20: Not Your Mama’s Pumping Bra
Mommy Care Team
The Story of How Two Fierce Mama’s Created an All-in-one Bra from Nursing and Pumping
Their name says it all: Larken means fierce in Gaelic. In this episode of the BeauGen Express Yourself Podcast, we hear the story of two fierce mamas on the search for a comfortable and wearable bra for working moms. Katie and Maggie, both formerly corporate attorneys, were in need of a bra that they could wear all day long, and also use to pump while at the office.
Trying bra after bra, nothing laid flat, held their pump, or was comfortable enough to wear all day long. Trying to pump at work meant stripping down, changing bras, and praying no one opened their office door. While pregnant with their second daughters, Katie and Maggie gave birth to Larken X.
What we covered:
- Katie and Maggie’s story of breastfeeding and pumping at work.
- How they formed Larken in the wee hours of night while their families slept.
- Everything a mom needs from a good bra and the design challenge this presents.
- Not all fabric is created equal.
Related Episodes:
Learn more about Larken:
Katie and Maggie's Bio:
Together, Katie and Maggie began designing more comfortable clothing for breastfeeding moms. Between these two Mama’s, they had tried every option on the market and still hadn’t found what they were looking for. After a few short years of product development and testing, Larken launched in 2019.
The patent-pending Larken X is the first all-in-one nursing and hands-free pumping bra without any irritating elastic, tags, snaps, zippers or other hardware. Larken focused on details like flatlock seams to eliminate chafing and a moisture-wicking fabric so it's extremely lightweight and breathable. It feels like you're wearing nothing so our customers particularly love it for sleeping and for those final days of pregnancy and early days postpartum when you're extra sensitive and can be engorged. It's a perfect hospital bag addition. It has been recommended by lactation consultants and was named by The Bump, Scary Mommy and New York Magazine as a "best pumping bra" and by US Weekly as a "best buy for new moms."