Moving Along

Well, it has been an interesting journey as a “mompreneur”. We have a new look at Milk and Honey Designs, namely a new logo that has been incorporated into the blog.

I am anxiously awaiting the first prototype of my bra that should arrive any day now. I am very confident in the expertise of my pattern maker, who has worked with many Canadian designers. Again I stress the importance of working with local people. As I mentioned in a  previous entry entitled “I Am Canadian” it is important to me to produce a truely Canadian product even if  the result is delays and higher costs.

I hope you enjoy reading about the journey I am on as much as I am enjoying being a passenger.

Breastfeeding Resources

When I had my son I was already a breastfeeding counselor, armed with information, knowledge and resources and I still had difficulties. I was not prepared for the amount of time and commitment breastfeeding would require. Surely there was something wrong with me or my babe. I needed a support system. That’s when I discovered La Leche League. I could phone at all hours of the night and my questions would be answered, but most of all I had a network of seasoned nursing mamas who could give me some advice and a “been there done that” attitude that I needed. It wasn’t so much about the advice, it was the sense of community I craved.

I was not prepared for the level of isolation I felt. None of my friends or family had nursed a baby and the advice I got was to “take a break and give  him a bottle” I knew that wasn’t for me.  I wanted someone to understand my pain, the all night nurse-a-thons. The feelings of constant dissapointment and inadequecy as my milk failed to come in.

Women are bombarded with books outlining pregnancy, labour and childbirth, but even as a doula and breastfeeding counselor I was ill-prepared for nursing. I wanted to put together a resource list that would’ve helped me so much in the beginning. The best place to start is with La Leche League, www.lalecheleague.org They have information and local groups that can help during pregnancy, post partum and toddler-hood. The second is Dr. Jack Newman, he is a Canadian breastfeeding specialist who has amazing resources that can help with any breastfeeding difficulties you may have, he even has a DVD that is called The Visual Guide to Breastfeeding which is a wonderful resource, www.drjacknewman.com

These places are a great start, and something to be checked out BEFORE baby arrives. I always say, a baby will come out whether you read a book about it or not, breastfeeding doesn’t always happen that easily. These reources are a starting point, I hope to add more in the furture as breastfeeding becomes the primary feeding choice for new moms and new resources become available.

I Am Canadian

Well, this blog entry has more to do with making a nursing bra rather than buying or wearing one.

I have run into delays. This is, apparently due to the fact that I am manufacturing in Canada. From the first minute I decided I was designing nursing bras I knew I would manufacture in Canada. Market research aside, this is my home and I intended on supporting our industry. Even though all stats show I would probably be ahead in terms of time and cost if I chose to manufacture overseas, I couldn’t do it, from an ethical and quality stand point. I mean, if things are cheaper, costs have to be cut somewhere, right?  Just look at all the recalls lately, from melamine in dog food to lead paint used on Thomas the Train and Fisher Price toys. CNN just reported that 60% of all recalls come from China.

I’m getting off topic.

Here I am, trying to do the right thing in my mind and I keep running into walls. I thought it would be as easy as hiring a pattern maker to draft my design and then off to the factory to get it made. HA! Oh, if only it were that easy. The pattern and prototype maker has to deal with the textile industry, who has to deal with the raw materials industry and on and on. Given that our manufacturing industry almost collapsed a few years back due to importation limits being lifted, it’s amazing there is anyone left in the garment industry in Canada…but there is…they are just slow, due largely in part to too many designers, too few industry suppliers. 

So, wait I must.

I am hoping to be able to have bras on shelves by February 2008. That might be a bit optimistic. But, nevertheless, I am an optimist. An optimist who believes that Canada still has one of the most respected garment industries in the world. After all, I’m a designer, not an importer. 

But most of all, I am Canadian.