Staying Sane While Breastfeeding: Hacks Every Mom Needs to Know

Staying Sane While Breastfeeding: Hacks Every Mom Needs to Know

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Breastfeeding is natural, wonderful, and incredible for moms and babies alike, but it’s also one of the hardest things you’ll ever do (short of having a baby in the first place).

Your little one will be incredibly dependent on mom for their first year. Between cluster feedings and nursing in public, it can be super stressful for a lot of moms.

Breathe. Slow down, heed our advice, and know that Bamboobies has got your front, mama. Follow the sage wisdom of women who have been there and back, and we’ll make sure you don’t lose your marbles while trying to raise a healthy, happy tiny human.

Get Ready for the Day

Nursing can be all-consuming, and that means you often roll out of bed in the same thing you slept in two days ago. By all means, don’t put on airs if you just wanna rock PJs all week, but there is definitely a psychological benefit to getting ready for the day.

When you look good, you feel good, so even if it’s just putting on a fresh change of clothes and a messy mom bun, do something when you wake up, and you’ll feel a million times better.

Pro tip: organic nipple balm makes BOMB lip balm, too. Seriously — don’t knock it til you try it. 

Set Up Nursing Stations

Before you get super savvy with a carrier, nursing involves a lot of sitting. You’ll notice that you’re often trapped under a happily nursing baby. Make sure that anywhere you nurse, you have an arsenal of everything you need in a little basket or bin nearby.

Here are a few things to stash in your nursing baskets:

  • Burp cloths
  • Snacks for you — bite-sized snacks or bars are the easiest to eat while nursing. Bonus if they also support lactation.
  • A bottle of water
  • Fresh nursing pads
  • Kindle or magazine/catalog stash
  • Phone charger – We can’t tell you how many times this has come in handy

Aside from that, make sure you bring the remote or your cell phone with you when you go to sit down if your baby takes a while to feed.

Pro tip: Make sure everything in your basket can be opened with one hand

Get All the Gear You Need

We might be a little biased here, but countless other moms agree: a comfy nursing bra and nursing tank are going to make your day a whole lot more enjoyable. Don’t settle for sports bras that don’t yield and underwire that digs into your skin — get what you need to be comfortable.

This is one area where it’s okay to splurge. Nursing is a full-time job, and you need the right equipment to get the job done. Get a great pump (hospital grade if you can), a nursing pillow, plenty of ultra-soft, absorbent Bamboobies nursing pads, some super comfy nursing bras and plenty of nursing tanks for easy, one-handed boob access and comfort you can enjoy all day and all night!

Pro tip: invest in apparel that goes from bump to breastfeeding and beyond, so you can get long term use out of each piece.

Get Out of the House

Many moms fall into hermit-mode pretty easily those first few months after baby’s arrival, and who can blame them? It can be a serious pain in the bum to go anywhere when your baby needs to nurse every 90-120 minutes.

Do it anyway.

If you are nervous about nursing in public, that’s okay! Remember that you’re doing an important job in feeding your baby, and you can absolutely do that anywhere your baby decides they need to eat. Bring a chic nursing cover or open nursing shawl if you feel more comfortable that way, and scope out places to nurse in your favorite shops and malls so you always know exactly where to go to grab some quiet and a comfy seat. Nursing covers also help keep baby from getting distracted and speeds up the process.

Pro tip: Try to snag a corner booth in a restaurant if you’re feeling particularly shy, they’re great for nursing discreetly without attracting curious glances. 

Find Your Momhood

Here’s a little bit of anthropology for you: moms were never meant to do it all on their own. For thousands of years, families in cultures around the world have (and still do) parent collectively, with several generations and other mothers from the community coming together to take care of the children as a joint effort. The fact is, we all need help — and lots of it.

Don’t sweat it, making mommy friends isn’t as hard as you might think. Most moms are super eager to socialize, and all it takes is a little local networking to break the ice. Facebook is a treasure trove of local mom groups, and it’s a great way to join a play date and make some personal connections. You’d be surprised just how many friendships start with a comment and follow on Instagram.

Your hospital or birthing center might host a new mom tea, a local maternity store might have a new mom meetup, and infant music class can be a great place to meet moms with kids the same age. Next thing you know, you’ll be saying “OMG — me too!” and have a new BFF.

Pro tip: If you’re not sure how to strike up a conversation with someone, always start with a compliment. Ask them where they got their diaper bag, carrier, breastfeeding gear, or amber necklace — whatever. People love to be complimented, and this opens the door to an introduction. 

Get Some Boob-Like Bottles

Breastfed babies can be bottle snobs, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get away for more than two hours if you need some space.

Stock up on some boob-like bottles and see if your baby has a preference for one. Keep in mind that a lot of nursing littles won’t take one from mom (because the tap is right there!). Get a few pumped for dad and take a walk (that’s right, leave the house), and check-in after a while to see if any of them were winners.

Pro tip: There are lots of bottles available that mimic breastfeeding and could be good options. Talk to your other breastfeeding mom friends and see what bottles have worked for them.

Self-Care Isn’t Selfish

It goes without saying, but guess what, we’re saying it anyway: it is 100% okay to take care of youSelf-care is NOT selfish, and if you feel yourself slipping down the path of mommy insanity, take a time-out, hand dad a bottle, and take the space you need to recover.

The bottom line is, you can’t be your best self for your baby unless you take care of yourself, so don’t be afraid to ask for time alone when you need it.

Get the supplies you need to comfortably breastfeed and give yourself room to be a little more like ‘you’, even if it’s just a bit of mascara, a nap and your phone on silent, or a beautiful carrier and a walk around the park.

Decide what you need to be happy and present for your baby and go for it — because you deserve to be a happy mom.

 

2 comments

Synia
Synia

Love this

Laura
Laura

Love this! Thank you for reminding us why we do this crazy nursing journey and how to make it enjoyable! Wish I had known these things with my first ?.

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