Resolving not to make any resolutions.

As 2010 draws to an end, I am resolving not to make any resolutions. I have spent too many years setting myself up to fail before the first 24 hours of the new year have even begun.  


I will not pay for a gym membership I will almost certainly never have the time to use.  I will not buy a journal that will remained unopened. I will not cancel my cable subscription. I will continue to spend too much time on Facebook, and I will not step on a set of scales unless a doctor asks me to. (I would however appreciate it if my daughter would resolve to sleep through the night - I'm pretty tired).

What I will be doing is reflecting on the year that has just past. I will marvel at the twinkle in my son's gorgeous brown eyes, his inquisitive spirit and eagerness to learn. I will reflect on my daughter's first steps, her rapidly expanding vocabulary and joyful exuberance.  I will smile at the memory of all the hugs, kisses and hands held. 

I will also be grateful for one more year of Bump.  Often when people find out that I am a small business owner they ask me tentatively, "how is it going?"  It is not news to anyone that the past 2 years have been hard on everyone.  It has effected us all.  We've all eaten more meals at home, we've returned to the art of family camping vacations, taken the subway more and cabs less, reconsidered the necessity of certain skin or hair care products, brought lunch to work in a brown bag rather than ordering in, and I'm certain that we have all felt a little more grateful for what we have.  

We have all also got a little more creative with our wardrobe.  We have combed sales racks and sample sales, repaired and resoled, rediscovered items long forgotten in storage, accessorized with passion, and we have all considered each purchase much more carefully before we make it.  

We never expected 2010 to be a huge year for Bump.  We expected our customers to delve through the wardrobes of recently pregnant friends and family.  We also expected our customers to stretch their previous wardrobes as far as possible. So we have been even more grateful than ever for every customer who has walked through our doors.  We know there are maternity alternatives, some less expensive and more convenient, so that people have chosen to come to Bump makes us feel very fortunate. 


Our business is not only a small one, but it is a family business and a business that is very personal to us. We bump (forgive the pun) into our customers on the subway, on the street, in the play ground, in restaurants and at our children's schools.  We feel unbelievably privileged to be part of an incredible, life changing journey.  We have got to know our customers children, partners, mothers, fathers, grandparents and friends.  We have given tissues for tears, pads for leaking boobs, a bathroom for bladders under pressure, curtains for a game of peek-a-boo, a comfortable chair for nursing, and space for diaper changes.


We love what we do and are so happy that we can continue doing it.  So wether you make resolutions or not, we wish everyone all the love, kisses and hugs 2011 can muster up, and thank you for your support, friendship and exceptional company.


Bump  

The Sex Shop Next Door

Before last weekends incredibly successful Bergen Street Lot Party (from which I am still exhausted), the most action we normally see on Bergen Street comes courtesy of our illustrious neighbors at Babeland.  I came to work recently and was excited to see what appeared to be a line of women waiting to get into Bump.  On closer inspection I realized that they were waiting to get into Babeland who was having their annual vibrator sale.  My hopes were dashed.

When Babeland first opened just over 2 years ago there was a media frenzy.  We had to alternate who was going to be interviewed when yet another TV crew came to Bump to ask us what we thought.  I for one was surprised that it was such big news that women wanted to have orgasms.  

I first met Claire, one of the owners of Babeland, at a mummy & baby yoga class in 2006.  Our sons are about the same age.  We exchanged homemade pureed baby food and tales of the trials of motherhood.  I liked and admired her instantly, especially when I discovered what she did and what an incredible female pioneer she was.  She was one of the women who inspired me to pursue my Bump dream.  

I would bump into Claire on and off for the next 2 years when our sons were having haircuts at Lulu's, at the Botanic Gardens, and then one day fortuitously on the sidewalk when she mentioned that she was looking for a location for a Brooklyn store.  I immediately suggested she talked to our landlord who had been incredibly supportive of our business when we first opened.

The rest I suppose is history.  I feel enormously fortunate to have Babeland as my  neighbor.  There are often times when we accept delivery for a package for Babeland and we're more than a little tempted to keep it and deny all knowledge of receiving it.  I often pop in there, for professional reasons only, and am happy to report that I am cured completely of my blushing thanks to the wonderful women who work there.

We are really happy to be hosting a wonderful workshop with Babeland this Saturday, September 18th from 10-11am. The workshop is about Sex During Pregnancy and it's completely free.  Their sex educators will lead a discussion about tips and techniques for how to enjoy your sexuality during pregnancy. They'll cover ways to communicate with your partner about your changing desires, positions that accommodate your changing body, and toys that can help create even more intimacy and pleasure.  Everyone who attends will receive a 10% at Babeland & Bump following the workshop.  Need further incentive? Well we'll be serving Blue Sky Bakery mini muffins!

If you can't make the workshop I highly recommend checking out their great site Moms in Babeland.

Bump Brooklyn

The Case of the Missing Waist

The first thing to go when you're pregnant is your waist.  Unlike your tonsils or appendix, when you're waist goes you actually miss it.  It is the natural dividing point of your body.  It's where separates separate.  

During the first trimester you may feel, well...lumpy and downright undefined.  I know I longed for the days when I would actually look pregnant so I wouldn't have to endure those questioning looks wondering if I'd just been putting on weight in unusual places.

Here are some tips to stay ahead of the curve at every stage.

FIND SHAPE ELSEWHERE 

Just because your waist has developed a mind of its own, it doesn't mean that you can't find shape elsewhere and create a waist alternative.

  

Empire waisted blouses and dresses are a great option.  Cut just under the bust it elongates the body and draws attention away from your actual waist. 

If you find that your blousy loose fitting clothes are leaving you feeling like a tent rather than enveloping your body, you can create an empire waist with a scarf or belt.  Go for muted or blocks of color if you are wearing prints, or enliven a simple dress with a splash of color.

T Bags V-neck Blouse

Bec & Em Brush Print Dress

Japanese Weekend Retro Print Dress

Woo Mable Blouse

If you're wary of your bust and drawing attention to it try styles that tie under your bump or on your hip like this beautiful style from Woo.
 

GO WITH THE CURVES

Olian Dania Dress

Once you feel sufficiently comfortable with your new curvy form it is well worth investing in at least one piece that highlights your pregnancy. This beautiful dress from Olian is a great example of using a print to accentuate your bump.  They have incorporated a gorgeous print to a simple black dress that wraps itself around your body highlighting your pregnant curves.  

DISTRACT

Show off your pregnancy glow with a dusting of bronzer and a vibrant lip color and always leave room for accessories!  Raid your jewelry boxes, explore a local flea market and throw on chunky bangles, layer chains, add bold beads, tie a fabulous scarf, pull your hair back and put on your favorite earrings.  They never go out of style, shouldn't add any costs to your wardrobe, and will delight your inquisitive child after you've given birth - the earrings especially!

Bump Brooklyn

What to bring when giving birth.

 St. Vincents (big sigh)

With the benefit of hindsight, there are 2 things I wished I had brought to the hospital with me when I gave birth to my first child 4 years ago - make-up and an open mind.

 Name tag (just in-case I forgot who I was)

I left the first behind because for some reason I thought that make-up  wasn't maternal or necessary when you are basking the glow of new motherhood.  That is probably because my maternal role model, my incredible mum, never wore a scrap of it.  She gave birth to 4 children in an 8 year span, ran our family farm, breastfed effortlessly and parented exceptionally, all without facial enhancements.   I'm sure her reality wasn't as simple or easy as it was in my mind, but she is still worthy of the pedestal I have put her on.

 My little bundle.

But as I left the hospital feeling unbelievably fragile when absolutely everything in my life seemed to have changed overnight, I wish I had put on a little lip gloss or blush as it would have made me feel more like, well...me.   

 Me and my little bundle.

When my second child was born during a cold December I knew I needed a warm robe.  It was my mission and when I found the perfect one, I felt so much more prepared to give birth.  Honestly I think I might have worn it twice, but it more than served it's purpose putting my mind at ease on the eve of her birth.  In addition to my robe I brought with me menus for local restaurants (honestly, there really is no need to eat hospital food), warms socks, the phone numbers of several lactation consultants and a well stocked make-up bag.

 Me and my new bundle and my now big first bundle.

The second I left behind because I never considered that I could have a c-section and certainly never read that chapter in my assorted pregnancy and birthing books.  If I had read about them I would have understood why they are necessary and accepted that as the method of my son's arrival.

Going home to Brooklyn.

 

So in closing I am not necessarily advocating make-up or chapter reading, but I am encouraging that you give yourself what you need to take care of yourself when you meet your baby for the first time.  Bring with you what brings you comfort and makes you feel like you. I lost sight of who I was as I searched for the new mother in me.  When I reclaimed myself, motherhood felt so much more natural. 

Bump Brooklyn

Summer Nursing

Something I hear all the time at Bump is "I would totally wear that if I wasn't pregnant."  It is everything we set out to achieve - clothes to wear while pregnant that don't make you feel like you are giving up your sense of style.

Nursing is a whole other issue.

Dressing for nursing is tough.  Even though you no longer house your baby, you still share your body, and your post pregnancy body adjustment can be fraught.  Even when you tell yourself "Nine months on, nine months off" your once perky C cups are pushing E and leaking.  

We've always worked really hard at finding nursing clothes that were as fashionable and practical as possible but the pickings have been slim - until now.

  Helene Jumpsuit by Dote

I know it's wrong to have favorites, but I do love this piece by Dote and wish we'd had it last summer when I was scrambling to nurse my infant daughter, play with my 3 year old son, stay cool and avoid jeans.  We have a great assortment of nursing pieces from Dote, a wonderful company who doesn't just 'make' nursing clothes, they actually 'design' nursing clothes.  Her designs are always classic, beautifully constructed and flattering to the nursing body.

 Madison Maxi Dress by Miravos

Founded, designed and operated by mother of three, Miravos is another line that has set the bar very high for nursing fashion.  Her designs never scream "I'm nursing, look at my big boobs".  She has created such elegant, understated clothing with invisible nursing access.  Made from dreamy soft bamboo, every piece drapes but doesn't cling.

The Joan by Milk Stars  

Milk Stars is another wonderful nursing line that has kept things simple but certainly not unfashionable.  This particular style has nursing access through the arm hole which is absolutely ingenious.  I just adore the gorgeous emerald green.

So if you find yourself in a fashionable nursing predicament - don't despair, there is hope out there.

Bump Brooklyn

Under(be)ware

My underwear has seen better days.  Most of my wardrobe (underwear included) dates back to pre-2005 and pre-parenthood.  5 years old in underwear years  is practically pre-historic!

Thankfully that all changed on Tuesday when we happily received our first shipment of Hanky Panky underwear.

Hanky Panky is truly a really great underwear line.  They have managed to make a low rise thong that is so remarkably comfortable you wont find yourself feeling like you have a wedgie all day.   

The low rise thong we have isn't technically maternity but they are low enough that they sit comfortably below your bump. At $21 each they wont break the bank and they are in such fun colors that it gives you the opportunity to be delightfully impractical when your footwear and playground appropriate clothing dictates a more sensible approach.

If you are looking for a little more rear coverage we do also have the Hanky Panky maternity bikini.  Made from wonderfully soft and breathable cotton modal they are pretty and practical.

Now if only we could find a way to incorporate waxing into what we offer at Bump I'd be all set!

Bump Brooklyn
 

3 Years of Bump

Bump really should be called Bump & Sons & Daughter & Husbands, as it truly a family business.  Walls constructed, curtains sewn, furniture assembled, walls painted (and repainted) all by our family and friends.  

I will never completely understand how she did it, but SaSaDi was in her first trimester with her second son when we spent many long days and nights putting everything together.  Quite in character, she never complained. 

Bump has also literally become a home away from home for our children. My daughter Marigold spent almost 4 months at Bump when she was an infant playing, feeding, sleeping and re-merchandising our sales bins.  When SaSaDi's son Zachary was barely 1 month old he assisted in our first ever inventory overview.

Our oldest sons (and BFFs), who first toddled around the store when they were only 18 months old, are now getting ready for pre-k. Time really does fly.

When we first moved into Bergen Street our only neighbor was a book store that has since moved to another location.  Now Bergen Street has an array of businesses that is hard to rival - gourmet hot dogs, sex toys, vegan delicacies, men and women's wear emporiums, comic books, culinary delights, yoga attire, boarding and biking gear, and to round it all off a hardware store.  Our wonderful block has most definitely become a destination.

One of my fondest memories from our opening day was when our very first customer was treated to an unexpected game of peek-a-boo from our sons when she was in our fitting room.  There have been many more games of peek-a-boo played over the past 3 years, and I suspect there will be many more.  Curtains are after all irresistible when you are little.

What is most gratifying for me about Bump is who I get to spend my days with.  Not only do I have the most exceptionally smart, dedicated and down right lovely business partner, but I have been lucky enough to have worked with incredibly talented, kind and considerate women.

And then there are our customers.  Oh where to begin!  We quite literally wouldn't and couldn't have done it without you. Your support of our business has picked us up when we most needed it.  I can quite honestly say that I never ever tire of hearing about your pregnancies or learning about the birth of your children.  I marvel at your strength, I admire your mothering and I learn from you every single day.  It truly feels like an honor to be invited into your lives at such a profoundly transformative time.  There is not one mother who has walked into Bump that hasn't left an impact on my life.

Thank you.  Truly. 

How to stretch your wardrobe into pregnancy.

While we are in the business of selling clothes to pregnant women, I also know all too well how hard it is to give up your carefully curated wardrobe when you face expansion.   

So how do you stretch your wardrobe when you're pregnant?  

For my first pregnancy I thought a hair elastic would do the trick and extend the life of my jeans. I was wrong. Not only did it not hold my un-bottoned waistband together, the strands of hair still cascading from aforementioned elastic was rather unsightly.

Then I discovered the Bella Band - my very first maternity purchase and it was a revelation! I could comfortably wear my old jeans, pants and skirts with its help. If you're not familiar with a Bella Band, its a wonderful and simple stretchy tube that you step into and wear over your waistband. Its snug fit holds everything up.  I've started to use mine again recently as a boob tube, and used it while nursing to cover my stomach.  Who knows what use I'll discover next.

The other wonderful option is the Muffin Top Stopper.  Perfectly named, this super handy waist band expander adds at least a size to your pants or skirts. Hand made in New York from re-cycled denim, the muffin stop stopper has a button hole and button, just like your jeans. Insert your jeans button in the MTS hole and the MTS button into your jeans button hole - easy!  Cover with a belt or a long shirt and no one will be the wiser. Along with dental floss for stray spinach, a mini first-aid kit for my accident prone children, I'm considering adding a Muffin Top Stopper to my bag for when I eat just a little bit too much!

Gratitude

(The Bump Boys)

I probably shouldn't start to write about all the wonderful things that have happened as a result of opening Bump as it would make for a very, very long blog entry, but I can't let the weekend pass without expressing our gratitude.

First of all, I have to thank Blue Marble Ice Cream for providing us with their exceptional ice cream. For some reason there was initially some hesitancy to stop for free ice cream (I know!), but a lot of people turned in their tracks when they heard it was Blue Marble Ice Cream we were giving away!

I would also like to thank Women In Need, Inc. for being there for women and their children when they have no where else to turn.  We are so glad that we were able to support your amazing work.

And to our customers, a huge thank you.  You are so incredibly supportive of our store.  Many of you came out of your way to support us on Saturday when your need of our services have long passed.  There are many ups and downs to small business ownership, but it is your continued support and enthusiasm that keep us going.

Finally, and personally, I have to thank my children, for making me a mother.  It is the most important thing I will ever do with my life, and I will spend every day I have being the best mother I possibly can to you.

A Mothers Day Challenge

I'm a NPR junkie.  I suppose after all the years of resisting, somehow we do all turn into our parents!

Serendipitously about a year ago I happened to listen to "This I Believe". It was about a woman who had suddenly lost her mother and wished she had known her better.  I was so struck by the piece because I too had lost my mother suddenly when I was a child and I have spent the past 25 years wishing I could ask her questions about her life.  

There are many things I can ask my Dad, my Grandfather, or Aunts and Uncles about, but it was the little things I wanted to know - the smaller pieces that when put together make a more complete picture.  I didn't know who she first voted for when she turned 18, what her first impressions were of my father, how she took her coffee (if she even drank it), and where she longed to travel.

So last year I sat down with a pen and began to write down some things about me that might be forgotten over time.  It's wasn't a journal - I absolutely don't have the self discipline for that - but it was a collection of some of my little jigsaw puzzle pieces.  I voted Labour in 1996, thought my husband was far too handsome to be a nice person (thankfully I couldn't have been more wrong), milk with 1 sugar, and I have a hankering to take a trip on the Trans Siberian Railway.  It's a work in progress.

I hope, of course, that I will share a long, healthy and happy life with my treasured children, a life that will be filled with all sorts of questions and answers.  But if for some reason I can't, this little notebook will hopefully help them know me a little better, and answer some of the questions they might have, or provide answers to questions they didn't even know they wanted to ask.

So my challenge is to think about what stories you have that you would like your children to know about you, and to write them down. And if you're really lucky and you still can, ask your mum those questions you've always wanted to, because I also believe that we should truly know our mothers.

Bump Brooklyn

The Dreaded C

Like the vast majority of mothers who have had a c section, it was not at all how I ever imagined giving birth. I didn't even read that chapter in my otherwise well read pregnancy book. I was going to follow in the footsteps of all noble women in my family before me - I was going to push my children out. I tried pushing. I really did, but 2 hours into it we hit a problem and my son needed to come out quickly. As I was wheeled sobbing into the ER my doctor assured me that my scar wouldn't be big. Big?! A scar was the least of my worries. I suddenly felt the first intense wave of maternal love - was my son going to be ok?

My son was fine. After a couple of hours in the NICU, which felt like an eternity, we were reunited. But having a c-section left it's mark on me - literally and figuratively. I think that I almost certainly had a touch of post traumatic stress but the most ensuring scar was that I had failed at the first act of motherhood - giving birth.

I sometimes find myself a little resentful of the natural birth movement and of movies like "The Business of Being Born" not because I think there is anything wrong with their message which is empowering women to be aware of their choices in child birth, to regain control of their bodies and their babies journey into the world. I am resentful because it makes me feel that I have failed, that I made wrong decisions, or that I need to defend how my children were born. At some point in the birth of our children we do have to put our lives and those of our children in the hands of a medical team we trust will make the best decisions on our behalf. There is no failure in giving birth, and like every conception and child are unique, so is every birth.

Although this blog is designed to share thoughts on pregnancy and motherhood with fashion in mind, the greatest fashion statement is the one we make with confidence and self assurance. That confidence and self assurance only came for me when I accepted and embraced how my children were born was 100% natural...for me.


Bump Brooklyn

Webshop now open

We're excited to have re-launched our website complete with our webshop - yeah!

www.bumpbrooklyn.com

Shoes

I love shoes. It hasn't always been the case. Growing up on a farm it was function above fashion, although I will say I was wearing Hunter wellies 20 years before they were chic. I was once caught hacking away at the toes of very practical pair of laces ups with a handsaw having been told that I could get a new pair when the current ones 'wore out'. I improvised.

My affection for footwear began when I moved to New York 12 years ago and I would find myself foot gazing on the subway longing for the confidence and budget to wear some of the exquisite styles I saw. My confidence and budget have come and gone in waves over the years, but I rest well at night knowing that I have some divine pairs waiting safe and sound in their dust bags for the right moment to make an appearance.

My footwear needs have changed with motherhood and I'm always looking for a comfortable yet stylish pair of shoes. A lot of customers have asked us about great shoes for pregnancy, so when a line of shoes by Sue London was suggested to us we were hopeful that we might have found the perfect match for Bump.

When we visited their Meatpacking store on Wednesday we went in wearing ballet flats and left wishing we were wearing Sue London ballet flats! They are quite simply the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever put on - definitely no need to break them in. Made from the softest leather, with a wonderfully cushioned sole and just the perfect amount of toe-cleavage. We were sold as soon as we put them on.

So starting tomorrow, we're really excited to be Brooklyn's only destination to buy these wonderful ballet flats. We'll be carrying them initially black, silver, gold and a really rich mauve. While they are definitely not inexpensive at $168, we really hope that the comfort, style and longevity of the shoes will win everyone over the same way they did us. I for one will certainly have a much more stylish spring in my step as I walk to work (or the playground) this spring!

Spring Fever

If I was the athletic type, I probably would have done cartwheels down the sidewalk yesterday in what felt like the first real day of spring.

New York winters can feel long, especially with 2 young children at home who seem to have inherited my dislike for the cold weather. Now I have to show some restraint and not start packing up my winter clothes, sprucing up my toes with a pedicure for open toed shoes, and leaving the house without a coat. I know I'll regret it (except maybe the pedicure). I do however plan to enjoy the sunshine while it lasts but I know that weather can be flighty and can dampen my enthusiasm quicker than I reach for a cup of coffee each morning.

Spring also brings with it the challenge of transitional season dressing. We recently photographed some of our favorite styles for our website and this outfit is a great option. The jeans are a straight leg option from J Brand ($187). The denim is super soft and light weight, so you wont feel restricted when the temperatures really start to soar. The blouse is by Yumi Kim, a contemporary designer we adore whose vintage inspired silk prints drape beautifully while pregnant or not.

So here's to keeping the windows open, playing with my children outside and planning a pedicure in the not so distant future!

Fashion Week - mother of 2 style

It never quite makes sense to me that I can be awake at 6am yet still struggling to get out the door by 9am. I should be washed, groomed, dressed, caffeinated and fed, with time to spare to read the newspaper. You'd think.

So if getting out the house on any given morning can be a challenge, getting ready to attend the New York fashion trade shows is quite another story. They are attended by some of the most stylish, elegant and well put together women you'll ever meet. A daunting crowd to spend a Sunday with.

Standards have to be set.

I would say that as a rule of thumb, if you can't remember when the last time was you washed your hair - it's time to wash it. Washing, however, is the easy part. What to wear is the big question. When in doubt, I always reach for black. My black skinny pants however are lying beside the bed, where I left them 2 days ago, and our grey & white cat is sleeping on them. A lint brush would be nice but packing tape will have to do. My black cardigan is still smeared in my daughter's dinner. My glasses, which take much frantic searching to locate, have fared just about as well as everything else and are covered in little sticky finger prints.

Yet somehow at 9:10 I am out the door. I turn back to see my blueberry pancake covered children have their faces pressed against the sitting room window, still in their pajamas, waving goodbye frantically and blowing kisses. It makes up for the fact that the brown boots, patchy black pants, shirt and navy blue coat aren't really the outfit I was hoping for.

I always get excited by New York Fashion Week. An occupational hazard I suppose. We always look at the non-maternity styles first for Bump. At the very beginning when we were envisioning Bump we always planned on fusing non-mater nity fashion with maternity styles. During our first pregnancies (pre-Bump) we both wore a lot of contemporary fas hions and believe that our customers would appreciate buying styles from us that cad a wardrobe life that would extend after pregnancy. For us it has become a fundamental component for store.

We saw some absolutely beautiful styles that we're excited to bring in for fall and winter. Exquisite fabrics that drape beautifully - pregnant or not. Soft grey, camel, blue and purple tones. Less bold prints than we've seen this year with the exception of Daughter of the Revolution, a fabulous line from California that we adore (pictured).

Next we will be looking at maternity styles. We will continue to hand pick styles that stay true to next seasons trends while offering the best maternity fit. Our goal, as it has always been is for our customers to be able to give up wine, coffee, sushi - not fashion.

www.bumpbrooklyn.com