 This photo was taken during our "breastfeeding break" when I was shooting for Kaypee Baby Nursing Wear Before I gave birth to my firstborn, I had no idea about how it was going to be nor did I think about exclusive breastfeeding and the essentials. Back then so most of my friends were not yet married, didn't have kids yet, etc. I didn't have much fellow moms to talk to so I did it trial-and-error style. Unfortunately, since I didn't have such strong support before, I failed at breastfeeding and ended up formula-feeding him. On the other hand, he was hiyang naman to his formula milk so it's okay and he grew up to be a healthy toddler naman. Then fast-forward after 2 years, I gave birth to my second child, a beautiful baby girl. This time, I was already well-informed and more prepared about trying breastfeeding. And so with that, I am writing this blog to help other women who are considering doing the same.  So for expecting moms who will be giving birth soon, here are some of the things that you need to survive the first few days/weeks of breastfeeding: 1. Nursing Bras After giving birth, your breast will be producing colostrum then breast milk which can cause your breasts, most especially your nipples to feel tender. Some women experience too much sensitivity that it hurts when their boobs get in direct contact with clothes. That is why you need nursing bras for support and easy-access for nursing. If budget is limited, bandeau bras are good as well for they are easier to pull down every time you need to nurse. Tube bras with fancy designs are nice to wear as well with low-neck tops. ------------------------------------- 2. Nipple Cream  Palmer's Cocoa Butter Nursing Cream During the first few days of breastfeeding, nipples will feel sensitive and might be prone to soreness, cracking, and bleeding (due to wrong latching). To prevent them from feeling irritated as well as to lessen the pain, nipple creams are your friend! It surely helps when you have this in handy! ------------------------------- 3. Breast Pump  Avent Manual Breast Pump For the first few days, breast milk supply may overflow. It will be nice to have a breast pump in handy when that time comes for instant relief. With a breast pump, you can express your milk and keep them in the freezer for future use. You may choose between a manual pump and an electric pump but personally, I used a manual pump for it was more comfortable for me since I can control the pressure according to my liking. But I haven't use mine for almost a year now though because my baby has been directly latching at me 24/7 ever since. --------------------------------- 4. Breastmilk Storage Bags  Autumnz Double ZipLock Breastmilk Storage Bag (25 bags) *12oz* If you are a working mom who has decided to feed her baby breast milk exclusively, breast milk storage bags are a must! After pumping, keep the milk in there, write down the date and time when they were expressed, and put them in the freezer. Thaw them in advance for several minutes before giving them to the baby. ----------------------------------- 5. Cooler Bags Medela's Cooler Bag If you're a working mom who pumps breastmilk in the office for example, having a cooler bag where you can put your expressed milk is very important so that the breast milk will not get spoiled. I used to put ice in the cooler bags so the milk will stay cold for a longer period of time. -------------------------------- 6. Nursing Wear  Kaypee Baby Nursing Tops  Nursing dress from Kaypee Baby Thankfully, breastfeeding-friendly fashion has already evolved and we moms have lots of brands and styles to choose from! Nursing wears are the type of clothing that has a "nursing access" so moms can easily breastfeed their babies in public without having to expose their breasts. I personally wear nursing tops and dresses from Kaypee Baby for they are modern, stylish, comfy, and affordable. Check out my blog about this brand HERE. ------------------------- 7. Infinity Scarves or Nursing Aprons  Nursing Cover (photo c/o Alibaba.com) For some moms, breastfeeding in public is easier with the help of nursing covers for it gives them privacy and coverage.  Infinity Scarf (photo c/o Pinterest.com) Investing in infinity scarves in beautiful fabrics and different colors is nice as well for you can mix and match them with your outfits. You can still use them even if you are no longer breastfeeding anymore.  In this photo, I was wearing an infinity scarf (I bought mine from @littlecocoy in Instagram) while breastfeeding my baby. As you can see, I didn't necessarily have to cover my baby's face when using one. All I need was to just cover my chest so as not to expose it. ps. I know some moms don't use any breastfeeding covers for their own reasons but if you are conservative like me, you will need these. ------------------------------------------- 8. Clothes with easy nursing access Forget turtlenecks and high-neck blouses, when you're breastfeeding, you need tops that you can easily pull down! Highly-recommended styles are low-cut, scoop-neck, tube, off-shoulders, button-downs, wrap tops and dresses, to name a few. Whatever makes you comfortable is alright. --------------------------------- 9. Hypoallergenic or Mild Lotions  photo from my microblog www.instagram.com/iamkrishenriquez What we put on our skin can affect our babies when we directly touch them. One time, I noticed that my newborn had some red spots on her face and arms that she could have gotten from direct contact. I was wondering where she got those then I remember that she was always in direct contact with my arms. I tried changing the lotion that I was using into an organic one then after that, her skin got better, no more allergies. I highly-recommend Skin Beautanicals Arbutin Body Night Repair for moisturing the skin. It is made of organic and natural ingredients that are safe to used by breastfeeding moms. Check out my review HERE. --------------------------------------- 10. Breastfeeding Pillow  Adjustable Breastfeeding Pillow Breastfeeding is such a challenge for moms especially if your baby nurses for a long time. Having a breastfeeding pillow helps a lot so moms won't have to suffer from poor posture. I have noticed that without a breastfeeding pillow's support, I tend to slouch more which causes back and shoulder pain. I don't need additional pressure in my life so it is better when I have this around. There are other designs available in the market, just find the one that you like the most. --------------------------------- 11. Calcium and/or Malunggay Supplements  Breastfeeding moms need more calcium intake because the source of our breastmilk comes from our teeth and bones. I personally use Life Oil malunggay supplements to keep myself healthy. Malunggay is known as a natural galactagogue. My breastmilk supply has been good for more than a year already so I can say that my supplements are effective. To see my review about it, click HERE. Of course, drinking lots of water and eating healthy is still the key for a successful breastfeeding journey. If mommy is healthy, the baby is happy!  They say that breastfeeding is best for babies up to two years. Yeah that is true, breastmilk is the best type of milk that we can give to babies. However, I personally believe that FED IS BEST: breastfed or formula-fed, it doesn't matter that much. What matters is that we mothers are giving our children the love, food, shelter, etc that they need.
p.s. We moms should stop mom-shaming and bashing each other.. It should not be breastfeeding moms vs. formula-feeding moms. Enough of that already. Let us just support and lift each other up! I hope that this blog post helps other moms in some way! Have a happy breastfeeding journey, I know it is hard but we can do it, kapit lang! |
KrishEELA RaiFounder of Astral Crystals.  Archives
June 2022
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