Products for Breastfeeding
I have been breastfeeding my daughter, Josephine, for 13 months now. It has by far been the sweetest time of my life, the bond that it has created between us is hard to explain and something I do not take for granted. Breastfeeding her has also been a journey marked with incredible sacrifice and a lot of really hard moments to get to where we are today. If you’re in that place or if you’ve walked that path, I see you.
Here are products I love for nipple care:
These Silverette Nipple Cups are great for soothing sore nipples and healing damaged nipples.
For sore and cracked nipples I love the Calendula Oil from Mountain Rose Herbs or this Calendula Nipple Whip.
Nursing pillow:
Especially in the early days of breastfeeding, it is helpful for positioning and latching to use pillows for support. I used and loved the Nook Organic Feeding Pillow. Next time I want to try this Moon Womb nursing pillow. I love that both of these pillows can be used for tummy time as well.
Breast pumps:
For the first 7 weeks of Josephine’s life, I pumped every 3 hours. I used and recommend the Medela Symphony Pump for anyone who has to start pumping right away and is away from their baby. I rented this pump from the hospital.
I tried the Medela In Style Pump and personally do not recommend it. Next time I plan on trying the Spectra S1 or the Unimom Opera Pump.
I soon plan on buying the Pumpables Genie Advanced Portable Breast Pump since I am on the go often for consults.
I never personally liked the Haaka because it was something extra to clean and another step when trying to figure out how to breastfeed. I do think it is a useful tool at times, for example when you have a clogged duct.
This Colostrum Collector Set is great to have on hand for the first several days of your baby’s life to be able to hand express and collect colostrum. Hand expression is a great skill to learn and giving your expressed colostrum is helpful if your baby isn’t latching well. It is also possible to start harvesting colostrum around week 37 if your provider clears you to do so.
Bottles
It is important to choose a nipple that allows your baby to have a wide open mouth while feeding. It should resemble a deep latch to allow your baby to use his/her mouth, facial muscles and jaw optimally. Look for a nipple that gradually gets bigger from the tip to the base. I also recommend choosing a slow flow nipple and practice paced bottle feeding. This allows your baby to control the feeding and work for his/her milk. Here are the 2 bottles I recommend:
Dr. Brown’s glass bottle with these preemie nipples.
This bottle with these nipples. I like these bottles because you can pump right into these bottles and then place them into the freezer to store for future use.
