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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Need lots of breast feeding help...what do I need to buy?
I am very excited to try to breastfeed baby #2. With Alexa I was told I couldn't because I was on too many medications for my crohn's. Now, I'm happy to say I'm on zero meds (and have been med free for 2 1/2 years now) 
My friend is letting me borrow her pump, but I'm assuming I will want to buy my own "parts" to go with it? What exactly do I need to buy in regards to the pump?
Also, I am just clueless about everything in general. I do know I need some kind of nipple cream, but other than that, what should I buy or have in the house when I come come from the hospital???
Any help or advice is very much welcomed. Also, feel free to share and tips that you feel I should know ahead of time, that may make things easier.
THANKS!
Re: Need lots of breast feeding help...what do I need to buy?
I don't know the names of the parts for the pump, but I'd assume you'd want new everything except the pump itself.
As for what you need, breast pads, nursing bras, nursing tank tops, and lanolin. I only needed lanolin the first week but I go through several nursing pads a day and I only wear nursing bras. I wear a nursing tank daily under whatever I wear.
Honestly the best tip I have is to do your best. It came very easily for my son, he latched like a champ 20 minutes after he was born and has been great since. Anytime I had an issue (twice right after we came home) I called the LC from the hospital, so make sure you have that number when you leave.
thank you so much!!
do i need a "handsfree expresser"? I don't even know if this is the right term, but heard it mentioned somewhere else? I'm not planning on pumping the whole time, but thought I should familiarize myself with it just in case she doesn't latch well
These http://www.lansinoh.com/products/soothies-by-lansinoh-gel-pads literally saved my nipples! I was cracking and bleeding. I put these babies in the fridge and would put them on after nursing....ahhh....relief!
Good luck!
thank you!!!!!!
Bottles, freezer bags, hoses, flanges, membranes.Just google the brand's replacement parts.
Breast pads for leakage
nipple cream (I recommend Earth Mama Angel Baby all natural kind)
breast shells for inbetween feeds to keep the nursing bra fabric away from your nipples to let them air out - especially helpful if you're cracked
nipple shield - this you would put on while feeding to help provide some comfort again, if you are cracked, sore, etc. It will allow the cracks to heal b/c it provides a barrier b/w you & baby's mouth.
oatmeal, water, water & more water!
patience & a high threshold for pain
oh and thought i would mention kellymom.com huge BF resource online.. pretty much any question BF related they can answer.
also have an app for my iPhone.. i wanna say latched? that has all the different medications and their effect on breast milk. that is kinda helpful.
Mother Love Nipple Cream - can't rave enough about it. All natural - I use it as lip balm for myself and as a diaper rash cream. Has many more uses than just for your nipples.
I started pumping at 2 weeks PP with all 3 kids. I gave all 3 a bottle at 2 weeks old. Only B took a bottle ever. E and L refused all bottles no matter what we tried (me feeding, DH feeding, lying down, different bottles, different nipples, wearing something and then wrapping a bottle, etc.) Hopefully that won't happen to you and your baby will take to the bottle.
I nurse on both sides each time. Did this for all 3 kids. It helped regulate my supply (of course, I have an oversupply) and didn't have me engorged in one boob for too long.......
Kellymom is a great website, and definitely have the name of a LC on hand.
I also used washable pads as well - they were more "breathable" and less "plastic" like......
GL! We're here if you need any more help.
LOL Don't get scared from all these ladies telling you about cracked, painful, sore, bleeding nipples! I've been nursing for 9 months and have never once had to apply nipple cream! My nipples were so sensitive and sore during my pregnancy that I was terrified of nursing, but I haven't had a single issue! Maybe I have nipples of steel?
Must haves: nursing bras, nursing tanks (I have 4- I only wear them to bed), nursing pads (I like Nuk washable- I do a lot of laundry so 4 pairs is plenty for me), a Boppy or My Breast Friend, lots of burp clothes for the beginning.
For the pump you'll want all new everything besides the pump. What kind of pump is it?
If you're going to pump and store milk, you'll need bags or small bottles or ice cube trays (each cube is 1 oz). My DD had a bottle of milk when she was around 2 weeks old and then once a week after that just to "keep it in her life" and we didn't have any problems.
I didn't read any breastfeeding books before DD was born so I have no recommendations, but I wish I had read something about the basics. It would have been helpful to at least know a little bit about what I was getting into
Just know that breastfeeding will probably be one of the hardest things you will ever do in your life. But it is so worth it.
In reference to books, I read "So That's What They're For" and found it more helpful than the BF class I took at the hospital. But I haven't actually done it yet, so take that for what it's worth!
Yes! The lactation consultant at MMH gave these to me and they were awesome.
My advice is just hang in there for the first 3 weeks. After that it becomes so much easier!! GL mama!
Became a Mrs. on 4/29/06 and a Mommy on 12/5/08
Seriously. Hopefully you have no issues with soreness, but, if you do just know that you just have to make it 3 weeks and after that you wake up and it's easy peasy. Hanging on to that thought kept me going!!!