Lactation Consultant Charleston, SC

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Nursing Station (2023)

Creating a Breastfeeding Station

Breastfeeding can be challenging at times, so I’m all for tips on how to make it easier. One of my favorite tips is to make your own breastfeeding station. You can have one or multiple stations around the house. You can even make it portable! Here are the nursing station essentials.

A comfortable chair and footstool

I highly recommend a comfortable chair and a way to put your feet up. The laid-back nursing position is one of the best ones for early nursing. It activates the infant's feeding reflexes and promotes bonding. It’s also a great way to do early tummy time and skin-to-skin. Did you know that skin-to-skin is one of the very best ways to establish an optimal milk supply? Laid-back breastfeeding is amazing for so many reasons! Having a dimmable lamp or dim lamp can also help when you are nursing late at night and you want to keep your baby in sleepy mode.

Snacks and Drinks

It can be hard (especially in the early days to make sure you are eating enough and getting enough water). I highly having your nursing station stocked with some easy one-handed snacks. Pro-tip, your partner can support you by being in charge of restocking your nursing station. Almonds are a great idea because they are nutritious and high in protein, they also are a food thought to promote lactation.

Other snack ideas

  • granola

  • popcorn

  • protein bars/ nut bars

  • beef jerky

Water bottles are great to have within reach as well. You can keep burp cloths or nursing pads to absorb any excess milk. Let's face it, you are spending a lot of hours nursing per day, so having a extra long phone charger handy is also key. You can also keep any nursing tools handy (if you use them) like:

  • nipple shields

  • hydrogel pads

  • nipple ointment / nipple butter

  • You can also make your nursing station portable, by keeping all your tools in a basket with a handle.

Do you have a nursing station? Let me know if you have anything that you love having in your tool kit. If you liked this content, check out the blog archive below for more!

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