Products you should consider searching for in starting breastfeeding , as it will help moms searching for their needs
Breastfeeding is a natural process, but sometimes nature
needs a little help. Up to 96% of breastfeeding mothers experience some degree
of nipple pain or nipple trauma during the early weeks of breastfeeding. There
are some fantastic breastfeeding products on the market that will make
breastfeeding your baby easier. Here's a list of some
great products for
breastfeeding you may want to consider...
1. Quality breast pump. If you're going to be breastfeeding for
a while, you'll want to purchase a breast pump so your little one can have
breastmilk when you're apart. This is especially important if you'll be
starting back at work. (Note: It's best not to offer a bottle to your baby for
at least 4 weeks after your baby's born -- unless, of course, it's medically
necessary. Otherwise, you may cause "nipple confusion". Check with
your doctor or pediatrician for more information.)
If you're going back to work, it's essential that you purchase a
double electric breast pump. You'll be pumping around 3 times per day, so you
want to be as efficient as possible. Since I breastfed all three of my kids
(one boy, and twin girls), and run my own website, http://www.breastmilk.com,
I've been lucky to test out almost all of the breast pumps on the market.
My favorite breast pump is the Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump.
One of the great things about the Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump is that the
motor is small -- so it can easily be taken out of the case (most other pumps
make it difficult to take the motor out, so you basically have to put the WHOLE
bag on your desk or table while pumping.) The other thing I LOVE is that you
can plug the Ameda Breast Pump in and use it as an electric pump, put batteries
in and it's portable, and it also can run off the (optional) vehicle car
adapter. The Ameda Purely Yours Pump's flexibility has saved me on more than
one occasion. First, it's convenient to use in the office or at home, but
because the motor is so portable, it's great to use in the car as well. (I can
tell you that it saved my boobies on more than one occasion when my husband and
I decided to go out on a "date". After a few hours out without
nursing I really, really, really needed to pump, and the Ameda Purely Yours
Breast Pump allowed me to express milk easily in the car. Whew!!!)
If you're looking for a more affordable double electric pump
that's compact, quiet, and efficient, check out the Bailey Nurture III Breast
Pump. We hear from a lot of women that their lactation consultants recommend
the Bailey Nurture III Breast Pump.
If you're not going back to work and just need a simple,
easy-to-use hand pump, check out the Avent ISIS. If you want a relatively
inexpensive -- yet extremely high-quality -- hand pump, the Avent Isis Breast
Pump is effective, quiet, comfortable and natural. The Avent Isis breast pump
is perfect if you're not going to be doing a lot of pumping. I bought the Avent
Isis breast pump to have on hand -- just in case I was in a place where getting
to an electric outlet was an issue (or for power failures.) It was also great
to take on overnight business trips because it's so compact!
Word of caution: stay away from the cheap/inexpensive breast
pumps. When it comes to breast pumps, you really do get what you pay for. If
you buy cheap breast pumps, you'll be sorely disappointed - sometimes quite
literally -- and you might as well have thrown your money away. Plus, some of
the cheap breast pumps can actually damage your nipple. Stick with the top
breast pump brands like Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump, Bailey Nurture III
Breast Pump or Avent Isis.
If you're using a double breast pump and want to be able to
multi-task -- for instance, be productive at work by pumping AND typing on the
computer at the same time -- check out the Made by Moms Hands Free Pumping
Band. Now pumping doesn't mean you have to stop everything else you're doing.
With the Hands Free Pumping Band from Made by Moms you can do other things --
like read a book to your child, work on your computer, read and respond to
e-mail, etc.
2. Milk Storage bags/containers. This is a tricky one. You need
milk storage bags or milk storage containers that are reliable, easy to use,
and most of all don't leak. The worst thing is getting home after a hard day's
work -- and pumping -- only to find that your valuable, precious milk has
leaked! (It happened to me several times until I found the BEST milk storage
bags on the market.) Read on....
The best breast milk storage bag I found is the Bailey Milk
Storage Bags. It has a fantastic design and is really easy to seal. The Bailey
Milk Storage Bags are a little hard to find, so stock up!
Ranking right up there with the Bailey Milk Storage Bags are the
Lansinoh Breast Milk Storage Bags. Breastfeeding mothers LOVE these bags! Their
easy-to-zip seal make milk storage a snap!
Another option is to use breast milk storage containers -- which
are perfect to use while you're pumping. You simply pump directly into the
containers, put on the lid, and you're good to go. (I've also pumped and poured
the milk directly into your baby's bottles -- it helps to save you a step
later.)
You may also want to check out the Mother's Milk Mate Breast
Milk Storage System and Bottles, a nifty dad-invented milk storage system.
3. Nursing stool. Many people don't know about nursing stools.
They're basically footrests created especially to facilitate breastfeeding.
It's something about the way the footrest is angled that makes it extremely
comfortable for nursing mothers. I wouldn't breastfeed without a nursing stool.
4. Nursing Pads. Okay. Leaks happen...it's just part of the
nursing process. Over 85% of new mothers leak heavily enough to soak through
their breast pads and clothing. You can choose either disposable or washable
nursing pads. Either way, you may need nursing pads to help prevent those embarrassing
spots.
Clinically proven safer than absorbent nursing pads, LilyPadz
Nursing Pads are a revolutionary alternative to traditional nursing pads. No
more uncomfortable, bulky, leaky nursing pads! These thin, flexible,
self-adhesive silicone nursing pads provide incredible leakage protection for
breastfeeding moms. LilyPadz Breastfeeding Pads are special soft, flexible and
non-absorbent material conform to your breast for a secure fit that actually
helps to prevent breast milk leaks -- and they're invisible under your
clothing!
LilyPadz unique design provides you with a layer of protection
that helps to prevent breast milk leakage, so there's nothing to absorb -- you
and your clothes stay dry. Made of pure silicone rubber (the same material in
baby bottle nipples), LilyPadz "breathe" and keep you comfortable all
day and night. BONUS: Because they're non-absorbent, you can even SWIM while
wearing them. Great for the summer time!!!
5. Breast Creams/Treatment Most breastfeeding mothers experience
some sort of nipple soreness or pain at some point during their breastfeeding
experience -- usually when you and your baby are getting adjusted to the
breastfeeding process. PLEASE STICK WITH IT! Most of the time the discomfort
and pain is temporary, but it can be painful in the beginning.
Plan ahead: you may want to have some pain relief treatments on
hand BEFORE you deliver your baby. One product that is absolutely amazing is
the Lansinoh Lanolin Cream for Breastfeeding Mothers is the only topical
endorsed by La Leche League International. This is one breastfeeding product
that I would have at the hospital -- just in case...
Another GREAT product for sore breasts are the Ameda ComfortGel
HydroGel Pads. Ameda ComfortGel HydroGel Pads helps cool, soothe, and heal tender
nipples. In a recent study, results show that the Ameda ComfortGel Hydrogel
Pads provide cool, soothing relief for breastfeeding mothers with nipple pain
or nipple trauma associated with breastfeeding.
Designed for women experiencing nipple discomfort due to
breastfeeding, the Ameda ComfortGel HydroGel Pads provide a healing environment
- and at the same time help absorb breast milk leakage to keep your breast skin
healthy and the nipple area dry between feedings.
One other breastfeeding product that may seem a little odd --
but I really wish it was around when I was breastfeeding -- is the Nipple
Nurture Cleansing Pads for Breastfeeding Mothers and Babies. The soft Nipple
Nurture Cleansing Pads can be used anywhere you need the security of gentle,
safe cleansing without worrying about stinging, burning, or irritation.
THINK ABOUT IT: When it's 90 degrees outside in the summer and
you're sweating (okay, maybe you don't want to admit that you're sweating...),
do you really want to offer your baby a sweaty breast? With the Nipple Nurture
Cleansing Pads you can always offer your baby a "fresh" breast.
6. Nursing Bras. I've spent literally hundreds of dollars (ask
my husband) on nursing bras. The only one that I really, really liked was the
Bravado! Nursing Bras. No matter which nursing bra you choose, when you find a
bra you like, take it from me, buy several of them! (There's nothing worse than
finding the perfect nursing bra and you go back to the store only to find that
they're sold out, discontinued, or they've been moved to a different location
in store -- a hidden place where even the store manager can't find!)
7. Baby sling and nursing pillow. If you're breastfeeding your
baby, a carrier is nice because they allow you to discreetly nurse your baby.
Check out the Ultimate Baby Wrap. This is a carrier that will get you through
the long-haul -- it accommodates toddlers, too!
You should also consider a nursing pillow. Nursing pillows are
used to help you properly position the baby while you breastfeed. If you're
having twins, you should definitely check out the EZ-2-Nurse Twins Nursing
Pillow. The Kozy Kushion and Nurse-N-Glow Nursing Pillows are great for
singletons!
8. Bottles. The word "bottle" may seem like a bad word
to mention in a list of products for breastfeeding, but if you're using a
breast pump, bottles are a necessity. (After all, what comes out, must go in!)
Before you go hog wild purchasing a dozen bottles, I recommend you find one
brand you're interested in, buy 3 or 4 bottles, and then test them out on your
baby. (You may want to buy some of your next favorite brands to have on hand,
keep them sealed -- and hang on to the receipt so you can return if you don't
use them.) If your little one rejects your top brand choice, then you're only
out a few dollars, and you can then move on to your next choice...and so on,
and so on, until you find a bottle that your baby "latches" on to.
Nipple shapes, flow, etc. vary, so it's sometimes a process of trial and error
before you find the right bottle for your little one.
I was very happy with the Avent line of bottles -- they have
some pretty innovative products that grow with your child (for instance, their
bottles can eventually turn into sippy cups!)
Another note about choosing bottles: be sure and read the
packages carefully. Most bottles/nipples (and pacifiers, for that matter)
specify age ranges (i.e. newborn, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, etc.) When you have a
newborn baby, make sure you buy the newborn bottle/nipples. The newborn nipples
have smaller holes so that your baby has to work a little harder to get the
milk out -- which is especially important when you're breastfeeding. If you buy
the wrong nipple (one with larger holes), your baby will find it so much easier
to drink from a bottle that he might start rejecting your breast. You don't
want to make the bottle the easy-out for your baby. Read the package labels and
buy age-appropriate nipples.
Sherry Bonelli is a mother
and an entrepreneur with several websites where she sells baby, pregnancy, and
breastfeeding products.
There are many sites moms can buy the product online , and with good price , go on and good luck .
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