Breastfeeding Essentials
hey there, hi there, ho there!
Did you know that August is National Breastfeeding Month? If you aren't breastfeeding, I doubt you did! I sure didn't. Since I am a breastfeeding mom (8.5 months strong!) I am taking time to celebrate this amazing thing that God created us to do. It truly is so beautiful! Now, does this mean I'm sitting over here being Judgey McJudgerson saying that breast is best? OF COURSE NOT! I think that whatever way you decide to feed your baby is the best for you. I trust your mama instincts, and I don't know your life or journey. So if you bottle feed, breastfeed, combo feed, exclusively pump, as long as your baby is healthy and happy and you are healthy and happy, that's ALL that matters! You are doing an awesome job no matter how your baby gets fed!
That being said, breastfeeding is so hard. It is a huge time commitment, it is painful, it is special, and it is HARD. Did I already say that? I think that breastfeeding women (even if you only breastfed your baby for a few days!) deserve to celebrate that! It is amazing that our bodies produced milk to nourish our children. It's amazing that you went through the pain of breastfeeding! It's amazing that you spent the hours day and night and day again feeding your baby. Celebrate! I know I am! This month I will be sharing a few different posts that have to do with breastfeeding. If you have a pregnant mom, or a mom new to breastfeeding, share these posts with them! It may help them out!
Today I'm sharing with you a few products that helped me so so so much in my breastfeeding journey! I won't say they are must haves, but they definitely contributed to our success and made the difficult parts of breastfeeding a little easier!
1 // A Nursing Pillow
A nursing pillow is ESSENTIAL. There are several different kinds ranging in prices, but a pillow specifically created for breastfeeding is so helpful. It helps babe stay in a comfortable position, especially when they are super small. It helps your tired arms, and it helps your position as you feed. Now, I had twins, so I used a twin nursing pillow. There are a few different twin nursing pillows, but I used the "My Brest Friend" pillow because it was affordable. It is so firm and supportive, and it allows me to feed both boys hands free! In the beginning before they could tandem feed, I used a boppy. It was so helpful and I highly recommend the boppy. It is an affordable price, and comfortable. The boppy pillow comes in a lot of fun, cute designs, but you can also buy some fun covers as well!
2 // The Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump
The Haakaa is also a must have. So, if you didn't already know, when your milk comes in, it leaks every where. When your baby feeds on one side, the other side just leaks profusely. (This can happen even after a few months, but regulates eventually). You COULD just let it all leak into a breast pad and lose it. OR you can use a haakaa, and build up a milk supply for emergencies or when you leave! The haakaa is simple, you squeeze it, it suctions to your breast, and any let down collects in the silicone cup. You pour that milk in a bag and pop it in the freezer! It truly is a miracle. It allowed me to save enough milk for my son while he was in the NICU. HIGHLY recommend it!
3 // Sunflower Lecithin
When breastfeeding, you can have clogged ducts and nipple blebs which can then lead to extremely painful mastitis. Sunflower lecithin is a natural supplement you can take daily while breastfeeding to help prevent clogged ducts and nipple blebs. I would consult with your doctor and a lactation consultant before you start taking it, because it may not be necessary for you. But if you do experience a clogged duct (which hurt, a lot) this supplement is extremely helpful!
4 // Hot/Cold Breast Therapy Pads
On that same note, these hot and cold breast pads are also super helpful! The cold is helpful for that engorgement when your milk first comes in. The cool slows down milk production a tad so your breasts aren't over flowing. The hot is helpful for when you have clogged ducts. The heat helps open the ducts to pass the milk through. The heat can also be helpful when you are pumping, as the heat encourages let down. You can freeze them or microwave them, and they come in a washable cover.
5 // Nipple Soothies
I do not care what ANYONE says, breastfeeding DOES hurt, even if you are doing it right! It can be extremely painful for about the first 6 weeks, and your nipples will hurt a lot, they will be sore, they will be dry, and they may even crack and bleed. My nurse gave me these soothing gel pads in the hospital, and I even ordered more when I got home. They are a life saver in the first month, especially in the first week, when your nipples are adjusting to being sucked on 24/7. They are cooling and can be reused up to 3 times. They also contain nipple cream which helps moisturize.
6 // Nipple Butter
In regards to pain, chafing, and dryness, you should not even consider breastfeeding without nipple butter. I used mine LIBERALLY. I put it on every single time the boys fed, every time I pumped, and in between feedings. Basically, you want to keep your nipples as moisturized as possible. I used a couple of different kinds, but the one linked below was my favorite. It is organic and smells like chocolate. Life hack! Use nipple butter as chapstick, it works GREAT. No joke. It's completely edible (obviously, send your baby will inevitably consume some). Your lips will get insanely dry in the first few weeks of breastfeeding since you are being drained of fluid nonstop.
7 // A Giant Water Bottle
Yes. YES. Please, go buy a giant water bottle. 64 oz MINIMUM. You get SO thirsty breastfeeding. Thirstier than you ever knew was possible. Throughout the night, you will wake up and feel so parched that you can't even speak. Your baby will be screaming, you will be trying to pull your boob out, exhausted, and you will not want to go fill up a cup, or even a 20 oz bottle, multiple times a night. A giant water bottle is truly essential. I, no exaggeration, would wake up to feed my boys, and drink 20 oz of water in one sitting. You also won't want to make 20 trips to the fridge through out your day. Buy a giant bottle, fill it up in the morning, and have access to water all day. Water is ESSENTIAL to a good milk supply, so you don't want to skimp out or be too tired/lazy to get up and get more. I linked a few cute ones below!
There are so many other things that are helpful to having a successful breastfeeding journey, like a snack, a commitment plan, and a lactation consultant. I'll share my breastfeeding tips with you in a post soon. Just remember, no matter how many products you have, no matter how many lactation consultants you talk to, sometimes breastfeeding doesn't work. And guess what? That's okay! How incredible is it that we have formula, something that provides our babes with healthy nutrition, when breastfeeding doesn't work!
I hope this is helpful to you if you are pregnant and about to breastfeed, or you just started!
talk soon!
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