Breastfeeding is easily one of the most incredible experiences that I have ever had. Carrying a child in my belly is probably the top of that list with breastfeeding coming in at second.Once the baby is born, it is incredible that a woman’s body is designed to nourish that child for MONTHS.
Breastfeeding is incredible. But, it is also difficult, sometimes frustrating, and occasionally painful. Breastfeeding is also 100% worth it. I want to do a breastfeeding series on the blog. I have three babies and breastfed all of them. It did NOT come easily for me. I encountered many, MANY obstacles along the way, and I will share more on that later.
For the first post in the series, I just want to share a list of what I found most helpful in having a successful experience.
1. So That’s What They’re For I HIGHLY recommend getting this book and reading it before your baby is born. I received it from my aunt at my first baby shower. It provides so much amazing information, and is an easy read. If I had not read this book, I wouldn’t have realized what was going so wrong while breastfeeding Chloe and may have given up. I loved the book so much that I passed it along to both of my sisters and recommend it to everyone that I know is planning to breastfeed.
2. Nursing Pillow This was key for me. Your arms will get very tired, especially in the beginning. Your body has just been through a lot to bring this little life into the world, and you’ll be exhausted. I had a boppy pillow, and loved it. My sister is a huge fan of the My Brest Friend Breastfeeding Pillow
3. Breast Pump This is something that you DO NOT want to skimp on. I registered for a cheap pump because I felt guilty asking anyone to spend that kind of money. Then, I had a lot of problems and had to exclusively pump for a couple of weeks. My pump died late one night and I cried a lot. Breastfeeding was so important to me, and a lot was going “wrong”. Scott went to the store and picked up the Medela pump. It lasted through all three of my babies, and I donated it when I was done. If any of the little valves need to be replaced, you are able to buy them in the store. That is so much better than having your pump break and waiting for parts to arrive in the mail. Save yourself the headache and go for the nice one! It is worth it’s weight in liquid gold.
4. Lanolin I love Medela’s brand of lanolin! It glides on really smoothly and is incredibly soothing. A lot of mamas love Lansinoh, and that is fine, too. I found that Lansinoh was really thick. When you are sore and hurting, that thickness is hard to spread and it ends up hurting more (in my opinion). You can also express some breast milk and use it in the same way. Mama’s milk is the best medicine. When I was cracked and bleeding, my milk was the ONLY thing that healed me, so lanolin may not be a must for you!
5. Reusable Nursing Pads I hated spending the money on nursing pads. I didn’t need them very often, but when I did, I hated them. They make noise in your bra and they just feel uncomfortable. I never found that they stuck in place either. Bamboobies are super soft and you can throw them in the washing machine to reuse. I love that because it saves a lot of money and is good for the environment.
6. Gel Pads These are ONLY a necessity if you have ended up with a lot of cracks and bleeding. They feel cool and are really soothing to have on when you are not feeding your baby. The regular pads can move around in your bra and rub your tender skin when you are doing everyday tasks. These gel pads stick to your skin, so you can go about your day without any additional pain, and they do not hurt when you remove them for the next feeding. They were a dream come true!! (There’s a $1 coupon for Amazon there right now!)
What would you add to or take away from this list? I would love to read your suggestions!
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1 Thessalonians 4:11
