Go read the Disclaimer again. I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. Seriously.

Nursing Gear

I am writing this at 6 weeks, and having learned about the 40 days hunkered down that is common to many cultures, and having the economic resources to hunker down, I've mostly stayed at home for the past 6 weeks.

When advice books are assembling equipment needed lists for breastfeeding and bottle feeding, there's a natural tendency to make the lists the same length. Which is, to put it baldly, really fucking stupid. What you need to breastfeed: a breast, a baby. Done. You don't even need two breasts; you certainly don't need a pump, bottles, bags to carry it around in, special bras, nursing pads, nursing tops, etc. Some number of these items might help you get through your life, but they are helpful gear the same way a boppy is helpful gear (which, incidentally, makes it onto precious few of those lists), and pillows are helpful gear, and someone to get you a drink and make you dinner are helpful. Whereas the list of equipment needed for bottle feeding is notably more complex. That said, useful nursing gear might include some of the following:

boppy, or other nursing pillow, such as My Brest Friend
glider rocker and glider ottoman
a table on each side of the rocker at a good height for eating, large enough to hold a bowl, a cup or glass, a book or magazine and a remote control
a laptop (note at five months:finally got one; wish I'd had it earlier)) and wireless network
someone to fetch things for you after you sit down to nurse
a kitchen full of great things to eat that can be prepped to eat and delivered to you in under 10 minutes)
a household in which regular chores (dishes, laundry) can be done quickly and easily, as they need to be done. For example, washer/dryer in the bathroom and a family that puts dirty laundry in that bathroom in an appropriate place to toss in the washer; ideally, a family that moves a load from the washer to the dryer when they go to the bathroom and notice it needs to be done. Ditto removing from the dryer, folding and putting away.
family members who sincerely think the nursing mother is beautiful (and, if appropriate, sexy) sitting around in little or no clothing nursing her baby -- and who frequently say so

I hope that in a few weeks or months, I'll be able to report that I figured out how to use a rebozo or sling well enough to nurse while walking. (As of six months: never happened.) So far, I'm forced to hold Teddy in my arms when I nurse him on the go. I'm able to hand express a little milk into a cup (and Teddy takes it willingly from me, in between nursing on the breast). Either I'll try to do that in greater quantity, or try out the manual pump I was given, in case I have to be away for more than two or three hours. (As of six months: I've done both, just to be away two hours reliably.) I'm in no way opposed to nursing discreetly, or using technology to make this whole process work well in the course of a larger life context. I just think it works better when I start simple and work my way up from there. You might find the same is true for you.

A perspective at 18 months

I am so very happy to still be nursing Teddy day and night. We can nurse standing up, sitting down, lying down. We can nurse while walking about 3 mph, without benefit of sling or other baby carrier. We work well together.

I stand by my gear list for nursing. Lansinoh and LilyPadz are pretty nice, tho. Bu in general, less gear is better when it comes to nursing, especially early on. Especially avoid bras or any other compressive clothing, and be very wary of baby carriers. If they compress breast tissue anywhere (including under your arms), you might get plugged ducts or mastitis.

Some comments on nursing clothing.

Baby Gear

Created February 5, 2006
Updated February 22, 2007