Breastfeeding Hacks Every Mom Should Know
While breastfeeding is so beneficial for both mama and baby, it isn’t exactly easy.
There’s a long list of struggles us mamas face, but luckily, there’s some good hacks to help us along our journey!
Breast Feeding Arm Pillow
The common breastfeeding pillows like the Boppy and the My Breast Friend work great. I have personally used both while breastfeeding Emmy. But this arm pillow was a game-changer for a number of reasons. 1. The smaller size made it much easier to maneuver. You simply slip it over your arm, pick up baby and take a seat. 2. This pillow also doubles as support when burping baby (photo here). Overall I found it much more user-friendly than the big bulky pillows.
Breastfeeding Cart
Setting up a breastfeeding cart allows you to have all the supplies you might possibly need while breastfeeding baby. Items you should include: burp cloths, blankers, you hakka, nipple shields, nipple cream, your breast pump, etc. I also like to keep a few protein bars on my cart as well so I can keep myself nourished while feeding. Here’s the link for the cart shown above.
Let There Be Milk
If you have read any other posts on my page, you know I am a HUGE fan of this stuff. It makes my breastfeeding life so much easier. It is packed with a long list of vital ingredients to support healthy lactation. I take 3 drops every single morning along with a glass of Mother’s Milk Tea.
The Haakaa
A Haakaa is one of the main reasons I was able to collect over 400 ounces in 30 days for my freezer stash.
The Haakaa suctions to the breast you are not feeding off of and collects the milk from your let-down. I averaged 1-3 ounces each time I used it. You can get a two-pack on Amazon here.
Aloe Vera Bags
Ahhhh how wonderful these were those first few days of breastfeeding. I took two breast milk storage bags and filled them with Aloe Vera gel and popped them into the freezer. Whenever I was experiencing nipple pain from nursing, these provided such great relief!
Hands-Free Nursing Clip
Having both hands free to support your baby during breastfeeding can make a huge difference. This handle clip simply attached to your shirt and takes about 10 seconds to set you up for a comfortable nursing session. It also makes the nursing session more comfortable for baby with the area around their face clear of clothing. You can order the clip here.
Udder Covers Nursing Cover
If you look closely at the photo above, you will notice that this nursing cover has what’s called a D Ring inserted into the top. This holds the fabric back away from the mother’s chest so she is able to easily look down at baby without having to pull back the fabric. This leaves both hands free to do what they need to.
You can get one for free using at uddercover.com using code CoverFree35
Quick Clean Steam Bags from Medela
I highly dislike washing pump parts. Mostly because of how much time it takes but more because I am so neurotic over it it is really clean or not. I feel like alot of germs could hide in all those little crevices. This is why I swear by the Meleda quick clean steam bags. You just fill it with a little water, pop it in the microwave for 4 minutes and you’ve got sanitized pump parts!
Hold and Cold Therapy
I really love these Lansinoh Thera-pearls. They can be stored in the freezer for cold therapy when needed but what was really beneficial for me was the warm therapy. I would heat it up for about 30 seconds in the microwave then I would wrap it in a washcloth and apply it to my breast RIGHT before I started pumping. It would help my milk flow so much easier. It is also very helpful with clogged milk ducts.
Rolled up receiving blankets
After your milk comes in, you will notice an increase in the size of your breast. This can also make your breasts a little heavier. You may feel the need to constantly lift your breast when feeding your baby in order to help them maintain a good latch. Instead of holding your breast, you can simply place a rolled-up receiving blanket under it to give it support.
Pumping Hacks
As I’ve been working to build my freezer stash of over 400 ounces, I’ve picked up some fun pumping hacks too!
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