10 Must-Haves to Surviving Breastfeeding

As a follow up to my last post and the questions, comments and conversation it stirred, I'd like share insight on my favorite products that have been life savers through my breastfeeding journey. Before doing so I just have a few tid bits :)

1. Let me preface by saying I am in no way an expert. I am sharing what worked best for us in hopes to save you time, money and some pain. Throughout my pregnancy I did countless hours of research and then used trial and error to figure out what worked best for us in real time. There has been plenty of trial and error.

2. All babies are different. Kinsley had a great latch from the start and she transitioned well to all the products we used. We joke she came out greedy.

3. Don't feel obligated to stick to one product if its not working. Package that thing up and exchange it!

Now let's get to it.

Here are my breastfeeding essentials...

1. My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow-

I used this from day 1! The support this pillow gave my back in the early days of learning to breastfeed was unmatched. The firm front is great for holding the baby up into position and the snap at the back provides comfortable security. This was also great to use to hold the baby if your arms got tired.

2. Medela Tender Care Lanolin Nipple Cream-

Talk about quick relief! I went from bleeding chapped nipples to no pain and healed nipples. I would suggest using this as a preventative measure in the early days. This is also hypoallergenic and 100% safe for mommy and baby.

3. Nanobebe bottles-

My two biggest worries when introducing dad into the feeding schedule. Nipple confusion and colic from a bottle. This bottle tackled both concerns. This breast shaped bottle was designed for a smooth transition from breast to bottle AND BACK and we loved it!

4. Lansinoh TheraPearl Breast Therapy Pack-

I liked the 2 for 1 deal you got with these. The Cold beads helped with engorgement and the Hot helped stimulate let down.

5. Medela Hands Free Breast Pump-

The hospital will provide one for you upon request which became my work pump, but the Medela Breast Pump had great suction and most realistically simulated the suck of a baby. My goal was to exclusively breastfeed for 6 weeks before pumping, but we started a little earlier than that. This cordless pumping system was easy to use, allowed me to use my hands to do other things and didn't limit me to being hooked to a wall and stuck on the couch.

6. Comotomo Bottles-

My biggest pet peeve about bottles is bacteria. I just think of mold and nastiness growing in there. Comotomo bottles not only mimics the softness of the breast, but also are bacteria resistant. They also come in a 5 oz and 8 oz size so I didn't have to switch brands once she graduated to a bigger bottle.

7. Scrunchie-

This was my little trick to know which boob I last fed from. I fed Kinsley on demand and in the early days where sleep deprivation was real, it was hard to remember your head from your feet. After I fed her I would move it to the next wrist and the scrunchie was a visual reminder of which boob to feed from.

8. UpSpring Milkscreen Alcohol Test Strips-

Mama you know when you've had to much and you need to pump n dump, but for those questionable nights when the bartender had a heavy hand, these are great and convenient.

9. Water, water, water-

They say a well hydrated mommy is a milk flowing mommy. You also are gonna be hella dehydrated form pumping because lets face it, it's an exercise lol.

10. Relaxxx-

Last but not least, relax. I truly believed this while pregnant and think this the same while breastfeeding. The baby feeds off your energy. Breastfeeding is a new and different experience, from what I'm told, with each new baby. It's a bond between you and your little, so try to enjoy the quiet moments and the happy feet because time really does fly and so do those sweet moments.

What does your survival kit list look like? I'd love to hear about your favorite products.

Love ya, Mean it,

Nateanah