’t whip them any more than is necessary I often bring out their picture and look at it it seems to console me when I get lonesome Don’t forget to send me that one of your sweet self and another of the dear kiddies don’t ever leave them at night never take heed how the neighbours might try and persuade you I am always proud to feel I have such a good wife to sacrifice so much with such a brave heart. You will always be able to hold your head up and know you have done your bit I cant help it Alice writing this sentimental stuff but it is my sincere feelings in writing If I am spared to come back and enjoy the comforts of home again I will want a good lot of persuading to leave it again but I am going through with this job to the last. Well dear kiss and hug all the dear kiddies for me tell them their Papa is always thinking of them night and day try and persuade them to study don’t let them run the streets to much they get tough and cheeky. I will write them a funny letter when I get on the boat. Well dear I hope you wont upset yourself reading this letter-but I will feel better when I hear from you so God Bless you all

With fondest Love from your True and Loving Husband

Jim

I'd love to hear any special stories you have about those that have fought for their country, past or present, young or old.

But that's good news for you!  Every PumpEase™ that leaves our house for yours is checked several times by different members of my "very particular" family.

After we receive our production from George, Elaine and Lana at our wonderful factory, the PumpEase™ head over to Mom's.  She snips threads and checks that everything is 'as it should be' with regards to construction.  I keep telling her that I'm going to get her some  Quality Control stickers.  Not because we need to track her work (she is our only inspector at this point), but rather to tell the world that "Mom" is checking your PumpEase™ and who could possibly be better suited for the job?  Honestly, I think she LIKES rejecting the PumpEase™ that aren't up-to-snuff!  Funny, the other day she was complaining about 'this job she has that she doesn't get paid for'.  Hmm... next there will be rumblings of a union starting - IIBMU (International Inspected By Mom Union Local 500).

Then my (currently very pregnant) sister Denise visually checks the PumpEase™ again, fastens the hook & eye closure, neatly folds them and inserts them into our packaging (which she has previously assembled).  She then adds our bar code label to the back and our size label to the front.

Finally, our shipping department (that's currently yours truly) makes another visual check before placing the PumpEase™ package in our crisp white bubble mailer with our pretty Snugabell™ shipping label on the front.  Then it is off to the Post Office to see Colleen!

So as you can see, we work hard to make sure the product you receive is in pristine condition.  If you EVER receive a shipment from us that does not meet your expectations, please let us know.  Our customers' happiness is very important to us.  If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.

I suffered from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome after (not during) both of my pregnancies.  They were very different experiences:  with my first daughter, I got it in my left wrist pretty much as soon as she was born; with my second daughter, I didn't get it until 1 year postpartum, however, I got it in both wrists and I still have problems today (and my youngest will be turning 2 on January 2nd).  I remember asking my GP about why pre and post partum women suffer from CPS, and even though his wife had suffered so badly that she had to have the surgery on both wrists, he couldn't really answer me.

I asked Dr Debbie "why" and she explained it so clearly and logically to me that I asked her to share her knowledge with all of you.  Watch her in action below...

Visit Dr Debbie at
Thrive Chiropractic Wellness Centre
1546 West 2nd Avenue
Vancouver BC
604.730.0111
info@thrivewellness.ca

© Human Milk Banking Association of North America, Inc.  www.hmbana.org

It really made me angry to read this news story this morning on the CBC - although I'm not surprised...

H&M Breastfeeding Incident Sparks Human Rights Protest:  video / article

This incident has sparked calls from breastfeeding advocates for a "nurse-in" at H&M this Thursday, August 7th at 12:30 pm.  Organizers hope hundreds of nursing mothers will descend on the store to publicly breastfeed.

And this is sure bad timing for H&M considering it is World Breastfeeding Week!  When are people going to realize that women weren't given breasts to offend, turn-on or garner attention from those around them?  Women have breasts (aka mammary glands) so that they can feed their young - just like every other mammal on earth!

H&M talks all about their Corporate Social Responsibility on their website.  Isn't abiding by the BC Human Rights Commission being socially responsible?  Their Head Office "claims" that shuttling nursing mothers off to breastfeed in a change-room isn't their corporate policy.  So what happened at the downtown Vancouver, BC store then?  Poor training?  Miscommunication?  Or is this just a cover-up and will the staff at the Vancouver store be H&M's scapegoat in a very public faux pas?

We all enter and exit this world naked.  We also, within our genders, all have the same parts -just different sizes, colors and shapes!  It is estimated by anthropologists that people first started wearing "clothes"  between 100,000 to 500,000 years ago. The first clothes were made from natural elements: animal skin and furs, grasses and leaves, and bones and shells. Clothing was often draped or tied, however simple needles made out of animal bone provide evidence of sewn leather and fur garments from at least 30,000 years ago.  These first pieces of clothing were donned primarily for protection from excessive heat, cold or adverse conditions, NOT for fashion or to "cover-up" in modesty.

If you are offended by someone breastfeeding, then that is YOUR issue.  There is nothing more natural than a mother feeding their young - any mother. Are you offended by a cow nursing its calf as you pass a farmer's field?  Do you cover your eyes at a litter of puppies feeding at their mother's teats in the pet store?  Are you "up in arms" when you see a whale nursing its calf on the Discovery Channel?  If not, then you are bordering on hypocrisy and have fallen victim to our society's sexification of the breast and the female body in general.  Think about it.  What's the big deal?

If a mother "whips out her breast" to feed her child and isn't that discreet about it, then that person would most likely offend you whether she was breastfeeding, eating, talking, driving or doing any other daily task.  Some people simply lack tact - it isn't the breastfeeding that is offensive - it is the person.

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is the greatest outreach vehicle for the breastfeeding movement, currently being celebrated in over 120 countries worldwide.

OK, I'll get off my soapbox now.      

My table was between Seattle Midwifery School (SMS) and Mother-Art. How ironic that I was situated between a school (I love to learn) and an artist (I love collecting unusual and beautiful pieces of art and jewellery).

On Day 1, I talked to Annie Kennedy about the courses that they have available. Annie is the Director of the (Penny) Simkin School at SMS. Both Annie and Penny are founders of DONA. I would love to learn more about lactation and breastfeeding so that I can understand my customers needs better. Note to self: sign-up for their 6-day Breastfeeding & Lactation course.

I also talked to Susan Kirk of Mother-Art and her lovely 16-year-old daughter (her name escapes me at the moment). Susan is an artist working in many different media from her garden studio in Chico, California. I perused Susan's table, filled with ceramic figurines, vessels and pendants as well as matted prints and notecards all honouring motherhood, telling myself that I didn't 'need' anything.

On Day 2, I purchased her Water Mamas print. Everytime I looked at her table, it spoke to me. I love the colors and I had to own it.

On Day 3, I purchased the Frida Wrap print. Susan looks after her neighbour's baby. She had Frida in the Maya wrap, looked down and saw this beautiful sight. She was so inspired, she painted it! I was also in awe of her beautiful ceramic pendants! I bought a Nursing Mother Goddess in turquoise (shown below, top right).  Susan makes many other styles as well. In fact, I'm thinking of possibly selling them on our website. What do you think?

Oh....and then I 'had' to have this silver pendant, (don't tell my husband), which is the logo for the Seattle Midwifery School....doncha just la-la-love it?

OK, gotta run now. I still have to deal with the smoking credit card.

{vortex include=3}

Welcome Carnival of Breastfeeding Readers! 

When I found out I was pregnant with my first child at 38, a good friend of mine asked me if I was going to pump.  I looked at her quizzically and asked, “Why would I need to?”  She went on to tell me that she and her husband had chosen to pump primarily so that he could feed the baby and therefore bond with her as she was.

That night, I talked to my husband about it.  My husband, Mike, is one of the most endearingly sensitive men I have ever met.  He cried when he said his vows at our wedding, he cried when our daughters were born and he cried when he kissed my belly for our pregnancy photos.  He said the pumping sounded like a good idea.  (All this and he rides a Harley too!)

After our daughter was born and we waited the recommended 4-6 weeks before introducing a bottle, I sat down at the kitchen table and stuck these plastic funnel doo-hickeys on my breasts and lo and behold, the milk started flowing into the bottles!  Who knew?  And needless to say, Mike cried the first time he fed each of our daughters.

When I started to pump on a daily basis, I experimented with various positions and locations around the house.  I leaned-up against the kitchen table to try to pin the horns between my body and the table so that I could at least turn the pages in a magazine, however it didn’t work too well - I couldn’t turn the pages (even with my elbows) and it was pretty uncomfortable.  I tried to simply hold the horns with my hands, however, my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome caused them to go numb and ache within a few minutes.

So I plunked myself down in front of my computer and Googled “pump hands-free”.  I found a handful of products, all of which were expensive, fiddly and “less than attractive” (insert eye roll here).  Why is it, that when we become a mom, it is assumed that we no longer have any style?

I let the idea stew in the back of my mind for a week or so, and then I decided to try to construct something on my sewing machine that would hold the horns for me.

Three years of research and development later, my website selling PumpEase™ hands-free pumping supports went live!  I now have the freedom to stay at home with my two girls (3-1/2 years and 17 months) and be a WAHM and entrepreneur.  Equally as important to me is knowing that I am helping pumping moms everywhere to pump with style and comfort, to pump pain-free, to extend their nursing relationships with their babies and to make much-needed donations to breast milk banks.

Be sure to check out these great posts from our blogging friends:

• Raising Baby Bee writes about pumping at work (and shares a great ‘do not disturb’ sign).
• Breastfeeding Mums says “electrify me!”
• Breastfeeding 1-2-3 writes about exclusively pumping for a baby with a cleft palate.
• Hobo Mama writes about donating milk for an adopted baby.
• Adventures of a Breastfeeding Mother shares her pumping tips.
• The Attached Mother writes about pumping and becoming a milk donor.
• Mama Knows Breast invites you to enter to win a free Medela Freestyle pump.
• Motherwear - our gracious host - writes about breastfed babies and bottles.

Last night I exhibited at the DSA (Doulas Services Association) Product Information Night/AGM.  I met many fantastic women and made some great contacts.  There were three of us talking about breastfeeding in public including the Mom (sorry Mom, I don’t remember your name) of Jen Casey - the owner of Dimpleskins Naturals - fantastic product line by the way!  Jen’s Mom proceeded to tell us a story of an incident that she recently witnessed while shopping at Sears.  A mother sat down on a couch in the furniture department to feed her very hungry baby.  A female employee told her that she couldn’t do “that” here and would have to leave.  The mother countered, stating that her baby was hungry and that she had to feed him/her.  The Sears employee told her she would have to go to the bathroom.  Jen’s Mom, overhearing the conversation, piped-up and said to the Sears employee, “Would you like to eat your dinner in the bathroom?”  Brilliant, just brilliant!

Federally, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms affords publicly breastfeeding mothers “some” protection.  Provincially, only British Columbia and Ontario’s Human Rights Codes specifically detail the rights of breastfeeding mothers.  Believe it or not, in the USA, there are only 39 states that have laws with language specifically allowing women to breastfeed in any public location!  I “thought” it was 2008….apparently I thought wrong?

The other woman that we were chatting with, a doula, added her two cents as well:  “When I happen to drive by a field of cows and some are nursing their calves, I warn everyone in the car - Don’t look!  You might get offended if you see an udder!”

If there is one thing that “gets my goat”, it is hypocrisy!  I will never forget the cow analogy and will share it with everyone I meet that appears to be “misinformed” in this regard. :-)

And I’ll be sending this cartoon to the doula…

On January 27th of this year we participated in our very first consumer trade show - Westcoast Moms’ Vancouver’s Largest Baby Shower. It was a ton of fun, we made a lot of great new contacts and PumpEase™ hands-free pumping supports were very well-received.

We interrupt this blog post for a very important message: A big thank you to my hubby for staying up until 3 am with me the night before! Those “little” give-aways take a long time to make! And also to my bff Lorelei for riding shotgun the day of. We now return to our regularly scheduled blog post.

The morning of the show, I woke-up to 2 feet of snow here in Coquitlam (the show was in East Vancouver - about a 30 minute drive west). Now some of you might be thinking, “Two feet of snow….big deal!” However, if you are saying that, I would guess that YOU don’t live here in the lower mainland where a mere dusting of snow causes sheer panic and chaos. We never get snow = people don’t know how to drive in snow = sheer panic and chaos.

I had to work really hard not to let all the negative thoughts into my head… a much harder task when you’ve only had 3-1/2 hours of sleep!

• no one is going to show-up
• we’re going to get into an accident on the way there and there will be pumping supports strewn all over the freeway
• Lorelei, my bff, won’t make it to ride shotgun (Lorelei doesn’t like to drive in the best of weather, let alone snow!)

Well positive thinking prevailed once again: it was sunny with absolutely no trace of snow in East Vancouver, the people were lined-up around Heritage Hall to get in and Lorelei beat me there!

The Westcoast Moms Baby Shower format is primarily targeted to first-time parents, most of which are still expecting. I have a display on my table at trade shows: a woman’s torso with a nursing bra, a PumpEase™ hands-free pumping support and breast pump horns - pretty much the works. It always cracks me up watching the expressions of people, especially the “Dads to Be” as they walk past my display. It ranges from giggles and nervous laughter, to disbelief and shock, to pure and utter horror. If I get the chance, I always make light of the display and make a point to assure the Mom or Dad-to-be that after experiencing the miracle of childbirth, a breast pumping display is “old hat”. “You’ll get over it!”, I say to them with a big smile on my face (it is so true)!

So Lorelei and I notice Shaw Cable making their rounds at the show. Bianca and her cameraman approach me because of the display. She said it was a “good visual”. Well the rest is history. Watch the clip below.

For the record, Mike and Toni are our two darling daughters, Michaela and Antonia, 1 and 3 years old respectively.

Because our whole approach is one of lighthearted humour, we wanted a lighthearted name.  As I’ve mentioned before, we feel people are WAY too serious about the most natural thing we can do for our babies - feed them as nature intended.

We tried to have a focus group to brainstorm a new name, however it was a scheduling nightmare.  Most of the members of my target market were too busy (with their families) to attend.  I thought a Facebook Group would work……but not much happened there - people joined, but didn’t really discuss…hmmmm.  So we turned to our old friend Survey Monkey.  We LOVE Survey Monkey yes-indeedy-do!  We got a fantastic response to our
itty-bitty survey.  Thank you so much to everyone that participated!

I would like to share some of the suggestions we got for naming the pumping support.  I’ve never laughed so hard!  I was once again reminded that I know some wonderfully creative people!  And for the record, I REALLY wanted to use Boob Tube - thank you Kim!

Here are some of my faves:  Titty Taps, Deliver-Eze, Meloneez (too bad my name wasn’t Melanie), Juggies, Plug ’n’ Play, Milk-a-Matic, Mammy Milker, Num Nums, Nummies, Pump’ems, Suckies…..you get the idea.

And I know you can’t make everyone happy.  There is ALWAYS going to be someone who doesn’t like the name.  And there is ALWAYS going to be someone that you offend.  Oh well, it’s good for press!

Stay tuned for the unveiling......

Breast milk banks - there are currently 10 in the United States as well - provide supplies to mothers who cannot produce enough milk or are not able to produce their own due to illness or being on medication.  Banks are also used by parents of adopted and foster children.

Many Canadian communities are pleading for more milk banks to be opened, however few hospitals are willing to supply the required funding and resources and the government isn’t stepping up to the plate to help (surprise, surprise).

Here at Mike & Toni’s™, we are committed to raising awareness around the need for donations (both breast milk and monetary) through our website, blog J and promotional materials.  And of course we will talk about it with everyone we meet!

We will also donate at least 1% of our profits to the BC Women’s Milk Bank to assist mothers and babies in need.

How can you help?  If you are nursing and have an abundance of milk, please consider donating!  If you are in the Greater Vancouver area, they will even come to pick it up.  Then they pasteurize, test, freeze and ship it out to those in need.  Of course, you can use your Mike & Toni’s™ hands-free pumping support while collecting the milk!

If you can’t help with a milk donation, you can help by donating monetarily.  Currently the milk bank cannot pay for the inward shipping of donations outside of their cachement.  A donation could help to change this!

For more information, you can visit the Human Milk Banking Association of North America at www.hmbana.org.  Our very own Frances Jones, Coordinator of the Vancouver Bank, is the Chairperson of the Board.  It is actually a pretty interesting read!

You can also find information about the Vancouver Bank here.

Thank you for your support (pun most definitely intended)!

The first one that comes to mind is a lighting company by the name of Kichler.  The previous owner of our house had some lamp posts built, but had not gotten around to installing the carriage post lights and so they were included in the sale (in their boxes).  When we had our electrician install them, we were dismayed to find one of the finials missing.  I contacted my local Kichler retailer, however, they informed me that we couldn’t buy “just the finial”, but would have to buy the whole light ($200).  After mulling over this for a while, I decided to email the parent company.  The fellow I corresponded with told me that he would check if he could send me a finial.  He told me exactly when he would get back to me and that’s exactly when I heard from him.  He then told me that he unfortunately could not send me just the finial and in the same breath offered to send me an entire light FREE OF CHARGE - he even covered the shipping!  Of course I was ecstatic…. I would have been happy to get it wholesale!  I wasn’t even the original purchaser of the lighting (and he knew that).  But I tell you….I sure will buy Kichler lighting in the future!

Just telling you this story has exuded in me the same excited feeling that I had on that day and that was over 2 years ago!  This just goes to show that providing exceptional customer service is worth every cent of your money and every minute of your time.

Here at Snugabell Mom & Baby Gear we strive to provide the same exceptional customer service to each and every customer - the kind that takes your breath away and makes you say, “Wow!”

Stay tuned for another great customer service story….

Unfortunately, I also have a really bad memory. It never used to be bad, however has steadily declined ever since I went back to school in my late 20’s and started using a DayTimer to keep track of all my assignments. Of course this has now turned into a Palm Pilot and may soon turn into a BlackBerry. My advice to you is to keep using your BRAIN and don’t be tempted by teeth that are blue, berries that are black and phones called “Chocolate” or “i” ….. it’s a conspiracy! I used to be able to retain a list of
20 (yes T-W-E-N-T-Y) tasks in my head and now I can’t remember anything! And then I went and had 2 babies over the course of 3 years just to really make sure my brain was mush!

So while I’m doing the laundry or making the beds or brushing my teeth and all these thoughts and ideas are popping into my head, I have to stop what I’m doing and run out to the kitchen to write them down. Sometimes I find myself running back and forth like a crazy woman! I’m paranoid that if I don’t write my fantastic thought or idea down, that I’ll remember later in the day that I had the fantastic thought or idea, but I won’t remember what the fantastic thought or idea was! Then I stress about the fact that I’ll probably never have that same fantastic thought or idea again!

If I’m in the shower or some other “penless” place, I chant the thoughts or ideas in my head over and over until I can make note of them. I’ve even resorted to keeping a Dictaphone recorder in my car so that when (not if) the ideas come to me while I’m driving, I can record them without causing a 10 car pile-up!

But now I have a blog - a means to record and share my fantastic thoughts and ideas with the whole universe! OK, maybe not the WHOLE universe….but hopefully you will find humour, insight and useful information in these posts. I plan to blog about being a WAHM, mompreneur, wife, parent, consumer, breastfeeding advocate and much, much more “as the mood strikes”. Come to think of it, this blog is pretty much destined to become one of life’s little instruction books because as you now know, “I am always thinking….my brain never stops.”

Welcome inside my mind, er blog. I hope you enjoy the ride!