“I don’t know how many breast pads I’m going to need”

“I don’t know how much I’m going to be leaking”

“I have not leaked a single droplet”

….and the piece de resistance…

“I tried to put my own nipple in my mouth!”

Molly Mae’s launched her latest Youtube video, which I personally have been waiting with bated breath to see. In particular, and for selfish reasons, I was dying to see what she was going to say about her preparation for milk leaking. She did not disappoint.

Watching this video, you can see that Molly has definitely done her homework. She is totally relatable in the absolute mindf*ck and overwhelm of hospital bag planning – one of the most confusing times as a female consumer.  Every product you buy feels totally alien and you have no clue whether you’re being OTT, underprepared, or what you are about to purchase will work for you and your baby; but, you buy it anyway because god knows when the baby comes you don’t want to be caught out, despite being one of the most uncontrollable and unpredictable events of your life.

By far the most confused we see Molly, and the most newsworthy part of the video, is where she mentions her experience (or lack thereof) leaking. In comparison to her other pregnant friends’ experience who have already started leaking, Molly has expressed her worry that she hasn’t had any milk which led her to breastfeed herself. Though it’s totally normal not to leak any milk and it usually comes in several days after birth, for how clued up Molly is in general, this area is very grey in particular and shows that there is a real lack of education and information available to new Mums in this area. As she rightly says, it’s a minefield.

Molly’s video coincided with a discussion I had the same day with a fellow female founder about her experience with leaking. She experienced leaking with her firstborn and had no awareness that there were even products to help with leaks. While her NCT course was educational and had a section on breastfeeding, there was absolutely no mention about leaking so she could be prepared for it. When her milk came in, she dealt with it with cotton pads and just suffered through her clothes being constantly wet, being marginally saved by her thick winter wardrobe. Fun.

This goes to show how little we understand about what our bodies will go through in the 4th trimester and how much more education and awareness needed to help ease postpartum discomfort which can make an already testing time even more trying.

As an aspirational influencer, it’s so positive see Molly giving such an honest and authentic view into her hospital bag planning and focusing heavily on all the “unsexy” items rather than what outfit she’s going to return home in. It just shows what a stark change and knock in confidence for many women it is going from unlimited fashion choices to having to dress for a pregnant body (with often only frumpy options available), and then having to lose your dignity through wearing disposable underwear and breast pads, often for months.

Stories like this, which echo my own experience (minus the whole breastfeeding oneself of course) are the entire reason I’m launching leakproof nursing bra brand, Lesh. Why should new Mums have to buy care products that are confidence-knocking, confusing, and bad for the environment? Or worse, just put up with the postpartum discomfort and accept it? I hope to see so much more development in the pregnancy and postpartum space as a category in a bid to help Mums feel good about themselves.

Coincidentally, the plan was always for Lesh to be ready in alignment with Molly Mae’s birth but the product development is just taking that little bit longer to get the product exactly where it needs to be. And if it can be a better product to help more women, I’m OK with that.

Stay tuned x