This is THE best nursing pillow on the market. And that is my honest opinion. I tried using a Boppy, and it just didn’t work for me. One tip I read about nursing was to have good posture (there are tons of positions to nurse, but we stuck with the football hold and this nursing pillow.) Its surface area for the baby to lie is big enough for them to get comfortable and not to roll all over the place.
This water jug was a life saver. Nursing makes you so thirsty (and hungry), and you must keep the hydration up to help your milk supply. It makes tons of sense. I filled this jug up anywhere from two to three times a day.
Whether you choose to exclusively breastfeed, exclusively pump, or do a mixture of both, a breast pump is a must-have. My choice was the Ameda Purely Yours. A pump not only allows you to take a break from a nursing session every now and then, it also is helpful to relieve engorged breasts. And when you find your milk supply to be low, pumping after nursing is helpful to rebuild your milk supply. *Check with your insurance to see if you can score a breast pump for free. Some insurance plans now cover them.
I first learned about Fenugreek in the hospital after delivery. Charlotte’s pediatrician recommended it to help my milk supply come in quickly. My milk supply came in on day 6 after delivery. But taking Fenugreek always helped increase production when I noticed a dip. (supply, production…you’re a factory when you’re a nursing mama.)
This was another recommendation from the doctor to increase milk supply (also known as a galactagogue). It’s a malt powder that you put into milk, and it takes likes a milk shake. Win, win.
Here’s another great galactagogue that can be made several different ways. I usually made it the boring way, boiled water and added the oats, and ate it for breakfast. It really does help with your supply.
I loved this app to log my nursing sessions. It allows you to clock the time on each breast, and it keeps you updated of which breast you should nurse on next. Hello, easy reminder! (For us, it was usually 10 minutes on one side, 10 minutes on the other, alternating the breast you start with at each nursing session. But of course, every nursing had a different duration.)
Because when nursing, you will leak. I preferred the cloth, washable nursing pads. However, sometimes the cloth pads just didn’t cut it. Occasionally, I would use the Lansinoh Disposable Nursing pads. I used the disposables when I went back to work, but used the washable pads at home.
This little cream is so important. It helps keep the cracked nipples at bay, and this specific brand was my favorite. Not too sticky, not messy, but does the job.
Being comfortable is so important when you’re nursing 6-8 times a day. I lived in these for the first few months. And then I wore them under my blouses when I had to dress in real-world clothes. I was always ready for pumping or nursing.
When a nursing tank won’t cut it for you, a good nursing bra is essential. My favorite was this one from Target. I did not ever use a bra with an underwire, but that was my personal preference.
Sometimes nursing will hurt (or it won’t, if you’re one of the lucky ones). You might get a clogged duct (holy hurtfulness!), cracked nipples, or mastitis. Ibuprofen will help ease the pain to make the nursing bearable.
I’ve mentioned most of these items before, so it just goes to show how much these things meant to me.
Here are a few things to know about our breastfeeding journey and a few tips I learned along the way:
1. When I delivered Charlotte, breastfeeding did not come easy. I nursed and nursed and nursed, but my milk supply was extremely slow to come in. She lost a full pound in the hospital, so we had to supplement. That meant we gave her ready-to-feed formula after each nursing session. Once my milk supply came in, we did not have to give this to her anymore. But we continued to supplement for at least a month due to her hunger cues. Moral of the story: do not be discouraged if you have to supplement! You do what you have to do. It did not hinder our nursing journey, as we continued on for 14 months.
2. Because she took to the formula AND breast milk, the bottle was an option I used on occasion. I would give her either a ready-to-feed formula bottle when we were on-the-go or I would give her breast milk in a bottle. I never nursed in public because I was too modest and hated using a nursing cover. This also freed up some times for us to leave her with family to go run errands or have a date night. Thankfully, she took to the bottle easily, because…
3. Before I became a stay-at-home-mama, I had to return to work after my maternity leave was over in order to fulfill my teaching contract. I went back to work for a month, which meant I had to pump A LOT. I pumped before I went to work, then twice a day during my workday, and then again at night before I went to bed (even after her final nursing session for the day). I had stored up plenty of milk during my maternity leave, but I had to continue pumping to keep up with the demand.
4. I was constantly eating, but I never gained weight. I attribute breastfeeding to my weight loss postpartum, and if you read this post, you know that I had a lot to lose. However, I never put myself on a diet. I never deprived myself. What I did concentrate on was staying healthy, and that meant eating plenty of healthy foods. I loaded up on fruits, whole grains, meats, vegetables, etc. Paying attention to what you eat while nursing is important because it directly affects your baby. I did stay away from spicy foods and foods that would give me heartburn, because I did not want to pass that on to my little babe. I also stayed away from caffeine.
6. Educate yourself. KellyMom.com has a ton of information for all of your breastfeeding needs. Whenever I had a question, I would usually go there first. Then I would talk with friends who were experienced nursers.
7. Know that it does get easier. Sometimes it will be exhausting. Sometimes you will feel like your sole purpose in life is very similar to the life of a cow’s. (Well, at least that’s how I felt.) But it does get easier. The older Charlotte got, the easier nursing became. I wasn’t on-demand nursing every two hours forever. That schedule only lasted a little while. By the time she was one, I would nurse her every four hours during the day. And by the end of our journey, we were down to 4 times a day.
In conclusion…
Breastfeeding isn’t always the choice that every mother makes. And that’s okay. As long as you, the mama, are caring for your baby to the best of your ability and nourishing them with lots of love, that’s the most important thing. Whether formula fed or breast fed, it’s a decision that is made for each individual’s circumstances. But for those of you who are able to choose the breast feeding route, I hope this post is helpful.
This post is part of the New Mama 101 series. Be sure to check here for previous posts in the series and to see what else is in store.
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I am absolutely obsessed with the My Brest Friend. It was a total lifesaver. I have no idea how I would have made it through without it. I buy them for all my friends who are nursing. I have nearly two dozen of the Target nursing tanks and I wear one every day. They're fantastic.
Loved that My Brest Friend. I took it with me everywhere, too! I am giving it as a shower gift as well. Such a perfect gift. :) And I, too, had several of the nursing tanks, so many that I also slept in them as well. My night clothes/day clothes were one in the same while nursing. Lol.
My Brest Friend was my favorite too! I used the boppy to sit on after I gave birth because I was too sore to sit regularly lol, so that pillow at least got SOME use! Anytime I would get sick and notice a decrease in my supply, I would eat oatmeal and it was like WHOA! I could practically feel them filling up! Loved reading your experience!
Hey, Jessica! Yeah, it was the best. That Boppy got minimal action. It got some use as prop for tummy time and a couple of pictures, but that was about it. Oatmeal, and any of the things I mentioned, always made the milk supply come back roaring. It's crazy how our body works! Lol. Thanks for the love, sweet friend!
I've been looking for reviews on the My Brest Friend, since all over the mamas I know have used the Boppy. I'm so glad to hear it worked for you (since that's the one I bought!) How soon after delivery did you start taking Fenugreek?
One of my best girlfriends swore by the My Brest Friend, and she is always right. :)
I started using the Fenugreek as soon as I could get my hands on it. I think I sent my hubs to get it once we got home, so I started taking it with every meal about 4 days postpartum. Good luck to you as you prepare for baby!
My brest friend was a life saver! The boppy just didnt work for me! & I had to have my oatmeal every morning!
Yep, I can't say enough about that great nursing pillow. It's crazy how some oats can help, but they so do. :) Thanks for visiting, Ashley!
These are excellent tips. I never had a problem with low supply of milk. Thank God. I was thankful for breast pads though, because of the leaking. I also learned early not to eat chocolate because it acts as a laxative on your baby when nursing.
Thanks, Betty! I never had a problem with chocolate, but that is good to know!
New mama series! I love it! Breastfeeding was very hard for me as well, but in a different way. I made so much milk that it made it extremely difficult for my son to latch. We fought through 7 weeks of blood, sweat, and tears, and several lactation consultants. I used Fenugreek as well when I got concerned about supply a few times. I hadn't heard of oatmeal and ovaltine and I will definitely keep that in my back pocket for future (hopefully) kids. I also loved nursing tanks. My favorite were from Target. And the Bravado nursing bras are amazing.
Thanks so much, Lauren! Breastfeeding is quite the journey. But I'm glad I pushed through. :) I never tried the Bravado bras, but I have heard great things about them. Saving that for my back pocket, too.
Thank you for sharing your post with The Natural Homeschool and The Life of Jennifer Dawn Linky Party. :) See you next Wednesday! :)
Thanks for stopping by, Tanya! And thanks for the linkup. :)
Most moms don’t need special supplements for breastfeeding. I’m always so sad when I see bloggers writing about them like they are necessary :( The worst part is that fenugreek is very unsafe for some people, like moms with thyroid issues, PCOS, or diabetes. And it can actually decrease milk supply for some women. I’m glad you didn’t have that experience. This is a good read: http://theboobgeek.com/blog/why-you-wont-hear-me-suggest-galactogogues.html
Most moms don't need special supplements for breastfeeding. I'm always so sad when I see bloggers writing about them like they are necessary :( The worst part is that fenugreek is very unsafe for some people, like moms with thyroid issues, PCOS, or diabetes. And it can actually decrease milk supply for some women. I'm glad you didn't have that experience. This is a good read: http://theboobgeek.com/blog/why-you-wont-hear-me-suggest-galactogogues.html
Applying green gram paste to the breasts is one of the best home remedies for decrease breast milk and helps the hyper lactating mothers.