Be a Star Breastfeeding Campaign in Britain

I recently came across a Breastfeeding Promotional campaign in Britain, where young mums have been photographed in beautiful poses with funky make up and clothes, while breastfeeding their baby.

The aim is give breastfeeding a trendier image amongst new mums in areas where rates fall way below the Government health targets. By raising awareness of the benefits to both mum and baby, health officials are hoping the model mums will help turn the tide from bottle to breast.

I was just blogging about it today, how in the UK breastfeeding is not so widely accepted as here in NZ. (see post here)

But a campaign like this in New Zealand would certainly be beneficial.

I congratulate the people in Britain that have organised this, the creators, the photographers and stylists, and the beautiful mums and their babies!!

Well done, and good luck with your campaign!! It should certainly help breastfeeding appeal to mothers !

You can see more information about Be a Star here: http://www.beastar.org.uk/

Breastfeeding Rates

I was talking to someone the other day, about how good NZ women are at Breastfeeding. It really is considered the norm over here, and most people are comfortable breastfeeding and breastfeeding in public.

The midwives and hospitals here promote breastfeeding so much, and formula is pretty much taboo. The health staff here actually cannot tell people anything about formula due to the WHO rules. Which of course makes things extremly difficult if you are in this situation, so contact us and we can help answer your questions. I'm a mum myself!!

Did you know that Ireland is still years behind. Apparently the hospital midwives push formula on everyone, including breastfeeding mums. It totally undermines new mums. It seems to be a policy to give a newborn formula . They also still give out free samples of formula. There is a small but determined movement growing to make changes but as formula is so the norm, and breastfeeders have such a poor image there they have a long way to go.

Maybe my business Breastmates should spread wings to the Emerald Isle? What can I do to help from here?

Email Marketing Finds it Way Back to Writer

When running Breastmates website, every few months I send out a newsletter to my confirmed subscribers, to all the people that requested to join up to the newsletter to be notified about sales, freebies, and competitions. (Join Here)

It was somewhat eerie when I received this message from my good friend Kylie... to see my own words being sent back to me after going around a few offices, over to Australia, back to New Zealand, around a few more offices and then forwarded on to me!

See the email trail here http://www.breastmates.co.nz/adv_email_trail.html

Cosmo

Some of our HOTmilk lingerie was compared to other brands in a recent Cosmo Pregnancy magazine.

The editor seemed to like the HOTmilk lingerie in the line up.

To view all our current styles available go to http://www.breastmates.co.nz/hotmilk.htm

Breastfeeding in NZ

This is the advertisement photograph that New Zealand is using in its magazine and TV advertising campaign, to help promote breastfeeding and improve breastfeeding rates in NZ.

The TV ads are very focussed towards Pacific Islanders and Maori, as apparently these mothers have lower and shorter breastfeeding rates.

Their offical website address is http://www.breastfeeding.org.nz which is very similar to my website address http://www.breastfeeding.co.nz Some people have been confused between the two, and have been typing in my address (.co.nz) after seeing the TV adverts for the (.org.nz) site :-)
'
Welcome!!

Bras for Africa - Press Release

A business owner is asking Auckland women for their old bras. Not a strange request nor anything untoward but a simple donation for charity.

Frances McInnes, the owner of Breastmates Breastfeeding Store, is asking women to donate any of their preloved bras which will be collected up and sent to women in Zimbabwe.

Breastmates is running the collection drive in conjunction with HOTmilk the supplier of the maternity bras that are sold as part of Breastmates’ range, and former-Zimbabwean Morag Roy who saw the need for bras in the country.

The bras will be distributed to school girls and women who often do not own any underwear. Something as simple as underwear gives women prestige, shows that they have money, and means men are less likely to assault them.

The collection is called “Knickers for Africa” but Frances clarifies that only secondhand bras are being collected from the public. “We are also sending our end-of line knickers that are brand new, not secondhand ones.”

Frances says she is “extremely pleased to put her energy into this project”, and that “if all she has to do is ask people for their old bras for it to make a change to another person’s life, then it is totally worth the effort.”

Frances has already started taking collections, through pamphlet drops in her neighbourhood, local community groups, and promotions on her website.

“I’ve been quite bombarded with bras already, every day there are a few more in the mail box and my postie must wonder what is going on.”

The collection is being run from February through to March, when the bras will be shipped to women living in villages in Zimbabwe, Africa.

For more information go to http://www.breastmates.co.nz/africa.html

Pictured below: Frances McInnes, manager of Breastmates hanging out a load of donated bras

Breastfeeding Photo

Here is another breastfeeding photo of me and my baby. My husband took all these great shots when my second son was 2 weeks old. We just had timed it after a feed and a bath. I decided not to use this one in my marketing though for my breastfeeding store

Looking back at this photo now, my bubs was so tiny and cute! Well he still is cute, he's just grown a lot. I should have taken more pics

Breastfeeding Campaign

A very cool breastfeeding campaign has recently been undertaken in California.

An extract from NBC Bay Area

"A series of life-sized photographs of women breastfeeding their babies, cut-out and plastered on poster board, is all part of an eye-catching campaign to encourage and promote the acceptance of breastfeeding in public.

The Marin Breastfeeding Coalition said it would love for everyone to notice the campaign and to question why they were even paying so much attention to a breastfeeding mother in the first place.

The group wants the public to know that breastfeeding in public is perfectly acceptable and that it is actually protected by law. "

You can read the full article here: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/around_town/the_scene/Lactating-Women-Getting-Second-Looks-in-Marin.html

I think this is a brilliant campaign. Maybe we could get something like this started in New Zealand. But then again, breastfeeding in public is very well accepted in our country.

New Competition

We have just started a new competition. Just enter online and you can go in the draw to win $330 worth of Breastmates products. We have 2 prize packs to give away. The pack includes a Medela Breast Pump, HOTmilk Maternity lingerie, Glamourmom Nursing singlet, reusable breast pads, wool breast pads, and a reminder wristband for feeds.

Competition closes 31 March 2009

You can enter here: http://www.breastmates.co.nz/treasures.html

HOTmilk's Knickers for Africa

HOTmilk, maternity and nursing lingerie label (sold by Breastmates), is sending a very special gift to help young women living in villages in Zimbabwe avoid being sexually abused… underwear.

“Sometimes we can take a lot for granted, from the roofs over our heads right down to the fact we own underwear,” says the lovely Ange Crosbie. “When we heard that something as simple as
undergarments had the possibility of giving young women in Zimbabwe a better chance to live a life free of sexual abuse, we knew that we wanted to help.”

The company is assisting former Zimbabwean Morag Roy, who returned to her home in Australia from a recent trip determined to help the local communities in Zimbabwe in a very unusual way.

Roy discovered that sexual abuse of young girls there was rampant, so she asked a local priest what the girls needed most to prevent it. “He told me that underwear gives a women prestige, shows they have money and means men are less likely to assault them,” says Roy. “I was amazed but when I ew back six months later with suitcases stuffed with bras I saw rst hand what a difference it made.”

During that trip Roy also found that most of the young girls and mothers there only had one ragged pair of knickers each, so they often wore none. “They also desperately need
knickers, but I guess a Catholic priest wouldn’t have thought about mentioning that!” she says.

So far HOTmilk has donated 6,500 brand new pairs of underwear for the project.

Breastmates and HOTmilk are now teaming up for YOU to lend a hand too.

Breastmates would like to offer the NZ public the chance to donate their old bras to this wonderful cause. Get out any second-hand-good-condition bras that you have... (or any brand new knickers) you can drop them into our Studio Store in Auckland, or mail them to us.

*Please no secondhand knickers*

We will then give you a voucher for a big discount on your next HOTmilk purchase at Breastmates. As shown here: http://www.breastmates.co.nz/lingerie.htm

Facebook Vs Breastfeeding

So you might have seen in the news recently all the hype about how Facebook banned someone's personal breastfeeding photos from their personal account. Apparently breastfeeding photos breach Facebook's policy. (! go figure!

Here is the group on Facebook

I joined this Breastfeeding Facebook Group, because I'd had a lot of difficulty organising my business adverts on facebook. I kept trying to load a paid advert using one of my breastfeeding photos (since mine is a breastfeeding business after all). But they kept declining my adverts and I couldnt work out why. I thought it was because of incorrect spelling, but alas it was because of the photo nursing baby.

You can see the breastfeeding picture I was using here

Anyway, check out this abusive message that some idiot wrote to me. I was so shocked. I cant believe people really think like this.

Quote:

"YEAH PLEASE LEAVE FACEBOOK WITH ALL YOUR DISGUSTING BREAST. WE ARE MOSTLY COLLEGE STUDENTS AND WE ARE MORE INTERESTED IN ACADEMICS NOT SEEING YOUR HIDEOUS BREASTS. HAVE YOU NO SHAME? WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO MODESTY? PRIVACY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE KID THINKS OF YOU WOMEN EXPOSING THEM? I WOULD HATE IF MY MOTHER DID THAT TO ME. YEAH IT'S NATURAL, SO IS TAKING A CRAP OR DRAINING THE MAINDRAIN BUT YOU DON'T SEE PEOPLE POSTING THAT! AND BELIEVE ME SOME SICKOS WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT JUST AS THEY LIKE TO SEE THESE BABIES FEED ON BREASTS! YOU WOMEN SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES! HORRIBLE":

end quote

Wont let that message affect me.

New Promotion Starting Soon

We will have an exciting new promotion coming soon, which will include something for the man in your life. A free gift with purchase.

I can't spill the beans just yet ..... but the wheels are in motion....

Think of something sexy, something for men, men's undies, valentines day, .....oooohhh

I will update you as soon as I am allowed!

If you want to be notified when this new freebie is launched please sign up to our Newsletter. Subscribers get advanced news and special deals too!! Join here

Formula Feeding Baby

The cost of Formula Feeding Baby
A simple bit of mathematics.

Assumptions: If you feed your baby with formula from birth, exclusively, with no breast milk. 100% bottle feeding. From newborn to 18 months. Starting solids at 6 months in addition to formula drinks. And then weaning onto cows milk at 18 months. Taking into account the different volume of formula fed to a baby as their age changes (as recommended dosages from the manufacturers), and feeding an average child..

1 tin of baby formula = 900g
1 scoop of formula is 7.9 grams, per 50mL of water added.

So to calculate the amount of formula for the age group, for example 4 month old baby..: 200 mL feed means 4 scoops of powder at 7.9 grams x 5 feeds per day x 60 days until baby gets to 6 months old and changes their formula required dosage = 9480 grams of formula

Based on the "how much does baby drink" guidelines specified on formula tins:
http://breastmates-nz.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-much-does-baby-drink.html

1 week: Newborn baby, 50mL feed, 7 times per day, for a week = 387.1 grams
2 weeks old: 100 mL feed, 6 times per day, for another 7 days = 663.6 grams
up to 1 month: 100 mL feed, 6 times per day, for another 14 days = 1327.2 grams
up to 2 months: 150 mL feed, 5 timer per day, for another 30 days =3555 grams
up to 4 months: 200 mL feed, 5 times per day, for another 60 days = 9480 grams
up to 6 months: 200mL feed, 5 times per day, for another 60 days = 9480 grams
over 6 months: 200mL feed, 3 times per day, for another (12 months x30 days) to take baby up to 18 months old = 34128 grams

The total formula you would have used is 59020.9 grams = 59 kg = 65 tins.

Depending on your brand of formula, and your own supermarket prices, the average tin of formula costs about $17

$17 x 65 = $1105

for 18 months milk supply

This cost excludes the costs of bottles, teats, brushes, sterilisers, heating, storage etc.

Factual information.

Make your own choice if you breastfeed or bottle feed.


Return to our Baby Feeding Blog: http://breastmates-nz.blogspot.com/

Sexy Maternity Lingerie

Someone asked me recently an important question about the Hot milk Lingerie and the marketing campaign for this sexy nursing lingerie. The person asked me why there are no babies featured in the marketing adverts?

The adverts are used in magazines, billboards, websites etc and they all show a sexy looking yummy mummy, with a pregnant belly, in various scenes and story set ups. But none of the shots show babies, or breastfeeding baby, or nursing baby. All of the shots show a pregnant mother, and not the sexy lingerie being used as a nursing bra.

That is quite intentional.

This is because Hotmilk Lingerie encompasses sexy nursing lingerie which celebrates the sexy woman inside every loving mother.

There are enough baby photos used in other product marketing, Hotmilk wants to focus on the Hot Mama!!

And also maybe because pregnant bellies look gorgeous? Much better than my post-partum jelly belly would have anyway!!!

Return to our main breastfeeding blog here: http://breastmates-nz.blogspot.com/

Or our main sexy lingerie online here: http://www.breastmates.co.nz/lingerie.htm

Or read more about the Hotmilk Marketing here: http://breastmates-nz.blogspot.com/2008/08/sexy-pregnancy-lingerie-spark-media.html

HOTmilk Wins Awards

The HOTmilk SEXY lingerie style has been voted no 1 in the UK!

UK magazine Pregnancy and Birth have recently announced the winner of their readers test with HOTmilk taking out the top prize with a 10/10!

HOTmilk is now the most sexy and desirable brand, but have also proven the products have outstanding comfort and support!

In the "Bloom Awards" HOTmilk won the ‘Best for lingerie’ award. With the quote ‘ Comfortable, luxurious and very very sexy - this maternity lingerie is too good to be kept under wraps!’

The Silhouette of a Secret style was reviewed and the comments were "These were my absolute favourite - comfortable and sexy. Perfect underwear for pregnant women. My husband loved them too" 10/10

This just goes to show how popular HOTmilk lingerie is with mothers all over the world, HOTmilk is now The Sexy Brand!

To browse HOTmilk products visit the Breastmates online store....

Return to our Breastfeeding Blog

Breastmilk Ice Cream

I read an article in the latest Oh Baby Magazine that Lucretia sent me. (Thanks hon).

Extract from Oh Baby Issue 4 , page 10.

"Would you eat ice cream made from human breastmilk? People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) want peole to do just that, sending a letter to the founders of US Ice Cream giants Ben & Jerry's urging them to swtich from cows' milk to breastmilk in their products.

The fact that human adults consume huge quantities of dairy products made from milk that was meant for a baby cow just doesnt make sense, says PET Executive Vice President.

Apparently PETA got the idea from a Swiss restaurant owner who will begin purchasing breast milk from nursing mothers and substituing breast milk for 75% of the cows milk in food he serves.....

extract.

Now I wonder how much breastmilk would cost per litre.

I wonder if goodie goodie gumdrops would taste the same. Maybe this is something I could take up with Tip Top!!

oooh, another idea. Maybe my baby would like breastmilk iceblocks or breastmilk icecream during this hot summer weather rather than me warming a bottle of expressed milk for him......! might try that!

100% breastmilk icecream made by me!!

Mary's Market Auckland

This weekend Breastmates will be having a stand at Mary's Market in Auckland. we will be taking a lot of Hotmilk Lingerie, Maternity Sleepwear, Nursing Tshirts, and some other little goodies. Its a good time to pick up a bargain for Christmas.

We will also be doing fittings, and will have a large private changing room for you to use.

Mary’s Market began in 2006 and has grown in popularity due to great brands offering seconds, samples and end of lines directly to the customer. Get some great bargains.

Saturday 13th December 9am to 2pm.

52 Hepburn Street, Freeman's Bay

Come and say hi!

For more information go to http://www.marysmarket.co.nz/

Breastfeeding Photo

Here is another breastfeeding photo of my baby. This was taken at the same time as my husband and I did our main breastfeeding photo, the one we use in our marketing (shown at the top of the blog screen). This was the first and last time that baby and I fed in the nude - its not what we normally do!

This photo is quite funny. I think baby looks tiny and hungry, and that he is really digging into his boobie juice!!

Hubby did this photo shoot of breastfeeding photos for me, for our webstore Breastmates which has maternity products online.

A Bad Breastfeeding Poster

Okay so you all probably know by now that I am a strong breastfeeding supporter. I'm not a staunch pro-feeding nazi or anything like that, cos its up to you how you feed your baby, and as long as your baby is fed (breast or bottle) and happy then your family will be happy too. But if you are feeding with booby juice - then GO for it!

I was at a recent Parent and Child exhibition, and there was a breastfeeding support group there also with a stand. They are not a retailer like me, they are support. And boy, they do a great job and are a fabulous life-line for alot of women in our country. So THUMBS UP for them.

But someone really needs to tell them that the posters they use are NOT appealing.

This was a huge huge poster, the size of the wall. I walked past it, and it made me feel squeamish.

I think the poster is the "first feed" with a newborn baby, but the sight of that huge dark nipple, a screaming baby with open mouth, oooh it just makes me feel yuck and glad that its not me. It doesnt make breastfeeding feel appealing at all to me. In fact, i think this poster would make people turn away from it.

I am sure posters like this would be having a negative impact on their advertising. And like it must have had a negative impact on how many people visited their stand and chatted to them. If I was visitng the show, i might have gone to their stand for a chat and information (if i wasnt involved with breastmates) but I doubt that my husband would have come too. He would have run a mile.

So perhaps I should offer to sell my breastfeeding photo to this support group......

just for the record my photo is a high quality print image, i've just done this to the quality for the blog so that noone steals the image without asking me.

Directory Sexy Blog

Well I am thrilled to say that our Breastmates website and our Blog have been featured on the well reknown Directory Sexy Blog, and our boutique store is also mentioned on their main website Directory Sexy http://www.directory-sexy.com/

The review of Breastmates store on their blog is insightful and well written. You can tell that they have spent time looking around my website, reading content and navigating the place. You can see their full article here: http://directorysexy.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/breastmates-maternity-nursing-lingerie/

And its fair enough that our products are listed on the Directory Sexy blog and website, because yummy mummies are sexy too!