The one thing I have been adamant about this time around with our new baby is that I want to breastfeed. Properly breastfeed. By that I mean have the skills and confidence to whip a boob out whenever and wherever it’s needed to feed her.
With Amelia I never really got the hang of it, it was so much harder than I thought it would be and I ended up expressing for 5 months. This was fine, she was still getting my milk (and it’s benefits) but God was it time-consuming. Pumping like a milk cow 6 times a day and wishing I was one of those mamas who just sat down in Costa and fed her baby without a second thought.
So this time around, health and biology allowing, I will do it! I will master the latch, the best way to hold her, how to feed in public with confidence and without flashing everyone in the process. I want to be able to tell myself that I achieved something that I couldn’t do last time.
The first thing I’m doing in investing in a REALLY good nursing bra. I had my eye on the maternity and nursing bras from Mumba Bra for ages and had decided that nearer the end of my pregnancy I would invest in a couple. I decided to jump in when there was a great Black Friday offer on in November so I ordered myself the black and white and I have worn them every day since they arrived.
When Liz; the owner of Mumbra Bra, reached out to me on Instagram to ask if I would like to try one of her bras, my answer was “actually I already have 2 and I love them”. Liz was kind enough to send me another bra to try and chose the deep purple colour because most of my tops are dark in colour but it’s a little fancier than just black.
Now that I’ve been using it for a couple of months already I am delighted with the quality, the fit and comfort. That’s before I even start to use any of the breastfeeding features; which I’ll tell you about in a minute. The material is so soft and stretchy that you don’t need to worry about how your boobs will change during pregnancy, there are no nasty wires to cause any issues and the straps can be fastened in different ways at the back to suit your outfit.
I’m currently only a few weeks from my baby’s arrival and being heavily pregnant I can tell you comfort is my one and only concern at this stage. I don’t have time for uncomfortable underwear and I’ve seen such a difference in my clothes since I started using these bras. They shape well, they’re supportive and give a lovely silhouette compared to other non-wired bras I’ve worn in the past that just leave you looking a bit saggy.
So, let’s talk about these breastfeeding features shall we, the reason why I bought these bras in the first place:
- Super easy to open and close fastening with a clever numbered system – when you first put the bra on you should fasten it on the black numbers, when you feed on one side you close it on the white number. When you come to feed again you would feed on the other side, from the black number. You continue to alternate the numbers and sides to help ensure you always keep an even feed schedule and as a result encourage your body to produce an even milk supply to both boobies. Genius!
- Inside modesty panel – one thing I hated about my cheap nursing bras last time was how your whole boob is just hanging out once you unhook the material. I love that these bras have an inside section with a cut out for your nipple. You can still feed easily but you don’t need to feel like everything is out on show and once baby is attached there would be almost no skin on show.
- The baby sensory pattern – the inside panel is made of a black and white patterned material, this helps to keep baby’s attention focused on the breast and stops them from pulling away distracted and can also encourage them to feed for a little longer by giving them something interesting to focus their attention on.
I can already see how good these features are going to be for feeding but I’ll be able to tell you for sure once baby girl arrives and I actually start feeding her so keep your eyes open for another look at this bra in all it’s feeding glory.
There are other steps you can take to be breastfeeding ready; things I wished I’d known beforehand first time around. I’ve started to stock up on essentials in advance this time, things such as Lansinoh nipple cream which I now know should be applied after every feed and don’t wait until your boobs are already sore because by then it’s too late. I’ve also bought another pack of Lansinoh TheraPearl 3 in 1 Therapy pads. These are brilliant for releiving discomfort and for encouraging let down when pumping. I used my last set with every single pumping session and you can have them warm or cold depending on whether your trying to relieve pain or encourage milk let down.
I already have my favourite electric breast pump in storage from last time so I’ll be getting that back out and giving it a good sterilising ready to be used again; the one I have is by Philips Avent and having been through 4 different pumps last time I already know this is the one that’s right for me so I will have it ready to use once we’ve established a strong latch and we’re feeding well.
These are the products I’m getting ready to help me make breastfeeding a success this time around but the biggest change is going to be my mindset. I had no idea just how difficult it would be and it shocked me. I wasn’t prepared for the pain or discomfort, for how tricky that latch can be to get just right or just how relentless it would be in the first few days/weeks. This time around I’m ready! I know what to expect and I will learn from my mistakes last time to make sure we have success.
If you have any other tips or tricks to share please let me know in the comments.
I want to say a massive thank you to Liz for sending me the purple bra to add to my collection; if you’re a breastfeeding mama or you are pregnant and plan to breastfeed then keep your eyes on my feed as there will be a giveaway coming soon for your chanc to win your own bra from Mumba Bra.
Rachel xx
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