About Easy Expression Products Hands Free Pumping Bra
They say necessity is the mother of all invention. Gretchen Penny was just trying to be a good mom when she came up with the idea for the Easy Expression™ Hands-Free Pumping Bra. After the birth of her first son, she began using an electric breast pump and was frustrated with the difficulty and time commitment involved in the breast pumping process. At that time, she lived in Dallas, Texas, and worked for American Airlines. About two weeks before she was scheduled to go back to work, Gretchen started practicing with the breast pump and was discouraged when she realized how long the process of pumping breast milk would take. She knew this was not going to fit into her work schedule.

Thankfully, Gretchen is not the kind of person who gives up easily. She was determined to provide the great gift of health to her baby only breast milk can supply. Because she has always enjoyed sewing, she went to the local fabric store, bought several kinds of stretchy materials and began to experiment. She developed the original design for herself in order to make the process of breast pumping easier, faster and more discreet. But she quickly discovered a lot of interest from other new nursing mothers who work.

Working at American Airlines headquarters meant Gretchen was able to share a wonderful lactation room with other nursing mothers at her office. Soon after they found out about her hands free pumping bra, they asked her to make the breast pumping bras for them. After doing this for a while, Gretchen’s husband suggested she apply for a patent and start selling them to nursing mothers.

Gretchen received that patent in 1999. She moved to Houston the next year. And in 2001 she left her job with an internet start-up and started working on her business, Easy Expression™ Products, full-time. She started with just the Halter-style at first. Then, in March of 2002, the Easy Expression™ Bustier was introduced, and it soon became the best-selling product. Like most entrepreneurs, she started running her business from home. She worked from her living room until March of 2007, when Easy Expression™ Products finally outgrew her house. Gretchen now has offices a few blocks from her home, and all the manufacturing is done by a local sewing company in Houston. Gretchen is proud to say that her products are made in the U.S.A. Although she’s often asked why she doesn’t move her production to China or elsewhere, she chooses to keep her business here. She greatly values the relationships she has with her American suppliers, especially the sewing company. It is also a woman-owned business. It has grown alongside Easy Expression™ Products, and is excited to share her success. Helping nursing mothers has been her mission in inventing her Hands-Free Pumping Bra. Gretchen is proud to carry that philosophy into her business practices as well.

Right now Easy Expression™ Products are distributed by maternity boutiques, including Destination Maternity and A Pea in the Pod, hospitals, lactation consultants and doctors offices across the United States, Europe and Asia. Several internet retailers also carry the Easy Expression Products.