Nursing Nook – For Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is hard stuff – mentally, physically draining. The rewards are huge, but it’s a big sacrifice on mom’s part to make it happen. I truly believe that in order to be successful in breastfeeding, support and comfort are two major keys. 

Support is really important. I always say one of the biggest credits I can give for my success in breastfeeding my older son for over a year goes to my husband. He went with me to the breastfeeding class and learned and understood how it all worked, how much baby needed to eat, and what I needed to do for it to be successful. 

Because of his understanding and knowledge, he was able to support me so much more. He was able to tell the hospital that when my sons temp wouldn’t come up after birth that he needed to come have skin to skin with me and nurse with me. When people made comments about me breastfeeding, or my supply, he would be there to defend. And when it got tough for me, he was there to support me and tell me how awesome I was doing. He is a big factor in my success. 

Another factor to me, is comfort. I needed to be comfortable nursing, and pumping (because I worked full time and traveled 50% of that time for work). On the road, I would generally pump in my car. It was a comfortable space for me, I could leave my stuff set up which gave me more actual pumping time, and I didn’t have to worry about anyone walking in on me. 

At home, I’ve always had what I call a nursing nook. I highly recommend creating a space like this for yourself at home if you’re a nursing mom. Here’s mine:

 

And here’s how I have it set up –

• Rocker/recliner – because buying a chair that would only serve one function (rocker, glider) didn’t make sense to me. This also serves as a place for other people to sit in my living room. Plus the recliner function helped a lot during pregnancy and newborn phase, I would sleep here A LOT.  
• Bolster pillow – for lower back support
• Heating pad – for pregnancy and post partum back pain 
• TV Stand – collapsible so if I need to put it up I can (but a normal side table would work fine we just have a small space so being able to put it up is nice)
• Basket under TV Stand – holds magazines, blankets 
• Plastic tray from hospital on TV Stand – holds pacis, nipple cream, burp cloth, hair clip, earbuds, nail clippers and other small items I might need while sitting there 
• Boppy – tucked into the notch of the TV stand
• Command Hooks on the side of nearby bookshelf – holds nursing necklace, robe 

I’d also stock snacks and water on the tray or in the basket in the early post partum days and I sometimes still do at night especially I get hungry. I also kept my meds there easily accessible those first couple post partum weeks. There’s also a plug behind my recliner where I have a charger for my iPad because my iPad gets heavily used while nursing!

I truly believe my success with my first, and probable success with this new little one, is largely in part to these two things so I hope this can help someone else out or give them ideas on how they can be successful breastfeeding.

Who else has a set up like this? What else do you have or suggest?