Last weekend, I went to a baby shower for a woman in my ward at Church. She is having a baby girl pretty soon now, and the other moms and I had a blast telling her all about giving birth and everything that comes with being a mother. I felt inclined to Facebook message her later and tell her about a few items that have been huge life-savers for me.
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Dalin-Olivia Gunnell
2.) These are the Swedish breast shells which I LOVE. By the reviews, it sounds like these ones (like mine) have the small hole on top that you can use to pour the milk into a bottle and save it. (Which is good, you want one with just one hole). If you plan on breastfeeding, I highly suggest them. Especially when you start out breastfeeding, you leak a lot. I'm past using them now, but they were amazing to have in the beginning! I don't know how I would have done it without them. It's so nice to have a place to collect the milk and it saves you from a big mess.
http://www.amazon.com/O-Cal-ette-Nursing-Breast-Shell-0813-0099-00/dp/B002UKXLJK
Dalin-Olivia Gunnell
Oh and I only used them at home or under my nursing cover. It sounds like some people leave them on which is kind of weird. And I only used one on the side I wasn't nursing on to catch leaks. I just stuck it in my bra. Make sure you check on them occasionally while you're nursing and have an empty bottle nearby that you can pour it into so they don't get too full and overflow. Breast milk can be unrefrigerated for 3 or 4 hours (6 or so hours tops according to WIC) so don't throw the milk away! I did because it separates and I assumed it went bad but it doesn't happen that fast.
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Dalin-Olivia Gunnell
4.) And last, (I use this every day) I would definitely suggest a nursing pillow. The boppy is supposed to be really good but it's expensive so hopefully someone gives you one. I got my pillow (which is similar to a boppy and which I love) by signing up for an account at Motherhood Maternity and they gave me a coupon thing in the bad which I almost threw away, but I'm so glad I didn't! The nursing pillow from this place:
http://www.nursingpillow.com/ was completely free with the code they gave me, you just pay for shipping which is $12 but so worth it. It's nice to have some kind of pillow for sure if you're nursing, otherwise you'll just be hunched over while she lays on your lap. (I don't hold her very much when I nurse anymore...it just exhausts your arms. It's easier to nurse sideways in bed or with them laying on a pillow on your lap).
I guess basically all of essentials I have listed are for the breastfeeding mom. But there are many other things you will find will work for you that might not work for someone else. In all honesty, I would not buy much before the baby comes except the obvious (some clothes, blankets, burp clothes, a bed of some sort, and of COURSE diapers and wipes) and see what you need as it comes. Dalin and I hardly spent a thing on stuff for Tenley. We were given plenty of hand-me-downs, gifts, and LOTS of clothes and blankets from adoring grandmothers and great grandmothers. We basically found out that we would be buying lots of diapers and wipes. Don't buy something just because a baby website says you need it. There's a good chance you might never need many of the must-haves they suggest!
What was a major must-have for your son or daughter?
Anything Hillary and I didn't cover?
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