Burp Cloths.
Nursing means burping which means spitting up—my son spews like an active volcano. That means, you’re going to need burp cloths. My childcare class at the hospital suggested ripping off the white institutional ones during delivery, which I did by the handfuls. But for going out around town, I opt for the more stylish ones like these at Icky Baby.
Nursing Bra.
Something phenomenal happens to women’s breasts when nursing. I ballooned up like a diary cow on steroids. I went from a 34 C to a 36 F. Yes, F as in my F-ing back is killing me from the weight of these porn-sized jugs. This brings me to a good nursing bra. I suggest several as you’ll find they dirty faster than your non-nursing days. My favorite is Medela’s Full Fit Seamless bra with a racer back for added support to the new added front weight and easy clip access to nurse.
Nipple Creams.
The nips really only get sore the first few weeks. A good lanolin-based cream works fine such as Lansinoh. A little dab’l do ya couldn’t be more fitting for this task. Invest in one small tube as nipples toughen up pretty quickly. They have to before your sweet gummy-mouthed angel sprouts teeth. Then, you just need really fast reflexes to unlatch before little piranha jaws tries out his jagged pearly whites.
For a lighter cream, try Motherlove Nipple Cream with marshmallow root, calendula in an olive oil, and shea butter base. This salve isn’t as thick or gummy as a lanolin cream and doubles as a great diaper rash ointment. (If you do experience sore nipples, it’s important to make sure you have a proper latch and change nursing positions often.)
Nursing Support Group.
A recent study revealed that in the United States, only 60 percent of mothers were breastfeeding when discharged from the hospital, twenty-two percent six months later, and a mere 2 percent beyond age one. Because my own mother didn’t nurse, I found my breastfeeding support group an absolute necessity for my breastfeeding success. I wouldn’t be nursing today (eight months later) without them. I went to one at our local lactation headquarters in Los Angeles, the Pump Station for support in your area. It’s better support than any pillow, pad, or bra.
