Cheers to all the breastfeeding mamas! This week celebrates us, and our struggles and joys with one of the most rewarding gifts we can give our children. August 1-7 honors the Art of Nursing, and I'll be posting information, tips, and more all week for those of you who breastfeed, and those who want to.
I'll start off with my favorite Nursing Mama products in the whole wide world (I wouldn't be nursing still if not for these):
1. Booby Tubes- from Earth Mama Angel Baby, these saved my life when I felt super engorged or at the beginning stages of a clog (even the middle stages- these really work!)
2. My Brest Friend- I got it in blue, and during the first few months especially, when little man couldn't support himself at all and my back hurt from hunching over, this helped me nurse and supported my aching back. I tried using pillows, propping myself up differently, anything to be more comfortable, and really the discomfort almost made me give up on nursing altogether. I finally gave in and decided to give this a try, and thank goodness I did!
3. Great nursing bras- I love the bras from Leading Lady
(so basic and comfy) and the pretty bras from Lamaze
, but since you'll be wearing these pretty much exclusively for the duration of your nursing tenure, make sure you choose nursing bras that are comfortable for you.
4. If you plan to pump, get a pumping bra or bustier so you aren't tied up for hours a day. This is an especially good idea if you work at home (you can email or type while pumping- your hands are free!) or are returning to work (same reasoning). If you plan to stay home and not work, having your hands free means you can watch tv, read a book, or relax in some other way while pumping, helping with letdown. We like the Simple Wishes pumping bustier, but even using an old bra that you punch little holes into would work (and it's free).
5. A massaging showerhead. Surprised to see this on my list? Don't be. I can't believe how much this helped me, either when my breasts felt too full and sore, or when my back ached. I got one from Waterpik that is awesome, and used it sometimes three times daily during the early months when things were tougher. Pick a showerhead that offers different options, for when you want to work out a budding clog, or want to soothe your back, or simply want to take a break and have a relaxing shower.
Visit back this week for daily posts about World Breastfeeding Week, including current information about breastfeeding. Happy Nursing!
I'll start off with my favorite Nursing Mama products in the whole wide world (I wouldn't be nursing still if not for these):
1. Booby Tubes- from Earth Mama Angel Baby, these saved my life when I felt super engorged or at the beginning stages of a clog (even the middle stages- these really work!)
2. My Brest Friend- I got it in blue, and during the first few months especially, when little man couldn't support himself at all and my back hurt from hunching over, this helped me nurse and supported my aching back. I tried using pillows, propping myself up differently, anything to be more comfortable, and really the discomfort almost made me give up on nursing altogether. I finally gave in and decided to give this a try, and thank goodness I did!
3. Great nursing bras- I love the bras from Leading Lady
(so basic and comfy) and the pretty bras from Lamaze, but since you'll be wearing these pretty much exclusively for the duration of your nursing tenure, make sure you choose nursing bras that are comfortable for you.4. If you plan to pump, get a pumping bra or bustier so you aren't tied up for hours a day. This is an especially good idea if you work at home (you can email or type while pumping- your hands are free!) or are returning to work (same reasoning). If you plan to stay home and not work, having your hands free means you can watch tv, read a book, or relax in some other way while pumping, helping with letdown. We like the Simple Wishes pumping bustier, but even using an old bra that you punch little holes into would work (and it's free).
5. A massaging showerhead. Surprised to see this on my list? Don't be. I can't believe how much this helped me, either when my breasts felt too full and sore, or when my back ached. I got one from Waterpik that is awesome, and used it sometimes three times daily during the early months when things were tougher. Pick a showerhead that offers different options, for when you want to work out a budding clog, or want to soothe your back, or simply want to take a break and have a relaxing shower.
Visit back this week for daily posts about World Breastfeeding Week, including current information about breastfeeding. Happy Nursing!