{Photos by my incredibly talented friend Abby of Abby Jean Photography}
I am so glad that I’ve been able to breastfeed my baby. In sounds a bit odd to say, but nursing is a large part of my extended family culture. My grandmother was a huge proponent of nursing and I believe all my aunts nursed their babies, and I was breast fed, too! I know in today’s day and age there can be a stigma against formula feeding.
In many ways, breastfeeding in today’s day and age is for the privileged. There aren’t pumping rooms when you work in fast food. Anyone who judges a mother for feeding their child: formula or nursing, has no business doing so. We never know another person’s story.
Despite feeling like second nature, nursing was not easy at the beginning. It was painful {hurt more than my medical free birth} and the learning curve was razor sharp {just like a bad latch on your nipples at 1, 3, and 5 am 🙂 }. Be kind and extra loving to a first time nursing mama, and this includes probably staying away. I found the pressure for visits overwhelming especially because I was trying to establish breastfeeding. A shield and the most helpful doula, Britt, saved me.
These are my favorite tools for making nursing an easier part of your lifestyle:
Bubba Mug | I’m in love with these cups. I always have one close by. They’re the best. They’re not expensive, but very high quality. I have two and love filling them up for at home and then on the go. Love, love, love them. Thank you, Mara for introducing them to me.
MotherLove Nipple Cream | I loved this during my early nursing days, but now it’s so nice to have to put on before bedtime after pumping.
Kindred Bravely Nursing Pajamas | These are magnificent. I recommend to all my friends who are nursing. I love them and feel both cute and functional in them. They also wash beautifully.
Medela Pump & Accessories | My pump was covered by insurance through Milk Moms, yay. Courtney helped me get it set up and I started pumping pretty early. I am mostly home with P but wanted a medium sized stash. I started pumping 2x a day, then went down to 1x per day and have slowly decreased to a few times per week. Since Priscilla is sleeping almost through the night I usually pump right before bed. I banked quite a bit of milk in the early days and prefer the Up and Up storage bags. As a result, I’ve been able to donate milk to other families in my community. I love doing this. In some way I wish I had kept up pumping more so I could be able to give more. I store my pump in a small narrow container and love having everything together, there’s a bra that you can strap on, too, for ease.
Cake Nursing Bras | Around December I went and got fitted for some new nursing bras at Nordstrom. This was a gift to me from my mom and I am so grateful for her generosity. I have this bra in nude and black and love it. I wear it almost daily. I feel like I got it at the perfect time for me, my supply was established and I was ready to feel more put together.
Target Nursing Tanks | I lived in these and still wear them often! My favorite are the black ones, they are fantastic for layering. I often wear one with leggings and a cardigan and feel relatively put together 🙂
Target Regular Tanks | I love how long these are, now days I am comfortable pulling down the top and nursing P that way.
Dove Deodorant | I sweat way more as a nursing mama than ever before!
My Breast Friend & Boppy Nursing Pillows | Can a person have enough pillows? NO!!! I adore the MBF {thank you Amanda!} for the early days and then started using the Boppy once I got nursing down. I love having two covers for my Boppy {makes keeping things clean easy!}. The boppy is great for YOU to nap on, too, when you’re exhausted 😉 It was originally designed for baby learning to sit up, and P likes that style, too.
