New Mother Amy in "The Annie" Annie & Isabel Designer Hospital Gown

A beautiful testimonial from Amy about wearing her Annie designer hospital gown for the birth of her first child.

"I have given Annie & Isabel gowns to a bunch of my friends as gifts, and was thrilled when it was my turn to receive and wear one!  It was comfortable, cute and functional. I gave birth to Charlotte in Switzerland and I was definitely the most stylish new mom during my 5-day hospital stay.  (Yes, 5 days....that's Europe for you!)"

 
 
Amy & Charlotte, born May 29, 2012

To read more testimonials from the women who have worn our gowns, click HERE. 

Amber's Birth Story - Welcome Baby Braxton

With every Annie & Isabel designer hospital gown that we send out, we always think about each individual who will be wearing the gown. It may sound corny, but we almost feel a reverence for our gowns as we press and fold them for mailing. While we package each hospital gown, we are thinking...this gown will be a part of a very important day in someone's life. Will it witness a baby's first cry? Will it aid in a strong recovery? Could it comfort someone and their loved ones during the last days of a life? We truly send our love along with each order and hope our gowns add to the joy, peace, and comfort of these important life events. Long after an Annie & Isabel hospital gown has been sent out, we continue to think about each customer which is why we especially cherish the feedback we receive from so many of our "warriors".  We find inspiration through the strength and beauty of all the women who grace Annie & Isabel hospital gowns and share their stories. Each story motivates us to keep on doing what we are doing and by sharing these stories it helps spread the word about our company so other women can choose dignity and style in the hospital. We have really become a village!  

When someone posts a picture to our Facebook page or on Twitter we are SOO appreciative and overjoyed. That is how we "met" Amber. She posted this fantastic photo of herself laboring the halls hand in hand with her supportive husband. Amber then shared with us a slideshow of her birth experience. It was amazing. We felt the highs and lows of Amber's labor with her in her Anita designer hospital gown. The Anita gown was the perfect backdrop to such a memorable day for her. Amber really loved her gown and she was nice enough to share her birth story and experience in an Annie & Isabel hospital gown with all of us. It is so beautifully written and made us both a little misty eyed! Thank you Amber!! 

"I first saw an Annie & Isabel gown on a blog that I read well before I even thought we might have a third baby. I loved the idea of having your gown that made you feel pretty. Then we found out we were expecting our 3rd blessing in October of 2010. The first thing I told my mom was that I wanted a custom gown. I knew there was more than one company making them so I started my search for one in a fabric/pattern I liked that came in a plus size. I decided on the Annie & Isabel Anita gown. I absolutely fell in love with the purple edging. 

Due to some family circumstances my mom was delayed in ordering my gown before my baby shower.  Luckily the  wonderful ladies at Annie & Isabel helped my mom and expedited the package. It arrived just in time for my baby shower Mother's Day weekend with a hand written note of congratulations. No one at my shower had seen a custom hospital gown so it was fun to show it off.

When I packed my hospital bag my Annie & Isabel gown was right on top so that I could change into it at the hospital. That day came June 14th 2011. I drove myself from my midwifes office to the hospital.  My water broke at noon while I was waiting for my husband, my mom and two older kids to arrive. I got to my room and changed into my gown and immediately got compliments from the nurse checking me in.

As my labor continued we walked the halls of the hospital. While others were wearing the normal green & white hospital gowns with the open back, I walked confidently knowing that my backside was covered! Many patients and nurses complimented that the gown was so pretty and asked where I purchased it. I should have put a stack of business cards in my pocket. I hope that some of them went home and looked up the gowns. I think the pocket was one of my favorite features. I had my iphone in my pocket the whole time to stay updated with my friends and to track my labor.

I wish that my story ended with my baby being born as I wore my Annie & Isabel gown. Instead I had to be taken for an emergency c-section almost 11 hours after my water broke.  My loving L&D nurse changed me out of my gown right before we went to the OR so that nothing would happen to it. At 11:18pm I heard my baby cry and my midwife announced "It's a boy" (the gender had been a surprise). We named him Braxton.

I had not packed for an extended stay in the hospital, so I ended up changing back into my Annie & Isabel gown when I was finally allowed out of bed. It was nice to feel pretty again and cuddle with my little guy. Over the next 2 days each new nurse raved about my fabulous gown. It didn't interfere with the I.V.'s or blood pressure cuff and I was able to easily nurse my new baby. It was bittersweet to take it off as I changed to go home. 

Thank you for being such a great memory in our unforgettable birth story."

~Amber 

Channelling The Animal Instincts of The Susan Hospital Gown For A Not-So-Easy Birth!

The labor and delivery of your first child is different for every woman. When you are about to deliver your first child, you can't exactly imagine how your body will respond to this experience and hope for strength and minimal discomfort. We received this very candid testimonial from Liz. She had two gowns for her hospitalization, which definitely came in handy for her extended stay in the hospital. We love when women pick our zebra Susan gown because it is fun and "wildly" chic, but we had no idea how much strength it would bring Liz during a difficult labor. We know that your birth journey was not the one that you expected and we appreciate that you were willing to share it with us. You are a true Annie & Isabel warrior!!

"October 12th, 2010...It's a day I will NEVER forget. My husband and I anxiously awaited the arrival of our son as we began the "birthing" journey at 6:30am. Upon arriving at the hospital I slipped into my Susan gown, smiled pretty for the camera (wish I would have donned some sort of makeup), climbed onto the bed and my pitocin drip began. Throughout the morning, as docs and nurses flitted in and out of my room, everyone commented on the Susan gown! It made me smile because I wasn't feeling the least bit pretty with the 55 more lbs. added to my former self, but hey, you will take a compliment when you can get it at this point."

"Little did I know that only a few short hours into being induced, my epidural would wear off, it wouldn't be fixed, and after nearly eight LONG hours of hard labor, I was rushed into an emergency c-section when they had to put me completely out. Honestly, the Susan gown gave me the strength to be the "animal" I needed to be to make it through those excruciating hours. I was not prepared for even the tiniest bit of pain (naive I know), but the gown's pattern kept me focused, fighting, and roaring (much to the dismay of the poor moms-to-be getting ready for their births. I am sure they found it hard to focus with my blood curdling screams). I remember, just before I slipped into "dream" land, one of the nurses said, 'that is the cutest hospital gown I have ever seen, I needed to ask her where she got it when she wakes up!' and she did..."

"Decker James Miller finally arrived at 7:39 p.m. but I didn't get to meet him until the early morning hours of the next day. Before he was placed in my arms, I asked my sweet husband to help me change from my Susan gown into the Anita gown. I didn't realize the immobility that comes with a c-section (again, naive) but it was so easy to take off and put the other one on, the snaps and ribbons were no-fuss. Once on, the Anita gown make me feel refreshed given the ordeal I had just endured; it actually made me feel pretty again and I was now ready to meet my son. And so, with the Anita gown on, and my son in my arms looking up at me saying, 'are you my mother?', the "parenting" journey began!

Love how Liz has already mastered the multi-tasking!

Sweet Baby Decker James fast asleep after working SO hard to arrive safely!

My Birth Story in Pictures

Remember what it was like to anticipate the birth of your child? Maybe some of you are doing that right now. Maybe some of you are waiting for your first baby and you are a little scared? For me, I can think of nothing better than those last days before my children were born. They were days that were filled with such excitement and uncertainty. My mind always swirled with so many unanswered questions. When will I go into labor...morning, noon or night? Will my water break in public? Will my baby be o.k.? I wonder how much he weighs..I think a lot!! How long will my labor be? Will I have my little one tomorrow? Oh please, I am so ready!!!

Childbirth is the one thing in life that leaves such a vivid indelible memory in most women's life experiences. I have had four boys and I remember each birth so clearly. You can ask any woman who has given birth to a child or has adopted a child and they can tell you every little detail of their delivery experience or their experience meeting their new child for the first time.

When I had my fourth son I knew that this baby would more than likely be our last child. I had always wanted to have pregnancy pictures done and for some reason I never did it. I think, ultimately, I felt too embarrassed to have someone take pictures of my naked belly. With my last pregnancy, however, I knew it was something I would do. I didn't want to regret never having done it and I wanted to remember what I looked like with a pregnant belly. Luckily I had met a wonderful photographer, Brenda Bisharat, before I became pregnant with my fourth boy. Sometime in my last trimester I had the pregnancy pictures taken and I truly cherish them today. If you have ever thought of having pictures done while you are pregnant I would strongly encourage you to do it. The pictures are not only wonderful to have for yourself but your children will love looking at them when they are older.

After doing pregnancy pictures, I made the decision to also have my birth professionally photographed by the same photographer. This was a big decision because giving birth to a child is a very private experience and one in which I knew I would be completely exposed. What I discovered was, that by having Daniel's birth photographed professionally, I received such a precious irreplaceable and amazing gift! So, while many people like to share their birth story in words, I thought it would be fun to share mine in pictures and maybe you might decide that this treasure is one that you also have to have when you give birth to your child some day. I personally will never regret it!!! Thank you Brenda Bisharat for capturing my birth story so incredibly well and for putting together the wonderful video of my pictures below!!!





P.S. Just think how much cuter those hospital pictures would have been if I was in an Annie & Isabel designer hospital gown. Unfortunately this was before the idea to make our gowns became a reality :-(