BOPPY PILLOW:: MOM'S BREAST FEEDING FRIEND

Ok, moms, let's face it: no matter how small your little one is, holding them up to each boob for 15-20 can seem more like an hour and can take it's toll (on the bright side, look out for sexy arms in the upcoming months. burn, baby, burn!). For those of you who would prefer to simply relax and enjoy the breast feeding session without it being coupled with an arm workout, this product is for you.

The Boppy is a c-shaped pillow that you place around your waist while breast feeding. It provides support for your arms while you are holding your baby up for feeding by filling in the space between your lifted arms and your lap. (see picture below) Perfecto! 

Check out the Boppy Website to buy products, gather care instructions, check their blog, and all that other great stuff. While you can get everything you need from the website, here are my favorite selling points for the product:

• Cover comes off for washing purposes 
• Covers come in all different colors and designs and can be bought separately to satisfy the mood of the day(yay!)
• Transitions into a prop for tummy time & lounging

You can find your new friend and Babies 'R' Us, Target, Walmart, etc. 

Bottom Line: Your arms will thank you.

LANSINOH THERA-PEARL BREAST THERAPY

Tenderness and raw skin come with the breast feeding territory.These little therapy pearls are super handy.They give you the option of soothing your breasts before or after a feeding; and for those moms who are really going through it, you can choose to use them before and after. (I know I did!)

Just warm the pearls in the microwave and place on your boobs before a feeding. It is said that the increase in temperature causes your milk to "let down". This just means that your body releases your milk supply; your nipples should, at this point, begin to leak. What is great about using the Lansinoh Thera-Pearl Breast Therapy packs before hand is that, if your milk has already let down, your bundle of joy wont have to work so hard to feed and this means he/she wont suck so hard out of frustration. (mom:1, nipple soreness:0) 

If you'd like to use them after the feeding, simply put them in the freezer before hand. As we all know, anything frozen can act as an anti-inflamitory; it will also help with soreness. What's better about using these packs than just a bag of ice, or something like that, is that these flat, circular shaped packs fit nicely in your bra! This means that you don't have to take time out of your busy schedule to nurse your sore boobs! (mom:1, time:0)

I've found this product at Target, Walgreens, and CVS. They are super easy to find and inexpensive. I recommend investing in a couple pair.

Bottom Line: Great, versatile product & very helpful. I wish the package came with 4 instead of 2 so moms can always have one frozen and one ready for the microwave.

A GUARDED NIPPLE IS A HAPPY NIPPLE

This is the first of a number of posts dedicated to breast feeding! 

I found out very early on in my breast feeding that I didn't have the ideal nipple size and shape. When this happens, it can be very hard for baby to latch and receive a feeding. This can cause for a very cranky baby. 

Luckily, there are these lovely little contraptions called nipple guards! They stick to your breast and allow for a longer "nipple" area to be available for baby to latch on to. The latching process is the battle, f.y.i. Once your baby is latched to your nipple, the suckling will pull your nipple further into the nipple guard and baby will have an easier time receiving your milk!

I used the Medela brand nipple guard and it worked wonderfully. I received my first guard from my lactation nurse while I was still admitted in the hospital after giving birth to my son. It was a little big so I went to Babies "R" Us a week later and found that Medela offers different sized nipple guards! ( And rightly so! I mean, breasts are not 'one size fits all'.) I found my size (measure the area of your nipple if you'd prefer not to estimate once you are in the store.) and have been completely happy since. 

These guards are super easy to clean and are reusable so the costs of investing in these things is low. And, trust me, they are worth the investment; not only does the guard assist baby in feeding but it lessens the pain associated with breast feeding by acting as a barrier between your naturally sensitive nipple and your over-zealous, hungry baby.

Give them a try. 

ALL ABOUT BREAST FEEDING: THE BEAUTIES AND THE BEASTS

Breast feeding is a beautiful thing. It gives you and your new baby intimate time which is extremely helpful for the bonding process and no formula in the world is as nutritious and helpful to your baby's immune system and the minimization of their food allergies. ( I'm not an expert but these are the things that I was told in the hospital by my lactation nurse.) These nurses recommend feeding your baby breast milk exclusively for the first 6-months and then supplemented for the next 6-months (or however long you'd like to be feeding your child from the breast.)

Now, however beautiful it is, breast feeding has an ugly, ugly side to it for most women (myself included!) The pain associated with your baby trying to learn how to eat on his/her own (remember, they lived 9-months not having to work for food at all and I'm sure they loved every minute of it!), the possibility that your nipples may not be large enough for your child to latch onto without assistance from products (thank God for nipple guards!), the chaffing, the bleeding, the large amount of time you'll spend trying to keep your milk production up with your baby's growing appetite (my son's appetite jumped from 3-ounces to 6-ounces in a matter of three days; yikes!), and, not to mention, the temptation of formula just because of its availability and ease of use, all make for an uphill battle with breast feeding. You should consider, though, the extreme nutritional value it has for your child and make a decision. 'Yes', it will be hard and 'Yes', it will be worth it.

The upcoming posts will feature some of the best products I have used in my journey through breast feeding. I will be giving some tips and, hopefully, some words of encouragement for you women thinking of breastfeeding and also for you moms who are thinking of giving up.

Here are just some pictures of some of the products I will be talking about in the upcoming weeks. Talk to you soon!