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| |    Basic Breastfeeding Supplies by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. A comfortable place to breastfeed Especially as you get accustomed to breastfeeding, it is important that you make yourself as comfortable as possible. Find a comfortable rocking chair, glider, or bed to nurse in. Many women find that having several extra pillows on hand can help prevent stiff shoulders and an aching back by providing you and your baby with extra support. "Boppy pillows" are a type of horseshoe shaped pillow that is currently available to be used both for breastfeeding and for future use in offering a newly-sitting baby some additional support. In essence, they serve the same purpose as regular pillows, but fit around your waist, are conveniently firm, and come in many attractive fabrics. Bras While you nurse, your breasts will likely be fuller and heavier than they were before your pregnancy. For this reason, you should wear a bra that offers your breasts additional support. There are many types of nursing bras available at a variety of price ranges. Most offer the ability to open a flap over your breast and nurse without adjusting the bra itself. The most important factor is for you to be comfortable wearing the bra, since you may find that you need to wear a bra round the clock. Some mothers find that an inexpensive sports bra is more comfortable than a true nursing bra. They simply pull the shoulder strap down to expose the breast for nursing. Items to prevent breast milk leakage Most nursing mothers experience some amount of breast milk leakage, especially during the early weeks of breastfeeding and for first time nursing mothers. While some might consider this concept amusing, you might be embarrassed if you hear a baby cry in a public place and suddenly find the front of your shirt soaked. Nursing pads are small round pads that can be placed inside a bra over each breast to absorb any potential breast milk leakage. They come in both re-usable and disposable forms. Which you should use is usually dependant on how much leakage you have. The disposable type are often less absorbent than their washable counterparts. Both tend to be relatively inexpensive and some type of nursing pad is generally good to have on hand unless you are one of those rare women who have complete control over when your breasts release milk. Breast pumps While breast pumps are not necessary to have immediately on hand if you are breastfeeding, they are very useful if you plan on doing any bottle feeding or storing of breast milk and don't want to manually express. Manual pumps generally are composed of a funnel shaped breast shield that fits over your breast and is screwed on to a collecting bottle. By repeatedly squeezing a handle on the pump, you can create intermittent suction and express breast milk into the bottle. While these pumps are small and inexpensive, they tend to be used by women who don't plan on pumping regularly- they are fairly slow and can require quite a bit of hand strength. Electric pumps range from simple pumps that you purchase, plug into an electrical outlet, and pump on one or both sides at the same time, to hospital grade deluxe pumps that can be rented for reasonable rates from the hospital or local lactation resource in your area. While purchasing an electric pump will cost you more, they can be especially worth the money if you plan on using them quite frequently, for a long period of time, or for multiple children. Nursing clothes You can now find a large selection of nursing clothes available which offer more discreet ways of breastfeeding than simply hiking your shirt up . They generally have slit-like openings over each breast with some form of overlying flap to hide the openings. Specially designed nursing clothes are not a necessity, but can be very useful for public outings and for mothers who are self-conscious while nursing. Many mothers find that oversized shirts serve the same purpose in allowing the baby to be positioned under the shirt while feeding and still allowing them to maintain relatively full modesty. Miscellaneous items to have on hand For convenience sake, there are several things you should consider having on hand when you sit down to nurse so that you don't find yourself having to jump right back up after beginning. A "spit cloth" or rag is a must. If you plan on watching TV- bring the remote. Sit next to a telephone or put the cordless within reach if you plan on answering calls, and try to bring something for yourself to drink. One of the best ways to remind yourself to stay well-hydrated is to drink each time you sit down to nurse your baby.
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