Nursing Survival Kit

I am so thankful that as I was preparing to become a mother, I was surrounded by excellent support. My family members, neighbors, and other friends were all so willing to help, advise, and encourage me. What a blessing!

One area that I felt particularly well-supported in was breastfeeding. It was so important to me to be able to nurse Laurel, and it is my prayer that I will be able to also nurse this new baby and any others the Lord may send along in the future. For so many reasons, it was a REALLY big deal to me to be successful at nursing, and I was committed to making it work.

Once breastfeeding was well-established and I felt like I could relax about it :), I made a list of items that were helpful to me in getting started nursing. As friends of mine who I knew planned to breastfeed had babies after Laurel was born, I started giving them items from my list as a way of supporting and encouraging their efforts.

I have two dear friends who are currently expecting their first babies (one is due just a few weeks ahead of me, and the other just a few weeks behind me! So fun!). I was unable to attend the baby showers these girls had recently, but I still wanted to celebrate the babies on the way, and try to set up my friends up for success with breastfeeding.

I am excited to share the "Nursing Survival Kits" I put together as gifts for these friends, Bethany and Holly. I took pictures as I assembled the kits before mailing them off-- I think they turned out to be very cute! I had so much fun putting these kits together and being able to share with my friends something that is important to me and close to my heart.

It is my hope that the items in each kit with help my friends get started well with nursing and will take some of the stress out of what can be a very challenging undertaking. My prayer for them is that these kits - as well as help and support from their own families and friends- will help them to not only SURVIVE nursing their babies, but enjoy it, too!

The kits had 6 items that were identical, and then each one had one additional item specific to the recipient. Here are the items I included:

• Bottom left: washable nursing pads. (The ones in the kits were handmade by my very talented Momma. :) Similar product here.) I wore at least one pair of these (and sometimes 2 or 3 at a time!) every single day for probably the first 9 months of Laurel's life. They are essential.
• Top left: small laundry bag. This is great to clip onto a hanger and hang above your laundry basket. Then, as the washable nursing pads are used, you just toss them in, zip up the bag, and wash them without having to worry about losing any.
• Top, second from left: The Nursing Mother's Companion book. This is probably the single most important item in the kits. This book is SO helpful!! I read it cover to cover while pregnant with Laurel, and referred back to it very regularly throughout the entire year she was nursing. It has great troubleshooting ideas for when challenges arise and baby's needs/patterns change. I seriously cannot recommend this book strongly enough!
• Bottom, second from left: lanolin cream. What a lifesaver! This cream is great for cracks, chapped skin, soreness, etc. It soothes and heals, and can be used on baby's skin as well; it is a great protector against diaper rash. 
• Bottom, second from right: nursing cover. It is very nice to be able to have a little privacy when nursing, especially when baby is tiny and you are working on positioning at each nursing session. A nursing cover makes nursing on the go MUCH more convenient. 
• Top, second from right: large water bottle with a straw (similar product here). Women who are breastfeeding are THIRSTY. And I mean THIRSTY!! One thing a nursing woman needs at all times is a large cup or bottle of water that she can drink with one hand while holding baby.
• (Top right: the cute box I put all of Bethany's items into! Sadly, Holly had to get a plain USPS box as I only had one that was the right size for the kit. Sorry, Hol!)
• Middle right: my list of other helpful items-- see end of this post.
• Additional for Bethany: "Total Baby" iPhone app. I have not used this app, as I am not an iPhone owner, but I have heard and read great things about it! It sounds so handy: it keeps track of 14 different baby-related details such as nursing (time, side, duration), diapers, sleep, doctor visits, etc. Makes me want to get an iPhone just so I don't have to write all of that down in a binder. :)
• Additional for Holly: soothing gel nursing pads. I packed a pair of these in my hospital bag, and plan to do so again. In the first few days getting started with nursing they were SO NICE! I applied Lanolin directly to these pads for extra relief.

 Above: Bethany's kit, all wrapped and ready to go! Below: Holly's kit, also wrapped and ready to go!

Finally, the last thing I included in the kits was a list of other items that I found to be helpful during nursing. (It is by no means comprehensive!) Most of these items are either perishable or very large-- that's why they weren't included in the kits.

• A comfortable place to sit, such as a rocker, glider, or well-supported spot on the couch or bed.
• A Boppy or other nursing pillow. Eventually you don't need it, but SUPER helpful with a newborn. A stack of pillows works in a pinch, as well.
• Burp cloths. LOTS of burp cloths. Great for spit up, dribbles, and leaks. I made sure I had 2 on hand at all times.
• Snacks. Some of my favorite snacks while nursing: granola bars, almonds, trail mix, fruit...anything with protein and/or fiber that you can eat with one hand.
• Ensure shakes. Sounds crazy, but these are GREAT when you need calories right now! We kept a 6-pack in our fridge for the first couple of weeks after Laurel was born so either of us could grab one when needed. (The last thing I was thinking about as a sleep-deprived, thirsty, ravenous, brand new nursing mother was cooking a healthy breakfast!)
• Frozen corn or peas. These make terrific ice packs during engorgement and are reusable (but only as ice packs, not as side dishes. :)
• Magazines and books. To help pass the time when nursing, say, 14 times a day for an average of 20 minutes per session.
• Your phone. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to text and call people while nursing! A great way to pass the time, get help or encouragement, and stay connected to life outside of your home and new baby.
• Pregnancy tests. This is something I DID NOT have in my own nursing survival kit (obviously!!). This time around, though, I plan to take one of these each month...you know, just in case. :)