By: Emily
Tips and Tricks

What I Learned While Breastfeeding – Part 3

If you’ve stuck it out with my breastfeeding posts this far, I feel like you deserve a medal. Which let’s be honest, you do anyway cause you’re a mom, you made a human and are keeping it alive while relatively staying sane yourself. Well done!

I tell people all the time that this is the time to have kids because of all the gadgets and cool products out there that make our lives as moms easier and thanks to the internet, getting these things is almost sinfully easy. Here’s my top 10 items that made my nightmare of a breastfeeding experience a little less nightmarish (and also where I basically become an Amazon ad).

  1. Lanolin

No one could really prepare for just how painful breastfeeding would be at first because I frankly didn’t think that something so “natural” should be so painful. Hah! This stuff pretty much saved my nipples. There’s several brands you can choose from, but here’s what I liked.

http://amzn.to/2F1Jkoe

2. Breast pump

Whether you plan on staying home or going back to work, invest in one of these. As you saw in my first post, I have to credit this machine with getting breastfeeding off the ground at all. Plus, you’re going to want to have a backup stash for when you want to have an adult night out.

http://amzn.to/2GCRVLg

3. Pumping bra

If you get a pump, get one of these. You’ll thank me.

http://amzn.to/2F1K9xk

4. Nursing Pillow

Not even negotiable if you’ve had a C section. The design of this one kept the pressure off my incisio.n by providing great lumbar support. Boppy’s are great too and double for tummy time later.

http://amzn.to/2CDijCF

5. Breast pads

Whether you breastfeed or not, you will leak in the beginning. If you do breastfeed, you will wake up in the middle of the night in a pool of milk if you aren’t wearing these. You’ll want both disposable and washable.

Disposable http://amzn.to/2ELbXa3

Washable http://amzn.to/2F15abF

6. Bottles and nipples that have no more than 1 or 2 holes

The number of holes as I noted in my last post is key if for any reason you have to bottle feed early on, but want to breastfeed long term. The reason is the fewer holes, the less milk comes out. There’s a lot of fear of nipple confusion, but really if your baby can get it out of a bottle easier than she can get it out of your boob, the bottle will win.

http://amzn.to/2Flpoug

7. Nursing tops

You will still get lots of judgmental glares and/or comments for breastfeeding in public. Also for formula feeding your baby. You can’t win, so at least be comfortable. This is a great style to use, and you can find it in long, short or sleeveless tees.

http://amzn.to/2F10Toz

8. Baby carrier

I LOVE this carrier for tiny babies! It is so easy to use, especially when you don’t have someone on hand to help strap you into your Ergo. My daughter loved it too. Pretty sure it made her feel like she was back in the womb. Pro tip: There were times when my milk supply would be low, so I would wear my daughter in this at home while I was topless so we could have skin-to-skin and I could still get stuff done.

http://amzn.to/2CDaPzk

9. Nipple shields

These are god-sends for babies with a bad latch, and any issues with nipple shape. A tad cumbersome to use in public, but worth it. If you aren’t sure what size to get, you can ask your lactation consultant or buy a few sizes and test them out. I highly recommend the two-pack so you can keep one at home and one in your diaper bag.

http://amzn.to/2EWa9ud

10. Pump and bottle cleaning supplies

Because what mom has time to sterilize all these dedgum parts on the stove, or fully wash the things every time they’re used. Parent smarter not harder.

Medela Micro Steam Bags http://amzn.to/2CAttaZ

Medela Pump cleaning wipes http://amzn.to/2F2gRit

Finally – pro-tip – seriously consider a Prime membership. Anytime I can get things delivered to me within two days at no extra charge without having to lug a toddler to the store or lug things back up to my apartment with said toddler while pregnant and anemic is a win. It’s a membership that has paid for itself many times over. It’s so convenient that I’ve given passing thought to giving up buying things off of Amazon for Lent, but then wisdom intervenes and I remember – happy momma happy babies!