Table of Contents
BOOKS
Before I gave birth to Alexis, I read a few books on breastfeeding to be a little more prepared for what I was about to do. As I wrote in my Breastfeeding Post, they were a huge help. The two books that I liked the most and found the most valuable were: The Baby Bond (The science behind what's really important when caring for your baby) and Breastfeeding Made Simple (Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers).PUMP
The pump I used is a Simplisse Double Electric Pump. I am actually very happy with it. I remember being somewhat terrified picking pumps during pregnancy. Admit it, they look kinda scary! Little did I know that pumping would be kinder on my nipples than my baby itself. You can read about Simplisse pump here, but here's the jist.- 2 Extra Collection Bottles w/ Storage Caps
- Insulated Cooler Bag
- 2 Ice Gel Packs
- Wet Bag for used parts
- 10 Breastmilk Storage Bags
- 4 Disposable Breast Pads
NIPPLE CREAMS
I tried and used 3 different nipple creams and found all three very good for different stages of breastfeeding and different preferences. One of the most important things for me was to make sure the nipple cream was safe for my baby to ingest and preferably with organic ingredients.NIPPLE SHIELDS
BOOBIE CREAM
While I am a huge fan of Boob Tube by Mama Mio and am planning on using it religiously once Alexis gives me 3-4 hours between feedings, so that it would get absorbed before she goes to feed again, I did struggle to find a moisturizer for my breasts that I would feel comfortable with Alexis accidentally ingesting it. Boob Tube is 100% pregnancy safe, but I just don't know that it's ok for a baby to EAT IT 🙂BREASTFEEDING PILLOWS
I use two different breastfeeding pillows. Here's my take on them. MyBrestfriendBREAST PADS
BREAST SHELLS
MILK SUPPLY HELPERS
This is my favorite category, because it's TASTY! I used two things to help raise my milk supply during the time when Alexis was feeding a lot and didn't seem to get enough.BREASTFEEDING GOODIES x 4
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a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclosure: I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are 100% my own. Some of these items for sent to me for a review
37 comments
It would be helpful if you could indicate in the post which items were sent to your for review and which ones you bought on your own.
It doesn’t matter, since I don’t review things I wouldn’t have bought on my own. Some items I bought and THEN did a review on another sample, because I liked them so much. Other items I got along with a review item but not FOR a review. There were items I bought and then did a review of, after the fact. And there are items I did a review and loved so much that I continued buying them. The point is I used them all, whether I bought them or not. Hope that helps.
Just FYI – I don’t really care one way or another, but there are federal FCC (I think it’s FCC) disclosure rules that say that if you are reviewing a product you have to disclose whether you received it for free or purchased it.
Yes but you can use a blanket statement like the one I used. It’d take too long to specify each one individually in this post.
Just as an FYI…the Medela Nipple Shields come in various sizes. I agree that the normal one is huge! I had to use the XS. I used it due to small nipples on the left side for 4 months and the right side until I weaned at 10 months and never had supply issues. Baby #2 is on the way this summer and I’m definitely going to check out the other one you mentioned. I like that it seems a bit thinner!
I used the smallest one! And still felt it was big. 20mm one. Unless there’s smaller but I couldn’t find anything less than 20mm
There is an extra small 16 mm. Love your blog by the way. Been reading since I found out I was pregnant. I found your blog searching for bump photos on google so I could see what I would look like LOL. (we have a similar build). Now I have a 5 week old baby boy. Following your blog let me know what to expect since this was my first. Thanks for all the up front and personal info.
Omg really? I couldn’t find anything smaller than 20 anywhere. 16 would have been a lot better until I found the simplisse one.
I loved mother’s love cream, did it wonders for me when I first started breastfeeding! I don’t know if you use them or not, but a review on nursing covering can be helpful for new moms, since there are so many different kinds and some of them are horrible. with breastfeeding two kids, I find it makes the difference when out and about with a hungry baby.
Hi Elena-
I really enjoy your blog- thank you so much for writing about all the things that helped you- I think I’m going to have to try those cookies!
I did want to post a comment, though, to maybe make you feel better about not moisturizing the boobs. The fact is that stretch marks are entirely genetic and moisturizing has absolutely nothing to do with whether you will get them or not. The stretching occurs deep in the skin and cannot be affected by topical applications, for good or for bad! So great news that you didn’t get any stretch marks on your belly or hips- it probably means you won’t in the future either!
I also want to say that I had stretch marks on my boobs as well. No others except for one or two at the top of my thigh. But my breasts basically looked almost like suns with the marks around the nipple. lol. Anyway, my baby is almost 7 months old and the other day I looked in the mirror and realized the stretch marks were gone. weird. so maybe that will happen for you, too? And I definitely never put any kind of moisturizer on them… I also don’t use soap on them either. The only thing that touches my breasts are my baby, my clothes and breast pads, my pump, water in the shower, and obviously breastmilk.
are you saying you don’t wash your chest? that is really weird.
@ April,
It’s actually not weird to not wash your breasts with anything but warm water while breatfeeding. It’s actually recommended.
@ Kat,
It’s actually not weird. It’s recommended to wash your breasts with only warm water and no soap while nursing. Mostly to prevent nipples from drying out.
@Misty @Gina Oh, I had no idea. I’m only 23 and not married or a mother-to-be. Thanks for keeping me informed! I really had no idea that rinsing was recommended. That is good to know for my future.
I never really liked the my Brest friend pillow. I think I’m too tall & it didn’t put my baby high enough. Also, have you tried Earth Mama Angel Baby products? The nipple butter is awesome & I never once had cracked or bleeding nipples. They also have several other all natural products!!
I had their bottom balm but never got around to trying nipple balm since I already had three I was using.
I also read The Baby Bond, but it irritated me that the chiropractor (not even a medical doctor) writing it never provided citations or explained where the facts and figures were coming from. I would have liked to know about how these studies were preformed and what the variables were. I had a hard time just taking him at his word given his lack of medical training. Did that bother you at all?
I’m not really concerned with credentials. There are plenty of people that qualify writing a book without any. I would have liked reading in more detail about the studies, that’s for sure. But the way I saw it is “Id rather be safe than sorry”
Plus I did find the same Info in other sources.
The only thing that was annoying was that it was a little preachy and went on and on about some things. But I guess that only helped me remember the facts.
FYI- pumping at the highest speed doesn’t help you finish faster. The correct way to use a pump is to put it at the highest speed at first to stimulate your milk to come in (much like a baby will suck fast and “short” when they are first put to breast). Once your milk starts spraying, you should drop down to the slowest setting. The long, slow pumps will be much more effective at emptying your breasts.
Oh good to know!
I have been following your blog for awhile as our son was due around the same time as your lovely daughter! I have loved all of your insight and experiences,
I had issues with milk supply and found that taking the supplement Fenugreek has helped significantly. It’s found in Mother’s Tea, but a concentrated capsule can be found at most health food stores. Taking those twice a day has definitely helped.
Thanks for your candor with your experiences…it definitely has helped me feel as if I am not alone 🙂
Whoa! Yet another post to bookmark, I’m getting ready 🙂
Those cookies are like my have home-made cookies!!! I’m glad I can have them while breastfeeding 🙂
Btw, is the giveaway open internationally?
No it’s not, Helooon! Sorry 🙁
I loved the Aveda breast shields. I tried the Medela ones first and they hurt – the openings for the Aveda ones are sloped and SO gentle and just made a huge world of difference (also for my flat nipples)! I had great advice that if you have inverted or flat nipples, start wearing a nipple shield here and there a few months before the baby is born to start loosening up the ligaments that are holding the nipple in. I think it worked!
Did you read “The Womenly Art of Breastfeeding”? That book was my BFing bible. LOOOOOOVED it.
Also you can make your own lactation cookies – they’re delish! I use this recipe:
http://www.drmomma.org/2010/08/lactation-cookies-recipe-increasing.html
What a fantastic giveaway! I always use the Medela nipple shields, I can’t wait to try the Simplisse!
how convenient! All your favorite products ended up being from the same company! I’m sure you felt that way before they paid you too. Just pure coincidence that you ended up liking their products best, right?
Please see disclosure. I was not compensated for this post or any products featured here! 😛
Is there a reason you make your giveaways so difficult to enter? I am at work while I read these and find that they take too much effort to enter. Especially because I can’t use Facebook or Twitter. You eliminate a lot of readers this way.
Yup! I work really hard to make them as difficult as possible! What kind of question is this?
You could get a lot further by just letting me know you can’t enter from work.
This is the first I hear of it since most of my readers are SAHMs.
I’ll think of a way to make the mandatory entries easier for those who have FB blocked but the whole point of a giveaway for a company, the reason WHY they give their product for free is to spread the word which is best accomplished via social networks. If it wasn’t for them, they’d be no giveaways.
Just FYI regarding My Brest Friend- it contains a potential carcinogen. I was not impressed when I found out as I’d been using it since my baby was a newborn and to boot, it was NOT cheap where I live (about double what it costs in the US. Grrr!)
http://www.ctnow.com/lifestyle/parenting/mommy-minute/ctn-report-finds-toxins-in-popular-baby-products-20120112,0,7082365.story
http://onceamother.blogspot.ca/2012/01/disgusted.html
Does the simplisse nipple shield come in more than one size also? i had to use a medium size madela shield for the last few weeks and am now trying to wean off of it, but by the evenings when my son wants to nurse almost constantly for several hours before we all go to bed i am still feeling very raw, been thinking about switching shields but not sure about the size, the small madela shield restricted milk transfer for me so im nervous that a “one size” shield may be too small
No, I don’t believe it comes in different sizes and the nipple is pretty big, BUT it is SOOOO thin, it’s almost like skin so it doesn’t really interfere with the sucking.
Thanks, I was happy to find this post! I know i would have given up on breastfeeding already if it hadn’t been for that stupid shield, because it was SOOOOO painful in the beginning, but i really want to stop using it as soon as possible (he’s a month old now)… he’s actually starting to resist latching on to the madela shield now because he prefers just my bare nipple, which i am So Happy about… but i think i still need Something there at times when he likes to marathon nurse when he’s gearing up for a longer sleep or when hes just feeling fussy and needs me to comfort him, he likes to use me as a passy a lot since i dont want to give him an actual pacifier and after a while it feels like his tongue is made of sandpaper! LOL
Then a thinner Simplisse will definitely take you closer to bare nipple without the pain. 🙂
The author of Breastfeeding Made Simple (Nancy M) works at my local lactation consultants office! I have already gotten to talk with her a few times at the monthly Breastfeeding USA meetings and although I’m not due until next month I already know I will all the support I will need to be a breastfeeding success! That book is fantastic too :?)