I'm a Medela Mommy #MedelaParty

Breastfeeding is such a magical bonding experience between you and your baby. Breastfeeding did not come easy to me because Tyler was a preemie. Once we both finally got comfortable with it we learned that he was Neutropenic. The doctors put him on blood cell replacement therapy and encouraged me to continue breastfeeding him for as long as I could. Tyler had many long hospital stays at CHOC which made it very hard to continue nursing. When he would be very sick and on oxygen he would only take such a small amount of milk. I would have to pump frequently to keep my milk flow strong for times when he was not in the hospital. I ended up having to pump my breast milk 4x a day and I became very close with my Medela breast pump too. As I began to part with Tyler's baby items I could not bear to part with my pump.

I ended up nursing Tyler for almost two years and my pump is still in brand new working condition. There are many benefits to breastfeeding your child:

• It helps you to develop a strong bond with your baby
• It helps your uterus return to pre-pregnancy size more quickly
• You burn a lot of calories (hence it help me to lose most of the 80lbs. I gained)
• Nursing helps your body to produce relaxing hormones
• Reduces your risk of developing premenopausal breast cancer
• Reduces the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancers
• Reduces the risk of developing Type-II diabetes

There are also a lot of benefits to the entire family! Breastfeeding can help your family:

• Depending on the cost of formula and how much your baby needs you can save $43.86 to $194.22 in formula costs within the first month alone
• Breastfeeding also helps save on health care costs as breastfeeding  infants typically get fewer colds and fevers.

Ella nursing her baby while I nursed Tyler

If you are having a baby soon and planning on nursing we have some great basics to help you! When breastfeeding is going well it will make your life so easy. It is important to not get discouraged easily if breastfeeding is not going well in the beginning. If you are struggling seek help from your local hospital or doctor. There are so many resources to help make breastfeeding and enjoyable experience for both you and your baby!

How often should I breastfeed?

• Your baby should feed 8 ore more times in a 24 hour period
• Don't get discouraged if your baby wants to nurse a lot in the first month. It is normal for babies to want to nurse a lot more within that first month of life.
• If you allow your baby to nurse as long as he/she needs your body will adjust and produce the right amount of milk for your baby.

When I nursed I had the large Pump in Style pump that I used at home. I also used the Swing pump that I took with me to doctors appointments and while Tyler was on hospital stays. Although I did not use the Swing pump as much, it still came in handy of the two years. (Can you believe I still have the original box?)

When nursing you will also want to invest in lots of lanolin, pads and sanitary bags. These will be lifesavers and key to helping you be successful in nursing.

If you are nervous about whether you will be able to know if your baby is getting enough milk there are easy ways to tell. 

• The most important thing to do is watch your babies diapers!
• After the first week your baby should have at least 6 wet diapers every 24 hours. If your baby is not having wet diapers you should contact your doctor immediately!
• One thing I worried about when I started nursing Tyler was that he had a soiled diaper almost every time I nursed him. I panicked and ran him into the doctor just to learn that this was totally normal.

I wish you all the best of luck nursing. I hope that you have just as special of an experience as I did nursing my baby. You can learn more about the product that I used to be successful on facebook under the company name Medela. 

You can also get help from the Breastfeeding National Network. They can give you help with:

• Renting a hospital grade electric breast pump
• Find a quality baby scale
• Find the best nursing bras
• Find a breastfeeding specialist in your area

They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-TELL-YOU.

I was not compensated for this post. I was provided with medela supplies to help assist me in my post compliments of Mommy Parties. All my photos, thoughts and opinions are of my own.