Nursing mother's survival kit
Categories: Pregnancy & Birth
Sometimes I feel that I've had so many problems while breastfeeding that my boob should get its own Blogging Baby category. My most recent breast problem got me thinking about what a nursing mother really needs on hand to keep going.Just the other night, after reading everyone's suggestions, I headed over to my local pharmacy, baby in tow, to try and find a nipple shield. No luck. I went around the corner to the grocery store. None there, either.
How many times have you had a problem while breastfeeding and had to go out to buy something to help? Next time I have a friend who is pregnant and plans on breastfeeding, I am going to make her a breastfeeding survival kit.
The name says it all: It will include almost everything needed to get you started in those early days of engorgement and nonstop feedings and will hopefully follow you all the way through your breastfeeding experience.
First, I will recommend Lanolin. You can put it on sore, chapped or cracked nipples to help promote healing. (Note to future nursing mothers: Please, please talk to a lactation consultant if you are in a lot of pain or have cracked or bleeding nipples.)
Second are Soothies. They are these patches you stick inside your bra to help soothe any nipple pain.
While you hopefully won't need one, a nipple shield is good to have on hand in case a problem arises. (Again, talk to a lactation consultant if you are having latch problems.)
I had some ice packs designed for breastfeeding on hand with my son and they really helped with the engorgement at the beginning. I would place them on the breast before feeding and it helped with the pain (who knew they could get so big!) and with getting the milk to flow.
I tend to keep heating packs on hand in case of a plugged duct or Mastitis. You can pop one of those in your bra to help get the pooled milk flowing again.
If that's not enough, you can spring for a pack of bottled water to remind Mom to stay hydrated during those early few days when she's trying to get her supply going. What else? Is there anything I missed?
Recent Posts
- Juicy, But Not Juice (2/09/2010)
- Carrie Underwood Worms Her Way Onto 'Sesame Street' (2/09/2010)
- Heart-Shaped Valentine's Day Crafts (2/09/2010)
- Study Suggests Link Between Autism and Parents' Ages (2/09/2010)
- Just Chute Me! (Or: Do We REALLY Have to Play with Our Kids?) (2/09/2010)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kate 1-04-2007 @ 1:28PM
Oh boy - I still tear up recalling my early breastfeeding days. What a hum-dinger of an experience I had!
How about throwing in there: bra pads (I liked the non-sticky Gerber ones), the number to a good LC or LLL contact, and a good quality (a real wheat, or something, no Bud) six-pack. :-) Hey, there may be nothing to the folklore, but it sure tasted good! http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=21&action=detail&ref=1907
By the way - I found breast shields by Medela at Target. In case you were still looking.
Reply
ivoryfrog 1-04-2007 @ 1:03PM
great idea!
breastpads - for the leaking! These were very important to me as I leaked a lot....even when someone elses baby cried! (reusable cotton ones are best I find)
decent feeding bras - easy one handed clips on the cups.
phone numbers for lactation consultants in the area!
Reply
AdrienneB 1-04-2007 @ 12:56PM
Packs of instant oatmeal, or oatmeal cookies to encourage production. I had oversupply issues and learned the hard way to avoid anything with oats. :-) Mother's Milk tea. You can get it at health food stores.
Reply
Meg 1-04-2007 @ 1:07PM
When I started nursing, I would always get so hungry while breastfeeding. My mom put together this snack basket that we put next to the chair I usually nursed in. That was fantastic - it has some healthy snacks and some sweets too. Twizzlers were my favorite. There was something about being able to chew on something that made me feel better. :)
Reply
Heather 1-04-2007 @ 1:30PM
A really good quality nursing pillow, like My Brest Friend.
Nursing Pads
The book "The Nursing Mother's Companion"
Reply
jjjj 1-04-2007 @ 1:34PM
magazines to flip through when she's sitting in a chair nursing and nursing and nursing and nursing.
Reply
Alison 1-04-2007 @ 2:03PM
We had latch issues when my daughter was born. She managed a few decent attempts while we were in the hospital, just enough for us to be discharged. But when my milk came she couldn't figure it out. It's a long story full of misadventures, but in the end we ended up feeding her with a syringe and a tube for 3 1/2 days, because we needed this magical device called a "nipple shield" that everyone thought you could only get from a lactation consultant. We finally got one. It was a miracle. Everything was great. But then a month later I was in Target and saw a whole rack of them! In Target! I bought bushels of them and we used them for 3 months, before she learned to master it on her own. She's still happily nursing at 2+ years. But I am always sure to relate our story to soon-to-be-moms. Nipple shields have their problems and should not be used to solve all issues. But sometimes they are an incredible blessing and I hardily applaud your suggestion to have one on hand, just in case. We have had many nursing issues, big and small, but I'm so glad that we have been able to continue this long and it would have been really sad to be derailed by the inability to get our hands on a $5 piece of silicone.
Reply
Shetha 1-04-2007 @ 2:04PM
Speaking of oatmeal snacks, I typically make these bars for new/nursing moms:
http://www.quakeroatmeal.com/qo_quakerKitchen/recipes/recipe.cfm?recipeID=680&RecipeName=Chewy_Fruit__Oatmeal_Bars&toReturn=L3FvX3F1YWtlcktpdGNoZW4vcmVjaXBlcy9TZWFyY2hSZXN1bHRzLmNmbT9TZWFyY2hUeXBlPUJyb3dzZUNhdGVnb3J5JmFtcDtLZXl3b3Jkcz0mYW1wO2NhdGVnb3J5SURMaXN0XzE9NSZhbXA7Y2F0ZWdvcnlpZGxpc3RfMj0mYW1wO1N0YXJ0Um93PTE=
They also make good snacks for siblings. I'd also say a hand powered pump. I've found that useful both at the beginning and throughout the nursing experience (even though I have a high-powered electric double-pump for pumping at work). Another nice gift might be a cute top that works for nursing in mom's new size. This can be a tough one since nursing tops aren't always so cute, but things to wear can be SO hard to come by during these days...
Reply
Amie 1-04-2007 @ 2:14PM
I give all expectant moms a copy of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding because it covers absolutely everything from how to latch on properly to problems with breastfeeding to nursing multiples to going back to work. It even has a chapter for dads.
Also I give one of these cool silicone bracelets (usually as the bow on the present): http://www.causekeepers.com/lansinoh/
It is great to keep track of which side you need to start on next, plus the proceeds go to La Leche League. You can probably get both the book and the bracelet from your local LLL group. I usually write LLL phone numbers on the inside cover of the book.
If I really wanted to go all-out and make a breastfeeding gift basket I would include a nice sports bottle for the water, a couple of burp cloths, a supportive pillow (not necessarily a Boppy, just something to help prop the baby up), and a pack of washcloths (I tuck one under the breast while baby nursing to catch drips). I would include the ice packs mentioned here (there are some available that can be either hot or cold) and Lansinoh. Oh, and I like the Gerber nursing pads too, so some of those. And maybe a gift card to a store that sells good nursing bras, like Motherhood Maternity.
And last, but not least, a soft ring-style sling. It makes nursing in public so much easier.
Sorry to get all lengthy. My second baby is now 3 weeks old so I am remembering all kinds of things.
Reply
Sarah 1-04-2007 @ 8:19PM
Breast pads for sure - I regularly had a river running down my shirt...
A good quality pump - double electric if you're working
Nursing Mother's Companion book
Medela - I think it's them - makes micro steam bags for sterilizing your pump parts. These are AWESOME for when you don't want to boil & cool down the parts
Reply
Amy 1-04-2007 @ 3:46PM
The best thing anyone did for me when I was learning to breastfeed was to teach me how to do it lying down (breasts - huge, baby - tiny, mom - afraid of smothering baby). Not sure how to get that in a basket, but there you go.
Maybe a pretty, lightweight blanket for those "I'm still too new at this to do it without covering up, but it's 99 degrees outside" days? Or one of those shawls that you can still see inside, if you think she'd get use out of it (I wouldn't have, but half of my hometown has seen my boobs at this point, and I just don't care. They see more on MTV). That would depend entirely on the mom's level of modesty/lactivism. I guess one would have to be careful not to offend. On the other hand, if you know her well enough to know that she plans to breastfeed, there is a good chance that you know where she falls on the "just whip it out" spectrum. Ha ha.
All the other suggestions are great! What a wonderful new mom gift idea!!! FYI, second time moms want a gift certificate for a massage and a six pack of beer. :)
Reply
Michelle 1-04-2007 @ 4:08PM
Mother's Milk Tea, fenugreek tablets (if you have supply issues), comfy pillows, a breastfeeding support group, nursing necklace for baby to play with.
Reply
Kim 1-04-2007 @ 8:54PM
Another book to consider in addition to The Womanly Art.... is "So That's What There For!" The humor in it was just what I needed.
Reply
Kim 1-04-2007 @ 8:56PM
Pregnancy brain strikes again....
The title is "So That's What They're For!"
Reply
Darlene 1-06-2007 @ 2:05PM
The idea of a 'breastfeeding starter kit' for Mom is a fantabulous idea! I wish I had one when I started nursing my kids. It was all trial and error....leaked in a grocery store---found out about breast pads. Needed to nurse off schedule---found out about needing something to cover up with (this was 30 yrs ago). Lessons you never forget. I would, of course, recommend that good prep means a cover-up like the Peek-a-Boo B Cover --it's light, won't fall off, isn't awkward to deal with, and won't wrinkle! But above all ,put a BIG dose of encouragement in that basket!LOL
Reply
RookieMom Heather 1-06-2007 @ 5:34PM
Re: nipple cream, Lansinoh brand is the best known but I liked much much Motherlove better. I am also a veteran of the nipple shield.
Reply
Jen 1-07-2007 @ 7:04AM
Savoy cabbage leaves - chilled. These were the only thing that eased the engorgement when my milk first came in.
The importance of a good chair and breastfeeding pillow can't be underestimated either. Ditto something to read when feeding! Maybe you can add cellphone credit to your survival pack - I know I caught up on most of my calls when feeding!!
If you're feeling flush, then a nice pair of comfortable front-opening or loose-fronted PJ's would be a good gift. I lived in PJs the first couple of weeks, especially the brushed cotton high-waist pants which are so comfy on a C-section scar! Even though I'm in the UK, I find Jockey separates are the most comfortable, and buy my PJs in the USA.
I don't think we have Soothies in the UK, but Jellonet is a petroleum-jelly-coated surgical mesh that can be cut to size, and is invaluable over cracked and sore nipples when wearing a bra. I got through packets of this stuff - the best.
Reply