Taking Care of your Tatas

Your breasts go on their own journey during pregnancy and early motherhood. Below are my recommendations for breast care and breastfeeding gear from pregnancy through those first few months postpartum.

PREGNANCY

My breasts grew a few sizes during pregnancy, particularly during the second trimester, before leveling out during the third. They were tender, sore, and then they popped. The best thing I did to ease the discomfort was to size up, early and often, in wireless bras. Bonus if they could be used for nursing postpartum as well.

• True Body V-Neck: This bra was great for comfort, while still maintaining some shape because it has cups for support. It worked well under t-shirts and body-con pregnancy dresses because it laid flat. The flexible material was particularly nice (necessary) as my belly grew and felt like it was merging into my breasts towards the end. The True Body bra remained comfortable through the last days of pregnancy. I initially bought size medium in both the black and tan, but then exchanged a month later at Nordstrom for a size large. Recommend.

• Calvin Klein: This bra is not technically a nursing bra, however, it’s worked for nursing. I bought this during pregnancy for a comfortable bra with more shape than the True Body V-Neck. The clasps on this bra make it work for nursing as well. The one time I left the house for a real outing postpartum (my sister-in-law’s engagement party) before the pandemic hit, I wore this bra so I could nurse before leaving the house (but felt like I had a real bra on when I did). Recommend.

• Body Wash & Scrub: I used this scrub not just for my belly, but for my boobs during pregnancy to prevent stretch marks. I’m not sure whether I would have had stretch marks without this scrub (I understand genetics play the biggest role in this), but I loved the scrub and found it soothing. While on the topic of Spoiled Mama products, I loved this body wash during pregnancy and I still use it postpartum. I wanted a “clean” line of products for my body and this line did the trick for me. While I thoroughly enjoyed their scrub and body wash, I did not like their tummy butter or stretch mark oil. Both had too strong of a scent for me (I’m very sensitive to smells). I’ll discuss sitz baths more in my postpartum care post, but I would also recommend the sitz bath from this brand as well, although you can find good alternatives for a better price on Amazon. Spoiled Mama sold a sample pack at the time I initially was trying this line, which is still advertised on their website, but there is not an active link for a sample pack at the moment. If interested, it would be worth contacting their customer service to inquire about a sample pack so you only buy the full sized products you like. Recommend certain products only.
  

POSTPARTUM

If you thought your breasts changed during pregnancy, postpartum is a whole new experience when your milk comes in.

Nursing Bras / Tanks:

• Hofish Nursing Bra: These Hofish Nursing Bras have been my absolute favorite. I added them to my Amazon cart during pregnancy based on the recommendation of two friends and when I saw them go on sale I pulled the trigger to purchase. They are extremely comfortable, practical, and well priced. Size medium fit me best postpartum once my milk supply leveled out, but during the end of pregnancy and early postpartum when my breasts were engorged I wore size large. Recommend.

• Kindred Bravely: I bought this dual pumping and nursing bra after seeing approximately 4,875 advertisements for it on instagram. Well, chalk one up for the ads getting the better of me because I am NOT a fan of this bra. It is bulky and incredibly uncomfortable. I fell for the buy three package (one to wear, one to wash, one to spare) and was too lazy to return them, so I currently have two unopened in my drawer and one that I’ve worn only twice (I tried to give it a fair shot). Another close friend of mine similarly disliked this bra. For the price, I would definitely pass. I have found I really don’t need a bra to do both. Currently, I breastfeed most of the day and pump once before bed. I keep my pumping bra on my bedside table and during my pump session, I simply put on my Medela pumping bra over my nursing bra and it’s easy and efficient. Also, see the video below on how you can use your regular nursing bra for pumping in a pinch. Do not recommend.

• Medela Pumping Bra: Medela knows what they are doing. For a high-quality, easy-to-use pumping bra, this is my pick. I am using my sister’s hand me down size medium. I probably should buy myself a large. As a side note, when looking for this bra on Amazon, I saw that Medela also makes a dual pumping/nursing bra. I don’t feel the need to have a dual bra, but if you want to try one, I would suggest trying the Medela brand over Kindred Bravely. Recommend.

• Nursing Tanks: No specific brand to recommend here. Just dropping a note to explain why I love nursing tank tops, not just bras. I enjoy the tank because it makes my postpartum belly feel supported. Also, if I’m breastfeeding out of the house (in the car, park bench, picnicking, on a zoom call with friends) it’s nice to have your belly covered when you’re nursing to not feel so exposed. I bought a few of these Target brand tanks and they work well for a great price. Recommend.

Leaking Breasts: I have read that not everyone has leaky breasts. I’m 15 weeks postpartum and just now starting to not wear nursing pads. Everyone’s experience is different here, but I suspect during those first few weeks when your milk comes in and you are establishing supply, it’s likely you will have some leaking and it would be useful to have nursing pads on hand. There are two routes to try here, disposable nursing pads and washable nursing pads. I registered for disposable pads, but ended up switching to reusable pads for comfort.

• Disposable Pads: I’ve tried two brands here, Lansinoh and Medela. You will see a pattern here, my preference is Medela. The Medela pads are softer and more comfortable than the Lansinoh brand (which felt scratchy to me). Recommend Medela.

• Washable Pads: My real preference, however, has been reusable nursing pads. These are much softer and more comfortable. I’ve tried both bamboo and cotton and my favorite are these organic cotton pads from BuyBuyBaby. They are incredible soft, which is so important those first few weeks if you have cracked nipples. I did soak through the cotton pads when I wore them at night during my first month postpartum when my supply was in overload, but I didn’t care because they were so incredibly soft on my sore nipples. As for bamboo, I ordered a random brand on Amazon and they worked well (although the cotton was still by far my favorite). If you do decide on washable pads, order a few sets as you may be blowing through them when you’re establishing your supply. Recommend cotton.

Cracked Nipples: When Crockett and I were working out our breastfeeding techniques and latching skills, there were times when poor latching would lead to cracked nipples.

Nipple Cream: I tried the Earth Mama, Motherlove, Lansinoh, and Medela nipple creams. My two favorites were Motherlove and Medela. I used Motherlove nightly for two and a half months (until my second jar ran out).

• Convenience. The hospital sent me home with about five mini-Medela tubes and it was awesome because they were small, easy to use (just squeeze it out the tube without worrying about keeping it sanitary) and I could put one in each room so there was always a nipple cream at arms reach when breastfeeding. My recommendation is to hold off from buying these and instead wait and see if your hospital has them. If so, ask for a handful to take home with you. If not, consider buying on Amazon. The squeeze tube was my favorite for convenience. You can see the sample size the hospital gave me in this Medela package (.3 ounce tubes) and the picture above. Recommend Medela mini-tubes.

• Effectiveness. My favorite for effectiveness was the Motherlove brand. The only downside with this brand is the packaging. Because the nipple cream comes in a jar, you need to keep Q-tips by the jar to use as an applicator to prevent any bacteria from your finger dipping into the jar and living there. This is why I liked having both the Motherlove (which I kept by my bed with Q-tips and applied at night) and the Medela squeeze tubes (which I kept around the house and in my diaper bag for convenient application). Recommend Motherlove.

Medela Soft Shells: These were another hospital parting gift and they were wonderful. When my nipples were cracked, I would apply breastmilk to my nipple, fan the breastmilk dry, then put on these nipple shells for 20 minutes or so to allow my nipples to air dry. Once dry or I was tired of wearing the shells, I would take off the shells then apply Motherlove nipple cream. I also tried the Avent brand shells because I was gifted a set, but I found them to be less comfortable on my nipple. The Avent brand almost had a suction-like feel, which left a ring around my areola, while the Medela brand was comfortable and fit well. Sometimes your nipples will leak while wearing the shell. That’s okay! Use the milk that the shell caught for diaper rash or on your own nipples for healing. Recommend Medela.

Breast Engorgement: When my milk came in around day four postpartum, my breasts became painful, rock-hard, bowling balls on my chest. And a four-day old baby does not drink enough milk to relieve the pressure of engorged breasts. To ease the discomfort, I used a heating pad and took Ibuprofen (of course, check with your healthcare practitioner). The MOST helpful thing, however, was using my all-time favorite product… the Haakaa. The Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump serves three purposes: (1) relieve engorgement; (2) facilitate latching; and (3) start a milk stash.

Relieve Engorgement & Facilitate Latching:

• I did not expect to use / need the Haakaa so soon so it was tucked away somewhere in my pantry unwashed. Get this sucker out and have it washed in ready before you go into labor. When my breasts felt engorged, I would suction the Haakaa onto each breast (one at a time) for about 5-10 minutes (depending how engorged I was) and this simple, but magical item would provide immediate relief. The Haakaa is not going to stimulate a letdown like an electric breastpump. Instead, it will draw out the milk from your breast relieving the milk that is already there. Remove the Haakaa once your breast softens / feels comfortable again.

• Not only did using the Haakaa provide serious physical benefit to mom, it provided a great benefit to baby. It is extremely hard for a baby to latch onto engorged breasts because the surface area baby is trying to latch onto is hard and flat. Imagine trying to bite into a bowling ball. Sounds impossible right? Instead, baby needs a softer/more flexible surface area to latch onto. The Haakaa helps you accomplish this.

Milk Stash: You will quickly learn that breastmilk truly is liquid gold and you don’t want to waste a drop. During those early days when my milk first came in, I would sometimes have five ounces in the Haakaa when relieving engorgement. This made me feel so accomplished to capture this milk and store it for later. In addition to collecting milk when engorged, I use the Haakaa to collect milk from my letdown on the breast Crockett is not feeding on. Even if it is just an ounce, it’s worth saving the milk. There will be times when you need just a 1 or 2 ounce topper or if you feel like you didn’t collect enough to freeze, you can use the amount collected for diaper cream, on your sore nipples, as chapstick for baby, up baby’s nose if he gets congested, in baby’s bath… the list goes on. I cannot recommend the Haakaa more highly. I don’t use it as frequently now, but I keep it by my bed and use it in the middle of the night sometimes if one of my breasts is feeling engorged. For middle of the night use, I’ll suction it onto the breast that is uncomfortable and lay down with it. In 10 minutes I’ll wake up and pop it off and leave it by my bedside to deal with later (by conservative schools of thought, milk stays good at room temperature for four hours). The next time I get out of bed, I bag it, label it, and freeze it.

• Trick for keeping your Haakaa on: https://www.instagram.com/p/B5-8XYcgMKA/?igshid=1qew06eru79z2 this also works if you don’t have your pumping bra handy and need to pump! You will have to hold your pump flanges with your hands for more support while pumping, but this trick is a good start and prevents you from dropping precious milk.

• Milk storage guidelines: https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/milkstorage/

• CRYNG OVER SPILLED MILK. It’s a thing, you will do it, and I empathize with you more than words can express. More than once, I have knocked over my Haakaa full with 4 ounces of milk and on each occasion, have cried to Conley about it. And then to a fellow breastfeeding mama who truly understands what it feels like to have this happen. Whoever made up the saying about not crying over spilled milk didn’t breastfeed.

Breastpump: I have the Spectra S1 Double Electric Breastpump and I LOVE IT. It’s portable, so on our 10 hour drive to New Mexico, I was able to pump and bottle feed Crockett on the go without having to pull over to feed. The S1 is hospital grade (powerful) and a “closed” system which means less parts to sanitize. My insurance covered 80% of the cost of the pump, and I paid the remaining 20% out of pocket. If you’re planning to pump, connect with your insurance during your second trimester to learn about which pumps are available through your insurance. Most insurance companies won’t let you actually place the order until 30 days out from your due date. I selected the S1 because I planned to pump once returning to the office after maternity leave. This is a powerful, portable, double pump, and would help me efficiently pump at the office to keep up with Crockett’s feeding needs. Even if you plan to stay home with your little one, a breastpump is extremely useful to relieve engorgement, allow you to give a bottle, and/or help build supply. As it turns out, I’ll be working from home for a few months, but I love my pump. Currently, I pump right before going to bed because Conley gives Crockett a bottle of expressed milk for his first feeding to give me a break. Your pumping needs may be different, so consider what your needs are and make your pump selection accordingly. Medela is an incredibly popular and excellent brand.

Things to consider:

• What brand/styles does your insurance cover?

• Does insurance cover extra pump parts? If not, how expensive are extra parts? Consider adding extra parts to your registry. You’ll want at least two sets of parts so if one is dirty you have another available.

• What are your pumping expectations/needs/goals?

• Do you need a single or double pump? Electric or hand pump?

Resource recommendation:

• A great resource for feedback on these questions and advice on pumping generally is an instagram account called "pump_momma_pump". I highly recommend following.

• Another great resource for pumping and breastfeeding is the instagram account "legendairymilk". That's where I found my starter guide on how to pump / at what setting.

How much should I be pumping? I struggled with this question. During my first month postpartum I had an oversupply, which was a huge blessing, but not without it’s own set of issues. The tricky situation with an oversupply is that you are desperate to find ways to receive engorgement, but you don’t want to stimulate your breasts to produce more milk by over pumping. Your milk works on a supply and demand basis. Pumping tells your body to make more milk, which I did not want to do when I was trying to level out my supply. On the flip side, not appropriately dealing with engorgement may lead to mastitis (which I got twice, more below). The best solution for me was to pump right before bed (since that milk was going towards a bottle) and pump for long enough to relieve engorgement and soften my breasts, but not pump so long as to empty my breasts. Otherwise, I used the Haakaa as my best friend because the Haakaa worked to relieve engorgement without telling my body to produce more milk.

Mastitis: Mastitis is an inflammation of breast tissue that sometimes involves an infection. The inflammation results in breast pain, swelling, warmth and redness. (Source: MayoClinic).

• My Experience: I have had mastitis twice, once in each breast. First around 4 weeks postpartum and then around 12 weeks postpartum. When mastitis sets in, you feel like you have the flu. It is truly terrible. And worse than your own symptoms, my mastitis negatively impacted Crockett and my milk supply both times because the antibiotics to cure mastitis hurt Crockett’s stomach and a side effect of either the antibiotics or the mastitis itself is that my supply dropped. The sudden drop in supply (after having an oversupply) confused Crockett and he would scream at my breasts when I tried to feed him because milk did not come out as quickly and abundantly as he was used to. It’s physically and emotionally wearing. And so important to try to prevent. Both times I had mastitis, I believe the cause was inadequately relieving breast engorgement (i.e. giving Crockett a bottle and not sufficiently pumping to correlate with the skipped feeding).

• My Advice: DO NOT SKIP a pumping session if you are feeding baby a bottle. I know you’re tired and just want a break, but it’s not worth it. I learned the hard way, TWICE. Learn from my mistakes. Also, your baby is the BEST way to address a clogged milk duct. Your baby is more efficient than a pump or your Haakaa, so if you feel like you have a clogged duct coming on, take baby to your breast full time and put the pump away. You may be able to prevent a clogged duct from becoming mastitis. Unfortunately for me, some women are just more prone to mastitis (like myself and my sister) and I went from fine to very ill overnight, with no time to remedy the situation. If you think you are coming down with mastitis, it’s important to address it as quickly as possible. Call your doctor at the first sign to discuss.

• Milk Supply Cookies: When my supply took a big hit from the second round of mastitis, I tried out these Lactation Cookies because my college bestie gave me a gift card when I had Crockett. They worked like a CHARM. My supply increased the evening after enjoying my first cookie. The best part--they make dairy and soy free cookies, and I had JUST discovered Crockett was allergic to both and I needed to change my diet. I used these cookies as a Crockett-approved dessert when my beloved nightly ice cream got the boot. Recommend.

• Signs to Look Out For: Symptoms of a clogged duct and/or Mastitis include a rock hard knot in your breast, feeling flu-like, a fever, red streaks on your breast, breast pain/tenderness, your breast is hot to the touch, your breast is swollen. If you are experiencing symptoms, call your doctor immediately so you can discuss next steps.

• Resource Recommendation: Kellymom has helpful information on clogged ducts and mastitis: https://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/mastitis/

• Possible Preventative: I am now taking Sunflower Lecithin daily as a preventative. It’s supposed to reduce the "stickiness" of your breastmilk and deter fats from clumping together. Time will tell how effective it is.

• Haakaa Trick: I have also read this Haakaa trick to relieve a clogged duct. I came down with mastitis too quickly to try this remedy (I went straight to feeling like I had the flu, fever included), but I recommend trying this if you feel like you can!

• Possible Side Effect on Baby: If you take antibiotics to address mastitis (or antibiotics for any reason), be on the lookout for signs of Thrush with your baby. Here's a good article explaining what it is and what to look for: https://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/health-and-safety/thrush-in-babies/

• Probiotics for Baby: Through recommendation by Crockett's pediatrician, I started Crockett on a probiotic when he was 3 weeks old. The probiotic helped prevent thrush for Crockett and is supposed to help with acid reflux and colic. Crockett takes five drops of this BioGaia probiotic via his pacifier daily. (Always consult your child's pediatrician before beginning any medication) I 100% believe the probiotic has a positive impact on Crockett because he did not get thrush either time I took an antibiotic and when I ran out of the probiotic for a week I noticed a difference in his grunting and amount of spit up. Recommend.

Bottles: I think the reality here is simple… your baby will pick the bottle they take. Start by selecting one bottle to register for and introduce it to your baby over a few days when you and your pediatrician determine it’s an appropriate time to do so. If your baby consistently rejects it, try another brand. If your baby takes it, great! We started with Como Tomo bottles because I read they were most breast-like and that they are constructed to reduce air intake. Crockett takes these bottles well and mama loves them because they have three simple parts so are easy to put together/take apart and clean. Emily Blewett (Infantbasicstoddlertraining on Instagram), a Moms on Call certified consultant recommends these “old school” Gerber bottles: https://infantbasicsandtoddlertraining.com/bottle-feeding-favorites/. We may swap out to try these to see if they help with Crockett’s acid reflux.

• Why are bottles included in a breast care post?? Because one way to take care of your breasts is to give them a break!! Somewhere between 3 and 4 weeks postpartum (after breastfeeding and my supply were established), I busted out the pump and the bottles. What works for our family is for me to pump once an evening before bed so Conley can give Crockett one bottle that night (which started out as a 9pm feed, then grew increasing later until it became a midnight feed and not we've dropped that feed altogether) giving me a 3-5 hour break from breastfeeding. I pump in bed watching a TV show then set aside some milk for Crockett’s bottle that evening and store the rest in my freezer. This allows me some “me” time, and was especially helpful when Crockett was eating every 2-3 hours through the night. This also allows Conley the opportunity to bond with Crockett over feeding. Once Crockett successfully took the bottle, it gave me a sense of security and freedom knowing that if I couldn’t physically be with Crockett, he could still have my breastmilk. Don’t get me wrong, I CRIED the first time Conley gave Crockett a bottle. I felt like Crockett didn’t “need” me anymore (not true) and that selfishly my special bond with him was not just mine anymore, but once the emotional wave passed, I was grateful that Crockett took a bottle well and that feeding Crockett could be a family activity.

Since I’ve included bottles, a few corollary items:

• Storage bags: These Kiinde Twist Pouches are easy to use, sturdy, and spill proof. You can also pump directly into these pouches to spare yourself washing more pump parts. I don’t pump frequently enough to take advantage of this feature, but it’s nice to know that it’s available. The Twist Pouches are more expensive than most storage bags, but I think it’s worth it. It may seem like a small convenience, but easily and securely transferring milk from pump to pouch and pouch to bottle is invaluable (see note about crying over spilled milk). When I’m at my parents house, we use this Kiinde Bottle system because you can directly snap the bag into the bottle and make life super easy. Another great perk of these pouches.

• Bottle Warmer: I use the Kiinde Breastmilk Warmer and milk storage rack. Both were hand-me-downs from my sister (otherwise I would say pass on any milk storage rack, I don’t use it half the time). We have been happy with all the Kiinde products. If you decide to select multiple Kiinde products, consider getting this gift set.

• Bottle Sterilizer: I have the Avent Microwave Steam Sterilizer and I've been happy with the amount of parts it fits per use and how easy it is to use. They also make bottle sterilizer + dryer all-in-one products, which seem interesting to me and something to consider. Based on online reviews, it looks like the Wabi and Brezza brands are the most popular. This could save you some counterspace of not having a separate drying rack, but they're more expensive.

• Sterilizer Bags: I also have the Medela Quick Clean Microwave Bags and love them for when I have only a few pacis to sterilizer or for traveling (to my parents or out of town).

• Cleaning Wipes: These Medela Quick Clean Wipes are great for on the go.

• Dishwasher rack: Don’t forget to get one! They’re useful in the dishwasher for all your smaller pump / bottle parts, as well as pacifiers. Check and see what brand/style fits best in your dishwasher. There are tons of options out there.

• Drying rack: I have both this Boon Grass Drying Rack and a Bottle Drying Rack, and have ended up putting the Boon away and only using the prong rack. It fits more pieces on it and makes more sense for all the items I’m drying.

• Bottle Cleaners: Don’t forget bottle brushes.

• Dish soap: Skip the baby-specific dish soap and use a “free & clear” version of your preferred brand.
  

Did I forget anything?? What products did you love for breast care? What products are you interested in learning more about?

Happy breasts = happy mama.

XOXO,

The mom next door