Everyone else on the internet is putting out their holiday gift guides. And since I am nothing if not a sheep-like follower, I shall do the same. The twist, though, is that I (it’s always all about me, isn’t it?) want to be in a carnival o’ blogs. Because carnivals are… fun! Just don’t think about the mistreated animals.

Gifts for the Lactator*
You don’t need much if you’re planning on breastfeeding. A baby is a necessity. Boobs, too. But not much else is really desperately needed. There are, however, some things that make the process easier. Or that make the process smell like chocolate. Mmmm…

For Pregnant Women and Brand-New Moms:

• A card with her local La Leche League leaders’ phone numbers, and an admonishment to go to a meeting while she’s still pregnant. Or at least hang the card on the fridge. Because when something weird comes up, she’s not going to want to be wondering who to call or looking up info on the internet. I also stick my number on there and tell people that even if it’s 3 in the morning, CALL ME. I can catch up on sleep later, but the first couple of weeks of breastfeeding are important and if you’re nervous about calling a stranger, you can call me. I am convinced that if more women had more support, women would have far fewer problems, and I’m willing to put my money (or, sleep) where my mouth is on that.
• A gift basket with the following:
• Lana Wool Nursing Pads – I hate disposable pads. They itch, and when a nursing pad itches, you’re going to be sitting there scratching your boobs. These pads are incredibly soft, easy to care for (you just let them dry when wet and the lanolin in the wool naturally acts as an anti-microbial agent, and you only have to wash them every couple of weeks), and don’t show through clothing.
• Soothies – Some women don’t get sore nipples. I don’t know who these mystery women are. Get these at the drugstore.
• Lansinoh lanolin – Add a note to put it on right before the baby feeds to protect the nipples. It didn’t do much for me until I started using it this way. And as an added bonus, it works like the best lip gloss you’ve ever used once you don’t need it for your nipples anymore, especially if you’re prone to chapped lips overnight. It’s also easy to find at the drugstore, and I found the generic stuff works just as well.

OR

• Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter – This is the stuff that smells like chocolate. It didn’t do that much more for me than the lanolin, but mmmm… chocolate…
• Some really nice nursing tanks and/or bras. I love these bras (I’m a large!) because I hate trying to fumble with a clasp. These allow me to just pull it down and then back up without having to see what I’m doing. (And it’s hard to see what you’re doing if you don’t want anyone to get an eyefull of boob. I continue to stand by my theory that people would FAR rather see my still-fairly-pretty boobs than my horrifying-post-baby stomach, but… social norms and whatnot. You know.) I also think more people should be let in on the secret that an Old Navy ribbed maternity tank top with two vertical holes cut in it works just as well or better than a tank top made specifically for nursing, but that doesn’t work so well for giving gifts.
• The above tank top idea means she probably won’t need nursing-specific clothes. But they are nice, especially if she’s shy about nursing in public (which I am decidedly NOT. I am pro-nursing wherever the hell you want. But that is a post for another day.) or if you’re not comfortable getting her a bra and holey tank tops.
• If the mom is planning (or not planning but did it anyway, like me**) on co-sleeping, this pillow looks cool. Especially for the first few weeks where they’re getting the hang of it, and if they don’t live in a big city where there is a streetlight out every window. I think the thing about spinal alignment is hooey (how many thousands of years have moms been sleeping with their nursing babies? Wouldn’t evolution have figured that out by now?), but the light and partner-barrier aspect is cool.
• The nurse at the hospital where I delivered told me to nurse at least once a day without a bra on to keep from getting plugged ducts. “Ha! Yeah, right,” I thought, once my milk came in. “You try that, when the other boob can spray 20 feet and/or create a small pond on the couch.” Enter Lilypadz! Just be sure to put them on tightly, or you’ll end up with the aforementioned small pond underneath the Lilypadz, and it will be pressurized like a shaken can of pop. Not that I experienced that or anything.

For Experienced(ish) Moms:

Once you’ve been nursing for a while, you don’t need stuff for sore nipples anymore and often you even stop leaking (though it did take me nearly 4 months to stop leaking), but here are a few ideas anyway.

• A nursing dress is one item that can’t be fudged with holey tank tops.
• Offering a few hours of babysitting, without offering a weekend at a B&B. A few hours with the baby is fine. If she can’t get her milk, you’ll be regretting that offer of a weekend away. The mom will know this, but the offer of a weekend will probably be painfully tempting. (Unless they’re like me, in which case it will be painfully tempting for the husband and the mom will want nothing to do with it.)
• If you’re at all handy with a camera, offer to come over and take some pictures. It’s such an important time in the mom’s life, and taking pics yourself is incredibly hard. (Though I did manage this one that I am very proud of. Be impressed with my one-handed skillz!) If you came over and take some pictures, then put some in a pretty frame or even get one printed on canvas, she’ll be incredibly grateful when she’s reminiscing in a few years.

*It is like the Terminator! But with less killing and more, um, life-giving and whatnot.

**The thought never even crossed my mind, even with a friend who recommended it based on her experiences as a nurse. Then after about 8 or 9 days not sleeping, and instead staring at the baby in her bassinet, sure that if I look away she’ll stop breathing, I found some studies that showed that co-sleeping means no SIDS risk. And that it’s incredibly safe if you’re not on drugs, alcohol, or extremely obese. So… that was that. This is funny, especially if you’ve ever co-slept.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 30th, 2006 at 10:03 am and is filed under Milk. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.