Nursing pads that don't stay in place, bras that don't fit, soaking wet T-shirts - this is the daily life of a breastfeeding mom who loses a lot of milk.
That mom is me! The originator of Mama Hangs was our daughter Romy, who spent all her time sleeping in a sling on top of me. If you've been following us for a while, you know the rest! Over a year of development to design innovative, easy-to-use baby carriers, ethically made in Portugal to make everyday life easier for young parents.
In parallel? Another idea. An idea that's been in the back of my mind for over 4 years, ever since my first breastfeeding.
January 26, 2018, Romy was born. Convinced that I wanted to breastfeed her, I didn't even buy a bottle and embarked on the adventure without question. Luckily, my breastfeeding went smoothly, but I lost a lot of milk and often ended up soaking wet... (it was 3 years later, pregnant with Georgia, that I learned from listening to a podcast by Milkshaker that I had hyperlactation).
That same year, a whole host of brands entered the menstrual panties market, which was already well developed in the United States. I immediately thought it would be great to have a "nursing bra version" of this kind of product. I ask around, but nothing exists. So I made do with my washable nursing pads, with which I still ended up soaking every other time.
Little by little, Mama Hangs grew and the idea of an absorbent, waterproof nursing bra remained in the back of my mind. I made enquiries of my suppliers, and one day found a workshop capable of carrying out the project.
And so began another long period of development (1? years)!
There were a lot of requirements, but also a lot of constraints.
I wanted a product that combined all these features:
- Comfort : a bra that moms can wear day and night without even feeling it. A soft, progressive material that respects and adapts to the sensitive skin of pregnant and nursing women.
- A waterproof and absorbent system that's foolproof: there's no question of ending up with a soaked T-shirt at the grocery store or in the middle of a business meeting.
- The material had to be breathable and quick-drying thanks to body heat, so there'd be no sensation of dampness. It also had to be naturally anti-bacterial, so it wouldn't smell like curdled milk at the end of the day!
- Support for all breasts.
- And of course, last but not least, ! You're beginning to understand: at Mama Hangs, we're not satisfied with "ugly BUT practical" products, we love them when they're practical AND beautiful!
At the end of 2020, pregnant with Georgia, I was determined to be able to test and enjoy this product. So I'm doing everything in my power to make sure that these specifications are met. Several prototypes, design revisions, email exchanges and visios with our workshop follow.
June 29, 2021: Georgia is born. Second love of our lives, second breastfeeding, same hyperlactation.
A few adjustments, months and details later, the final version is ready. I crash test this bra! I wear it day and night. I have two of them, which I wash every day and can't do without.
Finally, the tests were carried out on various mothers. They're satisfied (some, who are no longer breastfeeding, even say they're ready to buy it just for its comfort), and I'm delighted!
June 16, 2022: our range of innovative, absorbent and waterproof nursing bras is launched. We're proud of it, and hope you'll like it and find it as useful as it was for me.
I wish you many happy moments with your baby!
Véronique, founder of Mama Hangs