My Struggle with Breastfeeding:
Did you know that 81% of new moms begin breastfeeding their babies at birth? By six months that number has decreased by half. Breastfeeding can be extremely stressful and a lot of moms give up after a few months or even weeks because of all the issues that come up during the process. I’m sure you’ve heard friends talk about the fact that they have a low milk supply and that they are struggling to breastfeed their babies exclusively. That’s super common, and you’re not alone.
For me, breastfeeding was always a high priority goal and I expected that my baby would latch on just fine, end of story. Little did I know, the struggle was real and I almost gave up entirely on breastfeeding. I was one of those moms having a hard time because my first born, Wyatt, was colicky and had a tongue and lip tie. So as you can imagine, he was having issues latching on and suckling. Over time he wasn’t gaining enough weight. As a new mom, it’s so scary, and you want to see your baby thrive. Wyatt would nurse for 45 minutes on each side and he would still cry afterwards. I just knew something was wrong. When I took him to his doctor, he told me that Wyatt wasn’t gaining enough weight and “maybe your milk isn’t good enough.” I was devastated and I just cried and cried. All of the research that I had read about how important breastfeeding is for a healthy baby, and now the doctor is saying my milk is not enough! At the time, I felt the doctor was saying I’m not good enough.
So I went on a mission. I met with a lactation consultant and she worked closely with me and told me exactly what to do. One thing that she figured out right away was that my son was lip and tongue tied. So, my husband and I took our baby to get the surgery to fix it. Then I had to work really hard to increase my milk supply. I would nurse, bottle-feed with supplement formula, and then pump. I rented a hospital-grade pump which I highly recommend, it makes a world of difference! I continued this routine every two hours, and even do this all night. I was lucky if I napped for 30 minutes between feedings. I didn’t sleep for a month. When I say I didn’t sleep for a month, I could not be more serious. I was also taking Motherslove more milk herbal supplements, and drinking Mothers Milk tea. I even tried lactation cookies. I was willing to do anything to make milk for my sweet baby. I made sure my nursing bras had no underwire because I had heard that underwire was part of the problem with milk supply levels. After a month of that crazy whirlwind, I was able to stop pumping and I did a nursing "staycation." I literally stayed home for three days straight, wearing pajamas (not sexy at all), nursing all day and all night. Finally after all that, Wyatt started to gain weight!! I still had to do weight checks but the major battle was over. I successfully breastfeed Wyatt until he was 13 months old, and the only reason I stopped was because I got pregnant with his little brother, Wesley. I immediately had more success with Wesley and I breastfeed him until 22 months. I’m so happy that I pushed through all of the stress, pain, and lack of sleep to be able to say that I did it all for my babies.
About Corinne:
One of the things I am most passionate about in life is empowering women. I think new moms need a confidence boost to know that they are beautiful and doing a great job. It just kills me because a large portion of women do not get this feedback. I felt compelled to do something about it, as well as do something for myself and my own happiness. After dealing with breastfeeding struggles and then losing my mom to breast cancer a few years ago, I suffered horrible postpartum depression. So with all of that, I really needed something to keep my mind from going insane. I decided to create a bra for breastfeeding moms that was comfortable, but also sexy. Just because we are literally a human milk machine, it doesn’t mean that we can’t be a sexy one, right?
My Mission:
I have a background in fashion design and sewing. Prior to starting a family in Arizona, I attended Berkeley College in New York for fashion, business, and marketing. I then moved to Los Angeles, and worked as a sales executive for the infamous designer, Chan Luu. When I moved to Arizona for my husbands career, and got pregnant, I started working at a local Old Town Scottsdale children’s boutique called Zoolikins. They specialize in cloth diapers and natural baby products. I was surrounded by moms, babies, and the exciting new world of parenting. With my fashion experience and passion for creativity, I wanted to make a beautiful and convenient bra for nursing moms that I couldn’t find anywhere else on the market. There is nothing more gorgeous than a pregnant or breastfeeding mother, but some women may not feel that their new body is sexy. Gaining several pounds during pregnancy or dealing with the complications of early motherhood can make you feel down about yourself, but when a woman, pregnant or not, puts on attractive lingerie, it makes her feel sexy and confident. Let’s face it, while pregnant or breastfeeding, you focus all of your attention on the baby, and you tend to forget about the sexual intimacy with your partner. Surprisingly, wearing that sexy nursing bra is a great way to show your man that you are thinking of them. A happy mother and father is a happy household, right?
It took me over a year to perfect the design with the help of other expecting and nursing mothers. Two great friends of mine were stay-at-home moms as well. Rebecca Robinson, owner of Lavish Comforts, and Grace Druecke, owner of The Bali Market, started their own businesses on the side that are very successful today. They have both guided and mentored me along the entire way. With the encouragement of my husband, family, and friends, I was able to make my dream come true.
The Design:
Sexy lingerie, doesn’t need to be uncomfortable, so I created this lace nursing bralette without any underwire, which makes it super comfy and it also offers support with removable pads (we all know how big and heavy our boobs can become when the milk comes in). Then, adding the adjustable racer back feature was the icing on the cake!
My gorgeous and dynamic nursing bralette was created to hopefully uplift women’s confidence and to spark that intimacy again.
Let’s Stick Together:
Don’t feel bad if you aren’t able to breastfeed your baby. You need to do what is best for yourself and your sanity in order to make your baby happy. There are plenty of people who just couldn’t try breastfeeding any longer, and that’s okay too. Their children are still happy and healthy, that’s why formula exists! You ARE a great mom. Keep loving yourself and your kids, and don’t let the overwhelming factors of motherhood get you down. You got this, mama!
By,
Corinne Braunwarth
**I started this blog to create an Oh La Lari motherhood community. I will be writing blogs from my experiences, and also about new and exciting things happening with the business. Comment below if you have any suggestions on any of the topics! :)