When Madeline was a newborn someone told me that breastfeeding is the most natural thing that doesn’t come naturally. That has stuck with me ever since because I just think it is so true. When I was expecting her I just assumed it would be easy to figure out because it was natural. After all, babies have been nursing for thousands of years. I have mentioned several times in this space that breastfeeding was a huge challenge for me with Madeline. We made it to a week before the six month mark and I am so proud of both of us for sticking it out. But I just did not have the positive experience so many people do with nursing the first go around.
There’s a whole host of reasons why it was a struggle. One important thing I learned from it being so challenging for me was that it is challenging for a lot of moms. Breastfeeding is hard.
I knew I would try it again this time but went in with a different mentality – that I would do my best for as long as I could and that if was overshadowing the joy in other parts of my life and time with my new baby, I would quit. With Madeline I felt like nursing really put a big gray cloud over my whole mentality during those first few months because it was just so hard. I think the biggest part of that was that I didn’t know what to expect.
For various reasons neither my mom nor mother in law were able to nurse. Many of my close friends had not had children yet, and those that had either had a very different experience with breastfeeding or opted not to for a variety of reasons. So, I really didn’t have anyone to turn to (aside my lactation consultant) for advice and encouragement.
Breastfeeding has been so different this time around. The whole experience has just been much better. Connor latched well from the beginning, I had an adequate supply, the early days hurt much less, and he gained weight easily with exclusive nursing.
I’m sure some of that is I’m more knowledgeable and confident. Another part might be that this baby is just a different baby and a better nurser. Regardless, it’s still a hard job. And a very full time job. But, nursing both of my children has been one of my greatest joys and accomplishments.
Having done it twice now and especially having struggled with it, I can now say that there are some products that make this job SO much easier.
A good pump.
For something so unexciting, choosing the right pump can be a big decision and make breastfeeding either easier or harder for you. A double electric pump is an absolute must. I used the Medela Pump in Style Advanced with Madeline and I liked it as well as can be expected for any pump. It’s small, easily portable, can run off a battery or car charger, and replacement parts are available everywhere. I lugged that thing to and from work every day and pumped in the car both ways. We spent a lot of quality time together.
I was eligible to get another pump through our insurance coverage with this pregnancy so I decided to get the Spectra S2 just to have another option. Several of my friends recommended it and it’s really been like night and day. It’s heavier and doesn’t have a battery (although there is an upgraded model that does) but it has a much more natural feel, which makes pumping less of a chore and I think lets me get more milk much faster. Connor gets a bottle at bed time every night so I use my pump daily. I do like them both and think they would both be great choices if you’re selecting a pump based on your insurance coverage but if I had to choose one, I would pick the Spectra hands down just because of the more natural feel. I use this adapter to use my old Medela parts, too, and this one to pump right into Dr. Brown’s bottles so I didn’t have to purchase lots of extra pieces. However if I were still working away from home I would go with the rechargeable version instead. No matter what, get a hands free bra!
The right bottle.
Madeline had to start taking a bottle early on because I had a postpartum hemmhorage. I had to be away from her without having time to build up a stash yet and then my supply really suffered. The upside to all that was she never hesitated to take a bottle and would always take any bottle from anyone at any temperature with either formula or breast milk. I wanted to introduce a bottle early on this time because having a baby that takes a bottle is very freeing and can take some of the burden off you as a nursing mama. We love these Comotomo bottles. They look breast-like and because they are silicone you can squeeze them to create the effect of a letdown for a more natural experience for your baby. They are also so easy to clean. In the early days, we gave Connor a bottle of pumped milk at least every other day at various times and when Corey is home Connor got his bottle for one of the middle of the night feedings. Now that he’s older and drinks out of a bottle more often as we prepare to start weaning soon, we switched to Dr. Brown’s bottles simply because they’re less expensive and I already had a ton.
Milkies Milksaver.
I did not have these my first go around and I am so sad! You slip one into your bra on the side that you are not nursing on to catch the letdown from your opposite breast. All of that milk is usually wasted and soaks into your nursing pad. This is so much better! In the beginning before my milk regulated, I could catch at least an ounce at a time, which really added up over the course of the day. I would wash and put right back for the next use. This helped me build a great freezer stash to use later. Here’s another great alternative.
Boppy.
There are lots of options for breastfeeding pillows but I love my Boppy. We got so much use out of it with Madeline. It helps you hold the baby comfortably and maintain better posture while nursing. As the baby gets bigger and becomes a better nurser, it also allows you to be more hands free. I have two – one to keep upstairs and one downstairs so that I wasn’t lugging it all over my house all day during these early months when the baby is nursing all day. I do recommend having an extra cover for any accidents or spills. Sometimes it’s the mama who spills all over the Boppy from trying to eat with one hand while nursing!
Supplements to you a boost.
I struggled with supply with Madeline so this time I decided to be more proactive and researched some things then had them available from the time we came home from the hospital. I used Fenugreek with her at the recommendation of a lactation consultant but I really felt it upset her stomach so I discontinued it. While that could have just been coincidence, no one wants a fussy, gassy baby so it wasn’t worth the risk. This time, I picked up two supplements by Legendairy Milk. I tried Liquid Gold and Lactivist and they both worked great. I took two in the morning and two at night of each for the first three months. The Lactivist is a liquid and you take it by the dropper. A word of caution about that one – it was highly highly recommended and it definitely works because I do notice a difference if I miss a dose but it tastes terrible. I just suck it up and down it quickly but no one warned me how bad it tasted so that I could mentally prepare myself and I was quite unpleasantly surprised the first time. I’m also drinking tons of water (aiming for 100 ounces a day) and at least one Vita Coco coconut water. Supposedly the electrolytes help with milk supply. The same is true with Gatorade, too, but I personally don’t drink it. My absolute favorite supplement are Liquid Gold Booster lactation cookies. I picked up a box when Connor went through that three month growth spurt, again when I had a sinus infection, and another just for fun. I generally see a big boost the next day…all from eating cookies! These are locally made in Charlotte but they do ship.
These are all things that have helped make breastfeeding so much easier this time. It’s gone smoother and it takes a lot of the pressure off to not have to stress about supply and to be able to build a little bit of a stash. I hope there is something helpful here for anyone who is struggling the way I was when nursing Madeline. I’ll also end with saying I am a firm “fed is best” believer. Thank goodness for formula because it nourished Madeline for six months of her life and really alleviated a lot of anxiety for me, which let me enjoy her so much more. Having it start off so much better has felt kind of redeeming after it always being such a struggle the first time. I don’t love sharing my body enough to guarantee I’ll be doing it at the one year mark but I am so very grateful to be have been able to give Connor this start. Women’s bodies truly are amazing.
