breast feeding essentials

Let's hope this is a sign that I'm jumping back on the band wagon. Auni girl is nearly six months old now and the only pictures on here are her newborns. Could I be anymore awful??? (Chandler Bing at it again!) Considering her birth story has been a draft since the week she was born, I thought I would start out with something a little more simple.   Ease myself back into this whole blogging thing right?   I've neglected this gem for so long, I almost feel awkward typing this...
Well, onto better things!  Breast feeding.  Oh, what a classy topic.  This was one topic that I  was quite stressed about during my pregnancy.  I knew I wanted to do it but I also knew I had NO idea where to start.  Not a great mixture if you ask me.  I ended up taking a breast feeding class at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and that really helped!  It went along with the prenatal class Dall and I attended which was super convenient.  She covered all the basics and explained a lot of things that I hadn't even thought of!  They always give you a booklet as well, so you can make notes in it and take all the information home with you to refer back to.  Breast feeding is hard because I feel like people can tell you what "they did" all the time which can be helpful, but I noticed it's always different for everyone.  I compare it to labor and delivery, it's different for every single person, I feel that breast feeding is the same way.  That doesn't mean you can't learn things from others, but after it's all said and done, you and your baby will find your groove and it will most likely differ from those moms around you.
1. Boppy Pillow:  This is a MUST.  It will make nursing soooo much easier, especially in the early stages.  It frees up your hands so you can put them to work getting the baby to latch, etc..  Believe me, it's quite the battle in the beginning.  As a new mom, you feel like all you do is feed your baby, and it takes over an hour at times.  Just know that it always gets easier.  People would tell me this over and over again but they were right.  It's a very gradual and slow process but it keeps get easier.  By 2 months, I finally felt comfortable with it to where it didn't seem overly daunting anymore. (I'm a stress case, so this point will most likely come sooner for the rest of you.)
2. Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump: If I was held at gun point and had to choose one breast feeding product to recommend, it would definitely be this.  I also got a double electric breast pump through my insurance.  I used that one a lot at first but once I purchased this one, I never went back.  What's not to like? Cheap? Great. Portable? Nailed it!  Easy to use? Perfect!  Easy to clean? GLORIOUS!! I stumbled upon this pump online at Target (It's not sold in stores) and then purchased it based on the reviews.  It took some trial and error but I have got it down so I can pump under 10 minutes!  Yeah, beat that, I dare you!  They sell a single pump with accessories for around $25 dollars so it's $50 for the pair.  What a steal!  You need to go get them. 
3. Tommee Tippee Bottle Warmer: As you know, I'm a planner...and a stress case so they pretty much go hand in hand.  I started building my milk supply in the freezer soon after getting home from the hospital knowing I would soon be going back to work and school and would need it for babysitters.  This little gem thaws/warms up the breast milk so fast, it's almost unbelievable!  It's great for either putting the storage bags straight in it from the freezer or warming milk already in the bottle.
4. Nursing Cover: Can I just tell you how proud I was when I could finally use the cover and nurse in public??  It was quite the milestone and definitely one of the best days of my life....okay maybe I took it a bit far, but seriously, it was great.  I love how this one has the plastic at the top allowing me to peek down at Auni without flashing the rest of the world.  Heaven knows it's a miracle that hasn't happened yet with my luck.  It's also really big so I feel like I'm well covered.
5. Lansinoh Storage bags: I haven't used any other brands so I may be slightly or completely biased but these babies are magnificent!!  You can label and date them, they seal tightly, and the milk pours out of them easily which prevents spilling any of the liquid gold!  Also, the plastic container I put in the freezer to store the milk started filling up quite quickly and started getting unorganized because they were so oddly shaped.  So I stared freezing them flat which helped so much and I was able to fit a lot more in.  Breast milk filing system.  Check!
6.  Avent Bottles: There are so many bottles out there so you can find what works for you.  We were given two of the 4 oz ones for free from different stores so we bought a pack of 9 oz ones as well(which we haven't used yet.)  We have loved them so far and so has Auni girl!
Side note: If your nips are hurting so bad you want to scream, use the Lansinoh Lanolin Cream, it works miracles!!  Believe me, if you don't thank me, your nips will.  
Also, I never leaked but a lot of women do.  If this is the case with you, try these nursing pads:  Johnson and Johnson and Lansinoh.  They're both great for different reasons.  If I ever leaked, it was only slightly so I preferred the Johnson and Johnson ones.  I liked their curved shape better and they stayed in place great.  (They also help with the post-nursing RT.... it's just the harsh truth people. )  My friend that leaks a lot prefers the Lansinoh ones because she says they absorb more. I guess try them both out and see which one you prefer!
Well, I think that covers most of it!  Don't hesitate to ask me any questions. seeing as I'm an expert these days after having just one child...but seriously, I will always be more than happy to help!