Right out of the gate, without trying to sound preachy, I want to say that I am pro-feeding your baby how you choose, whether it is from the breast, the bottle, or with formula. You will get no shade from me on which one you choose.
For me, I knew early on in my pregnancy that I wanted to breastfeed my baby. I consider myself a health conscious person so for me the benefits of breastmilk was the deciding factor for why I chose to breastfeed my baby. But being a self-conscious person, I knew once I gave birth that I would feel more comfortable breastfeeding in public with a nursing scarf.
I researched different nursing scarfs and ultimately picked the Itzy Ritzy Nursing Happens Infinity Breastfeeding Scarf. The styles, price point, and availability to purchase in a store like Babies R Us or BuyBuyBaby, where I was registred were deciding factors for me. For you Mama’s looking for a good deal on the scarf, I recommend shopping at BuyBuyBaby so that you can use one of their 20% off coupons, but you can also get it at Target at 5% off by using your REDCard. I also like that these nursing scarfs look professional which is important for me as a working Mama who wanted cover-up for privacy while pumping at my desk.
The material that Itzy Ritzy uses for the standard Nursing Happens is a cotton blend. Having a summer baby in the south, my neck ended up getting hot and sweaty wearing it outside as a style accessory. Itzy Ritzy does sell a Nursing Happens – Muslin, which I think would be a better option for those Mama’s who plan on wearing the a nursing scarf throughout the day.
Because I do not have the muslin version, I have been packing my Nursing Happens scarf in my diaper bag and taking it out when needed. However during the winter, I will likely get to use it all day long. Those Mama’s in cooler climates will probably get more use throughout the year than those in warmer climates.
Besides having a nursing scarf, another essential item that is on my list of best purchases was a great nursing bra. While pregnant, I purchased a bra from a maternity store paying close to $50 just for one. After giving birth, I found that bra to be uncomfortable so my advice to pregnant Mama’s, wait until after you give birth to splurge on an expensive maternity bra.
After I gave birth, I decided to be more budget conscious and tried my luck at purchasing a maternity bra from Amazon. Purchasing clothes on Amazon from one of their many unknown brands is a mixed bag, but I lucked out when it came to the BAOMOSI Women’s Seamless Nursing Maternity Bra. These nursing bras are much better than the expensive bra I purchased.
The seamless nursing bra is incredibly comfy, I have worn mine to bed on a few occasions, plus with the built-in push up and the plunging neck line I feel sexy. For this new Mama with a seven week postpartum body, having a product help you to feel sexy is wonderful. Additionally, the price point is excellent. For around half the cost of that expensive nursing bra, I purchased the three pack of the BAOMOSI nursing bras.
Something interested that I learned at a La Leche meeting, apparently wired bras increase your chance of developing a clogged duct. This was shocking to me since I experienced a clogged duct four weeks after giving birth and the expensive bra I purchased had wires.
Since giving birth, I have struggled with producing enough milk to satisfy my baby and having enough supply so that I can leave the house for some Mama time, has been difficult for me. What has helped me to increase my supply has been lactation cookies, specifically Milkmakers cookies.
There are numerous recipes online for lactation cookies, but this new Mama has never been a good baker – ask me about my attempt at stained glass cookies – and being a new Mama, I don’t have a lot of free time for baking at this stage. So right now having pre-made cookies is worth the extra cost for me.
The lactation cookies are available to purchase from Milkmakers and are also sold at Babies R Us and BuyBuyBaby. The cookies come in chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and zesty lemon. All three flavors provide something for everyone. I personally prefer the zesty lemon flavor. It reminds me of a mix between a Panera Bread sugar cookie and a Starbucks lemon loaf.
For being a holistic cookie, it does not taste bland, but it is not sweet like a baked good from Panera Bread or Starbucks. I have been eating the recommended one to two cookies per day and for me, I noticed an increase in my supply after a few days. Because I plan on breastfeeding for an extended period of time – I’m shooting for at least 12 months – I think because of the cost, I will need to investigate a more cost-effective options like the Milkmakers subscription for cookies.
Well, that rounds it out on my top three breastfeeding essentials. Be sure to subscribe and follow @babymamablog on Tumblr, Instagram and Twitter.
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article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
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