Being a mom herself, Snugabell’s Wendy Bell is all about supporting moms. Designing products that help moms reach their breastfeeding goals with a flair for style, Wendy is a sincere supporter not just of breastfeeding but also of the moms and babies it matters to. I’m privileged to call Wendy my friend and excited to have her share more about her company, her breastfeeding journey, and extend her support to all TLB readers.
TLB: Hi Wendy, I always love when we get to feature Snugabell and your brilliant PumpEase line here on TLB. You’ve supported TLB for a while now and have seen first hand through your support of Best For Babes, TLB and virtual breastfeeding support, how moms can come together and the difference mom-to-mom support can make. What are some of your favorite examples of mom-to-mom support?
Wendy: I have to confess that I am a little bit envious of the support that moms have online today. I had a few issues breastfeeding my daughters (nothing major, but it was worrisome nonetheless) and thus reached out to my GP and a dietician at my local health unit, and also scoured the internet for hours on end, however all I found was conflicting (mis)information. Those were the days before Facebook and Twitter. Heck, I hadn’t even heard of KellyMom.com back then. I felt alone and frustrated. So this is an example of what potentially can happen without mom-to-mom support, how far we’ve come and what a huge impact it has today for a mom to ‘hear’, “Oh that happened to me too when my DD was that age. It’s just a nursing strike”. That feeling that you’re not alone in your breastfeeding journey, especially for first-time moms, is extremely powerful.
TLB: What kind of support did you have in your breastfeeding journey? Did you have someone or someones that were instrumental in providing support for you?
Wendy: My GP is very pro-breastfeeding. I remember telling him that I was going to add cereal to my first daughter’s bottle (of pumped breastmilk) to help her sleep longer at night (yup, I didn’t know any better – I was listening to the aunts and grandmas!) and he pretty much told me NOT to do that. The nurse at his office was so encouraging too. When I brought my eldest daughter in for her first post-delivery check-up, she weighed her and proceeded to give me major kudos on her weight gain. It made me feel so proud as I had no idea what I was doing (or so I thought). My family were all very supportive as well; no one was freaked out by a nursing mama; it was all good! I didn’t feel super confident nursing in public (like in a mall) however, as I didn’t know about baby wearing either back then and therefore was trying to use a receiving blanket. I know I would have worn my baby had I been better informed. (In fact, for a few years after DD#2 was born and I had already started Snugabell and learned so much, I often told my husband that I wished I could have another baby if only to put into practice all this amazing new information!)
TLB: You have a couple of new products as part of this giveaway; could you tell us about them and how these products help support moms in their breastfeeding journey?
Wendy: Our ‘Through a Child’s Eyes’’colouring book was designed to help further normalize breastfeeding and pumping and to discover the beauty of breastfeeding! The warm, inviting drawings and likable characters make it easy to answer curious qustions and keep little hands busy while teaching helpful lessons. I love colouring with my girls and hope other moms do too! You can even design your own PumpEase and share it on our Facebook wall!
Our fabulous new, all-purpose, reusable PumpEase Wet Bag is designed to transport all brands of breast pump personal kits (bottles, flanges and tubes) ‘incognito’. It features a snap-loop handle and looks so cute decked out in matching PumpEase prints that no one will ever guess what’s inside. Lined with waterproof PUL (you cloth-diapering mamas know what that is! For those that don’t, it stands for Polyurethane Laminate and is a compound fabric made by laminating fabric to a thin film of polyurethane, thus creating a water barrier), you will find plenty of uses for it even after you’ve hung up your pump flanges – diaper changes on-the-go, keeping electronics safe at the pool, potty training, snacks, travel, cosmetics and much, much more!
TLB: How does Snugabell actively cultivate mom-to-mom support? How can Leakies connect with Snugabell and what will they find for support with you?
Wendy: When we first hired the amazing Amy West to manage our Facebook and Twitter, she asked me what my goal was for those spaces. I told her I wanted to build a community; it had NOTHING to do with sales. Amy (CLC) and Hillary (studying to be a doula and still nursing her 21-month old son) co-manage our social media now and I (CLE) jump in when I can. We provide evidence-based information, support, encourage support from our community and refer to an IBCLC as appropriate. Gosh, sometimes a mom just needs an ear!
I am super-duper proud of the fantastic communities that we have cultivated in both arenas and am continually inspired by the conversations that happen there. Leakies can find us on Twitter @PumpEase and @snugabell (that’s me) as well as on our Snugabell Facebook page. Be sure to say “Hi!” and that you are visiting from The Leaky Boob! 🙂
TLB: Thank you so much for supporting TLB and your generous giveaway providing support to these moms. What would you encourage moms to consider in offering mom-to-mom support? Any tips for finding and giving such support?
Wendy: I believe the key is to refrain from judging other moms’ choices or circumstances that led them to (believe they) had no choice. I was there. Again, if I were to have my first baby tomorrow, I would change a LOT. This is what keeps my judgy pants off and my compassion glasses on. We’re all in this together (creating the next generation that is), so let’s lift mamas up rather than beat them down. We’re all doing the best that we can with the knowledge that we have. And if I were looking for support today, I would turn to the internet, no question.
Wendy’s children
Wendy is giving away one PumpEase Prize Pack featuring:
- PumpEase hands-free pumping bra Retail Value: $38.00
- Matching PumpEase Wet Bag Retail Value: $14.00
- Through a Child’s Eyes – Colouring Book Retail Value: $12.00
Total Value: $64.00 USD
Currently Leakies can find these and other maternity, nursing and hands-free pumping products on the snugabell.com website.
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Good luck to everyone! Please use the widget below to be entered. The giveaway is open from May 24, 2013 through May 30, 2013. A big thanks to Wendy and Snugabell for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page, follow Wendy on Twitter and follow PumpEase on Twitter and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.
Snugabell will ship worldwide.
