Breastfeeding

A Tisket A Tasket, A Breast Feeding Basket

When my friend Lynn told me she was going to breastfeed, I was excited for her and determined to help support her.

When she told me she was going to cloth diaper, I was ecstatic for me that I was going to have someone to nerd out about cloth diapering with. So to help support her goal to breastfeed, I put together a little support basket of all those things I needed in the first few months of breastfeeding. Many things I never realized that I would need and ended up either having to run out to the store to buy or order on Amazon and wait. Hopefully, Lynn will be able to benefit from my learning curve.

Lynn’s nursery colors are teal and pink so I used a teal bin (more on that later) and pick accents with the tissue paper and bow. I wrapped everything up in cellophane and tied it with curly ribbon, then attached a bow and the card (which was cuter without the envelop so I through it out).

Here are a few things you may be able to pick up in advance of having a baby, or a get ideas for your own gift box for another expectant mother.

 

Gift Baskets

I’m obsessed with giving gift baskets lately. They’re a beautiful and functional way to give a collection of gifts. Lynn had an awesome cloth storage box on her registry….that was sold out in stores and online by the time I went to buy it. So, instead, I got this similar one in her nursery colors from Amazon for $8.99 for a set of two. I love the use of baskets or bins instead of boxes and wrapping paper because they look beautiful as a gift and are so useful!

An up close look at everything I put in Lynn’s gift basket

I kept a bin of different nursing paraphernalia next to the recliner for months. The two pack allows her to do the same and then have matching bins for decorative play room or bedroom storage down the road.

 

 


The Good Stuff

I had already lent Lynn my Milklie Mike Saver and Haaka since they can easily be disinfected and shared. So, I started to assemble some of the smaller things new breastfeeding moms need:

  • Lansinoh Soothies Gel Pads for Breastfeeding Mothers (Amazon, $9.52 for a two count box. It’s not Prime, but they did give free shipping) – The Lactation Consultants at my hospital were great and gave me a pair, but for sanitation reasons, they only last about 2 or 3 days. Hopefully, this additional two pack will get her through the first week and a half and ease that sudden adjustment into being a nursing mom.
  • Nene Supply Duckbill Valves for Spectra S2 or Medela PISA (Amazon, 5 count, $9.29) – Lynn will be going back to work after about 3 months and valves need to be changed everyone month if you’re pumping regularly. I’m not sure which pump Lynn is going to pick (though I’ve written about my own support of the Spectra S2), but these fit both the Spectra and Medela which are the two most popular pumps. In addition, they’re a huge step up from the Medela yellow and white ones that a difficult to clean! I’ve written before that I also feel that these help to give a more gentle suction over the Medela yellow and white valves while not sacrificing pumping output. 
  • Medela Quick Clean Breast Pump and Accessory Wipes, 24 Count (Amazon, 24 wipes, $7.13) – At work, you can stash your pump parts in a fridge rather than going through three sets of parts a day or having to wash after every pumping session. These wipes are great if you don’t have an easily accessible fridge or if you’re pumping on the go away from home. I always had a pack in my pumping bag.
  • Lansinoh Stay Dry Disposable Nursing Pads, (Amazon, $5.99 for 36 pads) – I was not expecting how much milk I would leak and that I would continue to leak until Charlotte was over 6 months old! I loved these pads because they have adhesive on the back and can be slipped into any bra or tank easily. 
  • Milk Snob Infant Car Seat Cover and Nursing Cover Multi-Use 360° (Amazon, $36, variety of colors and patterns) – My friend Lynn introduced me to Shark Tank so this just seemed like a no brainer! When Charlotte was little, my husband and I watched hours of Shark Tank on TV during late nights and endless cluster feeding sessions. When I saw this genius invention, I ordered it from the couch. This nursing cover can be worn as a cowl or tight-fitting cape (I actually love how it looks as a cape). It’s stretchy and breathable, making a discrete nursing cover in public. You can also use it to cover up baby in the infant carrier, protecting her from sun or wind. Lastly, it stretches to make a shopping cart seat cover.
  • Traditional Medicinals Organic Mother’s Milk Herbal Tea 2-pack (Amazon, $9.40) – Yeah, this stuff tastes horrible, but it can provide milk supply support for many women. Always remember to hydrate with water first.
  • Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags With Convenient Pour Spout and Patented Double Zipper Seal (Amazon, 100 count, $10.79) – Another work horse item, they’re a necessity for mom trying to build a small stash before returning to work.
  • Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter (Amazon, $12.00 for a 2 oz jar) – I got a tube of the Lansinoh in the hospital from the Lactation Consultant, so I’m assuming Lynn will to. I liked the Lansinoh, but I also really liked the Earth Mama Nipple Butter. I’d use them alternatively for maximum comfort.
  • Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags (Amazon, 3 boxes of 5 bags, $16.99) – I hated the idea of one more dang appliance taking up room on my counters tops. Instead of a sterilizer, I used these bags instead. Just put in two ounces of water (1/4 cup) and everything you need to sanitize and microwave for about 90 seconds (depending on the wattage of your microwave). Each bag could be used 20 times, so I kept a sharpie in the drying rack and would check off the box after each use when I dumped out everything to dry.

 

The Best Part

My favorite part of the gift box was a little book of info graphics I made. I had so many of them saved on my phone, I just had to check my Google Photo backups to find them.

Five of the 10 info graphics on breastfeeding.

I was low on toner, so I printed everything at FedExKinkos. I could actually log into my Google Drive account right from the color printer. I was able to increase the size on some of the pictures to fill the whole page, and print with a touch of a button. Next, I used the lamination machine and then their industrial hole puncher. When I got home, I tied everything together with more curly ribbon and slipped it into the back of the box. I love this idea and I’m doing it again!

The completed gift basket.