My breastfeeding journey with Gemma was so blessed... That's the only way to put it. There were some who really thought I was crazy for wanting to breastfeed my baby in a world where they make perfectly adequate milk available in any number of stores... I was determined though. Well, I was a determined amateur!
There was a lot of trial and error throughout the first two months but Gemma and I finally got the hang of it and we did really great! She nursed for six months and had pumped milk until she was one! That was my goal and I was really proud of myself! (That being said, this was just my preference for me and my baby... Momma's should all do what works for them and reserve the nice four letter words for the haters ;)
There was a lot of trial and error throughout the first two months but Gemma and I finally got the hang of it and we did really great! She nursed for six months and had pumped milk until she was one! That was my goal and I was really proud of myself! (That being said, this was just my preference for me and my baby... Momma's should all do what works for them and reserve the nice four letter words for the haters ;)
Here are my favorite breastfeeding tools and a few new products on the market I'd like to try with our sweet new babe arriving in July!
1. Nursing Pads
You need em! Trust me... These are soooooooo soft!
My sister bought me these and it was the sweetest thing. People are usually so distracted by all of the wonderful baby things to buy that it's easy to forget that Momma needs a few new supplies too... These are wonderful!
This is a duh. My lactation consultant told me not to use this in the beginning because I needed to develop my posture and strengthen my back. That lasted for about two seconds... A squirmy hungry baby laying on a fresh incision is a NO GO.
5. Glider
This was a gift from Brandon's parents and it was the game changer for me... Being comfortable and relaxed made all of the difference in the success of our feedings. We'll definitely be using a glider again for this baby! This one actually rocked two sweet babies in our family!
I lived in this dress, no joke. In almost all of the photos of me in Gemma's first few months of life I'm wearing this dress... I wore it well into her second year too. It made the super uncomfortable learning to nurse in public stage just breeze by!
I tried to make one of these for myself out of an old sports bra and it was HILARIOUS. Don't do that, just buy this one. If you pump for any length of time it's a worth while investment!
If you ask a group of ten moms what the best pump on the market is, nine of them will choose this one. Listen to those ladies! It's expensive but check out your insurance coverage for one!
These bibs have a thick circle around the neck which keeps that awful sour milk smell/residue off of your sweet lavender scented babe... Also you will want burp cloths in abundance nearby at all times. Getting the hang of the latch/let down timing thing is a science and it can get messy!
I used these in the beginning and then again when Gemma would go through a growth spurt and start cluster feeding like a little crazy person. A little bit of physical relief went along way for me mentally!
New things I'd like to try:
I'd love to hear your nursing stories and of course any friendly advice you guys have! Thanks in advance!
XOXO
Miranda
No comments :
Post a Comment