The Gift Of An Annie & Isabel Hospital Gown For Stephanie ~ For A Day She Never Thought She Would Have

In our opinion, the day that you are going to give birth is the most anticipated, exciting, and, in our case, photographed day of our lives! We obviously feel having your own hospital gown is a no-brainer... for so many reasons. You are the ONLY person that has ever worn it, something no one ever thinks about when sporting the hospital issued gown. You can wash it and bring the comfort and smell of home and your own beautiful hospital gown will lack the common holes, stains, and EKG stickers that are often stuck to the standard hospital gowns.

Our gowns have many other features that the standard hospital gown lacks but most importantly it completely covers the backside. Aside from these "practical" reasons... having you own Annie & Isabel hospital gown represents style and always makes a beautiful backdrop to those first photographs with your new baby. It represents how truly special this day is when you are giving birth.

When Vanessa wrote to us about her friend Stephanie's upcoming birth we were so touched to hear Stephanie's story. Below is what Stephanie had to say about her experience in her Annie & Isabel hospital gown. Congratulations Stephanie! Boys are so much fun!

First Time Mom Stephanie and Paxton Jr. "P.J."

"Having your first baby is a significant milestone for anyone. My pregnancy was a very special experience because not too long ago my husband and I thought we'd never be able to have children of our own and were planning to adopt. When I became pregnant it was such a great surprise and I wanted to savor every moment. I received my Annie gown as a gift from my dear friend Vanessa. My favorite color is pink, so needless to say, I was thrilled when I opened the package and saw the pink gown with polka dots! I washed it immediately and packed it in my suitcase. I didn't wear it during labor (I didn't want it to get soiled!) so I saved it for the next two days in the hospital. It was so nice being able to change into a fresh gown that was mine! Not only was it comfortable and easy to breastfeed in, it was so nice to feel pretty when receiving guests and showing off my new baby boy. I got so many compliments on it. Thank you so much for adding to my already wonderful adventure!"

Why Susan G. Komen Hated Hospital Gowns, In the Words Of Her Sister

A friend of mine, who is battling breast cancer, shared with me a book that she is reading called "Promise Me". It is a book written by Nancy G. Brinker who is the sister to Susan G. Komen and founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.




There is a paragraph from the book that sums up one of the main reasons we started our company and I wanted to share it with you too. It gave me the chills to read this because it made me realize how important our product is in giving dignity back to patients and making them look and feel better.

This is a quote from Nancy Brinker about how Susan G. Komen hated the standard hospital gown:

"I understand now why Suzy hated hospital gowns. At the time, I guess I thought, Why wouldn't she hate them? She was an impeccably stylish woman who cared a lot about how she looked. That's who she was. But in retrospect, I think there was more to it than that. The one-size-fits-all boxiness of the thing is dehumanizing. That pragmatic but potentially breezy opening in the back goes to the very etymology of the word embarrassing, and the very idea that one size does or can or should even attempt to fit all was offensive to Suzy, literally and metaphorically. This wasn't a matter of style or aesthetics - it was part of a larger dynamic that makes so many cancer patients feel dehumanized and stripped of their dignity."

To learn more about Nancy G. Brinker and her book "The Promise" you can visit her website at http://www.nancygbrinker.com/.

Pink Pockets - A Must for Breast Cancer Patients

When my sister and I started our company, we had no idea how many amazing and inspiring people we would meet through our business. There are so many mom entrepreneurs that we have discovered through the internet and, more importantly, we have discovered that there is a huge network of mom bloggers that are invaluable in spreading the word about these mom entrepreneurs.

We connected with an amazing mom entrepreneur, Diane Lebleu, through a mom blogger. Diane was was in the beginning stages of starting her own business called Pink Pockets. Diane connected with us via email. Her email started by saying, "You are an inspiration." As I continued reading this email, I thought to myself, THIS woman is the TRUE inspiration!!! Diane Lebleu is a breast cancer survivor. Through her experience of going through a double mastectomy with chemotherapy and radiation to rid herself of breast cancer, she came up with an idea for a product to help other women and men who are dealing with this diagnosis. She designed a very simple pocket that can be placed inside your own clothing to hold surgical drains in place. Surgical drains are often placed after having mastectomies and are used to remove fluids that accumulate around the surgical area. Here is a picture of what they look like:

picture from http://www.beasurvivor.com/

Patients almost always go home with these drains and need a way to hold them in place. In the past, a person would safety pin them to their hospital gown/clothing. Diane came up with a brilliant idea to develop disposable pockets that can be placed right inside your own clothing and keep the drains secure and comfortably placed. Her product is called "Pink Pockets." Her intent was that these would be used for people having mastectomies, hence the name "Pink Pockets", but they can actually be used by all types of surgical patients who require drains after surgery.

We wanted to share Diane's story and product with you. As most of you know, one of our hospital gowns, The Elizabeth, is in honor of our grandmother Elizabeth who fought breast cancer so this cause is dear to our hearts and these pockets would work great in our hospital gowns too!!!

Here is a little interview that we did with Diane. We know you will find some inspiration in this story and hopefully you can pass on her great product to others that might need it!!

A&I: When were you diagnosed with breast cancer and how was it discovered?

Diane: My twin sister, Denise, was diagnosed when we were 33. It was a complete surprise. She went through a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. Because of her experience, I was on the lookout - mammograms every 2 years until 37 and then annually.

Diane with her twin sister, Denise

I actually had a mammogram in the spring before I discovered a lump in November 2008. I had just been on a visit to Budapest Hungary to visit my BFF, Holly, and do some research for a book I was intending to write. The lump was there. As soon as I returned home, I went to visit my OB/GYN. "Where is it?" my doctor asked me. "Right there!" I had to show her, it was so small. Almost like a small blood clot. This was over Thanksgiving - holiday schedule means difficulty getting doctors to have much urgency. I had another diagnostic mammogram, biopsy and my doctor of radiology proclaimed to me during the procedure "This doesn't look like cancer" and then of course, the call. December 3, 2008: "Diane, this is cancer". Of course, since I am somewhat of a competitive person, my first reaction was "I KNEW IT!" Then I had to get on the phone and call my husband who was on a business trip in Hartford, CT and he flew home immediately.

A&I: What helped you the most while going through treatments for breast cancer?

Diane: Having a sense of humor and sticking to routine. At the time of my diagnosis, I was only 39 and my kids were 10, 7, 3 and 2. This made it very hard to sit around and feel sorry for myself. My husband and I don't have any family that is not at least a 2 hour plane ride away so we had to rely on the kindness of neighbors and friends during this period. We were overwhelmed with kindness. The meal calendar that friends set up for me went on for over 2 months with only 1 or 2 duplicate families providing meals. Our son's football team contributed to pay for a housekeeper for 3 months. My BFF Holly, despite the fact that she was living in Budapest, Hungary at the time, arranged a weekly "Chemo Fairy" to anonymously drop off goodies on my doorstep every week during the time I was undergoing chemotherapy. At the end of my treatment, we all went out and the "Fairies" were revealed. It was thoughtful and got me through the dark days following an infusion. Most importantly, though, is my faith in God that He would use this experience for good. I'm seeing some of that come to fruition in my work with Pink Pockets and some of the blogging I have done on my breast cancer experience

Diane & Denise

A&I: How has your life changed since your breast cancer diagnosis?

Diane: One of the positives is that I wake each day thankful for every new sunrise I am privileged to see. I kiss my kids more and don't worry so much about not getting to everything on my "to do" list. Maybe that's just an excuse to procrastinate but I am able to keep things in perspective much more....unless we are talking about politics. I am also a cancerpreneur now - trying to build my business in a way that will positively impact those that are afflicted with this disease both in terms of a quality product that meets an unmet need and with some proceeds of sales going to the Komen For the Cure Foundation and the Central Texas Breast Cancer Resource Center. I'm an aspiring writer and guest blogger on a few sites and I was honored by NY Times parenting blogger, Lisa Belkins, who posted my story "Merry Christmas I have Breast Cancer" on Christmas Eve following my diagnosis. I was subsequently honored to have 3 other guest posts detailing my walk with cancer and treatment and was even able to meet Lisa and get a tour of the NY Times building in NYC this past August at the BlogHer conference.

Diane with her beautiful family

A&I: What is the best advise you can give to those newly diagnosed with breast cancer?

Diane: Don't panic. The medical ingenuity in treatment grows every year and the survival rates have never been greater nor afforded those diagnosed with as much hope as there is today for recovery and living a long and wonderful life. I let myself have five minutes of self-pity before making up my mind that I was not just going to endure my bout with breast cancer, I was going to prevail. At the time of diagnosis, my children were 10, 7, 3, and 2. My plan was to stick to routine as much as possible - not just for their benefit, but for mine as well. By allowing others to drive for a while - an overwhelming response from my husband, family, friends, neighbors - we were able to fight this battle and were given a chance to grow closer as a family and laugh a little at the next curve balls we faced at the plate. I like to focus on the positives of this experience such as my creation of Pink Pockets, temporary surgical drain pockets to use after breast surgery, which will give great comfort to those in a similar situation. We can't know the "whys" of things in this life, but we can be certain that we can use them to serve others if we choose.

A&I: Tell us about Pink Pockets

Diane: A few weeks before my bilateral mastectomy, a woman, Jennifer, in my local breast cancer support group "The Pink Ribbon Cowgirls" gave me a simple, hand-made cotton camisole with ladybugs on it. Volunteers make them and donate them to the Breast Cancer Resource Center. Jennifer had worn it a few weeks earlier after her bilateral mastectomy and she knew that the garment - with pockets sewn inside - was a God send. Those drains are so awful and uncomfortable. Doctors really do not give enough warning about these uncomfortable and unwieldy appendages. When my sister was planning for her prophylactic bilateral mastectomy, I brought it to her and began looking for more affordable garments. Retail "special shirts" or "gowns" with pockets start around $40. That is a lot of money - and Jennifer and I surmised that we could produce one for a better price point to make it a more affordable choice. Everyone should have something to help them manage these drains. As we were doing some due diligence, I began thinking about what I wore after my surgery. I wanted to feel as normal as I could, wearing normal clothes. I wore regular button down shirts or pjs that I bought specifically for after the surgery (your arms are useless for a while - nothing over your head) and I wondered if you could just put a pocket inside your own clothes. And you know what? You can. One size fits all.





A&I: How long does each Pink Pocket last?

Diane: You can remove and re-stick the pocket - it doesn't adhere quite as well, but still can be re-used on another garment. You can also wash your garment once or twice and the pocket will stay on. Just don't put the dryer on high heat. The heat will cause the pocket to pucker. You can also just hang your garment to dry. My Pink Pockets come in a package of 3 pairs for $13.99 plus shipping or 5 pairs for $19.99 plus shipping and a portion of each sale goes to both the Austin Affiliate of the Komen for the Cure Foundation (http://www.komenaustin.com/) and the Breast Cancer Resource Center. (http://www.bcrc.org/) The pockets last as long as you have your drains. Just peel them off your garment and discard when done. We use 100% cotton fabric and the prints vary based on what we can find. They are cute but no one sees them as they fit inside your clothes.


Thank you Diane for sharing your story!!! If you want to learn more about Pink Pockets, please visit her website at Pink Pockets

The Sacramento Baby & Toddler Expo This Sunday October 24th, 2010

Come see us!

Sunday October 24th

Courtyard Marriott Cal Expo

1780 Tribute Road

Sacramento

2pm - 6pm

Photograph courtesy of Brenda Bisharat Photography

We are very excited to be showing off our fabulous designer hospital gowns in our home town! The Sacramento Baby & Toddler Expo is this Sunday October 24th and if you are expecting, hope to have children, or are interested in adoption you don't want to miss it.

The 5$ donation will benefit The Birth Connection.

This is a wonderful non-profit organization that helps women facing unplanned pregnancy offering them a safe place to prepare. The Birth Connection gives these women the resources in decision making, childbirth preparation, and/or adoption planning. To find out more about this organization that is 100% funded on contributions, check out their website.

www.thebirthconnection.org

With your entry to the Expo next Sunday you will enter a raffle with amazing prizes. Each vendor will be contributing a gift for the raffle... A.K.A... You could win a free Annie & Isabel designer hospital gown for your upcoming delivery!!! Goore's for Babies to Teens has donated a Munire nursery with a value of $1,800! There will be Baby Swag Bags to the first 100 guests.

You can pre-register for an extra chance to win the raffle below!

http://www.sacbabyexpo.com/

Natalee who has put this wonderful event together with Selena showing off our Susan Gown

Here are some lovely pictures of beautiful Mom's in their Annie & Isabel

gowns the day they met their babies! Don't you think you deserve a beautiful gown on one of THE most important days of you life?

Stephanie, Mom of 2, wore the Anita gown as she welcomed her son into this world. She wore the standard hospital gown with the birth of her daughter and LOVED having her OWN gown the second time around. You can read her testimonial here.

Sara debuting our latest gown, The Susan Gown, as she welcomes

her second son in beautiful Hawaii.

Amy was the lucky recipient of her Annie Gown before the birth of her beautiful daughter Mio.

You can read about her experience here.

As many of you know... we LOVE our family photographer Brenda Bisharat. She loves to photograph births in the greater Sacramento area. Here are some photographs she has shared with us of the beautiful mom's she's photographed in Annie & Isabel gowns.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Sacramento Baby & Toddler Expo this Sunday!!!

The Story of Alexxa, A Breast Cancer Survivor!!

When we dreamed up Annie & Isabel, we had hopes of providing comfort and dignity to those that are sick and dealing with difficult diagnoses. We have felt honored to be invited into the lives and stories of so many inspirational people. Even though we deal with sickness every day in the hospital, we find comfort in coming home to our beautiful families and appreciate the health of our family and friends. As we all know, cancer does not discriminate. It affects the young and old, men and women, and children of all ages. With all that we know and see, it is still so easy to believe that cancer will never come into our safe little neighborhood. So when we found out that our friend, Alexxa, was diagnosed with breast cancer we were stunned.

Alexxa and her family often sit in front of us at church on Sundays. Our cars pass each other as we drop off our kids at school. Alexxa is part of our "safe" world. Her diagnosis made us uncomfortable with the realization that this could happen to any of us.

A close friend and breast cancer survivor purchased The Elizabeth gown for Alexxa as she embarked on her hospital journey. Here is what Alexxa had to say about wearing her designer hospital gown:

"I am a proud mommy to three girls, ages 9, 7 and 4....so naturally, we have a lot of pink around the house. I did not realize how much the color "pink" would impact my life until this past June, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. From date of diagnosis to surgery was 13 days! Before I underwent a double mastectomy a dear friend, and fellow breast cancer survivor, gave me one of Annie & Isabel's hospital gowns...The Elizabeth, which was fitting in honor of their Grandmother and her battle with breast cancer. I cannot tell you how much hope and faith this gown brought me, on a day otherwise to be considered frightening. My mother told me I was barely out of surgery, still quite groggy from the medications, and I had her help me change out of the standard issue hospital gown into my beautiful Elizabeth Gown for the remainder of my stay.

I am proud to say that I am cancer free today. I am still in the midst of chemo-therapy with radiation on the horizon (which my Elizabeth Gown will accompany me to as well). All of this preventative treatment will give me the best possible odds to rid this horrible disease of ever impacting my life again.

As a side note, Anna is a close friend to our family, her love and support...and checking in on me, is a bonus I am fortunate to receive."

If you want to learn more about Alexxa's inspiring story you can follow her on her blog at www.alexxafaithorfear.blogspot.com

In October... We Remember Our Grandmother Elizabeth

October is breast cancer awareness month. As many of you know, we have named all of our hospital gowns after very special and influential women in our lives. Our Elizabeth gown is named after our paternal Grandmother Elizabeth. She was strong, brave, and resiliant during her battle with breast cancer. She was a fighter and refused to ever stop planning for her future. She was also very stylish throughout her life and she would have loved to have had her very own designer hospital gown. She was a beautiful woman inside and out.

Here she is stunning as always...

We wanted to have a gown in honor of breast cancer that will make the women who wear it feel beautiful during such times that can challenge femininity. We both teared up when one of the first women to wear our Elizabeth gown wrote to us and said she actually felt beautiful on the day she had her mastectomy. We can't imagine the fear one might feel on the day you lose your breasts. To think she felt this way validates every reason we started Annie & Isabel. We know that our Elizabeth gown will give women battling breast cancer back their dignity and style on their journey to becoming a survivor.

Since we are a fairly new company, we have not announced who we are donating a portion of our proceeds from our Elizabeth gown to yet. We will be doing another post about this! We have a small sum of proceeds to donate and hope some day that it will be a large sum. We need everyone to spread the word about our company and suggest our gowns to anyone trying to help someone fight this battle. Every dollar counts in helping find a cure and we hope to donate many dollars with the help of you. We all can make a difference together by helping a special woman feel beautiful and find a cure. We have even had two beautiful young moms wear our Elizabeth gown for the birth of their daughters in honor of their mothers... both breast cancer survivors! How great is that?!

During October, we will be featuring two inspiring women who are wearing the Elizabeth gown for surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. We share these stories in hopes that it gives strength and hope to other women and men fighting this disease and to inspire people to rally and become involved in finding a cure for breast cancer. If you have worn one of our gowns for breast cancer we would love to share your story too.

Let us find THE cure.

Becky Gives Birth In The Isabel Designer Hospital Gown

When we saw the maternity session on Brenda Bisharat's blog of this beautiful family... we were SO curious as to what Becky was going to have! As most of you know, between the two of us sisters, we have 6 boys! Actually, our parents have 8 grandsons because our brother John has 2 boys too! Every one of our pregnancies our Mom went out and bought a dress... well, now there is a closet full of girl clothes and we almost have a baseball team!!! Not to offend anyone, but when people are having their second baby... and of course they are having a boy after a girl.. or visa versa.. we can't stand when they say.. we have "one of each.. now we're done!" We both wanted big families.. so, really the sex of the baby didn't matter.. But, that takes us back to Becky... we were so curious when we saw her maternity session

with Brenda Bisharat that we were stunned to find out she and her husband weren't finding out the sex of the baby!!! How could she have such willpower???

We LOVE these maternity pictures and Becky and Brenda were so gracious to share them with us for our website. Her boys are so adorable.. and they have no idea what is in store for them...

A baby SISTER!!!!

Brenda Bisharat, voted Sacramento's #1 KCRA A list photographer, loves to photograph births. We were both fortunate to have her at the births of our last two boys. Brenda gifts one of our Annie & Isabel designer hospital gowns to her moms-to-be, making our gown a beautiful background to her amazing photographs.

Here is what Becky said about wearing our Isabel designer hospital gown,

"I love, love, loved wearing my SPECIAL gown. I received so many compliments from the hospital staff and visitors. Being a nurse myself, it made me feel so refreshed in a beautiful gown, and not a grungy old hospital gown that had been used a thousand times! When SHE came out it was a definite surprise and a wonderful moment wearing my Annie & Isabel gown holding my precious little GIRL! 11 weeks later I still look at her in shock that she is MINE."

Congratulations Becky! Thank you for sharing your wonderful birth story with us.