But between shape shifts, sensitivity spikes, and perpetual getting-drenched-in-leakage situations, identifying the RIGHT bras for your evolving breast needs proves incredibly frustrating for many soon-to-be moms. Consider this your cheat sheet for navigating every pregnancy and new mom bra challenge with flying colors!

First Trimester: Flexible Fuller Cup Wirefree Bras

Breast changes kick off super early in pregnancy thanks to a flood of new hormones. As mammary tissue expands, blood flow increases, and milk duct foundations activate, most women go up one or even two full cup sizes within initial months.

Since shape and size shifts continue unfolding week to week, first trimester bras must offer flexible support with:

• Comfortably stretchy fabrics
• Full coverage cups
• Wide underband (go down a band size if too loose later)
• No underwire or rigid cup structure
• Removable padding as sensitivity spikes
• Easy on/off clips and clasps

Perfect early pregnancy bra picks include:

• Warner’s Easy Does It No Bulge Wire-Free Bra
• Kindred Bravely French Terry Racerback Nursing Sleep Bra
• Motherhood Maternity Full Busted Seamless Clip Down Maternity & Nursing Bra

As trimester one wraps up, getting professionally sized by specialty boutiques ensures you pick an optimal bra size baseline before exponential growth really hits. Sizing into better-fitting bras now reduces painful chafing and strain as your bustline continues expanding. Stock up on at least two or more versatile styles to rotate through non-stop laundry cycles and frequent early milk leaks.

Second & Third Trimester: Structured Support Nursing Bras
Through the second trimester, breasts swell even larger thanks to proliferating milk ducts preparing for lactation demands. More defined cup shapes with rigid underwire and side support prevent the exponentially heavier girls from sagging painfully down your torso.

However, as the due date approaches toward the tail end of the third trimester, opt again for soft nursing bra styles without constricting underwires to avoid blocked ducts when milk comes in after delivery. Prioritize choices with easy single-handed open/close clips plus drool-catching cotton inserts to manage unpredictable leakage as hormones fluctuate.

Among the most recommended nursing and maternity bras for mid-to-late pregnancy includes options like:

• Kindred Bravely Simply Sublime Nursing Bra
• Motherhood Maternity Full-Coverage Underwire Nursing Bra
• Bravado Essential Embrace Nursing Bra
• Cake Cotton Candy Seamless Nursing Bra

Having a few different bras tailored to daily outfits gives dying-to-be-comfy bump bodies the adjustable custom support essential to making it through those final uncomfortable weeks as your baby drops lower and breathing gets trickier!

Postpartum: Hands-Free Pumping/Breastfeeding Bras

In the hours immediately after birthing your precious babe, ditch any restrictive bands so your poor bosoms can fully engorge then soften as mature milk comes flooding in. Expect exponentially larger, painfully firm swelling and lingering sensitivity for initial days until supply regulates around 2 weeks post delivery.

For this fragile adjustment window, stick strictly with:

• Ultra-stretchy tank-style bras
• Total nipple access with slide-aside cups
• Built-in shelf support without compression
• Absorbent pads to catch intense early leaks
• Racerback or wide straps slipping easily on/off

Top-rated nursing tank picks like the Kindred Bravely Simply Sublime Nursing & Hands Free Pumping Bra or the Bravado Maternity and Nursing Bras Seamless Nursing Bra Tank simplify round-the-clock feeding and pumping schedules without painfully smashed engorged breasts in the way!

Further down the postpartum road as engorgement and sensitivity ebb, take advantage of eventual lighter flows to test drive more convenient strapless, backless, or adhesive nursing bras offering discreet milk access without flashing the entire room if baby gets hungry off schedule.

Navigating the perpetual breast size and shape-shifting rollercoaster ride known as pregnancy/postpartum would overwhelm anyone! But foresight into upcoming support and leakage containment needs offers essential first step to ultimately finding bras keeping you comfortable at every turn. Lean on the unmatched experience of specialty bra fitters and NICU nurses guiding countless new moms before you to the BEST solutions tackling pregnancy and breastfeeding challenges as they come – and shift yet again. I hope this The Maternity Bra Your Boobs Need Right Now article helps you.

You’ve got this mama!

The post The Maternity Bra Your Boobs Need Right Now appeared first on My Blog.

First Aid is something I always wanted to do, but often came up with the excuse of not having enough time. I was out of excuses when I was asked if I’d like to complete the course online. Well done St John Ambulance Vic! As one of the many Australian organisations to change their way of doing things because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the kick up the backside I needed.

I knew things were getting real when the training equipment pack was sent to me. A mini inflatable CPR learning manikin, defibrillator pad set, CPR practice DVD, basic life support book, bandages, a training Epipen, a placebo inhaler and spacer – all the gear I needed to demonstrate my new learning.

I was required to complete some online pre-learning prior to my class, which took me about two and a half hours and is recommended you do this no later than the day before. There’s a lot of information to take in and online questions to complete via a link you’re sent once you enrol.

The video demonstrations were clear and comprehensive and afterwards I felt confident that I’d be able to complete the training successfully.

I joined my scheduled First Aid class via Zoom using my laptop (webcam, microphone and speakers are required) and set up where I could easily position the webcam so the trainer could easily see me performing some of the assessments on the ground.

I used my phone as the secondary device, which is needed to access additional websites for theory questions and to simulate a defibrillator.

Allowing four uninterrupted hours for the class, it felt like it went very quickly! The instructor was friendly and helped review the pre-learning and allowed questions before assessing your skills.

St John Ambulance Victoria’s comprehensive First Aid course covers a range of topics to enable participants to confidently manage emergency situations and provide a first aid response to a casualty. It covers the most common first aid injuries and illnesses.

The course topics include the DRSABCD action plan and responding to emergency situations, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), burns, asthma, anaphylaxis, sprains and strains.

As a mother, I think knowing what do do in an emergency is imperative, with children susceptible to all sorts of potential hazards. But it’s also vitally important to be prepared and in a position to help save someone’s life. We’re all capable of learning First Aid and really have no excuse – especially with the convenience of an online course – not to do something about it.

• I was gifted a virtual St John Ambulance Victoria First Aid training course for the purposes of a review.

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Pappe is a new high-end, luxury Australian fashion label and it is simply beautiful. The premium fabrics used in the Pappe garments are hand picked for softness and longevity – and it shows.

Shopping for her two boys, Karena couldn’t find anything that met her high expectations for design and sophistication. Keeping with the brand’s signature to make clothing with a timeless, minimalist aesthetic, each Pappe garment is meticulously designed, sampled and tested.

The attention to detail is the perfect finishing touch – there’s soft trims, hand-sewn leather embroidered labels, pocket details and mother of pearl buttons.

The clever part about Pappe is that while the fabric, look and feel of each piece is luxurious, the designs are still practical. The clothing is not only comfortable but still very chic. Millie will get so much wear out of her organic cotton tees and spot bloomers (which are made from a Turkish cotton linen chambray).

The label has every piece that should be in a little one’s wardrobe. Cardis, bloomers, jeans, onesies, hats, relaxed pants and stretchy leggings – as well as a range of blankets for bubs – are all in a palette of neutral, unisex colours and chambray, navy and tartan. The handcrafted leather lace-up shoes and lambskin slippers are gorgeous too.

The full Pappe range is available online with worldwide shipping.

The post Local Label Love: Pappe appeared first on My Blog.

So when we were offered the chance to try Dinner Sorted, I jumped at the chance.

The Melbourne-based business, run by mums Anna and Karin, delivers a bag of fresh and healthy ingredients and the corresponding recipes to make four dinners.

The recipes are inspiring, well-planned and easy to follow – and importantly they taste great. Everything comes pre-portioned (you can order a bag for two or four people) so there’s no waste and all menus offer the variety of meat, fish, poultry and vegetarian meals.

Dinner Sorted bags await delivery. PIC: Dinner Sorted Instagram

The bag was delivered chock-a-block with fresh ingredients. It was so good being able to pack all the produce for the week into my fridge, without wandering aimlessly through the supermarket (with a toddler!) and still coming home with no better idea for dinner than a toasted sandwich.

We ordered the Classic Meals ($89 for two people, including delivery) and the portions were generous. Most days I fed Millie from the menu too, there was more than enough to go around.

Fresh ingredients star in the Dinner Sorted meals. PIC: Dinner Sorted Instagram

Our menu included red chicken curry with coconut rice, salmon tacos with red cabbage slaw, easy meatloaf with mashed potatoes and tortellini with mushrooms and tomatoes. The dinners had a big vegetable component and the variety was great, each meal was completely different to the last.

Our salmon tacos with red cabbage slaw was healthy and super tasty

We really enjoyed making our meals and loved eating them even more. The best part for me was that I had one less thing to worry about for the week and we had a tasty, nutritious meal to look forward to after a long day.

The ingredients are delivered the same day they’re sourced from Melbourne markets. When somebody else is planning the meals, doing the shopping and bringing it to your door, you can enjoy the cooking (the fun part!).

I’m convinced it would be the perfect gift for a new mum for those early weeks when the family is home from the hospital and are keen to eat fresh and healthy meals that are easy to prepare.

Dinner Sorted offers a low-carb bag for the health conscious and delivers within a 20 km radius of the Melbourne CBD.

Visit dinnersorted.com.au for menus and dinner bag options

The post Winner Winner, Delivered Dinner appeared first on My Blog.

In a week she would have changed again.

My baby is 8 months old and time has whizzed by.

In those first weeks just about everyone told me to appreciate the time spent with my baby. “She’ll be off to kinder before you know it!” they’d say. Now I know what they mean.

I have been lucky enough to take 12 months maternity leave and treasure the Millie and mummy time every waking moment.

It’s hard to believe Millie was ever this small. Her Bonds mushroom suit was a size 00000

It’s weird because I still have an infant child but find myself getting nostalgic about how she was just 6 months ago.

Two dear friends have had babies within the last two weeks and I cannot believe that was me last July. Xanthe and River are so tiny, so delicate and so compact – making Millie look like a giant in comparison.

I read in New Idea that a recent survey found 75% of women would quit Facebook and 70% would give up chocolate to go back in time for just one more baby cuddle with their child.

They are only this small for such a short time and maybe that’s why we feel ‘ripped off’ when they become independent little people. I can see why women go back and have many more children – holding your newborn is like a drug and you need another fix.

But there is so much joy in watching my darling girl grow and learn. She giggles incessantly, waves hello and is a little chatterbox these days. It’s also a beautiful age – and I know I’ll be wishing for this time again come her 1st birthday.

Taking lots of photos (oh you MillieMummyMelbourne Instagram followers are in for a treat!) and videos is how I’ll remember these first 12 months.

But I have to ensure I don’t spend my time watching Millie through a lens and instead hope the best memories of now are locked up there in my noggin.

Millie at 8 months

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The post Time Flies When You’Re Changing Nappies appeared first on My Blog.

The new charity redistributes donated nappies to organisations that support disadvantaged mums and families.

We only had about 10 nappies to donate (how is it that Millie can fit into a nappy one day, but it be way too tight the next? Is she really growing that quickly?) but every nappy counts.

The volunteer mums who started the collective late last year have already helped distribute more than 1500 nappies to those in need.

There are 19 collection points in a Melbourne and Sydney that will accept unused nappies for two weeks from today. There will be more collections in June and October.

Click here for collection points near you, or to find out more.

Millie helped to collect the nappies she’d grown out of

The post The Nappy Collective appeared first on My Blog.

“Have you got money?” Millie will now ask, hopefully, as I fumble in my purse for a gold coin while thinking about how I could own one of these machines with all the cash I’ve funnelled into these 90 second, spinning, rides of monotony.

Sometimes I don’t have cash, sometimes I tell her it’s broken, sometimes I just say ‘no’. Millie is ok with that, but will still want to sit in the fire truck/racing car/teacup/Wiggle car/ Peppa helicopter and pretend to steer.

Today at a major shopping centre Millie made a beeline for a spinning teacup and I watched her clamber on just as a couple sat their daughter in another teacup (there were three). I picked up the pace and followed her over – I was pushing Finn in the pram – and reached the ride just in time to grab a climbing Millie, turn her around and sit her on her bottom before she made a misstep and fell off the ride’s platform (#mumlife).

The couple had a $2 coin and gave it to their daughter, who popped it in the slot and pushed ‘start’.

The ride started.

“It’s your lucky day, Millie!” I said while waving to her as she did another circuit. “This little girl’s mummy had a coin!”. I didn’t have a coin. I was simply going to let Millie sit in the cup and pretend for a minute, before ushering her on.

The other little girl was waving to her parents as she went round and round.

The ride finished and Millie grinned at me. Her day was made.

Then the mother turned to me and said: “that was really rude of you”.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“That was really rude. You didn’t even ask us if your kid could go on the ride. You should have asked first.”

I was taken aback. “I’m sorry, I didn’t even think it would be an issue,” I said. “If I have a coin and my daughter is about to ride then I’m happy for other kids to get on too. I encourage it.”

“Well it was rude, you didn’t ask,” she snarled.

“I’m sorry, I would have had I realised it would be such a problem,” I said.

Getting down to specifics, Millie had hopped on at the same time as the other girl. And they didn’t have to put the money in while we were there.

Did Millie being on the ride affect the other girl’s enjoyment? No. Did I put Millie on there while the ride was going? No. Did it matter if Millie sat on there or not? No.

I was really puzzled. Just what was the problem?

It seems stupid to get wound up about such trivial things and I’m kind of annoyed I’m blogging about it. But was I in the wrong? Am I completely unaware of my apparent rudeness? Am I so out of touch that I didn’t know the unwritten rule that a child needs exclusive use of a ride if their parent pays?

Sheesh. First World problems indeed.

Seeing two happy little faces is surely better than one?

Anyway, Millie will no doubt find these rides again and if you happen to see me about to put my hard-earned into one of these machines and there’s space on board, please let your child have a ride. The more the merrier I say!

The world could do with more smiles and with a lot more adults who are happy, kind and willing to share with others. Our children are watching.

I’d love to know your thoughts, leave a comment below.

The post The Spinning Teacup Spin-Out appeared first on My Blog.

It is so stylish and its convertible style is perfect in our small home, meaning we don’t have the bassinet to store somewhere now she’s grown out of it.

But designer goods come with designer price tags and the unusual oval shape means we have to foot the bill for matching Stokke sheets (I wish I could sew. I can’t).

But I stumbled across Melbourne’s own Little Linen Company when a friend asked me where I got my OiOi baby bag and doing an online search.

Turned out my much-admired green bag is connected to the same company who made the amazing digital-print muslin wraps I bought for Millie when she was a newbie, the Airwrap breathable cot bumpers and funky crochet blankets.

The digital print muslin makes a light cot sheet

The company’s Little Bamboo brand round cot fitted sheet ($27.50) fits the Stokke Sleepi for a fraction of the price of the Stokke sheet. It’s soft and gets better after each wash – but only comes in white.

The breathable Airwrap

I also recently bought the Airwrap, a breathable cot bumper. Bumpers are usually a no-no,

but this one is made from mesh for airflow and has stopped Millie from sleeping with her

head against a wooden rail and throwing teddies, dummies, arms and legs out the sides of the cot.

The digitally-printed muslin wraps are so handy and so cute and a really fine, lightweight muslin. I bought one with a baby world map because with red and blue colours I thought it was good for a boy or girl. I’ve used it so much, not only to swaddle Millie but as a nursing cover, pram cover and as a sheet for Millie on hot nights.

The Weegoamigo muslin wraps have many colourful prints

The thicker printed muslin wraps are a steal at $14.95 and are really soft – I also found this type was harder for Millie to wriggle out of in her sleep. There’s dinosaurs, vegies, flowers, bears….cute, cute, cute.

My green leather hobo nappy bag has been a great choice. These bags are expensive but last, have lots of handy compartments and look just like a big slouchy handbag.

As well as selling online, I’ve seen The Little Linen Company products at Baby Bunting and Parenthood.

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The post A Little Local Linen Goes A Long Way appeared first on My Blog.

She caught a damn cold.

For you and me, it’s no biggie. We’d snuffle our way through our daily duties, pop on a pair of socks, make some Lemsip and use the sickness as an excuse to have an evening on the couch watching the box.

But for a baby, to have a cold is to be absolutely miserable.

I’m not sure where she got it from, but it’s knocked her for six.

It’s been a week (!?!) of runny noses, sleepless nights, constant coughs, tears, tantrums, baby Panadol and Puss In Boots eyes.

You remember in Shrek where Puss In Boots does his doe-eyed look to make everyone sigh and be sucked in by how cute he is? I swear Millie does the same look, but her huge blinky eyes looking up at me were ones of ‘Mum, why do I feel so sad – and why can’t you help me?’

It’s heartbreaking for a mum. My little petal has struggled to feed and sleep, getting more and more upset by the lack of these two necessities.

Usually a great sleeper, Millie has been awake at hours we haven’t seen since she was a lot younger.

We’ve tilted the cot, given doses of Panadol, used a vapouriser with Euky Bear inhalant in the top and bought saline spray to clear the mucous (at this point I’d like to thank my friend Yvette for the tips, she’s a gem).

Millie is otherwise ok, so we just have to ride it out. But riding it out takes a LOT longer in a child who is too young to blow their nose.

My little sick Millie couldn’t even stand play time for long without getting quickly frustrated by her blocked nose.

It’s just a lousy cold. I can see she is slowly getting better. It’s been tough for me because I’ve spent the entire 8 months of her life soothing her, feeding her, making sure she has little reason to cry, and then all of a sudden I can’t fix what is making her so upset. I’m sure I’m not the first to feel like this and I won’t be the last.

But for a bit of perspective, I think of the parents at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital and it immediately stops me feeling sorry for myself and my girl. We are very lucky to have our health and I will never take it for granted.

Instead of buying her an Easter present, I’ve made a donation to the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal in Millie’s name.

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The post Sick And Tired Of Being Sick And Tired appeared first on My Blog.

I’ve found two brands that design and make the softest, most beautiful bedding for all ages – from bassinet sheets through to bedding to fit a child’s king single bed.

Finn, three weeks old, is sleeping in his Stokke bassinet and on the Oh So Dandy grey and white print bassinet fitted sheet from Wilson & Frenchy.

Baby Finn on the Wilson & Frenchy Oh So Dandy bassinet sheet and wearing a Wilson & Frenchy Forest Frolic zipsuit

The brand’s new release bassinet and cot sheet sets are available in two different material blends and eight unique prints – and they are just devine.

The unisex print Finn has is so light and whimsical – perfect for a newborn. We didn’t find out our baby’s gender before he arrived so opted for the grey and white, but there’s dainty pink and blue prints too.

The 100 per cent cotton sheet sets are soft and durable (I’ve washed them so many times since Finn’s been here and they still look like new and just get softer) and the Melbourne-based company says they are designed to create the perfect setting for your baby to sleep tight in comfort and style.

I love Wilson & Frenchy’s grey and white prints for newborns

There’s also the cute Star Burst range, which is made from an ultra-soft, breathable cotton/bamboo mix. This blend features 70 per cent bamboo to keep the bub cool in summer and warm in winter.

Each Wilson & Frenchy bassinet sheet set contains a printed fitted sheet and a generously sized and very stretchy bunny rug, which can be used to either tuck your little one in nice and tight or to swaddle your newborn for a restful sleep. The cotton bassinet sheet set is only $39.95.

I’m eyeing off the super cute Pattern Play cot sheets for when Finn moves into his cot and by the rate he is growing this won’t be long off at all (*sob sob*).

Millie, almost three, is in a ‘big girl bed’ and I struggled to find sheets that weren’t tacky or in lurid colours, weren’t thin with a very low thread count or sheets that didn’t pill after the first use.

Babu, a New Zealand company, uses fabric made from the softest natural fibres to create contemporary baby bedding, clothing and accessories in classic neutral colours. Babu has gorgeous products to suit a baby’s every need – bedtime, bath time, mealtime and playtime.

Ali, the company’s founder, started Babu in 2002 after not being able to find the right type of sheeting fabric she wanted for her baby Jack, nicknamed “babu”. All material is sourced from the best quality suppliers, including 100 per cent merino wool for the baby blankets and clothing from New Zealand and Australia as well as 100 per cent organic cotton from India.

Millie cosy in her Babu organic cotton bedding

The single bed sheets are made from 100 per cent organic cotton and I wish they had sizes for my bed! They are the most beautifully soft and luxurious sheets I think I’ve ever felt. Millie has the Pink Star sheets and she just loves her cosy ‘twinkle twinkle’ bed.

In an ingenious move, the Babu top sheets are fitted at the bottom two corners, so a wriggly child can’t pull them off and become tangled. It makes the sheets sit snugly on the bed and saves your back having to tuck sheets under the mattress. So good.

Babu’s flat sheets are fitted at the bottom corners

Special mention has to be made about Babu’s organic hooded towel and the gauze muslin wash cloths, which have been a godsend come baby Finn’s bath time.

Shop Wilson & Frenchy sheet sets here

Shop Babu bedding here

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