Friday Favorites
An App. A Cushion. A Bra
3 Breastfeeding Necessities
You may be thinking, what the heck does an App, a bra, and a cushion have to do with each other?! Well, I am here to answer that question! I am three months postpartum from having baby number three. My sweet girl is exclusively breastfed. Breastfeeding is an amazing experience, but it can also be very challenging! I am all about finding items that makes life easier, so below are three products that have made breastfeeding a lot more convenient.
The APP: iBaby Log (Pictures)
Ok, this might sound weird, but this App helps me remember when the last time I fed my baby was, which side/sides she ate on last and for how long. Some people may be thinking, shouldn’t you remember these things? Well, I may have thought the same thing until I was plagued with “mom brain.” Often times I immediately forget when and what side my baby last ate on. I literally use this app for almost every feeding. Now that I am back at work I also use it to record pumping, which side/side and how much I pumped. I’m serious when I say it has saved me guessing multiple occasions. When my baby was demand feeding it really helped to gage how often she was eating or how soon she got hungry. Now that she’s on more of a schedule, I mostly just use it to remind myself which side to feed her on so I don’t end up too lopsided.
Another great feature I like on this App is the ability to record diaper changes, again weird I know, but it was super helpful with the first two weeks when I was trying to make sure baby was eating enough and having enough wet and messy diapers. This App also lets you can record: pumping (mentioned earlier), bottle feedings, solid food, a to-do list, activity, mood, baths, medication, temperature, diary, milestones, sickness, dr. visits, vaccinations, and growth. I mostly use this App for nursing, pumping, and bottle feeding of breastmilk now. If you are forgetful like me, this App is a must-have for keeping track of everything that come along with a baby.
The Bra: iLoveSIA
I am one of those women who usually takes off her bra as soon as I get home. Breastfeeding doesn’t usually allow me this pleasure as I have nursing pads I have to keep tucked in there to protect from leakage. I have a few different nursing bras from my first two kids, but I didn’t love them, so I mostly ended up wearing a larger sized sports bra with pads for fancy days and without the pads for non fancy days or a sports bra. The problem was that even though the straps were thin they would still seem to show. Someone in a mom group I’m in (The Mamahood) recommended the iLoveSIA bra from Amazon. I decided to order it because I needed one and heck- it was only $10.99 for one, $19.99 for two, and $25.99 for a three-pack. It turned out to be one of the best decisions ever. I decided to try out the one pack at first. After a few days I went online and ordered a back up because I liked it so much, which was also a great decision- go me! The best part about this bra is that it’s basically a sports bra with regular bra straps. It has removable pads. I literally put the pads in when I go to work to wear under normal shirts and take the pads off as soon as I get home to wear under a T-shirt. The style of this bra saves me from having to change bras when I get home, which is a big plus as I usually have two kids at my feet while I change. This bra is super comfortable and as an added bonus, no underwire- win-win!! The bra also has a front buckle that can easily be undone for breastfeeding access. I will probably be purchasing a few more of these soon!
The cushion I am talking about is an arm cushion you use while breastfeeding. Just look at the picture! Genius right! You slip it onto your arm and it helps hold baby’s head up to you while nursing. Don’t get me wrong, I love my boppy, but it is too big to lug around. There are times I’d forget to grab this arm cushion and as soon as I start feeding, immediately wished I grabbed my little arm cushion because it is way more portable than bigger pillows. In fact, I even took this on our Summer trips to use while nursing and also to stick under my baby’s DockATot to elevate her head after she ate.
I saw this arm pillow in the same mom group I talked about earlier (The Mamahood). A mom posted a picture saying she was selling them. I immediately knew I needed one. If you are like me and like to prop up baby while they eat (without having to strain your neck and back) you can find these awesome arm pillows in her cute etsy shop here.
These three things have helped tremendously with making breastfeeding more convenient. What are other things do you swear by for breastfeeding?! Share in the comments below!
Xoxo
Jordyn
