Ain't No Mom Jeans

Dresses For Very Busty Nursing Moms

Mamas, one of my very favorite things about blogging is you.  Our readers.  I love that there is a virtual army of awesome moms at all of our fingertips, always ready to share advice, tips and support.  You guys rock.  And our latest example of your awesomeness is this guest post from reader Crunchy Con Mom.

After our article about finding nursing-friendly day dresses on Zappos, we received an email from Crunchy Con Mom: 

I noticed a comment someone left on your recent post about nursing in dresses. She was baffled at your categorization of cowl necks as nursing friendly and I could totally empathize with her. I'm down to about a G cup now that my son is 2, but was a 34J at first, and even stretchy necklines generally can't hold up to that kind of stretching and still look good! I wondered if you might be interested in another guest post?

Um...YES.  Abso-freakin-lutely.  At the biggest, my nursing rack hangs out around a D (M's is bigger, but only by a bit...and WOW I know an awful lot about my friends' chest sizes since becoming moms, LOL), but clearly there's a whole lot more to think about for the truly busty nursing mama.  So let me turn this topic over to someone who has lived it, Crunchy Con Mom: 

(BTW - this is not a picture of Crunchy Con Mom.  Just thought I'd clarify.  It's the Elomi Beatrice Nursing Bra model.)

The first time a friend mentioned pulling necklines down to nurse, I was frankly, confused.  Eventually, the geometry of the situation made sense.  To nurse, you have to pull your neckline not just down 6-8 inches but also out the distance your breasts stick out. For a mom with a C cup, that’s just 3 more inches. For a mom with a J cup, like me when my milk first came in, that’s 10 more inches. So a mom with a bigger cup size might be asking their shirt to stretch twice as much as a mom with a smaller cup size. That’s a lot to ask of a neckline, and the smaller you are other than your breasts (i.e. small band size), generally the less fabric you have in your shirt or dress to do that stretching. So when I saw another ANMJ reader similarly baffled at a suggestion S made to buy a cowl neck dress to nurse in, I wanted to help.

So, once we accept the premise that some of us just can't make the geometry work to pull down necklines to nurse, what’s an ultra-busty mom to do? Here are a couple of styles I’ve discovered work really well for me while I’ve been nursing (I included mostly day dresses, but also a few that would be more appropriate for date night or a wedding you’ve been invited to!):

Mom Street Style | Mama McGyver Amy (Or, A Dress is Dress)

Smart mamas know how to improvise.  In the McGyver-like hands of moms, a stack of tupperware becomes a vacation toy, a popsicle-stained shirt turned inside out is now photo-opp worthy, and (ta-da!) a yoga skirt transforms into a date night-worthy LBD.  New mom and ANMJ reader Amy is only nine months into this gig and already she's pulling out all the mom stops, shopping her closet and making a statement.  She writes:

Last weekend my hubby and I went on our THIRD date since our NINE month old was born. Crazy, I know. But I was super excited about it, so I got all dressed up. I actually put on a real bra that didn't have nursing access. Sheer amazingness. (don't look too close- you can see it in that second picture!) I felt a little sneaky wearing my black yoga skirt as a dress, but nobody even knew. (Until now of course, since I'm sharing my secret.)

Just wanted to share with you all since you inspire me so much. Have a lovely day!

-Amy

We're loving everything Amy has going on.  She's rocking de rigueur boots with long socks, a fab long cardi (a la wear your cardi as a dress?), and best of all she turned her yoga skirt (also probably very nursing-friendly if babes are in tow!) into an adorable little black dress for a night out with hubs.

Amy, three dates in nine months isn't too shabby--I think we'd had exactly one-half of a date by that time with our first because we came home early.  Keep shopping your closet and thank you for sending in your pics--you look amazing!

- M.

 

My Hands-Down, Favorite Place to Buy Affordable Day Dresses For Moms (Especially Nursing Moms)

Mamas, are you getting as sick of the boots-over-skinny-jean uniform as I am?  Not that there's anything wrong with it (it is the most practical mom-i-form for messy winter months), but GAH.  I needed a sartorial break.  And now that we're in Philly, I couldn't count on Denver's surprisingly mild climate to bail me out anytime soon (although I hear Denver's winter has been brutal this year).

What I wanted was a dress.  A sweater dress maybe, or something mod with a short hem and a high neckline.  God, after four (almost) straight years of nursing, I dream about high necked dresses.  While I have learned to nurse in a crew-neck top, pulling a dress all the way up is beyond my comfort/skill range.  

Shop Your Closet: Layer Thigh High Socks Over Your Tights

Yup.  I'm still messing around with these things.  You first saw them here, where I used a little flash of thigh to distract from my post-partum tum and dark-circled eyes.  Pretty effective, actually.  And a thicker, less dressy pair here, when I channeled my husband's fourth-grade self (Wow - I just made Mike sound like a cross-dresser.  Just to clarify:  He was/is NOT.)  

In any case, I own a couple of thigh-highs, but they don't get used nearly enough to justify the enormous amount of room they take up in my sock drawer.  So I decided to mess around with the black pair, seeing if I could make them both daytime appropriate and mom-friendly.

Incidentally, thigh-highs (or over-the-knee-socks, if you prefer) always look spot-on peeking out over the top of over-the-knee boots.  

I do not own over-the-knee boots.  

So.  

I tried them on with my tallest boots:

(wearing: J.Crew cashmere v-neck sweater, Banana Republic scarf, Forever 21 shorts and tights, Plush thigh-highs, vintage Frye boots) 

Not bad, right?  But I hardly reach for my vintage Fryes on a daily basis.  So to keep this look mom-friendly, I tried black flats:

Target Drives Serious Wedge in Quality v. Quantity Resolve

There's always a lot of talk about quality v. quantity and cost-per-wear (CPW) here at Ain't No Mom Jeans, and we do truly believe in responsible, well-considered shopping.  But, like S.'s little floral denim shorts, there's a time and a place for cheap, on-trend items, and that place is called Target. 

Or Tarjay, if that makes you feel better.  Whatevs.  Not only will they know your teenage daughter is pregnant before you do, but they've also nailed some seriously adorable wedge sandal styles for Spring, which at present seems like (as H would say) an infinity months away.

This damnable store has yet again driven a serious wedge in my quality versus quantity resolve, and three, yes, three, of these styles are now lurking in my Target shopping cart.  Check them out.  I am most in love with the Perri Strappy Espadrille Wedge but I also snapped up the Twyla Espadrille Wedge in-store a few days ago. . . 

 

Target Drives Wedge in My Quality v. Quantity Resolve by dynamama featuring wedge heels

Wedge heels
$25 - target.com

 

Women's Mossimo® Pam Rope Wedge w/ Braided Strap... : Target
$25 - target.com

 

Womens Mossimo® Perri Strappy Espadrille Wedge -... : Target
$30 - target.com

 

Womens Mossimo® Perri Strappy Espadrille Wedge -... : Target
$30 - target.com

 

Womens Mossimo® Perri Strappy Espadrille Wedge -... : Target
$30 - target.com

 

Womens Xhilaration® Twyla Espadrille Wedge
target.com

 

Womens Xhilaration® Twyla Espadrille Wedge
target.com

 

Hmph.  Foiled again.

- M.

Can Short-Haired Mamas Look Cute in Winter Hats? The Happiest Mom Tests 'Em Out

Mamas, have your read our round-up of super-stylish winter hats?  Some of the comments we received were from short-haired mamas, noting that hats are tricky (at best) with a super-short haircut.  Reader Erica said: 

I like the idea of adding style via a hat...but don't think they'll work well with my super-short mom hairstyle. :(

Bummer, right?  Then reader Meagan B responded: 

Erica, when I had super short hair I found that I needed to wear a really feminine hat or one with a brim. If you wear a beanie style you can easily be called "Sir" (trust me, it happened to my sister!). 

 Hmmm....where there's a will, there's always a way, right?  But it's clearly a tricky situation.  And I wanted more...proof?  Inspiration?  And it just so happens that Meagan Francis (The Happiest Mom) had somewhat recently cut her hair.  Short.  Really, really short.  And it looks great.  I love how a short hairstyle can be so chic, and in Meagan's case, makes her bright blue eyes pop.

So cute.  And since Meagan is a super-fun, up-for-anything kind of a gal...I emailed, asking if she'd be willing to test out some winter hats.  As a leeetle expirament, if you will. 

Yup.  She was.  And she did.  (OMG LOVE HER)

Mom Street Style | Naomi's Indie Mom Style

How’s an artsy mom supposed to translate the “indie” style of her twenties into a mom-uniform functional enough to keep up with the kiddos and worthy of her creative sensibilities?  Naomi got it spot on with mixed prints, a layered look and fab boots.  She writes:

Dear Molly and Shana, 

I've been wanting to thank you ladies for some time now. As a former theatre teacher and current stay-at-home mom of two boys, I've had a hard time switching up my "indie" 20-something style into a 30-something mom style (without looking like a bag lady or fashion victim!). Fashion magazines just confuse me and don't seem mom-friendly, so I googled "mom fashion blog" about a year and a half ago and found aintnomomjeans. I love your down-to-earth instructions and I've learned so much. I still shop at thrift stores and second-hand stores, but I do it more wisely and pair my findings with investment jeans (J-brand!) and great boots.  I wish you guys were around in my 20's. It feels great to leave the house looking good and it's a handy way to channel my creativity. I also find that I don't need to shop as much now that I've found my "mom uniform". 

I've shared your blog with so many women! You're providing a wonderful service to women. 

-Naomi 

We’re loving Naomi’s casual day look and her adorable mix of polka dots and stripe prints on top with her fab J Brand skinnies and flats.  This is a perfect day mom-uniform—by incorporating funky mixed prints in black and white, what otherwise would have been a traditional t-shirt and jeans outfit stands out and looks polished while staying comfortable and functional for a day at the pumpkin patch with her sweet baby boy.

Her rocker-chic date night ensemble hits the mark with a pop of color and pattern from a mustard knit scarf and super-current tribal print dress.  Again, the look is functional (Ms. Naomi definitely won’t freeze in her moto jacket, tights and rockin’ boots) put together, and reflects her indie vibe while staying on-trend and age appropriate.  LOVE.

Naomi, thanks for the kind words and for sending these fab pics.  Keep ‘em comin’, Mamas!  We adore featuring real moms, but we (ok, I) do so loathe stopping you on the street : )!

- M.

90 Second Fix For Short, Not-Recently-Washed Hair

This really devastating thing happened: my child stopped taking two naps and now only takes one. The sum total of the time she naps in a day is roughly the same, but we now have an entire morning free for outings and errands and play dates. Which is good, right? I remember when she was still taking 3 then 2 naps a day I thought fondly of a time when she would give me a longer chunk of time to be out and about with her instead of rushing from place to place and planning activities precariously around her nap schedule. And please don't do the thing where you tell me she can sleep ANYWHERE if she's tired enough you can TAKE her don't be a SLAVE to her schedule...unless you want to hold my hand and fend off angry glances from strangers during the we-waited-too-long-get-her-home-and-she-likes-to-sleep-in-a-quiet-dark-place meltdown.

Now that we do have our mornings free though, what I've gained in freedom of movement I've lost in time to get ready for my day. Her first nap was also known as the 'mom showers, gets dressed, drinks tea and writes e-mails' period of the day. And suddenly POOF. It's gone. Since our little Vesper is an early, pre-dawn riser there is no way in hell I'm purposely getting up in the 5's just to shower and get dressed. I'd rather shave my head and never shower again. And while I could probably find time to rush in there before Dave leaves to the rink each morning, there is NO heating of ANY kind in a Japanese bathroom and I just can't force myself to get nude under those conditions! I have standards!

So all this means that I often wait to shower until afternoon when she naps or even later when Dave is home. And sadly I don't have the kind of hair that wears well overnight. It's too a) greasy b) short c) weirdly wiry. For a while cute winter hats were my camouflage of choice but spring is springing here in Japan and I needed a new plan. I hit up Pinterest for some ideas for quick up-dos, but so many require hair at least shoulder length. Seeing as it may be a decade before my hair grows long enough, I improvised a plan for those of us with less length (though it certainly will work for those with longer hair as well). So for a 90 second hair fix that works on short, dirty and unruly hair, this is my new go-to.

First, I pin my bangs back like this (using a tutorial I found on Pinterest, of course) and place any cute headband just behind where my bangs are secured (please ignore the layer of small hairs that line my face...I shed hair like a maniac after I gave birth and suddenly I appear to be regenerating a new layer):

Then I proceed, with no vision, plan or skill, to twist the entire back of my hair in to messy buns of various sizes (starting with the top of my head with the longest hair first and working down) and using criss-crossing bobby pins to make sure they are toddler-chasing-secure. It looks a hot mess, but some people pay someone to make their hair look messy, I'm just lucky to come by that naturally. If you had more time or hand-eye coordination than I do you could certainly make sure the bobby pins are hidden, but for me I don't mind them as part of the unkempt nature of the look:

And TA-DA, that's it. I did this with a 15-month old hanging on my leg yelling 'Mom. Hi. Mom. MOM. MOM. Up. UP. UP. HI. HI MOM.' and still was able to pick her up before a full meltdown ensued. I left for the park 2 minutes later and felt just a little more put together than I had before. Mission accomplished.

 

-Lane

*********

Want to read more from Lane?  Check her out here. 

 

Shop Your Closet: Temporarily Shorten That Summer Maxi For Winter Snow Stomping

Reader Amber was one of our readers who tested out a pair of Hanes run-resistant stockings.  They tore as she pulled them on.  Needless to say, she wasn't impressed.  

I was impressed, however, with her outfit that accompanied her Hanes write-up.  In the pic above she's showing us the hole in her stockings, but what's actually going on here is the fact that she shortened one of her long summer maxi dresses - temporarily - for winter use.  Here's another pic:

Best Breast Feeding Supplement | Gaia Herbs Lactate Support

I'm up.  Again.  Baby Man just hit a growth spurt, and with a saucy four-year-old and an obstinate 2-1/2-year-old, I'm pretty much tapped this time of "day."  Mama needs more milk, and fast!  I've taken straight fenugreek supplements and teas before, with little notable success (I had to resort to power pumping), so I was skeptical when a Whole Foods herb guru pointed me the way of Gaia Herbs Lactate Support a few weeks ago.  It just seemed like more of the same, and at a heftier price tag, but since it was on sale and my nerves were frayed down to the last hair, I thought I'd give it a shot, and I'm so glad I did.  Mamas, I had to share this stuff because it is seriously high potency and it works.  Fast.  Like, I popped three caps in the morning and by the end of the day I could already um, see a difference, works.  Like, Baby Man nodded off, milk-drunk after glucking down what seemed like a gallon of milk works.  Like, had to get up and pump at 4 AM works (so yes, I was still up at 4 AM, but not with a howling, ravenous baby).  It works for me within about 12 hours, so I can take a few caplets for a few days whilst the bub needs a bit more, and taper off once my supply is up to snuff.  It's about 40% off on Amazon right now, so I'm stocking up, chicks.

- M.