Top 5 Best Buys for Breastfeeding - Best in Breast Pumps & Nursing Bras

Are your bags packed for the hospital?  Moms tend to read extensively about what they need for labor and delivery, but let's not forget about after the birth.  Breastfeeding can be easier if you have a few essentials to help a mama out.  So what should you take to the hospital for breastfeeding?

1.  Breast Pump  

It is not an uncommon occurrence for moms to want or need to pump in the hospital.  Perhaps you have an exceptionally sleepy baby, are separated from your baby for health reasons, or have noticed you have flat or inverted nipples and need a little assistance.  Taking your breast pump to the hospital is a great way to ensure you have one if you need one.  There are limited "floor pumps" and since insurance may not cover the extras, you won't be billed for a personal collection kit if you have your own pump at hand.  Make sure you choose a good quality pump such as the Spectra S2 Breast Pump or Spectra Synergy Gold Breast Pump.

2.  Nursing Bras

You are going to want both a sleep nursing bra that offers comfort and easy pull down nursing access.  You will also want to pack a daytime bra to wear home from the hospital.  Choose one with multiple cup sizing because this is the time your breasts will be changing the most.  The first week postpartum can see your breasts go from a C cup to an DDD cup in some instances!  

3.  Nursing Pads  

While I love 100% cotton nursing pads for their breath ability and economy, disposable pads are the way to go while you are in the first days after delivery.  You will want this convenience while you and your baby are learning to breastfeed.  Choose a quality brand such as Ameda or Bamboobies to prevent harboring yeast with inferior products that do not allow air to flow well.  Since this is short-term time to use these, don't buy Evenflo or others that my have waterproof plastic liners or other materials.  

4.  Breast Cream

Baby moon tenderness is not uncommon while you and baby are learning to latch so having a little assistance from a quality breast cream.  Our favorite is Motherlove Nipple Cream. It has high quality ingredients that are organic and safe for mom and baby.  The lubrication and healing properties in this breast cream is a must have.  

5.  Burp Pads

While sometimes overlooked, burp pads are essential and versatile.  Not only are they great for spit ups while burping, but they can be use to roll up and lift large breasts or to wrap around baby instead of a big receiving blanket. This wrap technique just involves baby arm's so that you can keep little hands our of the way while latching.  Great to use instead of a receiving blanket because a newborn will quickly become warm and sleepy under a blanket.

Other items can be helpful for breastfeeding such as a pillow from home.  You can also substitute a nighttime nursing bra with a nursing nightgown that has an integrated pull down nursing bra built in such as the Amamante Nursing Nightgown and Nursing Pajamas have.  

What is not helpful at this stage is a nursing scarf or nursing cover.  There will be plenty of time for those items later on, but at first you need full view of what you are doing to help you both learn to latch well.  

Here is to a great start!

Tanya

Breastfeeding Pain: Good Mom Syndrome

You may have heard of good baby syndrome which is when a baby is content and doesn't ask to be fed.  (This can happen with good-natured babies who are content to play while mom tends to other siblings and not get enough feeding in by the end of the day which can lead to slow weight gain.)  But have you heard of Good Mom Syndrome?  This is the new mother who wants the very best for her baby so she is gritting her teeth and accepting the pain of a poor latch.

STOP THE MADNESS!

Normal breastfeeding should not hurt.  A good latch is one that encompasses at least an inch of the areola so that baby is latched on behind the nerve ending.  A poor latch is one where the baby is on the end of the nipple either initially or has slipped down and is causing pain.  I hate to be a lactation nerd, but I here is a diagram of the breast.

It is so important that moms have this information because you can see where the nipple and areola are in relation to the milk (lactiferous) sinuses.  In other words, the farther onto the breast your baby is latches, the less pain you have and more milk is transferred.  In other words, you are a good mother.  You want the best for your baby, but letting your baby cause you pain is not best for you or the baby.

If you already have nipple trauma and correct the latch, there may still be pain for the first 30-60 seconds, but after that it should be comfortable to nurse.  If your baby slips down during the feeding because you are not supporting the breast or the arm with which you are holding your baby tires because you are not supporting your arm with a nursing pillow or armrest, detach the latch.

The proper way to detach a latch to to take your finger and slip it into the baby's mouth past the gums so that the suction is broken.  Turn your finger slightly to release the baby's grip and then take him off.  Start your latch again.  See our breastfeeding latch blog post for proper latch techniques if you need more help with this.

If you have followed proper procedure and still have pain, this is the time to see a lactation consultant, but normal breastfeeding should not hurt.  It should be a comfortable experience for mom and baby.  The sooner your latch is corrected, the better chance you have of meeting your personal breastfeeding goals.

If you need time for one nipple to heal while you are correcting the latch, using a quality breast pump to express and syringe feed the milk to your baby is a good way of transitioning to pain-free nursing.  And as always, the right nipple cream can help healing.  We recommend Breastmilk Bandit Natural Nipple Cream made from organic extra virgin coconut oil.



Happy Nursing!
Tanya