I have to be honest. During my first pregnancy, I did not fully prep for breastfeeding. What I failed to do with Noah (my firstborn) was really consider products that would support me in the best way physically.
As a physical therapist, ergonomics are so important. I spent 20 months nursing Noah in a shoddy nursing chair I bought off of Facebook Marketplace, registered for the typical nursing items you see on all the major pregnancy websites, and called it a day.
THIS time around, I decided I wasn’t going to skimp on my breastfeeding health. If you are looking to feel your best during breastfeeding and bottle feeding, read on, mama! You do not have to live with aches and pains during your postpartum journey.
The Ultimate Nursing Chair from Nurture &
The truth is, moms spend 1,800 hours on average breastfeeding their baby his/her first year of life. This is the equivalent of a full time job with 3 weeks paid vacation! Where is our vacation!? When you think of the amount of sitting that you will undertake for the sake of your baby, we MUST consider our posture and the quality of the chair we are sitting in.
This is why I recommend the glider by Nurture&. Be sure to use my discount code drbetseypt for $50 off your purchase.
It can be so difficult to maintain hydration during motherhood and breastfeeding. Most of the water we consume goes directly to creating breastmilk leaving mama parched with decreased immune function. I am SO happy I found Basis hydration packets that are are naturally sweetened with organic monk fruit and are not filled with junk like other hydration packet brands. You can use code DRBETSEYPT to save 20% off your order! My favorite flavor is Blueberry Lemon. I subscribed to receive these packets monthly so I never forget to stay hydrated!
These nifty cups combine the healing powers of your own breastmilk with the natural anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties of silver to help heal and restore cracked nipples. Even with Patrick having latching issues, I haven’t experienced any nipple breakdown thanks to these cups. Mamas, these are 100% more effective than nipple creams. I tossed my nipple cream in the trash!
My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow
With my firstborn, I used the Boppy pillow which hardly offered support. What I love about the My Brest Friend nursing pillow is that it is sturdy, clips around you, offers low back support, and the deluxe version even has a pouch for stashing mom necessities (snack, phone, water bottle, you name it)!
If you’ve been here for awhile, you know how much I love Bao Bei Body for all of my pregnancy and postpartum compression garments. This includes their nursing bralettes. They are stretchy, soft, and cute! What I love about them is that I don’t have to deal with nursing clips, they stretch enough to allow easy access breastfeeding but also don’t stretch out! A win in my book.
You might be thinking, “what does this have to do with breastfeeding?” But let me tell you, when we breastfeed, we are using our upper body (head, neck, shoulders, arms, and even our low back) to support our newborn. The Prana Mat offers acupressure relief for sore, achy muscles…whenever you need it! I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to schedule in a massage when needed. This mat is like having a spa in my house.
Where were these during my first breastfeeding journey!? The Elvie Curve is a hands-free breast pump (like the very popular Haakka breast pump) but this one fits inside your nursing bra! The Elvie Catch is a convenient catch-all container that fits in your bra so you can catch expressed milk while your baby feeds on the opposite side! Sometimes, I wear both around the house while I am cooking or cleaning and have not had to use my electric pump yet!
Alright Mamas, I hope these products help you live your best breastfeeding life. Comment below if you have tried any of these products and what you think of them!
From your girl on the internet that cares about your breastfeeding journey,
xo, Dr. Betsey
2 Responses
What’s the difference between the Elvie curve and the elvie catch? Do you need both or will one work
The Elvie Curve is a manual breast pump with suctioning while the Elvie Catch just fits in your bra and catches any milk that is expressed.