Breastfeeding: Round Two + Ameda Purely Yours Review and GIVEAWAY!

    Aahhh breastfeeding. The most natural and occasionally controversial subject among mothers of newborns. Are you? Aren't you? How's it going? How often does he eat? What do you do if...? Are you supplementing? The conversation can go on and on and trust me it's been a daily subject of conversation for me since September 29th. Jonah and I didn't have the best nursing relationship.  So, this time I felt it'd be a little easier as long as things were "normal" when Ezra was born. I was surprised right after his birth at how much I'd forgotten and how natural it felt at the same time. 

From day one, Ezra has fought latching. This has just now started to improved over the last week. He's very aggressive (because I can't think of another way to describe it) and cannot figure out how to get his hands out of the way. The first week, every time I fed him, my husband had to hold his hands. This somehow led to my breasts becoming VERY sore, cracking, splitting, and bleeding. I have cried more tears over this pain and frustration than I expected. Thankfully though, my milk came in quickly and I found myself able to grit my teeth and make it through each feeding. I am here to say that breastfeeding is NOT easy. Yes, for most, it gets easier but I would never expect there not to be challenges in the beginning. So, I just wanted to share some things that have helped me over the past few weeks, tell you how much I like my new pump, and provide some support for new nursing moms. 

Must haves for breastfeeding

1. A comfy place to sit where most nursing needs are within your reach. I set up our glider to me my go-to nursing spot for those first weeks and have most of the following within reach when I'm sitting there.

2. A water jug. I always have to have something to drink within reach. 

3. A nursing pillow. I love My Brest Friend for these early days. Breastfeeding can kill your back and neck. It really supports your back and puts baby in a good position. I still use my Boppy in certain settings too though and love having it around. 

4. A note pad to track intake and output. This is hard to track and not necessary for some nursing moms, but in the beginning it really helps, especially when those challenges arise. Ezra began to lose weight after he was a week old, so this was very valuable for me.

5. Comfort products such as lanolin, hot and cold packs and  ComfortGel Pads which have been a life saver for me due to the cracking I mentioned earlier. They are a bit pricey but worth it. They have really kept me from re-injuring between feedings. 

6. A good electric double pump, like the Ameda Purely Yours pump. 

When my milk first came in, having a pump was invaluable to me, an over supply can be very painful, BUT I can't stand the thought of that milk going to waste! After a few more days, I got a plugged duct (which can turn into mastitis pretty easily) and was able to nurse and pump through it. On the plus side it gives you a little extra while you are working on regulating your supply. We've been up and down a lot! So, I haven't incorporated a regular pumping time to work on my stash for when I go back to work just yet, but have been pumping here and there. 

The Purely Yours Pump by Ameda works really well. It's quiet for an electric pump and smaller than the pump I used in the past. The suction is great. I've only barely turned it up at this point - not even close to the half way point. I love how it has dials to increase suction and speed, so they can both be increased gradually. 

My favorite part of this pump is that it holds the bottles. No juggling bottles or risking spills. You can simply set each bottle down right into the pump without losing a drop of that liquid gold.

I will be using this baby for hopefully months to come! PLUS Ameda has been nice enough to offer a pump to a Behind the Camera and Dreaming reader. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

oh and one more thing on my list..

7. Someone to talk to about struggles that come about when starting to breast feed your baby! Please reach out if there's no one in your life that has been through the experience resently. I'd love to cheer you on or just commiserate in our struggles.

Ameda sent me this pump for review. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. 

Remember to check your insurance plans for coverage of pumps.