Back in the day, the 80s being the day, this company was started because a working pregnant woman could not find professional clothing that fit her and her career. So, Rebecca Matthias created her own expecting styles, and thus the birth of Mothers Work. Now we are called Motherhood® Maternity.

Our September campaign is all about how moms wear the pants, both figuratively and literally. We shot video and photography, capturing real mamas-to-be in our new work pants, and discussing how being pregnant has changed not only their lives, but their workdays too.

Emily is a teacher who works with young children. She has to be both comfortable and professional. She told us that since she is so petite, [I hear ya lady!] she dresses on the more business side of business/casual. We put her in our Cady maternity pants, which are skinny pontes, because she needs the extra stretchy material for getting on the floor with her students!

Leah lives for fashion. Before she changed careers, she had to wear a uniform to work, which she did during her first pregnancy with her son Braylon, 8 years ago. Now that she has more freedom, she has been using her best asset, her bump, to make style waves through her social accounts. Although she doesn’t need to be as professional anymore, we dressed her in our Zelie maternity pants, which comes in both straight and flare leg, because a woman wears many hats… or in this case, pants.

Rachel is a dermatologist who recently opened her own practice! Talk about a mama who wears the pants. This is her first time being pregnant and she is already wondering how her job is going to change once baby comes. She wants to be comfortable, since she is on her feet, and yet also professional because, you know… the whole doctor thing. We dressed her in our Bella maternity pants, which are made from a buttery smooth fabric. She is wearing seasonal shades of burgundy and olive in our skinniest leg shape.

Abby is a model mama and a model in general! She has a 4-year daughter with the cutest name, Cedar, and is pregnant now with a boy! For her, dressing for work looks very different than our teacher, doctor or office worker. In fact, that freedom may even pose more of an effort. This was her first time wearing maternity pants and she said it was life changing! She couldn’t believe how good they make her feel – how her blood is flowing properly, and she can truly breathe. Oh, and she looks downright amazing in our #1 maternity work pants, The Maia. She modeled them for us in ALL the colors, because when in Rome – or a studio in Center City, Philadelphia.

Speaking of The Maia, Laura is dressed in our postpartum version with compression. She is a mama of 2 who is a superhero that still is nursing her 1-year old daughter. Her nine-to-five requires her to look professional, especially as an office administrator. She wishes she knew about our nursing clothing for both of her previous pregnancies, because she did nurse at the shoot – in our clothes! The postpartum Maia pants are there to help with post-birth stomach muscle recovery. They kind of tighten everything in for a really smooth and seamless finish. The 4^th trimester doesn’t end after 3 months. Mamas’ bodies work in overdrive, which is why our clothes are there for the long-haul.

Next week I am going to break down the inspiration behind the names of the pants, so stay tuned! Until then… see you on the gram. #mymomtruths @motherhoodmaternity

Yours TRULY,
Daina

Forget Manic Monday, it’s a MOCKTAIL MONDAY Baby! Our resident foodie, Ray, has provided us with a pomegranate martini, or for the sake of wordplay: momtini.  I am just going to let him explain this one to you…

This simple pomegranate spritzer is kinda sweet, kinda tart, but totally refreshing. A uniquely zingy pick-me-up for any warm day. While this can quickly be whipped up with pomegranate juice, I’d highly recommend you give pomegranate molasses a try. It’s a common, but super tasty and simple middle eastern ingredient with a bevy of uses. An outstanding base for mocktails, it’s also great drizzled over warm roasted vegetables, used in sauces, marinades or in a vinaigrette. It takes your hummus to a whole new level with just a few healthy glugs. It packs a uniquely seductive flavor — not terribly sweet, not quite sour, tangy and bright. [Editor’s Note: he likes adjectives.]

While pomegranate molasses may sound exotic or complicated, I assure you that it’s anything but. You can totally make this, at home, in sweats and slippers with very little effort — plus, you’ll be able to impress your friends with your refined palate! You can find it at specialty markets and it’s also widely available online. Check out my fail-proof recipe:

Juice version [8 oz serving]

In a glass filled with ice add:

• 3 Tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 1 teaspoon of simple syrup (if desired)
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Top with sparking water or club soda

Pomegranate Molasses version [8 oz serving]

In a glass filled with ice add:

• 3 Tablespoons pomegranate juice
• Top with sparking water of club soda (ginger ale is also a nice alternative)

To make your own pomegranate molasses you’ll need:

32 oz pure 100% pomegranate juice (if you want to juice your own pomegranates, be my guest, but this is the fast version)

3-4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup of raw sugar

Instructions

Pour pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice into a small pot. Heat at low/medium until liquid begins to just simmer ever so slightly. Stir to dissolve sugar. Allow liquid to simmer for approximately 60 minutes. This can burn, so make sure you’re stirring every 10 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by 75% to about 1 cup (8 oz) or about a quarter of what you started with. Don’t let it reduce too far, or it will harden after it cools.

When the liquid just coats the back of a spoon, remove the pot from heat. The syrup will continue to thicken as it cools. If you’re unsure about the consistency, measure the reduced liquid– it should be between 1 and 1 ¼ cups of syrup. If it’s a lot more liquid than that, continue reducing.

After the syrup cools completely, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

His description is most likely longer than actually making, drinking, and remaking the momtini.

Make it, drink it, love it, post it, share it. @motherhoodmaternity #mocktailmonday

Cheers!

Daina & Ray

Hey there September! I used to get so nervous this time of year. First there was the whole going to school after Labor Day thing, and then I was a teacher for a few years. Now, September is my favorite month. In fact, autumn has become my favorite season. The weather is always so pretty and everything in nature is at its ripest before winter. Style is at its best, the streets are clear of kids on bikes, Halloween is almost here. It all falls into place. [See what I did there?]

When I gave birth to Val back in 2016, I returned to work right after Labor Day, so I felt like I had the summer off and then school began. All of those end of summer blues came flooding back to me.  This time I came back the very first day of July, giving me a few months under my belt. In other words, I can really enjoy the end of summer and the start of autumn again.

Going back to work with 2 kids has had its moments. It is hard to get out of the house, twice as hard in fact. It’s been tiring, sometimes isolating, but also oddly refreshing. I work with a lot of my best friends, so I enjoy talking their ears off all day. I am not sure how they feel, but whatever, this is about me! [Editor’s Note: I am going to watch them read this, then wait for them to cringe.]

This month we are all about honoring our working mamas, the ones expecting and the ones who have to return after their maternity leave, well, leaves. Motherhood® Maternity was founded by a pregnant woman who couldn’t find any professional clothing for expectant mothers, so Rebecca Matthias made them herself. And today we are the largest retailer of maternity and nursing clothing.

To honor her and all working moms, those who are raising families, educating the youth, creating art, instructing yoga, earning their degrees, working in healthcare, giving someone a new look, coming up with the next best idea, running to their meeting, sitting in their desk, typing from a coffee shop, or getting the job  done wherever that happens… we have YOUR work wear for anywhere.

Our newest campaign is all about mamas wearing the pants! We will be breaking down our best professional bottoms that would make our founder proud. No worries, we have some career-worthy styles to top them off with too. For boss babes with a bump, and new moms making it work – we’ve got you covered from 9 to 5 and them some.

In case no one has told you lately; I am so proud of you. You are amazing!

Let us keep you posted. @motherhoodmaternity – Daina

Yes, yes, yes, we know – Labor Day marks the end of summer and the start of school. We are so trained to feel this sort of sadness, or at least we are impacted by the transition from season to season. But for those of us who work all year around, and more specifically those of us who work with pregnant women, Labor Day means more than just the Monday off.

Labor Day here is still both the end and start of something. The end of pregnancy marks the start of motherhood. And as our name suggests, Motherhood® loves motherhood. For all of the mamas counting down to their personal labor day, I wanted to provide some sage advice, as well as some suggestions for your hospital bag. I am not the expert in giving birth, but I have done it twice, once within the past 6 months, and I haven’t gotten so far removed that I, “forget what birth is even like”.

#1- Comfort is the actual key. I know there is a part of you that is worried what the pictures will look like. But when push comes to shove, quite literally, you’re not going to be thinking about how you look. BUT there are aspects you can control. For starters, we have a labor gown that doubles triples as a pregnancy and nursing dress. It allows access to fetal monitors and an epidural in a snap, again quite literally. There are snaps in the front, back, shoulders and sides for skin-to-skin, IV drips, and breastfeeding. Get yours in black, florals, or gray. If you do wear this for labor and delivery, it probably will need a good washing, so pack 2 more outfits for your hospital stay.

#2- If you plan on nursing, you’ll need the support. This support I speak of is both tangible and then also emotional. On one hand, you should have bras that are made for breastfeeding. If you bought one during pregnancy, it already has the nursing access, so throw that in your bag. You can go topless if you choose, but family, friends, people you speak to once a year but are local, just might come see your baby; you may want the coverage. Also, take the lactation consultant’s advice, or at least hear her out. You may be so drained at that point with doctors and nurses coming in and out, but she is there to help you and make sure baby is getting your milk. Take the support.

#3- Smile… you’re on a not very candid camera. People will be snapping away all willy nilly. Either you have your cell phone out, or someone else will. I was shocked at how the hospital was more than okay with cell phones everywhere. Aren’t they supposed to be the dirtiest things in the world or something? The first thing my nurse said was to get the phone ready to take baby’s first picture. So, dress up, but act casual about it. Maternity or postpartum leggings look put-together with a cute graphic tee or one of our new nursing styles. Ya know, something you just threw in your bag.

Are you due in September? Are you due this week? Is your labor day on Labor Day? Let us know and congratulations! @motherhoodmaternity #mymomtruths

– Daina

At the end of the day, we sell clothes. That isn’t shocking, but you know what can be? Showing up to work in a dress feeling cute just to realize you’re going to be [almost] completely naked soon in a little room hooked up to a machine.  It happens to the best of us… but it doesn’t have to.

When it comes to nursing clothing, we listened to our customers. I am not a number’s girl, but I do know more than 65% of you return to work in some capacity. Oh, and I know you like to leave the house. And for these reasons, I wanted to sit down with our in-house designer, Jennifer Sack, and chat about the team’s inspiration behind the pieces. 

Jen has been with the company for over 8 years and has been helping design nursing/pumping clothing for over 3. The actives styles [seen on Thara below] are brand new. Jen said “versatility of the end use” is how they approach creating new clothes. They thought about the customer’s journey after birth, where she will be home for a while [hopefully] and then have to transition back into the working world.

The postpartum workout pants are what Jen referred to as the compression capsule, which now includes double fabric to help reduce chafing, as well as a pull-string to tighten and loosen as the body recovers. There is also a workout top with cross straps that offers different levels of lift and support. Jen and her team decided to include an inner-shelf bra, so that our girl doesn’t have to wear another underneath. There are also new clip-down functions that feature a sliding clasp, which is less noticeable, so that she feels like herself. For Jen, it’s those little details that make all the difference.

Keep reading to shop the shoot and see what Jen has to say about some of the featured styles. 

Thara is wearing our Nursing Hoodie and our postpartum active leggings.

The lift-up hoodie is perfect for when this unbearable humidity finally goes away! When we say lift-up, we mean there is a separate layer on the sweatshirt that you, well, lift up to get easier access to your breasts. This way you can feed your baby or pump without having to remove your top completely.

The pants must be worn after birth, so mamas-to-be, wait this one out. They feature stomach muscle compression, which is only safe once baby exits the body. These are workout specific, so they have a side pocket, are moisture wicking, UPF50, chlorine resistant and ready to run with you.

Audra is wearing our maternity overalls. That’s right – MATERNITY! Keep these in your closet for the comfort alone.

Darlene is wearing our plus size waist-tie maternity dress in leopard print. Again, another maternity style that is more of a wear now/wear later look.

Alex is wearing our ruffle hem nursing dress in a floral print. This dress works with a mock layer underneath, so when you undo the wrap, you have the ability to breastfeed or pump without disrobing completely. [See my opening paragraph!]

Sarah is wearing our nursing hoodie. This kind is my favorite. The hidden zippers are on the side and they go from mid-stomach up to mid-nipple. I wore one when we went to the LatchOn Event in Philly. It was roomy enough to stick a Willow pump in! Jen told us that this drawstring hoodie has been a best-selling maternity top for years, so it made sense to extend the option to nursing moms.

Chakari, who was pregnant at the time of the shoot, is wearing our wrap maternity dress in golden floral. [Insert hands praying emoji.] If you are pregnant, which I am sure most readers are, then what else do you need for fall? This dress will be perfect for after baby too; it’s nursing/pumping friendly!

What pieces do you pump in? What fashions do you feed in? We showed you ours; now show us yours. @motherhoodmaternity #mymomtruths

Motherhood’s blog is back and we’re keeping it real: Real Mothers, Real Stories, Real Life!

Hi, I’m Daina and I work for Motherhood® as an editor and copywriter. I also reside in the real hood of motherhood.

I have two daughters: Val is a little over 3 and Roni is fairly new at only 5 months.

I came back to work this summer after giving birth and have been doing that crazy balancing act of nursing in the morning, pumping at the office and trying not to cry about the reduction in my breast milk. [Editor’s Note: I’ve cried.]

At the moment I am an exclusive breastfeeding mom. I was able to get my first daughter to 7 months with nursing. I would pump at work, wake up in the middle of the night to pump [by hand so no one would wake up from that oh-so-soothing noise] and yet by 9 months I would produce a total of 3 ounces a day.

With the change in my hormones, the loss of my milk and the day-to-day life of being a person I never was before with responsibilities I didn’t even know existed… I was drowning, unfortunately not in breast milk.

You see, with Val, I felt it was my sole job to provide every last drop of breast milk. When she was born, she was not a peachy pink or even a plucky red. This kid was purply-blue. Having what the doctors thought was a seizure, she was immediately taken to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to be put on a cooling bed.

Now despite me watching the first 6 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, before Denny came back from the dead, I am not a true medical expert. But I believe the cold was to slow down any brain damage that may have happened when she didn’t get that first breath of life.

While I was left alone, my mind kind of went numb. The only thing I asked for was a pump, because I had to do something, anything.

It was not until day 5 that she was able to eat. She was being sustained with sugar water via a feeding tube through her belly button. I blame my now toddler’s need for fruit snacks and chocolate milk on her introduction to life. Jokes aside, she latched, and I was in awe. I was warned by the lactation specialist that she may not because she took a bottle and pacifier prior to a nipple. I think she was just starving. And despite her traumatic entrance into this world, she is a normal little girl. She remains a drama queen, but the apple doesn’t fall too far, ya know?

So, this time around I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t allow nursing and pumping to cause any heartbreak for me. But, at month 5 Ron hardly wants much to do with these boobs. I had an oversupply early on, so luckily, I have enough frozen bags to thaw for the babysitter and at night. I must put my pride aside and succumb to the adage that fed is best.

I still pump at work. What began as 3 times, quickly became 2, because meetings are scheduled, deadlines approach and work is due. Drinking water has taken the backburner to forgetfulness, and I am left with producing 4-6 ounces a day. I am refusing to set an alarm for 2 a.m. pumping, but lucky me my baby doesn’t sleep all the way through the night, so I feed her then. She isn’t as picky in those wee hours; bottle be damned.

The fact that the start of National Breastfeeding Month is not lost on me. I clearly support breastfeeding and pumping and understand the frustrations of feeling embarrassed when in public. In 2019 women should not feel that shame, but it still happens. Every time I am out, and my baby gets hungry I get that hot body, cold sweat hoping no one will notice me doing something so natural. But again, it happens.

If I am away from my baby, but need to pump to keep my supply up, I am frantically searching for a private room or bathroom stall with a plug as to not cause a scene. It’s rough. It’s still taboo and it shouldn’t be. I am fortunate to have access to nursing bras and nursing clothing, as well as a workplace that provides an actual pumping room. But, women all over the country are still in dark offices and repurposed supply closets.

The easiest and quickest thing we can do is be real about the struggles and successes that come with breastfeeding and pumping. This is National Breastfeeding Week and as a company we really wanted to get people’s truths about this topic.

I am attending a Global Big Latch On event in Philadelphia. We also sat down with 10 moms to talk about their experiences, including the good the bad and the ugly beautiful.

Whether you have been here before, or you are new to us and motherhood – welcome to this crazy new life of yours. Learn more by visiting us at motherhood.com.

With Understanding – Daina