Pacifier Use In a Breastfeeding Baby

Isaac is a paci baby.  There is always a pacifier in his mouth, or very nearby!

Breastfeeding experts recommend waiting to introduce a pacifier until nursing is well established (six weeks or so).  I avoided giving Isaac a pacifier as long as I could, but must admit that I sent Ross on an emergency pacifier run at 10pm one night.  Isaac was screaming and would only quiet if he was sucking on my finger.  My finger was getting raw and the options were:  let him scream, or give him a pacifier!

I nurse on demand and pretty frequently.  Even so, I am mindful of being sure to feed him if he is hungry and not just "hold him off" with the pacifier.  Nursing when the baby is hungry is the best way to keep up my milk supply.  There are times though when he definitely just wants the pacifier, not me.

Another one of the reasons experts advise against pacifier use in the beginning is because it is so different than breastfeeding.  When a baby nurses, their lips should be flanged out like a fish.  When a baby sucks on a pacifier, they do so with lips closed straight down.  Soothie pacifiers are a bit different:

You can see in the photo above that Isaac's lips are flanged out as he uses this pacifier.  I will sometimes even fiddle with his lips and flip them out a bit more.  This helps protect the breastfeeding relationship and not confuse his suck.  Because of this, Soothies are the only pacifiers we use.

My older girls gave up their pacifiers around 9 months.  They both seemed to not really need them much at that point, so I took them away.  We never had any battles over it.  I even tried to give Julia back her pacifier once out of desperation and she wouldn't take it!  Isaac sure loves his.  Hopefully its not a struggle to take it away someday.  For now his little paci face is pretty cute!

This is not a product review.  I just way over-think everything, including pacifiers.  ;)

Undercover Mama

When I nursed my first baby, I wore the nursing tanks from Target constantly.  They covered my tummy when I nursed, but there was not much support in them.  I ended up looking kind of really flat.  Since then I've tried various nursing tops, but I usually end up getting frustrated with the baggy look and all of the layers.  I've enjoyed wearing belly band type things under my normal shirts, but then I'm still fiddling a bit to be sure the band is pulled all the way up before I lift my shirt.  I tried a milkshirt, but felt dorky and the seam kind of showed through my shirts.

Enter: Undercover Mama!  I recently got to try one of these out and really liked it.  Undercover Mama is a nursing shirt that attaches to your normal nursing bra.  When you unhook the bra to nurse, the tank unhooks right along with it, keeping your tummy covered of course.  I enjoyed being able to wear my regular nursing bra with this.  The shirt is just a bit stretchy and a great length.  A size small fit me well.  The top of the Undercover Mama shirt did show at the neckline if I was wearing a V-neck top, but that's fine.  I was worried the back of the shirt might fall down since it only attached at the bra strap in front, but it actually stayed in place just fine.

I used the loop to attach to my bras, but there is also a hook option on each shirt, making it quite versatile.  Having a couple of Undercover Mama shirts allows me to continue wearing my normal tops and eliminates the need for an expensive nursing wardrobe.  I'll definitely be purchasing at least one more before the new baby comes.  I think I need a pink one!  ;)

Would you like to win one?  To enter, do any of the following and leave one comment for each, being sure to include your email address so that I can contact you:
- follow my blog or email subscribe
- like Undercover Mama on Facebook
- follow Undercover Mama on Twitter
That's a total of three possible entries.  The giveaway will close November 7 at midnight and the winner will be contacted by email.  Happy Nursing!  :)
*Giveaway closed.*

Nursing Break

Esther is done nursing.  Around 13 weeks into my pregnancy it was just really uncomfortable.  While I loved being able to nurse her, I knew that we were at the end of our nursing days.  I cried and was upset, not because I love breastfeeding (I was ready for a break.), but because I felt bad for Esther, she's still my baby!  She actually did really well with stopping, and just needed a few extra snuggles with Daddy in the evenings when she was used to nursing to sleep.

Although I do not fit in it anymore, one of my favorite tops is this V-neck from Boob Nursing Wear.  I absolutely love the opening, so easy and no extra layers of fabric to mess with.  I've ended up getting rid of most of my other nursing tops in favor of this simple style.  (Just lift up the overlap part and nurse.)  I enjoy feeling like I am wearing a normal fitted shirt instead of baggy layers that many other nursing tops have.  The length on this one is also great, just a bit long, which is nice.
                                   
I posted about my nursing hoodie last fall - it was probably worn several times a week and it still looks great.  The fabric has held up perfectly.  (I'm going to cry... Esther is so tiny in that post!)  Both the hoodie and the v-neck shirt are size small.  The shirt is more fitted than the hoodie, almost tight, even before my belly started growing, so you may want to choose a size up in that one.  I'm sure these tops will be getting tons of use once our new little one arrives in a few months.  :)  Boob Nursing Wear is a great, high quality, functional choice for a nursing wardrobe!

I received the nursing top pictured above for review.  All opinions expressed are my own of course.

Milk Nursingwear

Milk Nursingwear is a new store offering nursing tops, dresses, and more.  They have a fun selection of colors and a nice variety of styles.  A great feature about their shop is that you can see photos of each item's nursing opening as well as a back view.  Most of their tops are solid colors, which make them versatile pieces to add to your wardrobe (add a Mommy Necklace and you're all set!).

I recently got to try out the knot-front top pictured above.  Unfortunately I chose a size small, and it was too big on me.  I wasn't thinking and washed it before trying it on, so I can't exchange it.  The top is big around the arm holes and just kind of baggy throughout.  If it were smaller, I'm sure this would be a great top.  The front pulls aside for easy nursing access.  This is a nice lightweight fabric that can be worn with jeans, or easily dressed up.

Check out Milk Nursingwear for more great selections!

Top 5 Nursing Essentials

So what do you need to get started breastfeeding a new little one?  Here are my top 5 picks for breastfeeding essentials:

1. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding - This a great reference book by La Leche League.  It is written in an easy to read format with tons of useful information.

2. Bravado Body Silk Seamless nursing bra - This is hands down my favorite nursing bra ever.  Its supportive, comfortable, and stylish.

3. Knickernappies Stay Dry nursing pads - These are a hundred times more comfortable than disposable nursing pads.  They don't leak, and they come in fun colors, what more can I say?

4. Mommy Necklace - You will definitely want one (or five!) of these.  A nursing necklace keeps baby interested while nursing and saves you from getting pinched and poked, all while making you look fabulous.

5- Momzelle or Boob brand nursing tops - I love the nursing opening on both of these brands.  Having a couple of basic nursing shirts in your wardrobe can really help you feel confident, especially nursing in public.

Honorable mentions: blush undershirt - makes any shirt a nursing shirt, sleep bra, nursing cover up or this one, earth mama angel baby nipple butter - so much softer than lanolin, milk saver - great for saving extra milk especially in the early days, pump - although I rarely use mine, nursing tank top

What would your top 5 be?  Am I forgetting anything?

This is not a sponsored post.  I did not receive any product in exchange for posting this.

Medela Sleep Bra Giveaway

Did you get a chance to read my review of the Medela Sleep Bra last month?  A sleep bra is one of my "must have" nursing items.  I wear one almost every night and still give two thumbs up to the Medela Sleep Bra I got to try out.

Today we are giving one away!  To enter, leave a comment here letting me know a favorite nursing memory.  Be sure to leave an email address where I can contact you.  If you are subscribed to my blog in some way or another you may leave a second comment letting me know that (for a second entry).  For a third entry become a Facebook fan of One Little Word She knew and leave a separate third comment letting me know that.  This makes a total of three possible entries.  I'll close the giveaway on the 26th at midnight.  Good luck!

Moboleez Breastfeeding Hat - Giveaway!

Esther is at the stage where she kicks and fights a nursing cover.  Its kind of like trying to put a blanket over a monkey.  Arms, boobs, and milk go flying everywhere.  Often its more discreet to just nurse her without a cover.  I've recently discovered MoBoleez breastfeeding hats though and have been enjoying mine.

Instead of a nursing cover, the baby wears the hat while nursing.  I found the hat to be plenty big enough and it covers Esther and I well.  If she sits up or turns her head at all I am uncovered, but I just quickly pull my shirt down.  I really like not being under a big nursing tent and enjoy the privacy it adds while nursing.

MoBoleez Breastfeeding Hats come in all sorts of fun colors.  Esther and I got to review the Tropical Tiles hat.  This one is reversible to a plain brown side.  The hat (not the brim) is stretchy, so it stays on Esther's head nicely and doesn't slip off.  Its a bit too floppy for her to really wear it as a hat though, it kept falling down in her face.  I just keep it in the diaper bag and slip it on her when its time to nurse.  I do still love my nursing cover for the early days, but this is a fun alternative.

Would you like to win one?  MoBoleez is giving one winner a hat of your choice!  They just ask that the winner post a little review on their Facebook page saying what you think of the hat/ design/ idea/ etc.

To enter the giveaway check out the MoBoleez site and let me know which hat you would choose.  If you are a confirmed email subscriber of my blog (or become one), leave an extra comment for a second entry.  Be sure to include an email address or have it enabled in your profile.  I'll close the giveaway on October 1 at midnight.  Good luck!

Giveaway now closed.  Random.org picked comment #1 :)

Nursing Dress Pattern

I figured out how to sew my own nursing dress!  It was very simple to do and turned out wonderfully.  I used some pre-smocked material from Field's Fabrics for the top part.  The bottom is just a regular printed fabric that I picked up to match.

I think I used 1 yard of the black and 1.5 yards of the print.  You'll just have to hold the fabric up around you and take a guess how much you'll need.  If you are planning to make straps out of the same fabric, allow some extra material.  You could also use a thick ribbon for the straps instead.

The printed material is actually like a skirt that comes all the way up to about 2 inches below the top of the black.  Below is a picture of the dress inside out so you can see how it works.  It is not attached across the front.  It is sewn in about 5 places across the back.  There is a little 1/2 inch seam up and down on either side of my hand and in three other places.  (I didn't want to sew straight across the back because I needed to allow the elastic to stretch.)

Are you confused yet?  To nurse, you just lift the smocked part up and pull the skirt part down.

After washing and drying the material, I made one seam down the black smocked fabric.  This makes it into a tube top.

Hem the bottom of your skirt material and make one seam up  the back.  Around the top, make a casing for elastic.  I used a lightweight cotton elastic that was pretty stretchy.  Try this on and adjust the elastic so that its tight, but has room to stretch.  Remember that you will be tacking this to the smocked part to make it stay up, so it doesn't have to be too tight.

Make some straps and have someone help you pin them to the smocked top in the right places.  You will want to wear your favorite bra to be sure that straps cover it nicely.  Sew on the straps and tack the skirt to the top across the back (be sure to line up the seams).  You're done!  If you have any questions please ask and I'll be happy to help.

While you're at it, make your little cutie a skirt!

Note: I found the smocked fabric at Field's Fabrics.  It came in several different colors, but is probably a seasonal item.  They also had printed sundress material that you could do the same thing with.  You would just have to cut it right below the smocked part and hem it before you begin following these directions.

I'd love see pictures if this inspires you to make one.  Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to check back soon for more breastfeeding related reviews and giveaways.  :)

linked to Made By You Monday, Fabric Tuesday, Lucky Linky Tuesday, Works For Me Wednesday, Trendy Treehouse Creative Share, Its So Very Cheri, We Did It Wednesday, Making It With Allie

Bravado Designs Nursing Tank

Another great breastfeeding item to have in your closet is a nursing tank!  Bravado Designs makes these in some really cute colors.  I'm totally a pink girl and this shade of pink is perfect.  Julia keeps complimenting me on this whenever I wear it, I think she's a pink girl too.  

Nursing tanks are quite versatile.  In the summer I wear mine as a shirt or to bed as pajamas.  In cooler weather I wear it under another top or with a zipper type jacket over it.  The flat clip on this one makes it less obvious that its a nursing top.  The straps and edging have a shiny finish, which is a fun detail.  

I haven't quite mastered closing it with one hand and having to use both hands can be a bit tricky when holding a squirmy Esther baby.  I also would love if these were available with a foam cup or something in them.  I'm so small I need that extra help, lol.  The bra inside is nice though and goes all the way around.  I like the nice length of the tank also.

Have you checked out the Bravado Designs website lately?  They've completely redone it with lots of breastfeeding information and blogs / stories of nursing moms you can follow.  (This one is hilarious.)  While you're there, check out the Body Silk Seamless nursing bra's new bright pink color!  Is it silly that I want that for my birthday?

Disclosure: I received this nursing tank for review from Bravado Designs.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are honest and my own.

Majamas Nursing Top on Sale

I just got this cute Majamas nursing top on sale from Diapers.com  Its on sale for $41.99 - 27% off!  If you've never ordered from Diapers.com before you can use the code ONEWORD to get 15% off your entire order, which would make this an even better deal.

I'll post a review once I've worn and used the top several times, but I wanted to let you know about this while it is still on sale.  I'm not sure how long the sale will last.  I will say that it runs small, I normally buy a size small but I ordered a medium and it fits well.  You can see their size chart here (click on the image to make it bigger).  The fabric is stretchy and it feels great on.  Just pull aside the front to nurse.

This top comes in other colors and other Majamas products are on sale as well.  Check it out and don't forget your code ONEWORD for 15% off.  :)

If you order with my code I will receive a referral credit.  Thanks!

Boob Nursing Tops

...are the best!  I absolutely love the openings and how easy it is to nurse in these tops.  I recently got to try out two of them, a tank top and a long sleeve shirt.

Both are comfortable and have gotten lots of use.  I love not having to fumble with layers of clothing and search for a hidden opening.  To nurse, simply lift up the overlap.  The first time I was introduced to Boob Nursing Wear was through a friend.  I was literally amazed that a nursing top could be so simple and so functional.  Here is a photo of the opening:

When I am wearing a Boob Nursing shirt, I feel like I am wearing a normal top.  Other types of shirts that contain several layers can be baggy because you have to be able to lift the top layer all the way up.  Sorry, no head in that photo, I'm sick right now and didn't want my face in the photo!  The color brown isn't quite as washed out as this picture makes it appear either.

There is a cute little "Boob" tag on the side of the shirts.  The tank top also says "Boob" on the back right at the neckline, which is a little more obvious.  I did decide not to wear this top to a church get together because of that.  I have another tank from them that doesn't have the logo on the back, so not all of their shirts are like this.  I do love the shirt, and have worn it a ton this summer.  Note: My contact at Boob Design let me know that upcoming productions do not have the screen print logo on the back.

The hoodie is nice and lightweight.  It actually has a fleece lining just over the chest area.  I'm excited for cooler weather so that I can wear this top more often!  The color is the perfect shade of pink and I feel great wearing this.  (Not to mention that it perfectly matches one of my Mommy Necklaces...)

I love my Boob Nursing tops!

I was sent these two tops for review.  No other compensation was received and all opinions expressed are my own.

Medela Sleep Bra Review

Esther is 8 months old already!  She is still nursing frequently and eating some solid foods here and there.  She is not a big fan of baby food, so we just give her small pieces of our food or big things to suck on (like a carrot or apple slice).  I am still the main source of her nutrition though.  Coming up, I'm going to be focusing on some breastfeeding related reviews.

A while back Medela sent me one of their sleep nursing bras for review.  A sleep bra is a a nursing mom's necessity.  I wear either this or a nursing tank top to sleep every night.  I still need to wear nursing pads, so the sleep bra is a good way to keep those in place without being too tight.  A bra that is too tight or that is worn for too long can put pressure on the milk ducts and cause plugged ducts or even mastitis.  Switching to a comfortable bra in the evening is a must!

I am normally around a size 34 B and the small fits.  Its a bit small in the straps and rides up in the back a bit, I'd say these run a bit small.  It is super easy to pull aside the cup to nurse. I've worn and washed this many times now and the bra is holding its shape well.  Its available in nude, white, and limited edition blue.

Do you wear a sleep bra at night?  Are there other breastfeeding must-haves that you can think of?  I'll be chatting about some of my favorites this week, so stay tuned!

Thanks Medela for sending me the sleep bra to review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Best Nursing Pads Ever!

I have tried many different nursing pads:

Cotton washable pads = a joke.  Ha.  Nice try being green, not in this area I guess.  I soaked through them in 5 minutes and had to change my bra, my shirt, and the baby.

I ended up using Avent disposable nursing pads and went through boxes and boxes of them.  They bunched up over a day and kind of stuck to me and were not nice, but I didn't leak through them.  Other disposable nursing pads weren't any better and many of them were too big for me.  Some crinkled and made me feel like I was wearing a disposable diaper in my shirt.

Towards the end of my nursing days with Julia I found LANA wool pads.  I think I actually breathed a sigh of relief putting them on.  They were so soft and I wore them constantly.  Until I had Esther and started leaking through them.

I may have found perfection in Knickernappies stay dry nursing pads.  I've been using them with great success since Esther was born.  They are soft fleece on the inside and waterproof PUL on the outside.  The inner layer is hemp, which is antimicrobial and super absorbent.  These are not bulky at all.  I'm thrilled to have a reusable, soft, stay dry nursing pad that I love!

I get mine from Abbys Lane (look here for more retailers).  At $3.25 a pair, with free shipping and 5% off for joining the yahoo group, you can buy one of each color.  :)  If its your first order from Abby's Lane, tell them I sent you (christy.vw@gmail.com).

I received one pair of nursing pads for the review.  I already loved them before that though.  ;)

Mommy Necklaces

I love, love, love my Mommy Necklaces! A Mommy Necklace is a safe necklace for mom to wear and baby to play with. They are made with a special breakaway clasp so that if baby tugs hard enough, it will simply pop apart rather than breaking and spilling beads everywhere. The beads are tested for lead and phthalates, and sourced in the USA.

Mommy Necklaces were originally invented as nursing necklaces, something for baby to fiddle with while nursing. This keeps baby nursing longer and helps stop pinching and fiddling - Esther loves to play with my necklaces while she nurses. Even if I'm just carrying her around, she usually has a tight hold of it. Lately I've been wearing my Mommy Necklaces every day to avoid being scratched (and of course to look cute and stylish!).

Luckily they have lots of styles and designs to choose from. Check out their website to see the options. I love that the necklaces look great with a t-shirt and jeans or can be a stylish accessory to a fancy dress. On their Facebook page, they frequently have giveaways, sales, and even exclusive designs. Raelynn (the mom behind Mommy Necklaces) is a good friend of mine, she has amazing customer service and does a wonderful job with her business. I'm always impressed with the new designs she comes up with and how much heart she pours into her work.

If you'd like to order a Mommy Necklace you can use the code "ChristyVW" for 10% off. This code is good for first time buyers only, and is a personal referral code so please don't share it elsewhere. If you're local, I have a few 15% off coupons I can give you, just let me know if you'd like one.

Disclaimer - I did not receive anything for this review. I just love Mommy Necklaces and wanted to share! If you use the discount code, I will receive a small amount of reward points.

Accomplishments

Several people have asked me recently how nursing is going and I realized I hadn't updated here about this. After Esther was born I shared some of my struggles - tongue tie, sore cracked bleeding nipples, extremely painful nursing sessions, mastitis, using a nipple shield, and wanting to give up. Continuing on with nursing during those first weeks was sooo hard. After sharing here that Esther had her tongue tie clipped and was using the shield, I didn't have much to update.

Using the nipple shield was frustrating because I didn't know how else to try and help her and I hated that we still weren't nursing right. Having her tongue tie clipped had made our sessions less painful and the shield was helping me start to heal. Esther struggled to nurse without the shield though and wasn't used to the milk flowing right into her mouth (the shield slowed the milk flow for her). Even with the shield she would make a clicking noise and loose the suction constantly, not using her tongue properly. I tried some tongue exercises with her, letting her suck on my finger for a minute and then pressing down on her tongue and slowly pulling my finger from her mouth. We tried without the shield from time to time, but it just didn't work.

I'm not really sure what happened other than tincture of time. Esther's little mouth grew bigger and she was able to latch on better. Eventually I decided we were ready and just committed myself to not using the shield for a whole day. She was struggling and not relaxing while she nursed, but we kept trying and made it all night and the next day without the shield. At one point she was fussy and I decided to put the shield back on, but she didn't like it. I didn't quite know what to do then! I had a baby who didn't want to nurse with the shield or without it. She ended up nursing without the shield.

An interesting note is that just before she finally weaned from the shield, we took her to a chiropractor/ kinesiologist. He adjusted her back and neck, to the point that she could visibly turn her head much better than before. Within a couple of days after her adjustment she also stopped projectile vomiting. She had been spitting up - a HUGE spit up at least once or twice a day allll over the place. I would have to change my clothes, her clothes, and wipe up the floor, the couch, and anything else in sight every time. She completely stopped. I think that the adjustment also may have helped our progress toward getting rid of the shield.

Just before she turned three months old, we were finally shield free. Its been a couple of weeks now and Esther nurses perfectly - well, except that she likes to turn her head to see what her sisters are doing while still trying to nurse. She also likes to smile at me while nursing and plays games with me, latching on for a second and then smiling. I love it. I love that we stuck it out. I told Ross that I needed a prize, this is such a huge hard difficult thing that I accomplished. I am definitely proud of myself and my prize is sleeping on the couch beside me while I type this. She is a sweet little baby, very content and easy going. She smiles easily and is great at snuggling. I love you baby Esther.

Motherwear Nursing Swimsuit

Isn't this place gorgeous? Our whole family got to go on a mini vacation this weekend to a La Leche League conference in Northern Michigan. We attended sessions, roasted marshmallows over a bonfire, and swam in an indoor pool. Even just sleeping in a hotel bed is super exciting to my girls so they had a blast. Lucy says her favorite part was swimming in the pool.

Motherwear graciously sent me a nursing swimsuit to try out and review! I definitely needed a new swimsuit. My others were two piece, and well, you don't want to see my post baby tummy right now. I was also looking for something I could comfortably nurse in. I searched everywhere online looking for nursing swimsuits. Some of them made me laugh. Overall there weren't many to choose from. The best selection I found was at Motherwear. They have a few different ones and three color choices. I got to try out the Goddess Tank Suit in Brown with Pink Dots.

I absolutely love the color. It doesn't show up well in these photos, but in person the pink dots are nice and bright. I really like the fit of this suit as well. The gathered tummy hides my post partum pouch a bit. I got a small and it is a tiny bit big in the cup size but still works fine. The swimsuit has a support bra built in with lightly padded cups. I was able to wear my nursing pads with this and I like that it gave me some shape instead of flattening me out. To nurse, just pull over the top layer to reveal openings. I like that I don't have to worry about how I will nurse my baby, its easily accessible.

I am sure this swimsuit will get lots of use over the summer and will last for several years. If you're looking for a nursing swimsuit, check out the options at Motherwear. I have a few pieces of clothing from them as well, including the dress I recently wore to a wedding. Their items are high quality and stylish. Sign up for a free catalog and check out their Facebook page for sales. Thanks Motherwear!