Packing for Lactation

There were a few things I wish I’d known when I was packing for my hospital trip. First, I wished I’d known I was going to have a c-section- I could have left the birth ball, etc at home! (Best laid plans and all that.) Secondly, I wished someone had told me that yes, of course, you can have complications from a c-section, but that’s true of any birth. Don’t listen to any of the people who will tell you that the only way to experience post-natal euphoria is to give birth in the woods with no anaesthesia. I had an emergency c-section, and my birth experience was fantastic. A c-section is NOT a guaranteed ticket to a miserable birth experience, no matter what anyone says.

Beyond that, the biggest informational hole I experienced had to do with what you should take with you to help you start breast feeding. I was blessed with a wonderful “lactivist” friend who sent me a whole care package of breast feeding supplies- Lily Padz, a nice, big, nursing pillow she said fits “real” women better than a Boppy, an electric breast pump, and a nursing bracelet. Now, if you’re like me, you’re thinking, what is all that stuff? Do I need to take it all to the hospital? Is that everything I’ll need or want?

You don’t need to take your nursing pillow to the hospital. The nurses will find you pillows if you need extras. You may or may not want your breast pump. If you are still in the hospital when your milk “comes in,” you may want that thing just to help make you more comfortable, but you won’t have any way to store any milk you might pump. My baby was very content and did not care when mommy wanted him to nurse, he wanted to sleep, and I wished I’d come prepared to pump. (I’ll expound more on pumping another day.)

Here’s my shopping & hospital packing list for moms who plan to breast feed:

• Lily Padz and disposable nursing pads. You do not want the “washable” kind that are fabric with a vinyl backer- they can cause yeast infections. You will probably start with disposable pads and then switch to the lily padz later, although I found that the Lily Padz cut down on chafing for me early on.
• Nursing Bracelet. I didn’t wear mine until the insertion point for my IV healed up, but you may want yours- just wear it on the other arm.
• Microwave steam sterilizer bags. You’ll want to sterilize your pump parts before you pack them to go to the hospital, unless you plan to rent a pump from the hospital. Either way, you’ll want a few of these when you get home.
• Lanolin. It doesn’t go with the Lily Padz, but this stuff really sorts out the soreness that can go along with starting breast feeding.
• Nipple shields. These are for inverted or flat nipples and you can buy them at Target and probably other similar stores. If you don’t need them, you can give them away on Freecycle, but if you DO need them, you will be glad you have them- I’ve heard of hospital lactation consultants who never offered these.
• A nursing drape. Get the kind with a window or stiffener that allows you to see the baby. You can find these on eBay for relatively little money- I bought mine for $12.

The nursing drape is a bit controversial. There are those who feel that nursing shawls imply that nursing is somehow unseemly and contribute to the lack of support for nursing in our society. I know there are women who are comfortable nursing their child without covering up no matter which of the 8 billion or so human beings alive today are present, and good for them. However, I personally think a generous sized, apron-style drape with a window or stiffener in it is just a darn practical item that every mom should have in her arsenal. Why?

First of all, some babies prefer to nurse without distractions. Remember that if people can see the baby, they want to touch the baby, and the younger the infant, the more true this is. Not every place you go will have a quiet room where you and baby can be alone, so you will have a lot more freedom as a new mom if you have the option of creating a private space for your baby that still allows you to interact with them while they nurse.

Older infants find rituals reassuring in strange places. You can use your drape to create a consistent ritual that your baby associates with nursing no matter where you are. Ian was quite young when he learned that that bright blue thing coming out of the diaper bag meant he was going to be okay very soon!

You can use the nursing shawl as a sun cover up for very young infants- this is particularly nice if you or your spouse are using one of those front packs on a sunny day. You can peek to see what baby is up to, and baby doesn’t get too many rays. My nursing shawl is a non-feminine color and was large enough to cover Bitty Ian completely when he was worn in the front-pack. He had a number of contented snoozes under there, including one which prompted a security guard as we entered the National Gallery to ask my husband to please unwrap his “parcel.” I’m not sure who was more startled- the security guard who was suddenly looking at our 2 month old, or my son, who suddenly woke up in a room full of people!

Your baby will learn to associate the nursing shawl with you, and it can function as a lovey when you need to be separated.

Last, but not, in my opinion, least- you can use it to protect baby if you eat while nursing. During those early days it can be hard to get a break, and unless you want to give up eating anything drippy or sticky or your baby enjoys baths, this thing can be trusted to keep the syrup out of baby’s ears!

Your baby might be totally opposed to the shawl, but as I say, it’s something to put in your arsenal. The more tricks you have access to, the less stress you’ll feel as a new mom, and really, it’s all about enjoying your new family member. (Or members if you are having multiples!)