Breastfeeding Hacks You’ll Love
A mom and baby getting ready to breastfeed.
Breastfeeding can be an amazing way to bond with your baby, but it can definitely be a difficult endeavor. While the benefits of breastfeeding can be glorious, the experience you have with it may be anything but. Latching difficulties, timing issues, pumping, milk storage, and a plethora of other problems can lead to a struggle-filled journey. Breastfeeding can be so difficult that some moms even have to quit earlier than they’d like. We completely support the way that any mom chooses to feed her baby, as fed is best! However, we’ll provide you with some helpful breastfeeding hacks, in case you want to try them out before hanging up the boots!
Get a Breastfeeding App
A mom opening up her breastfeeding app
You probably have countless apps and aren’t in the market for another. But you may want to consider getting a breastfeeding app. These apps can track when you breastfed or pumped, and can even track how many ounces you pumped in a session. This can be extremely helpful when you’re tired and can’t remember when you breastfed/pumped last, and it can also help you track how your supply is doing. If you’re having supply issues, you’ll probably be asked to track how many ounces you pump in a day. A breastfeeding app will make that easy to do. These apps can also be an amazing tool to help ensure you don’t get mastitis, as you can keep track of when you need to express next.
Buy a Manual Pump
Need to express while you’re out of the house, but you don’t have your pump or kiddo? No worries; buy a manual pump! These manual pumps can be a lifesaver when you don’t have your baby or electric pump with you. Mastitis is a very serious issue that accompanies breastfeeding when you don’t express regularly, so it’s important to set yourself up for success. These manual pumps provide a viable way to avoid that concern while you’re out of the house. They’re small, so they can be discretely stored in your bag. There are plenty of brands that offer manual pumps, so be sure to find your favorite. We recommend to always keep one in your bag, even if you have your baby with you! If they happen to nap for a very long time, you don’t want to be stuck without a way to express.
Buy a Breastfeeding Cover
Some moms choose to use whatever material they have available to cover themselves while breastfeeding, but we recommend using a breastfeeding cover. It’s a light-weight, breathable material that you can cover over yourself and your baby while breastfeeding. Thicker material can cause your baby to heat up, so it’s important to get a light-weight material, like a breastfeeding cover. And a bonus; these covers can be useful in many different situations. Did baby fall asleep in the stroller, but there’s too much commotion going on around them? Cover the front of the stroller with a breastfeeding cover! (Leave space open on the sides for a breeze/fresh air.)
Buy Breastfeeding Clothes
A lot of moms opt to use their own loose clothing, but you’ll never regret buying dedicated breastfeeding clothes. Breastfeeding bras and shirts can make for an easier breastfeeding experience when you’re out of the house. You either pull down the top of the garments, or unclip them to get easier access. You don’t want to be fumbling around with straps or taking off clothes entirely, so we really recommend getting these items.
Use Your Baby
Ah, yes. Sounds odd. But wait, it’s not that weird at all. Many find that their child’s scent, and even photos of them, can help moms produce milk. So go ahead and try to snuggle into your baby while breastfeeding or pumping. When you’re pumping at work or away from home, you can still use this hack! Many mothers have found success with bringing their baby’s blanket out with them so they can hold it while they pump, and even found it helps to stare at a photo of their child. It’s worth the try!
Stock Up on Foods that Help Your Supply
An amazing way to boost your supply is to add some oatmeal to your diet.
There are some foods and beverages that have been great at strengthening milk supply. This comes in the form of oatmeal, leafy greens, water, and much more! Adding these foods to your diet is such an easy way to boost your supply! Check out our blog post on what these foods and beverages are.
Get a Breastfeeding Pillow
Breastfeeding comes with many difficulties, and sore arms can be one of them! Your baby may be small, but your arms can get tired while breastfeeding. Especially as your baby starts to grow! That’s why a breastfeeding pillow can be a handy breastfeeding tool. You’ll be able to breastfeed comfortably, while your baby rests upon the pillow.
These breastfeeding hacks can definitely come in handy when the time comes! Your breastfeeding journey can have its struggles, but we believe these hacks can help set you off in the right direction!
To make the wait fun, get your own gender prediction! We use the theory/theories of your choice to provide you with an insightful gender prediction at as early as 5 weeks along.
