Breastfeeding

First, let me say that breastfeeding has been a great experience overall. It definitely is a great way to bond with the baby, and studies have shown great boosts in immunity as a result of breastfeeding. I must say that I did not really read all that much about breastfeeding prior to Alex's birth. I did attend a class and they went over alot of the basics, but I will tell you one thing that they did not tell me....breastfeeding hurts for the first few weeks.

They actually made it a point to say that it does not hurt, but as a beginner, it does, trust me. I have talked to so many new moms who say the same thing and they too had heard that it shouldn't hurt, so I'm just passing along the information, so you can be prepared. It is nothing that you cannot get past, but I think it is a good thing to just expect that it will hurt. Once you and the baby get accustomed to it, after a couple of weeks, it is not bad at all. In fact, it is quite convenient!

That being said, there is something else to keep in mind.... if you ever think that you will want to pump and be away from the baby for a few hours, which I would recommend you do, then make sure that you give the baby a bottle consistently before six weeks of age. It seems that after six weeks some babies get very particular and have a mind of their own and will refuse the bottle. Trust me...it happened to us and you do not want to have that happen. Just introduce a bottle to the baby sometime before they become more aware and accustomed to breastfeeding, before six weeks. The lactation consultants actually had me worried about the opposite problem, so I did not give the bottle after the first few weeks and I wish now that we would have. Often times dads give a bottle right before bedtime, which is a great solution. The baby gets accustomed to the bottle and the dads have a time to bond with the baby too.

So, what do you need to make breastfeeding easier? Here are some of my favorite items that helped me with this process.

My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow: http://www.mybrestfriend.com/. The name is corny, but the product is good. I didn’t like how they looked, so I didn’t get one prior to Alex’s birth. I registered for a Boppy pillow instead. I found out quickly, after trying the My Brest Friend at the Lactation Consultant’s office, that this is the pillow to have. It really helps you out in those first few months. They are about $34.99.

Good Nursing Bras: Prior to Alex being born, I went and was fitted for nursing bras and I am so glad that I went and had someone fit me, rather than just guessing on my own. I went to “Fashion After Passion” at 1205 Lincoln in Alameda. The owner, Jaye, is great---she knows what she is talking about. I bought three Melinda G. bras, which were all comfortable and fit well after birth. They ran about $35 each, which was not bad, considering you are going to be using them a lot in the next year. Style #2115 Tee-Shirt Soft Cup Nursing Bra was my favorite. I liked the closures on this one the best and it is comfy. Style #2100 Tee-Shirt Underwire Nursing Bra was good, but I didn’t like the hook and eye closure. I found it harder to open and close, but that’s just me. I also bought a Style# 2031 Front-Snap Soft-cup Nursing Bra, which was great for sleeping or for at home in general. The snaps aren’t too easy to open and close, if you are out and about.

Lansinoh Lanolin: Let me just say, breastfeeding is great---after the first few weeks. Those first few are tough. Lanolin works great to soothe your sore nipples. You won’t even need it after the first two weeks, but during that time it is helpful.

Breast Pump: Medela Pump In Style was a great breast pump. They encourage you not to buy them used, but if you get new tubing and collection equipment, it is fine. You can get everything you need valves, membranes, breastshields and collection bottles from Babies R Us. The only thing they do not sell is the replacement tubing. That I found only online. Medela does not put it in retail packaging, they only sell it in bulk, so that is why retail stores do not have it. I ordered on Amazon for about $10.00 for a set of tubing.

Hands-free Solution for Pumping: I found that you do not need to go out and buy the hands-free nursing bra. This little tutorial from Kellymom, on using hairbands attached to your bra, as a solution, worked great. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/hands-free-pumping.html

Born Free Bottles: These are the bottles that we have and I have heard lots of good reviews of them from various mommys. They are bisphenol-A free, which is a plus.