“You Are More Than A Dairy Fairy.” New Company Launches Nursing Sports Bra for CrossFitters
CrossFit moms — this one is for you. Once you got back to the box after having your little bundle of joy, were box jumps, double unders, running, etc. a challenge? Maybe for more than one reason, but a new company is trying to help nursing moms get back to those movements by designing a sports bra that’s both functional and fashionable for CrossFit.
The need for a new nursing bra: Karlie Causey and Jess Fleming, both CrossFit coaches for ten plus years, took everything they hated about the nursing and pumping sports bras on the market and designed their own through their new company, Jen & Keri.
- When Causey had her son almost two years ago, she noticed there weren’t many good nursing or pumping sports bra options that were cute and still functional.
- “All the options out there are either velcro or a zipper or just a little ugly nursing clip and I just hated those. Why can’t there be a regular bra that looks like a regular bra and I can still nurse my kid, I can workout, I don’t have to change right away, moms have a lot of stuff going on,” said Causey.
- As athletes, Causey and Fleming noticed something else. The nursing sports bras currently out there aren’t designed to be supportive for movements in CrossFit that involve high-intensity. Instead, they’re tailored for women that do yoga, biking, walking, or other low-impact activities.
- “When you’re talking about trying to get back to running and double-unders and lifting and box jumps, you have to hold those puppies down. And when women are nursing, their breasts generally are bigger than they’re used to,” continued Causey.
To the drawing board: For the past year, Causey and Fleming have been trying to perfect the sports bra that would incorporate all of these features they believe athlete moms need.
- Fashionable — Instead of velcro or nursing clips, the bra they designed has you pull it up from the bottom and there’s an inner layer that pulls down.
- Functional — A high neck design to allow for a more supportive fit.
- Double feature — The sports bra gives moms the option if they’re nursing or pumping.
- Eco-Friendly — Made with recycled material.
Why it matters: Becoming a mom comes with a lengthy list of changes both mentally and physically. Third Fittest Woman on Earth and veteran Games athlete Annie Thorisdottir, has spoken openly about her own postpartum struggle to recognize her own body — a feeling many moms can relate to. If a new nursing sports bra can help give women confidence when returning to the gym, it’s just one way they can move in the right direction postpartum.
- “I’m proud to be a mom but I don’t need this badge that’s like, ‘look I’m nursing’ I just want to be another athlete in class. One of our main goals is we don’t want people to know that it’s a nursing bra. We’ve shown some of our friends who aren’t moms the bra and they’re like ‘cool, looks like a normal bra,’ and we’re like ‘yes! That’s what we want!’” Causey said.
Causey and Fleming are looking to launch Jen & Keri by the end of September. They already have a second bra that they’re working on that’s going to be a medium-impact bra that will be more comfortable to wear all day.
The big picture: Eventually, the women want to launch an entire line of activewear for athlete moms. By starting the company Jen & Keri, they hope to help moms in CrossFit become more confident in their bodies postpartum and get back to doing what they love.
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