Who knew that breastfeeding- something that our bodies were made to do- could be so darn hard? Listen up, ladies! If you are a first time mom and plan to nurse, get your mind right and please understand that it might not be so easy and may require a lot of commitment, help and time to get right. Let’s hope you and your baby pick it up easily (yes, it does happen!) but if you’re like most of us, you’ll probably need help to fumble through it until it’s second nature for both of you.
If you’re willing to persevere and really do whatever it takes to make it work, I commend you and feel the need to share my the top five items that will help you along your journey. These links are to items I personally have used with both my minions that I want every mom to know of in hopes of making their path to success as easy and quick as possible!
- My Brest Friend nursing pillow– Move over, Boppy! This nursing pillow is so supportive, sturdy and did wonders to position baby and me in the optimal position for breastfeeding. Seriously, buy this, it is my all time favorite nursing item. Now they make additional covers so you can have back-ups available for the inevitable spills and spit ups.
- Spectra S2 breast pump- I have officially converted from the Medela Pump in Style to the Spectra. I feel it has a stronger, yet softer and quieter, pull to make my pumping more efficient. Many (not all) insurance providers cover it, and now that it is becoming more popular the spare parts are becoming more easily accessible (I use Amazon prime). I feel so strongly about it that if I didn’t have it covered, I would have purchased out of pocket (only $160, and even with extra bottles and tote less than $200) and sold my free Pump In Style to offset the cost. Luckily I didn’t have to worry about that. On a similar note, if my insurance had covered it, I would have chosen the S1 instead, which is virtually the same as the S2 but has a battery charge so that you don’t have to be near a plug. Sweet!
- Nursing pads or hydrogels– You don’t want to be the chick who is sitting in a meeting with her nips leaking milk through her shirt, right? Whether you choose nursing pads or hydro gels (which also help to soothe cracked nipples but you can’t use with lanolin or other healing ointments), or both like me depending on the situation, you’ll want to have plenty of these handy.
- Nursing camis- I have yet to find a nursing bra that actually fits, is comfortable and doesn’t cause my boobs to clog up. I love tight, stretch camisoles with built in bras or pads to wear under my shirts rather than bras. They are supportive but not too tight. Plus, with a lot of nursing shirts it is nice to have some stomach and back coverage.
- Essential cleaning items- Ok, I am cheating here and combining three different items that made my life so much easier. Microwaveable steam bags will allow you to sanitize bottles or pumping parts (especially good when you’re not at home but have access to a microwave), cleaning wipes when you don’t have access to a sink or soap, and a big one steamer/sanitizer that I used to sanitize bottles and pump parts each night before I’d get them ready to use the following day.
Bonus splurge: this breast pump bag is an item I didn’t find necessary with the Medela Pump In Style but was important for the Spectra S2 that didn’t come with one. It is cute and functional, albeit pricy, so it would be a great item to add to a registry and have someone else purchase for you!
Best of luck, it is a hard and tiring and wonderful part of motherhood ❤
Life, Love & Adventure 