{Part one - Benefits of Breastfeeding, can be found HERE and Part two -Lies Told To Us About Breastfeeding, can be found HERE}
This post will predominantly be links and pictures to help you out and offer support, encouragement, and breastfeeding education.
Breastfeeding Tips and Tricks For Ease
Breastfeeding Your Newborn - What To Expect In The Early WeeksTips & Tricks For Hands-Free Nursing
If At First You Don't Succeed - A Mother's Story
Don't Shake The Breastmilk
Common Mistakes of The First Time Breastfeeder
Top Ten Myths
Tips For Painfree Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding Latch Trick
Tips For The Nursing Mother
The Discovery of the Upper Lip Tie
Breastfeeding Links From Dr. Sears
Six Tips For Breastfeeding On The Go
10 Tips For New Moms
Breastfeeding Advice From The Experts
Breastfeeding - Why is it so hard sometimes?
Tips For Foods That Can Help Or Hurt Breastfeeding
Lactogenic Foods & HerbsHerbs To Avoid
Foods That Can Affect Milk Supply
Increasing Your Supply
As a note, Mother's Milk tea is AWESOME to promote lactation. I have a good supply but drink it when I need to pump for a special occasion, I also drank it a lot after giving birth to ensure my supply. It's more of an herbal, savory flavor than a sweeter tea, so I brewed it with chai and used a flavored creamer to dillute the flavor. A friend brewed it and used it as a soup base, which worked out awesome because of its herby, flavor. Great for chicken soup!
Another thing that is good for the occasional supply boost is beer. A good strong beer with lots of hops will help your supply. The hops is what does it. Don't worry about a drink, if you are sober enough to drive you are sober enough to nurse, and alcohol leaves your bloodstream as well. No need to pump and dump unless in dire circumstances.
Lactation cookies are awesome as well! They totally get the milk flowing, and taste yummy too. I always add chocolate chips. This recipe here is similar to the one I made. This recipe from The Leaky Boob is awesome as well! The main ingredients that aid in lactation are brewers yeast, flax meal, and oats. You can add those to anything, or any cookie recipe really. Just remember that REAL oats are what work, not anything like instant oats or Quaker Oatmeal. I loooveee steel cut oats.
Clothes and Products For Your Breasts
DIY Nursing Tank TutorialDIY Nursing Infinity Scarf - Awesome scarf doubles as a slight cover for your breast if you're uncomfortable with full breast out nursing, or if you just want a cover in general.
How To Convert A Regular Bra Into A Nursing Bra - I did this, and it works splendidly. Saves money too! I used pant hooks instead of snaps {check out the picture} but you can use any variety of closures that you want, check out your local craft store!Boppy (available on Amazon or at Babies R Us) - Get this, or something similar! It's a life saver. I got one for my baby shower, and used it often. It was great in the early weeks/months when the baby is small, so you don't get tired arms hold the baby up to your breast. You hold the baby as he/she lays on the pillow, which wraps around you. Once the baby is a bit bigger you can also use it to sit the baby up to lay against, and use to boost the baby up for tummy time. I would "seat" my daughter in it while I scarfed some food down, and she was always content. I also had a pregnancy body pillow (similar to the one in the link) I used, not only for support during my pregnancy and after birth, but I wrapped that around my whole body to help with nursing as well. A good investment with three uses!
A few other products to look into on Amazon, or at a baby store such as Babies R Us -
Breastpads! Saved my life. I leaked big time at the beginning. I don't now that my supply has leveled out, but I've known moms who leak routinely. I still have some for the occasional mishap in my diaper bag. Great to have on hand! Be sure to change them and not sit in old milk too long, that can lead to yeast.Lanolin or Coconut Oil - This will really help with any soreness or tenderness as you get used to breastfeeding. I still will occasionally use coconut oil when we've had a bad teething day and nurse more than usual. Another important tip is to let your nipples air dry if you're having tenderness.
Nursing Cover - I never used one, but if you would prefer to be more covered, these are great to have. Blankets and burp cloths are often ripped off. Just remember if your baby doesn't want to be covered, respect them. Fighting with a baby doesn't make breastfeeding very easy. I do the two shirt trick myself. I wear a nursing tank (or any tank that can be stretched easily) under whatever I wear, tanks or shirts or sweaters. I lift the top shirt up, and bring my breast out from bra and over the neckline of the tank underneath (or unhook the nursing tank) and there you go! Boob is out and available for baby, and my huge breast is predominantly covered. My baby still likes to pull my shirt up, so I'm barely covered nowadays, but whatever haha, you have to do what you are comfortable with, and most importantly you have yo work with your child.
Nursing Tanks - This is obvious after my previous suggestion. Nursing tanks are awesome. If you don't cover that's all you have to use! I love them, get em in every color!
Breastmilk Donation vs. Formula
Why Not Formula?Human Milk Banking Association of North America
Milkshare
Eats On Feets
Human Milk For Human Babies
How Formula Supplementation Decrease Supply
Breastfeeding Advocacy and Formula
Insufficient Supply?
Why I Chose Another Mother's Milk - A Mother's Story
Breastmilk/Formula Comparison
Fullterm Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding Benefits Don't End At Age 1AAFP and WHO Stance on Breastfeeding Past Infancy
Timeline of Breastfed Baby
How Stigma Hinders Nursing Past One
Toddler Breastfeeding Myths
Breastfeeding Past Infancy Benefits
"Extended" Breastfeeding Info & Statistics
The "Modesty" Issue
Renegade Mothering "Let's Whip Our Tits Out" - very tongue-in-cheek, if you have an issue with strong language, be forewarned! But I really do love her point and outlook on things.Is Breastfeeding A Modesty Issue
I Almost Chose Not To Breastfeed Because Of The Sexualization of My Breasts
Embarrased || Spoken Word - awesome video from the perspective of a fed up mom
Breastfeeding In Public - A Mother's Story About Becoming Brave
Breastfeeding In Victorian Times - I love this link, because it shows how open women in the Victorian age were about breastfeeding, versus now. The culture then was so Puritanical and the culture now is so sexual, so why was it okay to nurse openly and uncovered then, but not now? Great post.
What is important to remember is to feed your baby however you are comfortable. Whether you use a cover, the two shirt trick, just pull your shirt up, or just pull your boob out, it's feeding your baby and no one else's opinion matters.
Medicinal Uses & More
Medicinal Uses of BreastmilkBreastmilk Lotion
58 Medicinal, Cosmetic, and Other Alternative Uses For Breastmilk
It should be said that there are innumerable medicinal uses to breastmilk and colostrum. It's just a fabulous creation. Breastmilk can be used to cure pink eye, heal spider bites, and has even been used to treat cancer patients. It's a miracle fluid. My way of life is, apply breastmilk or coconut oil to it, and one of them will fix your problem. In 98% of the cases, it's totally true.
Miscellaneous Links & Info
Why Is Breastfeeding So Important?HIV & Breastfeeding
101 Reasons To Breastfeed
Extreme Pumping
Breastmilk the movie
Modern Day Wet Nurse
Remember to check out our Facebook page and our Pinterest boards for more info and links any time!
I hope you were able to find some interesting or new information by reading this series. If you ever have question or would like to learn more about a certain topic, feel free to message the Facebook page or leave a comment!
Until next time,
The Crunchy Mama
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