Nursing is my parenting paradigm. I want to love unconditionally, just as I allow my daughter to nurse on cue, even though sometimes it hurts or I’m exhausted. "Na-na," as we call it in our family, is always available, always reliable. From the beginning, I knew I was building my daughter’s sense of trust as I built my milk supply.
How on earth did I get to this place? First, an epiphany. During my pregnancy, I was talking to an old friend, a mother of three, for the first time in several years. She mentioned – almost in passing – that her third child had never taken a bottle. He was eight months old at the time, and she simply hadn’t ever needed to give him a bottle because she had never wanted to or found it necessary to be apart from him (she works from home). Eureka! I had always assumed that breastfeeding entailed pumping milk and making bottles of breastmilk for the sitter. But, the more I read about early attachment, and the more I listened to my heart, I knew that going bottle-free was for me, too. The idea had simply never entered my consciousness.
From there, it was all a matter of following my baby’s lead. To say she was a frequent nurser would be the understatement of the century. She was on the breast more than she was off of it for several months.
In the links below you will find more details on some of the joys and pains of "na-na" in my personal experience. May you be blessed with a long, healthy nursing relationship!
www.kellymom.com is a treasure trove of information and resources compiled by a board-certified lactation consultant. The user-friendly format makes this my first stop when I have a question related to breastfeeding.
www.lalecheleague.org has a wealth of evidence-based articles to support breastfeeding families. This is my second stop.
Breastfeeding Gear
Nursing apparel. My favorite nursing shirts are by Boob Design, a Swedish company. These shirts have a horizontal flap across the front that overlaps with a panel underneath. I’ve tried Motherwear, Glamour Mom, Expressiva and One Hot Mama – and Boob Design shirts are the only ones that really, truly work for me (granted, we all come in different shapes and sizes). I have worn one of my Boob Design shirts almost every day for the last year and a half. I held off on trying these out because they’re pretty pricey, but once I tried one on, I couldn’t believe what I had been missing! They have held up remarkably well with all of the wear and tear and washing. The flap design means that you avoid fumbling around under layers of cloth. I can’t imagine anything more discrete for nursing in public, and I even love wearing these shirts around the house because I can nurse without feeling a draft.
Unfortunately, Boob shirts are not easy to find. From the main Boob website, choose Store Locator, and you’ll find the three vendors in the US who sell them – Upper Breast Side in NYC (which I recommend), Flicka Boutique in San Francisco, and Stockholm Objects in Chicago. All three stores offer online purchasing, and all probably have a return policy that would allow you to exchange for a different size. Yes, it can be a hassle to buy clothes online, but I am convinced that it is worth it in this case.
The Journeymama winter nursing ensemble: Boob Design T-shirt (long or short sleeves, depending on the weather, topped by a Boob Design Fleece Sweatshirt – no need to strip down to nurse!
And for warm weather or climates, theJourneymama summer nursing ensemble: Wear a cotton tank top with a built-in bra (obviously, if you need a lot of support for your breasts, this probably won't work for you). Make sure the straps are somewhat loose so that you can easily pull the top of the tank top down over your breast. On top of that, layer a super-thin cotton shirt/tunic, usually made in India (I bought mine for $10 each on the street in NYC). The lightweight fabric on the “overshirt” can be lifted up and your tank top pulled down to give access to the breast. If you’re nursing in arms, the fabric of the overshirt gathers over the breast so that you have some privacy, but it’s so lightweight that you and your baby remain cool. (If you are in a place where you don’t want or need privacy, just take off the upper shirt, entirely!) If you are nursing while wearing your baby in a wrap or sling, the overshirt fabric is so thin that it shmooshes down to nothing and, again, doesn’t cause overheating.
My Brest Friend nursing pillow. I found this strap-on flat-surface nursing pillow indispensable for the first several weeks of nursing. I liked it better than the Boppy, which I also purchased, because I could attach it flush with my torso; the Boppy tended to migrate outward and my baby would droop down into the crevice. When I look back and think of the multi-step process of getting set up to nurse, I laugh. There was the Breast Friend, a pillow for under the breast friend, a pillow for my arm, a pillow for my back, water to drink, and a book to read. And gathering all this while holding a baby in one arm…
Nursing necklace. Tickled Pink Designs makes whimsical nursing necklaces (personalized with the name of the child) that are strung with a safety bead that pulls apart to avoid breakage. The beads are all non-toxic and strung on strong twine. This provides an excellent object for little hands to explore while nursing or anytime. My daughter has two (since I’m always looking for one of them) and I’ve given them as gifts to babies and toddlers. Even those who aren’t nursing will enjoy them.
Nursing bracelet. A nursing bracelet can help you keep track of where and when you nursed (as in which side and what time) during the haze of the first few months. I also reclaimed my nursing bracelet when I began block nursing and it was extremely helpful. I used The Nursing Bracelet from Unique Mums, and when I lost the silver charm, I replaced it with an unattractive but functional small safety pin.
On the Road Again? Take a "Breast" Stop
Breastfeeding moms in Los Angeles, New York and Boston are incredibly lucky to have some outstanding resources at their doorstep: one-stop shops that cater to nursing mothers with nursing supplies (breast pads, ointments for sore nipples, nursing pillows), breast pump rentals and sales, books, nursing bras and apparel, and in-house nursing support groups, lactation consultants or referrals. Many folks visit while pregnant to get the lay of the land. Planning a trip to one of these cities while nursing? Be sure to include a stop at a breastfeeding boutique.
The Upper Breast Side in Manhattan is definitely worth a visit if you're in the City and you've got (or will soon have) milk in your boobs. Besides the cache of having a name that you can't say without smiling, it's packed with incredible products, run by a fantastic owner (Felina) and it's the best place in the U.S. to try on Boob Design shirts and dresses (the other stores that sell Boob are Scandanavian fashion boutiques, without a special emphasis on nursing). The Upper Breast Side recently moved and I can't wait to check out the new digs.
The Pump Station in Los Angeles is a full-service resource center for lactating moms. On-staff lactation consultants offer support groups and private consultations. There are now two locations open in LA. The Santa Monica store has a nice selection of baby clothes and gifts, as well.
Isis Maternity in Boston offers all of the above as well as a free lactation warm-line with lactation consultants who triage questions -- a great way to figure out if you need to see an LC in person or not. With several locations in Greater Boston, Isis provides prenatal classes, massages, and a variety of classes for babies and tots.
To add your review of a Breast Stop near you to our list, please email share@journeymama.net.
