def add_breaks(instring, above, below):
    """
    Add line breaks before and after some text

    Input:
        instring -- text inside the breaks.
        above -- number of blank lines above the text
        below -- number of blank lines below the text

    Returns string with breaks added.
    """
    outstr = ''
    for _ in range(0, above):
        outstr += '<br>'
    outstr += instring
    for _ in range(0, below):
        outstr += '<br>'
    return outstr + '\n'