About us
Hi! My name is Beheshta (Bee). I am a mum to two little ones, a pharmacist, and the founder of Honeysuckle NZ. Keep reading below to learn a bit more about me and how Honeysuckle came about.
I came up with the concept of the kickstart newborn feeding kits after going through my own struggles postpartum with the feeding process. We were originally known as My Boobie Bag but after a trademark dispute with another business we had to rebrand (more on this on our Instagram highlights).
I think I can confidently say I have experienced almost everything you can think of when it comes to breastfeeding. Through my own struggles I found a real passion for breastfeeding/feeding awareness, education, and support. Breastfeeding is such an incredible thing, but it does not always come easily or naturally (I learnt this the hard way). It is a true skill which needs to be learnt by both mum and baby. Many women (including myself) struggled to breastfeed for numerous reasons but often it is linked to a lack of education, support, and awareness.
It is also important to remember that you may get all the help, support, and education but sometimes it still doesn’t work out. Looking after ourselves as parents and our mental health must come first to ensure we can look after our babies.
My Journey:
When I first fell pregnant. I found myself in a constant cycle of reading about all things pregnancy and birth related; how big my baby is this month in comparison to a fruit, braxton hicks contractions, signs of early labor, how to best prepare for labor and so on.
Then came along breastfeeding. Breastfeeding was always something I thought would just come easily and naturally.
I was so wrong.
Think of every possible breastfeeding issue and I can assure I have experienced it; low milk supply, poor latch, pumping issues, oversupply, overactive let-down, blebs, blocked milk ducts, engorgement, cracked needles, mastitis, to visiting doctors and trying numerous herbal and prescription medicines for milk supply, not to mention working with numerous lactation consultants and getting 101 pieces of advice from everyone that I met.
Things I have been told; just formula feed you obviously do not make enough milk – it must run in your family, persist with only breastfeeding on demand and do not pump, your milk is not ‘fatty’ enough, your baby is hungry, your baby is not hungry they are just fussy, or it might be colic etc.
My first born, I ended up breastfeeding/mix feed for one year with the help of a lact-aid system. My second child has been exclusively breastfed from day one and our breastfeeding journey ended just before her second birthday (when I got covid and I had no milk or energy).
I personally felt a lot of pressure and shame with my firstborn. I felt there was something wrong with me for not being able to exclusively breastfeed. I felt like I was not a good enough mother to my child and I felt embarrassed to admit to others that I was giving him formula. The pressure of it all really affected my mental health. I spent more time on the internet trying to find a ‘fix’ to increase my supply rather than bonding and spending that precious time with my baby. I spent every minute that I was not breastfeeding him, researching and pumping – ultimately completely exhausting myself which in turn probably damaged my supply even more.
About the kits:
My personal experiences made me more determined than ever to help others struggling with similar issues – and that is the key driving force behind Honeysuckle.
I wanted to create a space where women, mothers and families can come to feel supported and be better prepared for the newborn feeding journey ahead. I wanted to remove the pressure and stress that is often associated with the newborn feeding stages, so that parents can soak in newborn cuddles, bond and enjoy the postpartum period.
We are so much more than just a box of products. We have undertaken extensive market research to find out what products were deemed the most useful for parents during their postpartum feeding journey to carefully select our range. Alongside the products we also have our handy e-booklet which includes key information every parent should know as they enter their fourth trimester.
Final words….
This is more than a business for me, I am so passionate about helping and supporting parents through this tricky and often stressful period.
My hope for Honeysuckle is to educate and empower parents when it comes to feeding their babies. I want every parent to look at Honeysuckle, this booklet or our kits and feel like they are receiving a giant hug – you are not alone, you are doing great, keep asking for help and support (no question is a silly question).
