Breastfeeding zone
Oh, the wonderful world of breastfeeding! This time can be a beautiful period of bonding with your baby. The skin to skin, the eye contact, and knowing you’re giving your baby everything they need is a powerful, unforgettable experience. But let’s be real, it’s also time consuming. On a very conservative estimate you can expect to be connected to your baby for 1,800 hours in the first year. The time is greater when babies cluster feed and if your baby is a slow eater. It’s pretty much guaranteed in this amount of time that the breastfeeding parent will ALSO get hungry, thirsty, or need something while the baby is latched.
This is where “the eating zone” comes in. Call it what you want, I wanted to go with “Bucket-o-Snacks” but I wasn’t sure if I would scare everyone away. Anyway, back to the goods, I recommend getting yourself a couple small baskets you can have in at least 2 areas of the home. More often than not, you’re not going to want to be stuck in one place for breastfeeding time so it’s good to have more than one “zone” ready to go.
While breastfeeding, it’s recommended you have 500-1000 extra calories a day and a quick snack while your baby is eating is a perfect time for you to take care of yourself too. Granola, granola bars, trail mix, and fruit leathers are easy to eat one handed, quickly, and relatively mess free while still providing a decent amount of nutrients.
A reusable water bottle is also an absolute must! Hydration is hugely important for both milk production and your overall well-being. I’ve even seen some people set up a Camelback in each eating zone and next to the bed and I can’t say it’s a bad idea.
I’d also keep an extra burp cloth, swaddle blanket, and nipple cream in the basket. Leaks happen, babies spit up, and nipples can get dry after lots of feeding. Keeping these items close and convenient gives you the gift of peace in the form of not running around with your baby in your arms as they cry and your stress builds. We can NEVER find something when we need it, right?
My goal as a doula is to provide education, help set up systems, and provide support to get new families feeling confident in their day to day lives. If I can’t physically be there for you, I want to provide you with easy but effective ways to gain control of your time and more importantly, take care of yourself. If no one has reminded you recently, you deserve the extra food, you deserve comfort, & you are doing an amazing job!
