breastfeeding doesn't suck

**Warning: This post is about all things breastfeeding,  so if you don't want to read about it then don't!! 

I've been meaning to do a post on my thoughts and advice on breastfeeding for quite some time now, but I just keep putting it off.  Since we are nearing the half-way mark of my goal {one year} I figured I better get on it!!  This post is all about my experience with breastfeeding and some of my favorite things.  I want to share this so that it can possibly help others to be successful with breastfeeding too!

I thought I would start this post off with a funny video I saw when Pearson was first born!!
My Mom was extremely successful with breastfeeding me and my brothers, so before I was even pregnant I knew I wanted to breastfeed my children someday.  I really wanted it to work for me so I spent lots of time talking to my Mom about it, asking other Mom's questions, reading about it, and going to classes about it.  You would think that since breastfeeding is so natural that it would be easy, but let me tell you......It is not easy!!  It eventually gets easy, but it is very difficult in the beginning.  I had an extremely hard time in the beginning and came across just about every problem you can have with breastfeeding.  I told my Mom multiple times that if I wasn't so passionate about being successful at breastfeeding I would have already quit.  There were lots of times in the first few weeks where I could totally see why people quit breastfeeding so early. I hope that if you are a new Mom or a Mom to be that this post will help you be successful with breastfeeding.  If you have any questions please let me know!!

Here's my 5 pieces advice on breastfeeding......

1.  Educate yourself on breastfeeding.

• Don't be afraid to talk to a nursing Mom about breastfeeding.  I would say most nursing Moms aren't shy about it and actually would love to talk about it. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions.
• Read books about breastfeeding.  I read Nursing Your Baby By:Karen Pryor & Gale Pryor and on a lighter note I read If Your Boobs Could Talk By: Shannon Payette Siep & Adrienne Hedger {So funny!}
• Go to a breastfeeding class at your hospital and drag your husband to it.  It was a 3 hr night class and we learned so much.  They gave lots of great handouts that I used a ton when I was first breastfeeding. I was glad that Matt walked away knowing all of the same information.  It was helpful in the beginning to have Matt remind me of some of the things we learned in our class.

2.  Invest in good bras.


Towards the end of my pregnancy, I could already tell that my boobs were getting bigger.  I was uncomfortable in my regular bras so I decided to go ahead and invest in nursing bras to wear the remainder of my pregnancy.  I bought 4 bras at Motherhood Maternity and 1 at Target.  I loved the one from Target to sleep in and wear around the house, but it was not a good daily bra.  I decided to wear just one of my Motherhood Maternity bras for daily wear until after I had Pearson, and I'm so glad I only wore one, because I ended up hating it for nursing and took the other 3 back.  All of the Motherhood Maternity bras have underwires, and you aren't supposed to wear underwires while you are nursing.  Also, because they have underwires, they don't unhook and fold down easily which is so annoying when you are trying to nurse.


Here is a list of the nursing wear that I have and love....
The Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra {purchased at A Mother's Gift in Plano Presby}
This is my favorite bra, I wear it just about everyday.  It's super comfortable to nurse in, but it looks great under your clothes too.  It has great support and it actually feels like you are wearing a real bra.

The Bliss Nursing Bra {purchased at A Mother's Gift in Plano Presby}
This is my second favorite bra.  I wear this one during the day and in the beginning I wore it at night as well.  It doesn't have as much support as the first bra, but it still okay to wear with clothes as it has privacy pads in it.  It so soft and smooth that it feels fine to sleep in it as well.

Target Nursing Sleep Bra {purchased at Target}
This was the first nursing bra that I bought.  I bought it before I had Pearson to have a bra in the hospital.  It worked great for the hospital, but there is no support and it is very thin.  When I sleep in a bra now, this is usually the bra I wear.

Seamless Convertible Strap Nursing Cami {purchased at Motherhood Maternity}
Love, love, love these tanks.  I have one in black and white.  Before breastfeeding I almost always wore a tank over my bra just so you couldn't see my bra through my shirt.  Well, it's kind of annoying to wear a tank and a bra when you are nursing, so this is the perfect tank because it's a nursing tank that feels like a bra. There isn't a ton of support, but it doesn't just feel like you are wearing tank.  You actually feel like you are wearing a bra.  It's great because you can just let it hang out the bottom of your shirts like it's a tank and you can even cross the straps in the back if you want to wear something razor back!  I haven't found a razor back nursing bra, so this was perfect for me this summer!!

**If you live near Plano Presby, you can go to A Mother's Gift and get fitted for nursing bras.  It's best to go after your milk comes in because that is when they can measure your true size. If you are delivering at Plano Presby, you can get 20% off of all their bras.  The ladies that work there are so knowledgable and super helpful.  I highly recommend A Mother's Gift.

3.  Be prepared with breast care supplies.

Lansinoh Lanolin

This stuff works miracles.  Pack it in your hosptial bag and apply it after EVERY.SINGLE.FEEDING whether you think you need it or not.  Trust me you do not want cracked/bleeding nipples.  It's extremely painful.  You don't have to wipe it off for the baby to nurse and just know that it is very greasy and it does stain your bras.  If you don't want to stain your bras be sure to wear nursing pads underneath your bra. 

Lansinoh Nursing Pads

 I used these nursing pads when I was still using lanolin.  They are disposable and very comfortable and discrete. I think most nursing Moms have to wear nursing pads for a while so that they don't leak, but I have never had problems leaking so I don't wear nursing pads.  

Lansinoh Soothies Gel Pads

 These little guys are expensive but I highly recommend them. .  When your nipples are extremely sore in the beginning these gel pads feel so good.  They have a cooling effect that really helps take the pain away. You can only reuse them for a day or so, but they are so worth it. 

4. Invest in a pump.

Pump In Style-Advanced Backpack

This is the pump that I have.  I bought it used from a friend and then bought all new parts (about $25).  Sadly it's on it's last leg and isn't very efficient.   But it does work if I need it too. I mainly used my pump in the beginning when I had really sore nipples.  I would feed on one side then pump on the other to give one side a break each feeding.  I also used it when I got clogged milk ducts.  I would feed Pearson then pump and massage my breast to try and get the clog out.  I don't know what I would have done without my pump in the first few weeks.  If you plan on going back to work, I recommend buying one of the nicer pumps.  If you are planning on staying at home, I don't think it is neccesary to have a fancy pump.  If I would have had to purchase a brand new one, I think I would have just bought a single electric pump. I hate pumping, so I rarely use my pump.  It  is just not necessary for me to have a fancy one if I don't even use it.  Also, know that you don't have to buy a pump before you have your baby.  You can rent from the hospital then when you decide if you need one, and if you do need one, whether you need a simple one or a nice one.  I have heard of plenty of people that buy a $350 pump then 6 weeks later quit breastfeeding and have a pump they barely used.

I used these Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage bags.  I used a few other kinds and these were my favorite.  {Just a tip, when you freeze your breastmilk, lay bag down flat like a pancake to freeze.  After it is frozen, you can stack them up easier to store in the freezer than if you freeze it like the picture above.}

5. Don't give up.
Breastfeeding can be very hard in the beginning, but it DOES get easier.  I promise.  It's frustrating when you feel like you don't know what you are doing, your baby doesn't know what they are doing, you are in pain, and you don't even know if your baby is getting enough to eat, but don't quit.  If you can get through the first 4-6 weeks, you'll start to feel like you know what you are doing and after that, it just gets easier and easier.  If you are feeling frustrated or feel like quitting, call someone and get help.  I called my Mom, my friends and the lactation nurses at my hospital plenty of times. Not only is breastfeeding best for your baby, but it's free, convenient and so rewarding.  It's worth trying to stick it out.

If I can help you in anyway, please let me know!!

And I'll leave you with this.....

10 reasons why breastfeeding doesn't suck.

{via The Bump}

1. You'll feel far less crazy (we promise!)
A study of postpartum mamas found that those who breastfed their babies showed far less anxiety and more mutuality at one month postpartum than those who didn't.

2. It lowers the risk of childhood cancers
One study found the risk of childhood cancer in formula-fed children was 2-8 times that of long-term breastfed children. The risk for short-term formula feeders was 1-9 times that of long-term breast feeders.

3. ...And breast cancer in mamas!
Get this: If women who breast fed for less than 3 months were to stick it out for 4 to 12 months, breast cancer among parous premenopausal women could be reduce by 11%. And if they stayed with it for 24 months or longer, those risks could be reduced by nearly 25%.

4. Smart kids rule
Studies show that breastfed babies have significantly higher IQs by 8 years old than babies who didn't breastfeed -- even after adjusting the stats for differences between groups and Mom's educational and social class.

5. You could save on braces
The longer you breastfeed, the lower the liklihood that baby will suffer from malocclusion -- aka a fancy word for misalignment of the teeth and dental arches.

6. It cuts down on childhood obesity
Breastfeeding has long been tied with reducing the rate of childhood obesity, regardless of Mom's diabetes or weight status.

7. Allergies and ailments are no biggie
Respiratory wheezing, influenza, diarrhea, allergies, and eczema are way less common in breastfed babies -- think about all those trips to the doc you won't have to make!

8. It saves lives -- and government money!
If just 90% of US mamas breastfed exclusively for 6 months, not only would an estimated 900 babies live, but the United States would save $13 billion per year. (Yep, $13 BILLION.)

9. Oh, and it'll save you a ton of cash, too
Believe it or not, formula supplies for just six months can cost upwards of $1,000.

10. You'll fit into your skinny jeans faster!
Breastfeeding burns an average of 500 calories a day. Yes, really. Need we say more?

**If you are/were a nursing Mom, feel free to chime in your advice in the comments!! I'm sure new Moms and Moms to be would love the advice!