Before he was born, I didn't have any expectations for how I would feed Caleb. While so many people are passionate about breastfeeding, I wasn't/still am not. Yes, it is great and probably the best source of nutrition if it's possible. But it's not always possible, so I really hate touting it and shaming mom's who can't/don't/choose not to breastfeed. I approached nursing the same way I approached labor and delivery- whatever is best for my baby. I was prepared to nurse if it worked out, pump, or do all formula if Caleb needed it.
That being said, Caleb has been a great nurser from birth. We never had any problems and I never experienced any of the toe-curling pain so many moms had warned me about. I am so grateful for this and know that it is totally luck of the draw, so I don't pretend to have any secrets to share! I did get mastitis when Caleb was about two weeks old, but never experienced any pain- just a really high fever/flu like symptoms. Outside of that, it's been a pretty easy 10 months of nursing {we'll stop when he's a year old. I'm ok not nursing a toddler + he eats SO much food, he's getting plenty of nutrients}.
Even being a great nurser, Caleb has always been on the small side. He's stayed around the 20% for weight and height, but around 4 months he dipped to the 9th percent. Our doctor wasn't worried at all, because he was staying really proportional and eating great. At the same appointment, she let us know we could start solids if we wanted. I know some people wait until 6 months, but since Caleb seemed like he could use the extra calories and all other signs pointed to him being ready- we started solids a little after 4 months.
Since he's always been a great nurser, I shouldn't have been surprised at what a great eater he is overall. He LOVES food. All kinds. We haven't found a food he dislikes and most meals end because we're simply out of food for him. He is a bottomless pit! He is also really great at feeding himself, so while we did purees for a couple months- we quickly added in finger foods and by 9 months were doing that almost exclusively.
SO. With those backstories, here are our favorite things to help with feeding! I'm breaking it down into separate nursing and solids categories.
nursing::
Boppy
// This seems to be a new-mom registry staple, and I understand why. It's just so convenient to have when nursing! I used this really consistently for the first couple of months and would recommend it to everyone. Justin also loved our boppy and used it all the time when he snuggled with Caleb as a newborn! Sidenote: I hated all the affordable covers I could find {there are super cute, pricey ones on Etsy!} but found this
and love it!disposable nursing pads// I tried a few different brands, but found Medela
was my favorite. They're perfect for preventing any embarrassing leaks, but also just for comfort in those first few weeks when you're just a little sensitive and need a little buffer! Unfortunately, Medela has changed the design of them and I don't love the new design as much {more bulky and noticeable under clothing}, but that's ok because I only needed them for the first couple of months. I'm on the hunt for any left in the old design so I can stock up for future babies! {I found some of the old style here!}Lansinoh
// Like I mentioned above, I never had any problems with pain while nursing or surrounding it. I didn't have any cracking or bleeding or any of the horror stories people mentioned. But my sister included this in a little care package she brought to the hospital when Caleb was born, so I started using it before and after each nursing session just in case. I think it definitely helped!burp // I love making burp cloths for friends, but got lazy when it came to making some for my own baby. Instead, I bought a package of cloth diapers and have used them like crazy as burp cloths. Caleb was a HUGE spitter {and always happy about it!}, so we went through at least one of this at each feeding. They also come in handy when pumping so that I don't make a mess.
pump
// I have this model, because it is the one that my insurance provided me. All health insurance is now mandated to provide a free hospital grade breast pump to all new moms! {besides military insurance, but they provide other great benefits!}. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS! Even if you don't necessarily plan to pump much or go back to work or leave your baby, you will want to pump if you ever leave the house for more than a couple of hours and IT'S FREE! I know some people use manual pumps, but that seems silly to me because you pay for insurance and they have to offer you a free electric pump, why wouldn't you take advantage of that?? But anyways. Since I stay home with Caleb full time, he doesn't need tons of bottles. Just in case, I started pumping when he was about a month old and did so every morning until he was about 7 months old. As you can imagine, I have quite freezer supply built up! But it's great to know I can leave for a week or more and not have to worry!cover// Since Caleb came a bit early, I didn't get a chance to pick up a nursing cover and used light weight swaddle blankets at first. They were ok, but I hated that they fell down or I had to keep adjusting them so I felt like I wasn't giving anyone a peep show. And then I found this super affordable, lightweight one. Its by far the best one I've seen! {even better than the trendy nursing infinity scarves}
solids::
Nuby Spoons
// I picked up these spoons before we started solids and love love loved how they showed me the temperature! I was nervous at first about food being too hot for him, so these were great for putting my mind at ease. Plus the soft tip made feeding easy.bowls
// These are by far my favorite bowl for baby food, especially since I make my own. They deeper and wider than most baby bowls and are so affordable {isn't everything at ikea affordable?}ice cue trays
// Just because it's fun for me, I have the time, and it really does save money- I've made most of Caleb's baby food. Making purees in big batches, freezing in ice cube trays, and storing in freezer bags is the method that worked best for me.Foodii
// I've used ice cube trays for about 90% of my baby food storage. But when I saw this easy pouch system on Zulilly and had a $15 credit to use- I ordered on for free. It's actually really convenient and easy to use! I also like that it takes up really little storage space {unlike the popular squeeze station} and the pouches could be used for pumped milk storage, too!Ella's pouches
// When we're on the go, we've found that it's great to have food on hand to keep Caleb busy. This brand is my favorite!highchair
// We used our Bumbo for a hot minute when we started solids, but quickly transitioned to our highchair. And I LOVE our highchair. It's a bit fancy and was a total registry splurge, but it's been awesome. Bonus? It grows with the baby and can transition from highchair to booster seat and eventually into a chair for an adult!
