Nursing Essentials
Silvertettes- These really made a difference for me during the first few months. My nipples were constantly painful and it wasn't until my sister bought them for me that I was able to get relief. It was a life saver. I thought I was just going to have to live with it until I stopped breastfeeding. Thank you sis!
Nursing pads- These were the most helpful for me during the first two months is when I leaked. As your milk regulates to babies needs so some seem to not have enough while others over produce. It's important for the future of breastfeeding to be consistent with feeding your baby. formula and pumping affects this greatly during the first few months.
Comfortable rocking chair- If mother is comfortable and relaxed it helps with better milk flow and makes it so the baby will relax. I notice a difference when I feed in the comfortable chair versus just anywhere.
Boppy pillow- This was the most helpful when my little one was small as it helped support her and lift her closer to me without tiring my arms.
Nursing kit- I got mastites and having this was so helpful. Everything in one little bag was nice so i could grab and have it anywhere. The cold\warm pads were especially helpful.
Night light- You will have lots of late night booby parties and nappy changes. Having a light I can easily move wherever and touch for light makes it all go a little smoother.
Water bottle- It makes a difference to have a bottle that you can drink from without tipping. Also, more ounces is good too.
What you eat affects how you feel,
It may not seem to make that much difference in the moment but over time it adds up. So eat healthy to feel healthy. Here's a few important things I made an effort to consume to support postpartum healing and support breast feeding.
Protien! so important for so many reasons. It helps rebuild blood especially protein from meat like liver beef chicken etc. it also helps prevent mastitis.
Greens- everything from swiss chard, spinach , sorrel, kale, lettuce. this also helps build up the iron and supports mothers mi;k if you choose to not do the vit k shot for baby.
Flaxseeds chia seeds- great omegas that make milk rich so it helps satisfy the baby and supports over all healing.
oats- This was helpful for milk supply
sun chlorella pills- i can tell you how many times these held me over. they support immune system, gut health and energy. I keep a bag in my purse so if I find myself needing something quick yet in a Dr. office or what not these give me strength and have been such a blessing. During labor I wasn't able to keep anything down all day and was worried I wouldn't have strength to give birth then remembered these and told my support person to offer them to me every so often. I was surprised how much they helped. I also had fair energy during pregnancy when I remembered to take them.
fruits and veggies- healthy carbs like squash etc. you want i nice variety of colors also
legumes- i personally preferred sprouted lentils which i'll add my recipe.
yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut- Got to keep that gut supported. If foods give you gas then start with just a tablespoon then work your way up giving your gut time to adjust to all the extra microbes.
Nut and seeds- Good source of protein
These next ones are simple but don't underestimate their power
Sunshine- get about 15 minutes of that early morning light with as much exposure as you feel comfortable with. Take your warm morning drink, take of your shoes and socks and get mome grounding while you're at it
water- makes sure to get plenty of good quality water. Staying hydrated makes a huge difference for your healing and milk supply.
Exercise- definitely go slow those first couple of weeks but keep moving. I would start with short walks and work up to longer or more swift to more specific exercises. Even ankle pumps and twists or arm workouts while you are taking it easy helps keep the circulation going while you heal. If you start to bleed more than usual just ack it down a little.