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Nursing or Breastfeeding is hard enough without having to coordinate the juggle of stripping clothes off or trying to hold up the top to access the breast. How exactly do you dress to make breastfeeding easy while still feeling confident about how you look?

Many new mums find themselves struggling to find clothes that make them look and feel good, but also allow easy access to breastfeed or pump. Luckily, nursing clothes have come a long way. That is why we put our creative juices into action so that you can find pieces you love to wear that are fully functional.

When you are sweaty from a gym class or exercising in public the last thing you want to do is try to wrestle with a normal crop whilst trying to appease the screaming/hungry baby.

The breastfeeding or nursing crops are designed for a one hand easy drop down action to allow for you to easy access the breast. The inner modesty panel allows for some coverage of the breast if feeding in public so that there is little need to cover yourself and the baby. Once the baby is attached to the breast the appearance is the same as if you are wearing a normal crop. 

Our nursing crops are also designed with a larger/sturdier underband to offer more support. The engineering of a supportive crop requires anchor points as well as the straps to harness/reign in the breasts or secure them. By having a band that is just large enough to offer a decent anchor point though not too big to make it impossible to get out of is our mission. As each collection is launched we try to offer a different aspect as we know that everyone is different some people have big breasts and a small rib cage or small breasts and a large back. We also know that each woman changes during the pregnancy and postnatal period so we are endeavouring to offer a big range of choices. With the new NAUTICAL nursing crop the back adjusts up to 3 sizes and the straps also adjust allowing for changes in the body to occur without having to purchase a new crop.

The breast size also changes when you are breastfeeding. Up until about the three month mark the breasts are quite engorged whilst the milk supply is establishing itself. Also before and after a breastfeed the size of the breast; as well as the shape changes. To allow for these changes the crops come with removable breast pads. By taking them out there is more space for the breast allowing for that slight difference.

An individuals activity or exercise choice also affects their choice in what they want from a crop. For our runners they prefer the sweetheart crop which offers more support and coverage with the razor back design, our yoga/pilates and weightlifting Mummas prefer the String It nursing crop whilst the Mums who like a little bit of everything go for the Nautical.

As you can see the science to designing a fashionable and functional nursing or breastfeeding crop is not so simple. The breasts are an ever evolving part of our bodies that changes with puberty, pregnancy, breastfeeding and after- MUMMACTIV’s mission has always been to provide fashionable and functional activewear to keep Mums stylishly active no matter what stage they are at. 

Breastfeeding and Exercise-

What Helped Third time Around…

It is some belief that exercise effects milk supply and quality but according to the Australian Breastfeeding Association this is not true:

“Some research has looked at the level of lactic acid (a by-product of high intensity exercise) in mothers’ breastmilk after exercise. While lactic acid can increase in breastmilk following maximal exercise (exercising to the extreme of exercise intensity), mild or moderate exercise does not cause lactic acid to increase in breastmilk and does not affect a baby taking the milk. Since most mothers only wish to exercise to a moderate intensity to lose weight, and improve/maintain fitness and general wellbeing, most would say that maximal exercise is not relevant anyway. Regardless, there is no evidence to suggest that breastmilk with increased lactic acid levels harms a baby in any way.

Moderate exercise does not affect:

·         breastmilk supply

·         important immune factors in breastmilk (SIgA, lactoferrin, and lysozyme)

·         major minerals in breastmilk (calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and sodium)

·         major nutrients in breastmilk (fat, protein, lactose) or energy density.”

Whilst breastfeeding my first and second I did struggle to breastfeed and felt that I didn't have enough as the baby was crying (a lot) and always wanting to feed leading to this belief. At the time I felt that it was my training that was interfering with the supply/quality. Upon researching this myth has now been dispelled.

The Bump (www.thebump.com) sums it up beautifully with the below 3 main points: 

1. “Exercise won't hurt your milk supply. As long as you maintain a healthy diet, your milk supply should not be affected by exercise. Your body burns about 500 calories per day to produce the milk your baby needs. If you are exercising a lot, you have to make up for the extra calories expended.”

2. “It won't change the taste, either. Some old wives tales caution against too much exercise because it makes your milk sour so that babies won't want to feed. It turns out there may be some truth to that belief. Studies have shownthat lactic acid levels in breast milk are significantly elevated for up to 90 minutes after maximal exercise, which may adversely alter the flavour of the milk. The good news is that there is no such elevation in lactic acid levels after moderate activity.  So as long as you keep your aerobic exercise in the 80% of maximal heart rate range, your baby won't notice a difference. Since you may sweat while working out, be sure to shower or at least wipe off your nipples or they may taste salty!”

3. “Your breast milk is still as nutritional as ever—even after a workout.Studies show that exclusively breastfed babies of moms who exercise regularly grow just as robustly as those whose moms are sedentary. Those bonus immune-boosters in breast milk don't seem to be altered with moderate exercise either. Another study showed that women who performed moderate aerobic exercise for 30 minutes three times per week had the same levels of the immune-boosting compounds in breast milk as those who didn't exercise, and, not surprisingly, those women exhibited higher levels of cardiovascular fitness.”

Third time around I have discovered the awesome products by Milk and Nourish. They now have 4 products in their range including pre-made cookies, lactation cookie mix, milk booster capsules and mummy milk powder. What makes their products so special is that they contain “galactagogues” which are substances that promote lactation. The brewer's yeast, wheat germ, flaxseed meal and whole oats in lactation products are what specifically help with a lactating mother's milk supply. For those health conscious Mums amongst us, or Mums who try to hit macros the capsules are the way to go as they are gluten free, vegan friendly and contain little calories. They may seem small but they are jammed packed full of lactogenic ingredients, all enclosed in a vegetable gum capsule, to take anywhere anytime making it easy for the Mum on the GO. Adding these to the morning Vitamin taking regime is a no brainer and I was sceptical at first but after giving them a try they really do help the flow to flood. I certainly know now when I don’t take them. 

Another key factor in keeping on top of a good supply has been the conscious effort to drink more water. There is no evidence to state there drinking a lot of water will increase the supply the problem is that when you are a new mum, you often forget to take care of yourself while you are so immersed in taking care of the baby. I try to drink a glass of water whenever sitting down to nurse or straight after. I also endeavour to drink a glass of water before and immediately after exercising or throughout the session.

The last but not least point is wearing a supportive nursing crop due to your trusty pre-pregnancy sports bras not cutting the mustard anymore. Your boobs are probably bigger, not to mention more sensitive. Easy access for your baby is now also a must—something that most traditional sports bras don’t build into their designs.

Having my second child, presented many challenges. Ones that would later define my mental health and put me into a mother and babies unit. Admitting defeat and being placed there was the last thing that I ever wanted but it was the way it happened.

Rewind the clock to the walk out of the hospital doors when reality hit me like a tonne of bricks. Then when my little one was 4 months old things hit rock bottom the sleep deprivation was getting worse with feeding every two hours for an hour, a screaming baby 24/7 due to coelic/reflux and undiagnosed tongue tie, which resulted in my nipples being cracked and cringe worthy pain every feed. My need for perfection and having a house where everything was in its place plus trying to keep up with the newborn demands eventually lead to me being admitted to the mother and baby unit. At the time I told very few people as part of me was ashamed that I ended up in this state. 

I spent three weeks there receiving the treatment and being armed with the tools to be able to cope with my postnatal anxiety and depression. It was from this moment that I wanted to do something about my mental health and to try to do what I could to not be in this situation again. My mindset was changing and my resilience and determination was returning little bit by little bit. Yes I was now medicated, against my will at first, but I now also was armed with some great strategies to cope- one of them was using exercise.

With postnatal mental illness people can not see it like a broken arm or leg and it is something that will always stay with you. Unfortunately a label is now attached.

Fast forward to being pregnant with my third -who came into the world 10 weeks ago. During the pregnancy my obstetrician, GP, husband and myself were all on the front foot with keeping tabs on how I was faring. I was also more mindful of my feelings and emotions and tried to keep things in check as best as I could. Couple this with my strong determination to help Mums in a similar position by the platform of MUMMACTIV - and being a PANDA champion. 

I coped through the whole pregnancy with working, a business and exercise as my leveller and did not have a lot of continual down moments. After delivering my little girl I was in the right zone and was nourishing my soul in the newborn bubble. I set the bar low with daily goals being coffee, shower and walk everyday. This was achievable even on those crappy days and having a sense of achievement is good for the soul. Even though bubba has reflux she is so much more content than my last which I think has a huge impact on how I have coped so far. Ive also taken the pressure off myself to get back to my level of training 6 days a week and to have the house spotless and in order-overall being kinda to myself. 

So if you are a Mum struggling know that you are not alone and the WAY IT IS IS NOT THE WAY IT HAS TO BE….Take time out for you and set the bar lower.

Hopefully through time we will break down the stigmas attached to Postnatal Mental Illness and PANDA is a great resource if you or your loved one needs the help/support. (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Helpline: 1300 726 306)