No-brainer breastfeeding: A comprehensive guide for new moms (Part 2)

Here are a few more nursing must-haves that help make mealtimes more manageable.

Comfortable chair

There are numerous brands of gliders ranging in price from $300 to upwards of $500, but any comfortable chair will suffice, especially if it rocks. Your chair is the basis for creating a quiet, intimate setting to nurse and bond with your baby. It’s also helpful to equip a small table nearby with a bottle of water, a snack, and anything else you’d like within reach while breastfeeding.

Nursing bras & clothes

There are entire lines of stylish nursing clothes to try, but the most important item is a well-fitting nursing bra in a size HHH. (OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration!) For ultimate comfort, try Leading Lady's long-lasting nursing bras. Since your breasts will swell to the shape of melons when your milk arrives (typically three to five days after your baby), it’s best to buy one bra in a cup size larger than you’re currently wearing and wait until you’re nursing to stock up to ensure proper fit. Also, pick up some breast pads that tuck into your bra and prevent embarrassing leaks. Some moms find nursing tank tops are a must-have for late-night feedings. For moms hitting the gym, nursing sports bras are essential.

Breast pump

Breastfeeding exclusively does not mean you have to be the exclusive feeder.  Even for stay-at-home moms, a breast pump may be indispensable. Sure, it can make you feel like a cow, but expressing milk so hubby can take the 2 a.m. feeding while you get more than three hours of uninterrupted sleep is well worth it. Breast pumps can be manual or electric, single or double, and range in price from $30 to $350. Whether you return to work or not, if you pump regularly you’ll want a good double-electric breast pump, such as Medela’s FreeStyle Breast Pump. Many hospitals rent pumps as an alternative to purchasing your own.

Nursing pillow

Many new moms find a nursing pillow essential in helping support their newborn while breastfeeding. Boppy pillows are a popular choice; they cost about $30 and come with covers in a variety of fun colors and patterns. You may want to purchase a few extra slipcovers so “Pink Flowers” can be in the laundry while your angel rests on “Spring Stripes.”

Support team

Having a support system is vital, whether it’s your mother, your friend with five kids, an online group, or the friendly lactation consultant you met while in your hospital gown. The best breastfeeding advice I received was from my midwife, who told me that nursing is “tough at first, but right when you’re ready to give up, it will get easier.” She was so right! After about three weeks of suffering with sore nipples and engorgement, I was tempted by the formula samples that had mysteriously appeared at my doorstep. But, with her words in mind, I gave it a few more days and realized I was no longer dreading my baby’s hungry coos. My discomfort had subsided, and I had a wonderful breastfeeding experience.

Sense of humor

When you discover a soiled burp cloth perched on your shoulder halfway through your grocery trip or squirt someone next to you with milk when your baby pulls off your breast for a breather, hopefully you’ll be able to laugh. As with many aspects of new parenting, breastfeeding is wondrous and often amusing. A little sense of humor can help make it an amazing experience.

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