Breastfeeding is a job. It consumes anywhere between two to six hours of your day, depending on the age of your child, whether you’re pumping or nursing, and other factors. This time doesn’t even include the cleanup you have to do afterwards. It can also be physically and emotionally draining.
I was constantly exhausted while I was breastfeeding, and felt an immense amount of stress when nursing my daughter. I recently terminated my breastfeeding contract with my second child, but here are five tools that made the job a little easier for me while breastfeeding.
1. Milk Collector
Even if you’re exclusively nursing, it’s not a bad idea to have a small stash of breastmilk in the freezer. You never know when you’re going to have to be away unexpectedly, your supply will dip, you’re going to be sick, or you just need one solid night of sleep and you have a partner or friend who can feed the baby. A milk collector sits in your bra and just catches milk with no suction. You can wear it while you are nursing to collect from your unoccupied breast or wear it while you’re out and about to catch any milk that leaks. This tool will help you effortlessly build your stash.
2. Silicone Breast Pump
What’s the difference between this and a milk collector? I’m glad you asked! A silicone breast pump has suction and will actually draw more milk than would leak naturally. You can use this while you’re nursing your baby to collect milk from your opposite breast, but you can also use it to express a little milk when you’re engorged and away from a hungry baby.
I have used this to relieve the pressure when I was having a girls’ night with my friends. It also comes in handy when your baby starts sleeping through the night. You can use this to express just enough milk to be comfortable and slowly teach your body that the night feeding is unnecessary when that glorious day hits where your child starts sleeping more than four hours at a time.
3. Breastmilk Ice Trays
Breastmilk ice trays are great for storing small amounts of milk at a time. The trays are designed to freeze milk in one-ounce portions. When the tray is full, store the milksicles in freezer bags. Take out the number of milksickles you need at one time and thaw in the bottle or a large jar as needed.
Tip: Use freezer tongs or a fork to take the frozen milk out of the plastic bag.
4. Wearable Breast Pump
Wearable breast pumps are probably the greatest invention ever. I pumped more than I nursed with both of my children, and my wearable breast pumps saved my sanity. You can drive around, wash the dishes, and even work in an office setting while discreetly collecting that liquid gold. Everyone has different needs, so do your research before buying one. I also recommended checking out different groups on Facebook to get advice and recommendations on wearables.
5. Breast Pump Wipes
If you pump more than once a day, breast pump wipes are an absolute must. Wipe down everything and wait a little more than 10 minutes before you pump again, and you’re golden – no rinsing or drying necessary! Bonus – You can use these to clean bottles, pacifiers, and changing tables when you’re on the go!
For me, breastfeeding was much harder than pregnancy. I only breastfed each of my children for six months. If you choose to breastfeed, these tools might make things a little easier for you. After all, we’re all just doing our best and any tool that lightens the load a little bit is a good thing.
What tools made your breastfeeding journey a bit easier? Share with us in the comments!
