The 2 Best Breastfeeding Products: Boob #1 and Boob #2

...and believe me, you'll need both, because one will inevitably make more milk than the other or your baby will choose a favorite.

When I had Baby T, I was armed with breastfeeding products: A boppy, nursing bras, nursing pads, nursing tops, a double electric pump and a hand pump, several different types of bottles, a bottle drying rack, a Milkmate storage system for expressed breast milk, quick clean wipes for the pump, a steam-cleaning bag for the pump, breastmilk storage bags, and Lansinoh.

When I had Baby M, I had boob #1 and boob #2.

It's not that I didn't need everything the second time around, it's just that I was too busy to bother.

Breastfeeding: Relaxing or Multitasking?

The reality of a nursing corner: More work, less play

When I had Baby T, I had this vision of breastfeeding that entailed a breastfeeding “corner,” complete with a pitcher of water, books, comfy pillows, and someone feeding me grapes. And then I brought Baby T home and reality hit. Baby T was a puker. When I sat down to nurse him, I inevitably ended up covered in vomit. And I had to get up at least three times to get burp cloths, towels, and other equally absorbent items.

I vascillated between trying to get things done and wanting to be on a babymoon. I felt guilty turning on the TV and accosting Baby T’s innocent ears with inane babble. But I wanted to keep in touch with friends and work, so I would post on facebook one-handed at 3 A.M. I wanted to prove I could do it all, and I didn’t ask for help very often.

Ten Uses for Nursing Pads

Now that I'm making my own nursing pads, I don't really have a use for the flat Gerber nursing pads I had been using. So I've come up with some other uses for them.

*I have actually tried the ones starred with an asterisk.

1. *Coaster
2. *To stop your door from banging in the doorjamb
3. Clean the grime on the inside of your windshield
4. Shoe insert (for the ball of your foot in high heeled shoes that are too big for you.)
5. Hot mitt for a hot cup of coffee
6. *Wipe mildew out of your shower when you run out of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers
7. *Pincushion
8. Eye patch for your Halloween pirate costume
9. *Trace it when you need to draw a perfect circle
10. Seed starter

Perfecting the Nursing Pad

I don't know why it didn't occur to me earlier to make cloth nursing pads. Probably because I had gotten a few bagloads from my sister, and bought some more boxes of nursing pads with an awesome coupon I had early on, so I had plenty to go around. I didn't love any of them... the Lansinoh and Medela ones were great in terms of absorbency. They soaked up liquid like a sponge. They are contoured so they fit well, but they have an adhesive tab that you peel off so they stick to the inside of your bra. When is the last time you tried to stick something fairly non-sticky to fabric? Then, add the fact that there is moisture in there, plus, you're flapping your bra cups down every time you feed your baby. They didn't stay put, and they would get so contorted and misshapen every time I pulled my bra down to nurse, that it would take minutes with my hand down the neck of my shirt, gumby-style, trying to get everything back in place. Or possibly worse, forgetting to reposition the pad, so there would be an odd growth-like lump on my chest for the rest of the day.

The Gerber pads were much cheaper, and I went through a few boxes of those, but they are flat discs. If you put a flat disc on your breast and try to wear a t-shirt or any kind of fitted shirt with smooth fabric, it is going to look like you have 2 small saucers for breasts. This was no exception.

So now that I am:
A). running out of my nursing pad stash
B). am no longer edging out the super soaker as a favorite summer toy
C). am drowning in ideas for things I can sell in my Etsy store

I decided to make nursing pads. Well, it wasn't my idea, actually. A friend challenged me to make some. She is my rat. My monkey. My guinea pig. I spent 2 days putting together different combinations of fabrics, in different shapes, and stuffing them in my shirt. I wanted the pads to be absorbent, but I also hated having to always wear 2 or 3 layers (a camisole, tank top, and t-shirt) every time I left the house because otherwise my nursing pads would show.

I thought I had it down, and sent a few to my guinea pig, when she proceeded to tell me that they soaked up about as much moisture as a tissue. So it was back to the drawing board, and adding some more padding actually helped smooth the pads out and make them less noticeable under shirts. My favorite have a lush velvet exterior. The plush velvet helps the pad not to touch your clothing, so even if the outer layer gets wet, it will keep the moisture away from your shirt. And they are so sexy, I might just have to tape them on and wear them to some holiday parties.