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It has been known to happen.  You slip on your new Leading Lady Violet Lace-Cup Nursing Bra and out of the corner of your eye, you notice your partner do a double take.  “That’s not a nursing bra,” says your partner adamantly.  “Oh yes it is,” you respond with a flirty smile.

Yes, we’ve added a new color to our sexiest and prettiest nursing bra style. A favorite of celebrity mama Kelly Preston, this bra is so beautiful that you may not want to remove it from your lingerie drawer after you have weaned your baby.

Featuring soft mesh lace over cotton lined cups, the Lace-Cup Nursing Bra is the dream bra of every new mom (and dad!).  With a hint of spandex and adjustable straps, this bra fits comfortably and stretches with your breasts as milk levels fluctuate.

 This holiday season, we encourage you to make your partner do a double take.  Trust us, neither of you will be disappointed!

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Fun and playful with a pop of red and a flirty floral embellishment, our new Comfort Cotton Wirefree Bras and matching Striped Square Neck Nursing Cami are a few of Leading Lady’s most adorable new additions. New moms can feel festive in these limited edition nursing styles that bring the holiday colors and spirit to your nursing bra wardrobe.

The Comfort Cotton Wirefree set features a double layer cup for comfort and modesty, plus an inner sling to support the breast during breastfeeding.  The floral accent on all three colors adds the sweetest detail to the functionality of the one-handed clasp on this bra, available in black, white and black & heather grey stripes.  The stripe bra features a contrasting red-lined cup to stimulate your baby while nursing and adds a pop of holiday color to your intimates.

To complete the collection, Leading Lady’s Striped Square Neck Nursing Cami is now available in black & heather grey stripes, also with a contrasting red-lined double layer cup.  This modern twist on our classic cami creates a sleek line and the empire waste offers a flattering, fitted shape.  The Square Neck Cami is great for day or night:  You can layer this cami with a cardigan or blazer with jeans & heels for a chic and trendy daytime look.  Or pair it with your favorite sweat pants or boy shorts for a comfy evening at home.

We hope our holiday colors and accents put all of our new mom Leading Ladies in a festive spirit this holiday season!

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There were many holidays that I set out to buy my family’s holiday gifts with my breastfeeding infant in tow.  I always recommend nursing just before leaving, giving you several hours of shopping time without interruption. I also would suggest preparing a list before you head out and try to choose a location where you can get most of your errands accomplished, such as a shopping plaza or mall.  This way you won’t spend valuable time driving around, looking for a place to park and getting your baby in and out of the car.  Your time is too precious for that hassle!

If the baby needs to nurse while you’re out, my favorite places to go for privacy are dressing rooms in department store.  If you are lucky enough to be at a mall that provides a family lounge, take advantage of it.  This lounge provides comfortable seating to breastfeed, whether you’re wearing a tank, a stylish new nursing bra like our lace trim molded bra, or have brought a nursing cover with you. A lounge also has activities for toddlers and a place to change your baby.

I hope you and your little ones enjoy your shopping excursions!

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Trendy polka dot patterns are showing up on runways around the world, and here at Leading Lady we wanted to ensure new moms could experience high fashion in their nursing wardrobe too.  Leading Lady’s Shirred-Front Comfort Nursing Cami and Shirred-Front Nursing Chemise in black with white dots are the hottest and dottest styles in our limited edition holiday nursing collection.

Both the cami and chemise are made from a soft, cotton-spandex blend and feature an inner shelf bra and sling for added support.  In addition to the forgiving fabric, adjustable straps help you achieve your perfect fit as milk levels fluctuate.  Made with ultimate comfort in mind, the flattering empire waste creates a slimming look.  The dot cami and chemise are nursing wardrobe must-haves from day one, perfect to bring to the hospital to start nurturing your baby in style right away.

The Shirred-Front Comfort Nursing Cami is ideal for day and night wear.  Pair it with your favorite yoga pants for a sassy mom-on-the-go daytime look, or wear it with your cozy pajama pants to make nighttime nursing a cinch.

This holiday season, we hope you add some fun polka-dot style to your nursing wardrobe.  Happy Holidays!

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Holidays can be stressful, even without a new baby.  With a new baby in tow and a lack of sleep it can become overwhelming.  Try to prioritize what is most important for you over the holidays.   Between the countless errands and family visits, you may feel like you won’t have enough time to focus on your baby.

When preparing for the holidays, try breaking up your outings into shorter increments, leaving plenty of time for you to be able to breastfeed and take care of your little one’s needs.  Dressing for easy access is another way to ensure that you’re ready to nurse anywhere you go. A sweater layered with a cute nursing tank, like Leading Lady’s new stripped style, is a great option to keep you warm, and allow your baby to nurse no matter where you are.

Another way to ensure you’re not stretching yourself to thin is to ask your spouse for help. If your partner can take on some holiday related errands, such as stopping at the post office to mail cards or packages, or picking up last minute items at the grocery store, it may alleviate some of your stress. Or take advantage of your nighttime nursing sessions by multitasking & browsing the many sales going on this season. I did some of my best Santa shopping in the wee hours of the morning while I was nursing in front of the computer in the coziness of my own house with my pajamas on.

If you’re preparing for a big dinner at home, bring in your girlfriends and prepare together.  I did this every year with a group of friends.  We bring a list of ingredients, make cookies and appetizers together and divide them up at the end of the evening.  You can take them home and toss them in the freezer until you need them.

You may also want to consider taking family members up on their offers to have holiday meals at their homes this year.  Without the prep required for hosting a big dinner, you will have the time and energy you need to focus on your baby and spending time with your loved ones.

Just remember your baby won’t be little forever, so take advantage of spending time nursing and holding him.  You will have plenty more holidays!

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Just like a belly button, everyone has an opinion on baby names. As you prepare to welcome your little bundle, here are a few tips for selecting a name that works best for you.

1)     LOVE the name.  You, and more importantly your child, have to live with the name forever.  So make it a name that you are passionate about and will not regret years down the road.

2)     Research the meaning of the name in a variety of cultures and consider if it is a value befitting your child.

3)     Be creative, but don’t torture your child.

4)     Consider the initials as much as full name itself.

5)     Family names can be a meaningful way to honor someone you admire or someone who has passed away.  If your family’s tradition is to carry on a name from generation to generation but you still want your child to feel special, use a nickname or select a middle name that is more unique.

6)     Be true to your style.  If you are a free spirit, don’t select a stiff name because it is trendy.  If you are into formalities, don’t use an unusual spelling just to be different.

7)     Consider people you know with the name, including celebrities.  As much as you may love or hate someone famous with a name you like, your child may be haunted by that other person forever.

8)     Make sure you like the sound of the name as much as you like the spelling. Practice introducing your child on the first day of school, or pretend you are calling him or her down for dinner.

9)     Respect your partner’s feelings about a name.  You have your own opinions and so will your partner.

10) Don’t rush into anything.  You have until you sign the birth certificate to select a name.  If you want to wait to meet your little one, that is perfectly fine.

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Sarah from Minnesota Mama’s Must Haves loves Leading Lady’s Most Comfortable Bra in America for leisure, sleep & nursing.

“This is the bra that I’ve been sleeping in and lounging around the house in. It is really comfortable and I like how easy the front closure makes it to put on. It holds my nursing pads in place all night long and provides easy access nursing by unclipping the bra and moving it aside. It comes in 5 different colors and is now my go to nighttime bra.”

Read Sarah’s full review here.

Sarah, the Mama behind Minnesota Mama’s Must Haves, lives in Minnesota with her husband and their three young children. She loves blogging, cooking, baking, crafting, sewing, and much more! She is a Registered Nurse currently staying home with her three children while her husband works full time. She loves sharing her journey as she is “trying to do it all while showing you how”!   Follow Sarah on Twitter and Facebook.

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The holidays are often associated with food, and with good reason. Grandma’s time-honored recipes and your sister’s famous desserts are sure to be on the menu. You’ll want to take part in the festivities and just because you’re nursing, doesn’t mean you can’t!

Unless you have food allergies in your family, there really are not any foods that I recommend avoiding. Our looser fitting nursing tanks, like the shirred front dot tank, will even give you a bit more room should you choose to indulge.  If you are still battling post-baby weight, however, I would suggest making smart food choices and limiting your intake of high-fat foods or empty calorie foods. Fill up on white meat turkey and nutrient-packed baked sweet potatoes, for example, and take smaller portions of the stuffing and creamy casseroles. Remember, it’s you that suffers if you make unhealthy food choices.  Your body takes the nutrients it needs to make milk for your baby first and then you get what is left over!

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One of the beautiful things about breastfeeding is that it doesn’t require a lot of gadgetry.  Here are my recommendations for what you will need to start your breastfeeding journey:

1)  Three nursing bras:  One to wear, one to wash and one in the drawer.  There are a variety of styles to choose from including stretchy leisure bras great for pregnancy or your first weeks of nursing until your milk supply settles, and more structured t-shirt and lace cup bras.

2)  One or two nursing camis:  Camis offer great flexibility because they are a nice complement to sleep pants for the hospital, or to wear under a blouse for easy nursing access.

3)  A nursing pillow: This allows you to position your baby comfortably for feeding.  Most pillows accommodate for various breastfeeding positions and helps mom hold baby while nursing.

4)  A breastpump:  The type of breastpump you buy will depend on whether you are going back to work.  If you are going back to work, you may need a more powerful and durable pump because you will be using it more often.  I recommend that you do not open your breastpump until you are ready to use it.  Should you decide not to use it, you may be able to return it if the box is still sealed.

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Getting to the point where your baby is sleeping through the night is a dream of most mothers. But we have to remember that babies should double their birth weight by five or six months of age.  Your baby should be his own gauge for how much and how often he nurses.

In the early weeks and months of life it is common for a baby to wake several times at night to nurse.  Many babies naturally cluster feed in the evening for several reasons:  The first is that mom’s milk supply is highest in the early morning and then decreases throughout the day.  Another reason is that babies tend to be fussier in the evening and nursing is a natural way to soothe and calm them.

I recommend breast compression while nursing to ensure your baby is satiated.  Breast compression is very simple:  Position your free hand in the “C” position around the breast and gently squeeze.  This helps drain the breast more of the fatty hindmilk to the baby, which will keep him fuller longer.