It’s go time! We are now counting down the days until baby number two arrives and I’m doing everything possible to stay focused and calm by preparing the things I can control.
One of those things is getting everything ready to give our new breastfeeding journey as much chance as possible and a big part of that is ensuring I have the right equipment and items to help me achieve this.
Number of one on the list is comfortable clothing and bras that will see me through the hours of breastfeeding to come.
Keeping in mind that engorged breasts, cluster feeding and hours of sitting and feeding are inevitable, I was on the look out for a super comfy and supportive bra that I can wear both during the day and at night.
Cake Maternity’s Cotton Candy Nursing Bra was exactly what I was after as it’s wire free (a must for early breast feeding days) & Knitted from a dense yet super soft yarn, meaning it will provide comfort, support and functionality without restriction.
The style is ideal for sensitive growing breasts during the first 6 weeks post birth, and the ultra-comfy stretch fabric has been designed to grow with you, and snap back to its original shape as your body changes. How cool is that?
It also comes in a great range of colours but I love the charcoal fleck fabric that’s fun and colourful and stylish.
As well as comfy bras, below are 5 things I’ll be using second time around to make our breastfeeding journey as easy as possible.
Breastfeeding can really hurt in the early days, and one thing that really helped me heal last time we’re Multi-Mam Compresses
The compress creates an optimal skin condition, supports the natural healing process and stimulates the repair mechanism of damaged nipples. Plus, it contains a Bio-Active gel content that blocks the development of harmful microorganisms and thus prevents infection.
New Beginnings Washable Bamboo Nursing Pads
I had the good fortune of having a large milk supply when breastfeeding Jeanie, but with this also came a lot of leaks and accidents that ended up with milk everywhere.
Reusable breast pads were my saviour. Soft, comfortable and absorbent these were the perfect eco-friendly option to ensure my clothes and surroundings stayed clean and dry in between feeds. And once I finished using them I just threw them into the washing machine, to get them ready for the next round of feeds.
Also much more comfortable than disposable breast pads and kinder to the earth!
Did you know that if you conservatively count up the hours you spend breastfeeding a newborn for a year it accounts to over 1800 hours? This is not far off the hours spent at a full time job!
Breastfeeding can also be incredibly challenging and for us we needed a little help from bottle feeding in the early days as my nipples recovered from trauma.
The option of bottle feeding also gave us the opportunity for Grange to get involved in feeds and give me a much needed break on challenging days.
The Medela Swing Pump worked so well for us last time. It’s lightweight, compact and portable for pumping on the go.
The Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump was one of the best pieces of feeding equipment that I purchased last time! And truly I’m looking forward to using it again this time round.
This award winning pump needs no power, cords or batteries and instead uses suction to extract and collect your let down from the opposite breast whilst you breastfeed your baby on the other.
It is an absolute time saver and genius product for busy mums who are mix feeding.
Breastfeeding Friendly Tops
This time I’ll be investing in a few breastfeeding friendly tops that I can wear when out and about.
Cleverly designed tops with side panels, zips and openings to allow discreet breastfeeding are an absolute safety net for me.
With a large supply and over reactive let down out breastfeeding journey was full of leaks, sprays and unintentional flashing of boobs. So having clothing that can help me feel more confident feeding on the go is a must.
Check out my recent post ‘Hot Chocolate’ for a comfy and functional option by Cake Maternity
For more Pregnancy, Birth and Motherhood related content, check out my previous posts: 10 Amazing Things That Got Me Through Pregnancy, Our Breastfeeding Journey, Jeanie’s Nursery
Outfit Details: Cake Maternity Cotton Candy Nursing Bra* / Cake Maternity Nougat Maternity Pant*
This post features gifted* product.
Photography by @nina.c.sees