Prepare During Pregnancy to Breastfeed

Congratulations on your decision to breastfeed your child. It is a decision that will benefit your baby throughout their life. Just as you are preparing to give birth to this child by readying their room, so must you ready yourself for breastfeeding.

The first thing you might hear is that you should toughen up your breasts in the last trimester of your pregnancy. This is not true. Your breasts are fine the way they are.

So what should you do? If you are going back to work your first purchase needs to be a quality breast pump. You want to make sure to go with a higher end electric pump like a Medela or and Ameda. The Medela Swing is an excellent option because it is portable, but has two phase expression which will help you express more milk in less time. It is also very portable, and you can take it anywhere with you without feeling like you are lugging around a suitcase like some other pumps.

It is nice to be able to breastfeed in a comfortable position. This can be achieved by purchasing a comfortable chair for the nursery. You will also want to purchase a bobby or another nursing pillow to make holding your baby during nursing easier.

A nursing cover-up such as the bebe au lait is another must. This will give you the privacy you need to nurse your little one in public.

Start shopping for a nursing nightgown to take to the hospital. A nursing nightgown will be a wonderful treat for you after you give birth. You can get out of your hospital gown and into something that will not only help you nurse with ease, but will make you feel stylish.

Begin buying nursing bras. You should start with just one or two because you bra size will change dramatically after the birth of your child. The bra size that you will have in the last trimester will most likely be the bra size that you will need after you give birth, but just to be sure don't purchase a whole new collection. You can meet with a lactation consultant after the birth of your child. They will often times measure you and be able to sell you bras at a discount.

Your breasts will leak after the birth of your child. You will need to purchase nursing pads. You have two options, disposable nursing pads or reuseable pads. If you opt for the cotton reuseable pads you will want to make sure that you have at least three pairs so that you have time to wash them between uses. If you purchase disposable pads you will only want to buy one box. You might not like the brand, but it is important to have some to start with.

Nursing tops will help you nurse your child with ease. Brands such as Japenese Weekend offer nursing tops that you can wear while you are pregnant and once you give birth. This will give you the most bang for your buck because you will have a maternity shirt and a nursing shirt in one. It is also nice to have a few nursing tanks to wear under your sweaters.

Lanolin ointment is an important purchase. Your nipples will be sore and may crack. You can use lanolin on them and you will not have to wash it off between breastfeeding sessions.