Motherwear's Nursing Contest Stories & Tips

We asked you to share your favorite nursing story or tip and we received many wonderful stories and tips... thank you! We had such a difficult time choosing! Our winner is Genet Jones —read her story, then scroll to read more entries submitted. Enjoy!

Winning Entry
I've nursed on a tour bus, at the Smithsonian, at the National Zoo, at Jamestown, on airplanes, at the farmer's market in a medium-sized Southern town, in every restaurant my family has visited, at tax preparation appointments, during weddings, and just about every other place we've been. Nursing is simply part of my life, and I try to be very matter-of-fact about it. I smile at my baby, I smile at anyone glancing at us, and I've never received a single negative comment in 24 total months of nursing (and counting). My babies are fairly high-needs, but the comment I've received the most is "Doesn't your baby ever cry?" The moral of my tale is that despite the stories of rudeness, a smile and a confident attitude (even if you're not feeling confident yet!) are usually all you need to make your nursing baby welcome just about anywhere.

 - Genet Jones

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Have the courage to nurse your premature baby in the NICU as much as possible. Not only were the lactation consultant, my husband and I brought to tears watching our tiny premature son (34 weeks) carefully coordinate the complicated suck-swallow-breathe mechanisms with ease, the worrisome nursing staff were "wowed" by the intake volume calculated by before and after nursing weight measurements. Furthermore, supplying the nursing staff with pumped breast milk for bottle feedings done when you cannot be at the NICU to nurse ensures your precious little is receiving the most valuable nutrition possible.
    - Diana

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Hello, my name is Tara Rogers and my son is now almost four months old; he is my first precious baby! My most favorite nursing story is when he was almost three months old he was nursing and looked at me out of the corner of his eye, smiled and then giggled at me for the very first time :-) it absolutely melted my heart. That was the greatest feeling I've ever experienced; it was just so special! Well that is my greatest memory so far...I'm sure there are many more to come. Thank you for letting me share my special story with you.
    - Tara Rogers

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Here is my favorite nursing tip. I assumed most moms had thought of this, but I've had several friends who were surprised and grateful I passed this little tip on. Some Moms think if their babies get hungry while shopping, that they have no choice but to drop everything and run to the car, or nurse in a bathroom. (Yuck!) I'm comfortable settling down on a park bench or food court chair, but I've also found dressing rooms make cozy, quiet, spots for nursing. I just grab something off the rack to "try on ", and then close the door and relax on a dressing room bench or chair. No need to cover up or worry about ogling strangers. I have three kids, and the closed door keeps my other two on lockdown, with room to crawl around and play while I'm nursing. No one has ever knocked or complained about me taking too much time. I leave with a happier baby, and more time to shop! Super Walmart’s, Target, and every mall have dressing rooms convenient for hungry babies and tired Moms who could use 20 minutes of privacy to refill and recharge.
    - Liz Andrews

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I wanted to submit a tip to be entered in your contest. I am now nursing my 5th (gulp) boy, and he's almost 7 months old. I've nursed all of them until they self weaned, the first at 11 months, the second at 13 months, the 3rd at 18 months, and the 4th at 12 months. Here is my tip - Make breastfeeding a priority! No matter how long you nurse your baby, whether it's a few months or a few years, over the course of your entire life, the nursing period is a short one. Make it a priority! There are times I get frustrated because I'd rather be doing something else, but then I remind myself that this is a season, and it will be over before I know it, and I know I'll miss it when it's over. All those things I want to do can wait. Nursing my baby won't wait.
    - Kathy J. Shute

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I nursed my son Alex for a year. The first month was extremely painful, but his latch was great. My body just needed to get used to it. I used lanolin and had the lactation nurse at our pediatrician's office observe. Both of those things were really helpful. The main thing we really needed was time, and after that nursing was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. Alex is now two and still looks at me while he takes a drink from his sippy cup. I love it:)
    - Jennifer Dys

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As I nurse my third child (now 5months old), I see again and again how important this one-on-one time is for both mother and baby. It is rightly called a time of bonding--a "procedure" which carries on months after birth! I was just inspired to put my words into poem-form!

"Just the two of us"

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The best thing that I did when nursing my son was to put a safety pin on the side of my nursing bra to let me know what side my son had nursed on last. During those first few months, when I was extremely sleep-deprived, it was a life-saver! When he was done nursing, I would move the safety pin to the last side that he had nursed on. That way, at 3 am, I didn't have to turn on the light to figure out which side to start the next feeding on, I could just feel for the safety pin and know. It helped save so much time, energy, and paper (it was a green idea, too - I just didn't realize it in my sleep-deprived state! lol)
    - Elizabeth Adair

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For those of us who are new mommies of TWINS or more, please don't be intimidated by breastfeeding multiples! You can do it! I nursed my twins (first pregnancy) for over two years....nursing them exclusively the first 6 months. My best advice to new mommies of twins is to wake up both babies during the night when one wakes to nurse. Always wake them both up to nurse! Otherwise, they will always have different nursing schedules, and mommy will never get any sleep! I would nurse Twin A on the left breast and Twin B on the right breast, and then switch them the next feeding, so both babies are getting used to each side.
    - Tanya Bartholomew TX

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I am still express breastfeeding my 12 week old daughter. We have had very few successful latches. She gets so very frustrated when trying to nurse directly from my breast due to their size and the shape/flatness of my nipple. Don't get discouraged, and if you can only pump out milk then do that. Your baby will benefit from breastmilk no matter if it is straight from the tap, or if you need to pump it out and feed via bottle. :)
    - Amy L. Norman

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When nursing is uncomfortable or feels embarrassing for the mother, it doesn't last long. Therefore, it is so important to invest in cute, high quality nursing tops and bras at the end of pregnancy. Having that stylish nursing wardrobe right there as soon as the baby is born helps moms feel excited about nursing, and having discrete nursing tops ensure mom feels comfortable and covered up, which is sure to foster a healthy nursing relationship between mother and baby!
    - Andrea Farrell

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Nursing tip.. Make sure the baby is latching on correctly! If he/she doesn't latch on right, it can make your nipples very painful during and after nursing.
    - Brooke Higgins

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I have just had my second child and plan on nursing her exclusively for the first year, like I did with my now 2-yr old son. Two things have come in very handy in my continuing endeavor to breastfeed. One of my tools is a Maya-style wrap, which allows me to be somewhat hands free while nursing my daughter. This saves loads of time and allows me to get so much more accomplished! As a full-time working mom, and mother of infant and toddler, this wrap is a lifesaver, but must be worn with good nursing tops/dresses in order to be used in public for discreet nursing. Thus, the second tool I use, is good nursing clothing (which you may have discovered are few and far between). I find much of the selection of nursing clothes out there to be either of poor quality, boring/plain, or overpriced. However, Motherwear offers superior quality, and flattering nursing wear,...all of which I will probably continue wearing even after my daughter is done nursing, because I am so pleased with the way their clothes look and fit. Kudos to Motherwear for making affordable, stylish nursing wear! I get compliments on their clothes all the time, and no one even knows they are for nursing.
Thanks again, Motherwear!
    - Cara Stevenson-Parks

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My favorite nursing tip is "burp, burp, burp"! When I had my first baby, I learned the importance of burping before you start nursing (to relieve any bubbles already in there), then mid-way (so the baby doesn't feel full and stop nursing), and again at the end. I'm expecting my second baby, and I'm looking forward to trying out Motherwear!
    - Kathleen Aman IN

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When my daughter was between 9-18 months old she would ask to nurse by saying "num-num" People thought she was so cute and had no idea she was asking to nurse, but just thought she was asking for something yummy :)
    - Katy Presnell

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My husband and I were married for nine years when we were expecting our first baby. We thought that God was not going to give us children until then. Now we have two boys that are fifteen months apart. Our oldest boy is now almost 22 months old and our youngest is 6 and 1/2 months old. I nursed our oldest boy throughout my pregnancy and I am now tandem nursing both of them. I often wonder how many moms would choose to feed their babies formula over breastfeeding them. Not only is breastfeeding healthier for them, since that is the way God intended them to be fed, but there is such a bond between a mother and her baby while breastfeeding. I cherish the moments with my boys when they are nursing at the same time and watching them as they are holding each others hands. Thank you for providing clothing for nursing moms, making it a bit easier to nurse our little ones (especially while in public).
    - Michelle Chambers

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My favorite nursing story goes all the way back to my first child. She was born in Italy while my husband and I were stationed there with the US Air Force. Upon my return to the US while my husband deployed to Iraq in 2003, I had to go through customs. I had my 5 month old daughter strapped to me in the infant front (Bjorn) carrier, a backpack, and diaper bag on me, while waiting for the luggage at the carousel. A customs officer and his dog came sniffing around me and the dog seemed to be quite interested in me, more than I was comfortable with. The officer asked if I had any organic material with me, like fruits or vegetables. I said, "No." He did not believe me because of the dog's keen interest. It was at this point that I figured it out. I turned to him with as straight a face as I could muster and said, "Well, I do have some breast milk in this backpack, would you care to see it?" He turned many shades of red, couldn't find any words to come out of his mouth, gave me a sheepish, "No, and sorry to bother you ma'am.", while trying to get away as quickly as possible! I was laughing so hard to myself at his uncomfortableness that I nearly missed my luggage coming around on the carousel!
    - Robbyn Roberts CA

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Now that we are six weeks along with our second child, it's back to the doctor! My husband and daughter came along for the first appointment to hear the baby's heart beat and stayed for the rest of the appointment. When given the form to fill out for formula samples, I asked if I had to do it, as I just donated all of the samples the first time around. The nurse said something to the effect of, "Wow. No supplements or anything?" I responded that our daughter was exclusively breastfed for the first six months. She asked what we did after that. I told her we slowly introduced solid foods, but that she never had formula or supplements of any kind. The nurse was amazed. I was very proud to be able to share something like this that was so unheard of for this nurse. If more nursing mommas speak out like this, it will become more accepted
    - Robyn Groshek

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My favorite nursing tip is to sleep with your baby. It makes nighttime nursing so much easier and everyone gets more sleep.
    - Tiffany Wilkins

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When looking for a nursing bra choose one with 100% cotton cups and NO underwire. Underwires can block milk ducts and cause mastitis. The 100% cotton allows you to 'breathe' to help prevent a candida infection on you (thrush for baby). If you do develop either of these things you can use RAW Apple Cider Vinegar diluted with water on your breast. This helps kill any candida and alleviate some of the mastitis symptoms. I have found Extra Virgin Coconut Oil works better than any lanolin product out there! About 2 - 4 weeks before baby comes start applying EV coconut oil a couple of times a day. This helps to condition and prepare you for a nursing baby. When baby comes along... don't stop! EV Coconut oil KILLS candida/thrush before it can take hold. You can also use EV coconut oil on baby's bottom to help prevent and alleviate rashes. Natural and a lot better than any commercial diaper cream. Unlike commercial diaper creams it won't damage cloth diapers either!
    - Wendy Semyck

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My favourite nursing story is that I am actually nursing my baby still at 6 months old. When Ignacio was born he lost too much weight. We were told to supplement with formula and that ended up being supplement formula with breast milk. Eventually I found myself pumping every day just to get my milk supply up, being exhausted trying to keep up with new motherhood and worrying to no end because my milk was weaning lower and lower. At four weeks Ignacio stopped nursing all together. I called a lactation helpline and they basically told me that he would never nurse again. I cried so much seeing my baby crying at my breast, hungry but not taking the nipple! Because artists are wonderful, one of my e-friends read that I was going through a real hard time with all this and she suggested me to call her mother in law, a LC. I gave her a try just because I had nothing else to loose, she happened to be Nancy Mohrbacher, one of the best lactation consultants in the country. She started to coach me on the phone and through email, directed me to a breastfeeding center in our area and worked with me to get my supply up. It would take a lot of work, I would have to start pumping 8-10 times a day, but I was determined to try everything for my baby! At six weeks Ignacio was taking the breast again, though for a very short time. I then started using a nursing supplementation system upon suggestion of the breastfeeding center, that kept him at the breast for longer spans of time, increasing stimulation. From them on it was just a matter of time. I could see how my supply was increasing, and one day, around 13 weeks I found that I did not need bottles or supplementation anymore. Ignacio was nursing just fine, happy, snuggling against me, actually enjoying it! That is when I decided to get into action and I headed to Motherwear.com to buy myself some nursing shirts so I could feed him in public. I was so excited! No more bottles for real! Ever since then we have had no problems at all. He is a happy healthy boy, still gaining weight according to his growth curve and sharing lovely times together.
    - Constanza Ehrenhaus

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My favorite nursing story happened when I was out running errands with my 6 month old daughter. I had just finished parking when she started crying because, not only was she hungry, but had a poopy diaper, as well. At the time, I had a sedan and her car seat was on the middle, so there wasn't much room in the back seat. So, I squished myself in the backseat and began to fix both problems. I got her latched on and then proceeded to change her diaper while she nursed. All in a Target parking lot. The amazing thing is that it worked out very well, with no mess!
    - Zahra Al-Zanbai

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My story isn't really a story, just telling how wonderful my breastfeeding experience has been. I have five children. I was a Social Worker for Indian Child Welfare and all my kids, except the last, were daycare babies. Me and my husband decided with our last surprise (we are 40!, and thought we were done a long time ago!) I would finally be a stay at home mom. I breastfed all my children, or tried at least. I always had to go back to work and pump. It seems like that only worked for a couple months and I would always dry up. This time around, I have made it the whole way through. She is one now and still breastfeeding. It has been such a beautiful and fulfilling experience for me and I am so thankful that I have been blessed with the chance to stay home and do the mommy things I always dreamed of!
    - Mechele Johnson

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When my 18 months old boy wants to nurse he drags my nursing pajamas across the room and gives them to me. Then he taps his fingers to his mouth (in sign language it means to eat) and says "num, num".
    - Inga

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My tip is for women with Gestational diabetes. The diabetes class I received was taught at my hospital by individuals who usually deal with individuals in their 50s or 60s, not pregnant women. I'd done a TON of research before the class, and I went hoping to learn more. I didn't. I got horrible advice, particularly when it came to nursing. So my advice? If you have Gestational Diabetes, you CAN nurse your child - not only that, you should. Find someone who will support you through nursing!
    - Kate Lansky

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The best nursing tips I have is first to drink tons of water. If you think your supply is dropping try staying hydrated first. The second is if you feel self-conscious about nursing try nursing in front of a mirror. You aren't showing nearly as much as you link you are. In fact you’re probably still more modest than most low cut shirts!
    - Rebecca O'Brien, PA

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Tips for treating thrush in breastfeeding: 1. Don't go on antibiotics, regardless of what the doctor may say. 2. Try to manage things with diet-- avoid all sugar if possible. It will starve the yeast and bring it to an end. 3. Purchase a good probiotic supplement, in addition to having yogurt each day. Any health food store should carry this. 4. Always be sure your breasts are dry! If any leaking takes place, change the breast pad or bra promptly. It's annoying, but worth it. 5. Wash all clothes with vinegar and hot water until the thrush is gone. It's great if they can dry in the sun, but not necessary. These simple steps cleared it up for me within days (it had lasted two months up to that point in time)!
    - Jocelyn Flenders

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My nursing tip is to make sure you have a comfortable pillow to place under your arm to support it while you are nursing. I loved my Boppy pillow! Thanks!!
    - Amanda Alvarado

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While nursing my newborn, my 4yr old sat down next to me. She said “Mommy, babies like mommy boobies and not daddy boobies...right?” I said “Right.” She said “Babies like drinking milk from mommy boobies and not hair from daddy boobies.” Then just for more clarification she said, “Babies only drink from boobies and not bottoms...right?” Right. Glad we were able to clear all that up
    - Erin Denney

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In my opinion, the single most important thing that has helped me succeed in breastfeeding is having my partner on board with breastfeeding 100%. Not only does he want to support my choices wholeheartedly, but he also wants the best for our son. He has been my cheerleader when times were tough and is my protector against bad advice and snarky judgment that I have faced in the last 3 1/2 months since our son was born. My son and I faced some difficult hurdles in the beginning. He had severe jaundice and our ill advised pediatrician tried to scare us into supplementing him with formula even though my milk had come in very early and he was eating great. After that we both got thrush, followed by me getting mastitis, which caused me to have painful nursing. Coupled with my overly emotional, sleep deprived, post-partum state, I can safely say that I was an absolute mess and both my son and I shed a lot of tears during that first month. But through it all, my husband supported me unconditionally. He always made sure I had good food and a water bottle nearby, he massaged my tense shoulders, listened to my worries, and even spent hours reading The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding so he could help me find solutions. After that first month, my son and I both had healed and we found our groove. Recently I was talking to my husband about that difficult time and he said, "When you were hurting and crying so much, I just wanted to run out and buy some formula right away to make you both stop hurting. It was so hard for me to just watch you two struggle when there was nothing I could do to help." I was so surprised to hear this, because he never seemed to waiver in his support of our breastfeeding relationship and never once mentioned formula. Even though he thought that formula might be a "quick fix" to the problems we were having then, he knew that the best thing for our family was to just support me and our son while we found our way.
    - Tina Phifer

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I have over 60 "nursing things" which include tanks, dresses, tops, sweaters and swim suit. I have sports bras, sleeping bras, "dressier" bras and lots of just regular everyday bras (most of which are the cottony smooth cup-hands down my favorite). My first baby I didn't have as many nursing clothes, because I could nurse discreetly enough with regular clothes, however when I had my twins I had to have more, lots more clothes because nursing 2 @ a time all the time = EXPOSED. I love nursing and still nurse my 22 month old twins (I nursed my older child until over 3 years), so you can guess that the nursing clothes get a beating because I wear them 24/7 (unlike with single-where it was more outing/special occasions for nursing clothes). The majority of my nursing clothes are Motherwear, but I have some others and some I made myself. I would love for you to "pick my brain" about them, as I really have put them to the test and could really give you feedback on what is great and what is not so great.
    - Tish Linke

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I am the first one to breastfeed in my family and so my family was a little hesitant at the thought of me nursing my son in the same room as them. I came across your site and quickly ordered several tops. The story that sticks out in my mind was when my husband's cousin came over to visit us. I was feeding my son when he came in, gave a kiss hello to all of us and then sat right next to me on the couch. Time and conversation had passed and I went to burp my son and the discussion of feeding came in to topic... he put two and two together and immediately said "WAIT, you were just feeding him this whole time!!!???" He had NO clue I was feeding the baby because your tops are awesome! No one ever notices or stares because they can't tell. It simply looks as if I am holding a sleeping baby. :) From then on it doesn't matter who is around me when I nurse my 2nd child now, because they all know that I wear a Motherwear top and feel completely comfortable... and most importantly... SO DO I!!! THANK YOU MOTHERWEAR!!!
    - Marisa K.

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I am really happy to have found your website but I do feel that it lacks Plus-sized nursing apparel. Items like the tank tops should have wider shoulder straps and I really wish there was more of a selection.
    - Hannah Arel

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Before I was pregnant I thought breastfeeding seemed strange. No one in my family breastfed, and I knew nothing about it. Luckily my husband was knowledgeable and knew that breastfeeding is the best thing you can do for your baby. So I decided to read up on it when I discovered I was pregnant with twins. I am SO thankful that I decided to breastfeed. It has been one of the biggest blessings and best experiences. My babies are now 10 months old and I am LOVE breastfeeding. It is hard to get a hang of, but once you do it is wonderful. For Christmas my one present was a breastfeeding shirt from your site from my husband. It helped me to be comfortable and able to feed in public easier. I cried when I opened my present up and felt so blessed that a company like you exists. I wear my nursing shirt every week, and am able to feed my babies so much easier. Thank you!! Thank you for existing for mothers like me.

    - Jessica D.

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You can't see her in the picture but I was nursing My daughter through getting my military ID. I started her when we got to DEERS (military HR) and nursed her through the wait, during the picture, shopping at the commissary and the walk all the way back to the car. I saw 2 other strollers and got thumbs up wherever I went.
    - Lauren B.

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To me the best nursing tip that I can have is to lie on your side when feeding. First off it takes away a lot of pain. Secondly it gives you a bond with mother and child. Another thing that you can do is use a warm compress about 5mins before nursing to relax and get a better flow. It is better for the baby expertly the babies that eat a lot it helps them to eliminate a stronger lacking process. Sometime I think about just going on and giving my baby a bottle of formula but my husband keeps me focus and reminds me that she going to be healthy with no problems, a positive person to give me that push and drive. Me myself I am nursing now and this is my second child and even with my first I did the same process and I'm not having any problems or pain. That’s a little help and story about myself. I hope it could help the next person just as well as it is helping me now.
    - Tirea L.

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My infant son saved our breastfeeding relationship -- he knew more about breastfeeding than I did! Before he was born, I had decided to breastfeed him, but thought I'd save myself some money by not buying any breastfeeding books, after all, how hard could it be? Put baby to breast, and the baby will suckle, right? Easy! Needless to say, I had set myself up for trouble. After he was born, I indulged all sorts of ignorant practices I had gleaned from poor sources, such as only nursing him every 4 hours, so my breasts would have time to "fill," and topping him off with formula after every feed. Then my in-laws arrived to stay for a few months. They mocked my inability to nurse him, stuffed him formula, and kept him in their room as much as they could get away with. In desperation, I tried to increase my supply by pumping every few hours, and taking fenugreek, dark beer, and any other galactagogue I could learn about, but despaired at the measly 2 ounces I always pumped. Meanwhile, my son showed a clear preference for breast milk. Everyone noticed that he would choke and sputter on the formula, needing frequent breaks and spitting up often, while the bottles of pumped breast milk went down smoothly and quickly, without a hitch. He became increasingly reluctant to drink formula. The day my in-laws left, they coaxed one final bottle of formula down before catching the plane. Alone with my son again at 3 months, I let him do what he had been longing to do from day one -- nurse around the clock. For nearly three days, it seemed all we did was sit and nurse. He knew exactly what to do, and I followed his lead. With amazement I realized that each day he was talking less and less formula, until by the 3rd day, he had finally brought in a full milk supply from my breasts! If only I had let him do this from the beginning, I am sure I could have saved myself months of anguish. My son is now 2 1/2 years old, and he still deeply attached to our nursing sessions.
    - Jennifer P.

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I am a new momma and fairly new to nursing, but I love it so much. My nursing advice would be for any mother who has a baby who is born sick and needs intensive care in the hospital: Don't give up! Pumping is hard work, but it is worth it! My daughter needed a lot of help when she was born and we weren't able to nurse for the first few weeks. I pumped and pumped breast milk while staying with her in the NICU. It was difficult and painful when my milk came in, but I'm so glad that I kept at it. Nursing my daughter has been one of the most wonderful experiences of my life! Now she's almost two months old and growing so happy, plump, and healthy from my milk! I've attached a picture so you can see for yourself :)
    - Monica E.

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Every now and then my toddler and I have a moment that makes me wonder, "WHAT in the world would I have done if we weren't still nursing?" Last night was one of those moments. Not seeing my 23 month olds' hand in the way, I closed the bathroom door. I closed it all the way, with her fingers still inside! All at once she crumpled into an agonizing heap on the floor. Her face turned 10 shades of purple and hot tears of pain, anger and fear fell down her face. Because it's how I soothe all of her mental and physical bumps, I calmly sat down on the floor, pulled her into my lap and nursed her. Not even 30 seconds passed before she was calm, tear free and breathing normally. I ran through the events in my head again and tried to picture how I would have handled the situation had she been weaned. I couldn't think of anything that would have been more mentally and physically comforting to my daughter.
    - Becky T.

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My son is now 11 weeks old and there are two things that he does while nursing that just melts my heart: 1) When he "paws" at my breast. Whether he gently moves his hand back and forth across my chest, drums his fingers in one place, or really digs his nails in; I hope to always feel the mother-baby intimacy of those touches long after he's grown. 2) Every now and then he'll be in the middle of nursing and he'll look up and make eye contact, stop sucking, and a big smile will spread across his face (sometimes he'll unlatch, other times my nipple will be hanging in his mouth...pretty comical!). And I know they are intentional smiles because he'll wait for me to give a big smile back before he starts nursing again! I can't imagine not experiencing the joys and bonding times of breastfeeding my little boy!
    - Frannie M.

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I am a 32-year-old mother of three, and it was not until my third child was born that I discovered Motherwear. Before Motherwear I would try to "adapt" what I was wearing to nurse discreetly. Now I am able to nurse anytime, anywhere comfortably, Especially now that the weather is getting warmer and I don't always need to use a nursing cover. Just yesterday I was at my older son's soccer game and was able to nurse the baby without the cover (it was 80 degrees) and no one even realized what I was doing. I love having the freedom to nurse exclusively and also be able to wear clothes that fit and look nice, instead of just button up shirts or loose t-shirts. So often, I don't have the time to get myself ready like I used to and it is wonderful to know when I grab one of my Motherwear tops it's going to look good. Thank you Motherwear for making my life a little more stress free so I can enjoy my children more and worry less!
    - Amy B.

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I didn't get to breastfeed my first daughter so when I was pregnant with my son I was determined to do it. He was a pro right from the start and I have never been happier. My story is funny to me. When he is really hungry he gets very excited. As I start to pull up my shirt and undo my bra he starts panting kind of like a dog. You would think that I haven't fed him in days. It is always makes me laugh. I know I am doing something that is good for him and me. My best advice is don't be embarrassed to breastfeed. If you can't do it in public (with a cover if needed) then you probably won't do it as long as you would like. I breastfeed everywhere (in restaurants, the mall, the car, friend's houses and much, much, more). You really can't be shy. If anyone gives you weird looks just remember you are giving your baby a wonderful gift and who cares what they think.
    - Shaubin G.

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My number one nursing tip, for newborns especially, is when baby cries try nursing first, if that doesn't work, try it again, if it still isn't working, try calming baby another way, then try nursing again! Nurse first second and third! If baby still isn't interested, then it is something else, dirty diaper or sleepy usually. Also, for newborns, when the milk comes in, it can be hard for baby to adjust to this new different milk for about a day. Just keep putting baby to the breast. When he/she gets frustrated, give him a break over your shoulder for a moment then try again. It'll only take about a day of this to get in sync. But you've got to keep trying to get baby to nurse even when it frustrates her! Just don't get discouraged, this is very temporary, usually only a day or 2. Your baby wants to nurse; it is just difficult for this moment. Help him to make the conversion to the new milk! It is so worth the effort! I also recommend after the milk comes in and you've gotten baby used to the idea of this new milk and new way of nursing, since it is so much different then colostrum nursing, if you have engorgement and baby is having a hard time latching or emptying a breast, and especially if you get discomfort or pain, go ahead and pump it all out. Empty both breasts as completely as possible. After that latching should be easier. If you continue to get engorged I recommend pumping in the evening. Starting with nightly pumping to empty while baby sleeps for only a few days. Then gradually pumping less. If you used to get 6 ounces stop at 3. Then go down to every other evening. The off evenings might be a struggle at first, have a rag handy to catch your excess milk! But your body and baby will adjust. Remember to save your milk in the freezer for either a time your baby might need it, to donate, or for when you start solids to mix with blended foods. Those are my favorite newborn nursing tips! I have more for other phases of baby dom. I've been through a lot of nursing! I am on my third baby and they've all been a little different and not a one has had a single bottle. I am not a professional but consider myself a bit of an expert having nursed one till 2.5 and one till 2 and now having a 2 month old. I nursed through a pregnancy and tandem nursed. I weaned a toddler while nursing a baby and weaned a toddler while pregnant. I myself have been through lots of phases and cycles when it comes to nursing a baby/child and how I feel about it and how it should be done. I have strong beliefs. I thank you at mother wear for creating clothes to help the bashful women and especially working moms feel more comfortable with their lactation! I am a stay at home mom to 3 wonderful boys!
    - Lea G.

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When I am wearing a baby carrier or wrap, I prefer to have a nursing shirt that either pulls down over the breasts or lifts up from just under the breasts. This makes it easier to put my shirt back in place without having to remove the wrap from my body.
    - Rachel G.

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Twenty-six hours and 1.5 centimeters dilated. I thought for sure she would say I was in transition! Just like that I shifted, the pain wasn't "for something" anymore. When the midwife suggested we transfer to the hospital I said let's go and can you go ahead of us while we pack a bag and get my epidural ordered up? Thank you. I hadn't wanted drugs for a lot of reasons, a big one being fear that baby and I would be all groggy and drugged-up and have trouble nursing. Amelia was born rooting for my breast and has had a latch like a vise from the first hour. I make so much milk she clamps her tiny little mouth down on my nipple to slow the flow, such a clever little being. It hurts. So when that happens, I've learned to pop her off by gently putting my finger in the corner of her mouth to break the seal and I let the milk spray out into a cloth diaper. When it stops flowing freely she latches back on and we continue. Sometimes she makes a smacking sound with her mouth, she's swallowing but there's so much milk she can't handle it all. When she does this her mouth slips to the tip of the nipple causing a shallow latch that little by little ends up hurting me if I don't pop her off and try again. Eight weeks in and I'm still using the lanolin cream (thank goodness for the lanolin!). But with support from girlfriends and a lactation consultant we have rounded the bend, we know how to handle my abundant milk supply and my nipples are pretty much perfect and painless. I've learned to be accepting. We don't know how things will turn out. Motherhood is about trusting one's inner voice and knowing that we do the very best we can with all the love our hearts can hold and then some. We don't have all the answers but we know more than we think.
    - Miranda J.

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In your email I received today, I was happy to see an opportunity for me to share my favorite Motherwear stories with you. My daughter was only 3 months old when we had her Baptism. It was important to me that it was a very special day for her. I had been nursing my daughter and so finding the perfect outfit for me was very difficult. Most stores have nursing tops, but I wanted to dress up. I was thrilled with the dress I got from Motherwear. (Fair Maiden White and Blue Dress) Not only were the nursing openings discrete, but also the dress was beautiful and flattering. I actually got a compliment from a few in laws that day! :) My daughter is now going to be 2 this summer and this December, she is going to be a big sister. I have stayed on the Motherwear email address so I wouldn't miss out on any of the beautiful clothes or great sales. The best tip I can give any mom who wants to breast feed, is to do what makes you most comfortable. I am not incredibly shy but with breastfeeding, I needed to have my own space. It was for my comfort but also it was a special time that I got with my daughter. Even in the middle of events (my daughter's Baptism, for example) I would leave to find my quiet room, to breastfeed. It kept me sane, eased any frustrations, and was very comfortable for me. In the times when finding my own space was difficult, the clothing that I had from Motherwear gave me the peace of mind I needed to be discrete. Thank you for letting me share my story.
    - Theresa C.

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As the mother of six children, I've had lots of precious breastfeeding experiences, but one of my most memorable was a complete surprise. We had our last baby unexpectedly early, while we were across the country visiting family for my brother's wedding. Luckily, my mother had purchased a Motherwear dress that I'd been eyeing for my entire pregnancy as an early birthday present for me. Less than 48 hours after our baby girl arrived, I wore the dress to the wedding rehearsal. It was comfortable and beautiful, and most importantly, an absolute lifesaver that allowed me to feed my newborn discreetly during the rehearsal and the formal dinner afterwards. Thank you, Motherwear, for making nursing, one of the best (and easiest!) gifts you can give your child, easy and fashionable.
    - Melissa F.

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I nursed my oldest daughter, who is now 13, for 3 years because I believed in allowing her to self wean. I have a lot of beautiful (& not so beautiful) memories of that special time. I have to say that the one memory that still tugs at my heartstrings is the fact that the very first time that she smiled at anything or anyone was while I was nursing her. She looked up at me with her big blue eyes, stared me straight in the eyes, & gave me a huge gummy & milky smile that completely melted my heart. There are other memories that aren't so sweet, but I can laugh at them now. One of those memories took place when my oldest daughter was around 2 months old. We lived in an apartment complex at the time. I was wearing a Motherwear shirt that had horizontal openings with a button placket across the chest. To nurse I had to unbutton the side I was on, & the bottom portion of the shirt would drop. I was a new Mom, was sleep deprived, & I guess just a little distracted when this particular incident happened. I finished nursing my daughter, hooked up my bra, thought I buttoned my shirt, & headed out the door with her to pay our rent in the office. We encountered several people along the way, & all of them were staring at us. I happily thought to myself "They must be admiring my beautiful baby!" I went to the office & paid the rent, & several people stared at us there as well, including the secretary I handed the check to. I walked back to my apartment beaming with pride because everybody seemed to be noticing my sweet baby. As soon as we were in the apartment I laid my little monkey down, & headed to the bathroom. We had a mirror the length of our sink. Imagine my horror when I looked in the mirror & noticed that one side of my shirt was unbuttoned exposing my bra! I was mortified, & understood that everybody was looking at ME & not my beautiful baby! I'd been flashing everyone. I laugh about it now, but I wanted to die then. I have a 3-month-old baby girl now, & we're on the same journey together. We're creating memories also. Just like my oldest daughter, this one's first smile was at the breast. It was no less special to me than 13 years ago when I experienced it with my oldest. Both times made me cry happy tears of love.
    - Tracy R.

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My best tip would be for dealing with biting. Instead of shouting "NO!” which caused my boy to giggle (!), or abruptly taking baby off, which inevitably causes tears and a delay in finishing the session, gently pull baby in towards your breast when they bite. They will not be startled, but their squashed nose will force them to unlatch to breathe again. Repeating this a few times did the trick for my little one, with teeth and without!
    - Sarah D.

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My best nursing tip was to take a supplement of Lecithin daily. I had plugged ducts and about 8 breast infections my first year of nursing. After starting lecithin, I haven't had ANY more problems!!
    - Sara H.

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Due to complications, I gave birth to my son 6 weeks early. Was I prepared? No way! I had planned a full schedule for the last few weeks of my pregnancy from Lamaze classes, when to pack my hospital bag, when to give the birthing center my birthing plan, who will come to help out when the baby is born, etc. I ended up going from a regular checkup straight to the labor and delivery room of a hospital that has a special NICU (no other hospitals in the area accepted premature babies.) Labor was induced and lasted for about 36 hours. During the last few hours, the doctors were already talking about the possibility of a C-section. But, the baby decided to come out right before the doctors prepped for a C-section. Hospital staff was very supportive and taught me to use a pump. They brought one into my room and said I should pump every 2 hours so my body knows that the baby survived. And any amount of colostrum/milk that's produced should be sent down to NICU right away. So I kept at it for days. I tried to breastfeed but my baby didn't know how to eat yet. At one point he had even dropped down to 2 pounds at the hospital so he was really small and frail looking. Pumping milk continued while the baby was in the hospital and during his first 3 weeks home. Then I tried to breastfeed him and he refused the bottle after that. My son got all healthy and plump quite quickly. All I can say is, I'm glad I had the support and encouragement of everyone around me to just continue pumping milk, and breastfeed as much and as long as possible. My son is already 1 but he still prefers breast milk over anything else.
    - Talia K.

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My first child, Levi, was born at home and found his own way to the breast and breastfed like a champ. He nursed practically every daytime hour for the first six months. Levi grew at a record rate, doubling his birth weight by 6 weeks, and tripling his weight by 4 months. Due to his frequent need to nurse, I found myself missing out on social events. Then, a friend told me about Motherwear. I bought a few shirts and came back to life! I especially loved the empire style shirts. I was able to attend all my former social functions and no one ever knew I was nursing. If you wear a nursing cover, it announces to the world what is going on. Yet, with my new nursing shirts, I was able to nurse my baby whenever he needed and it just looked like I was holding him close. I even nursed him on an airplane next to a businessman who had no idea my baby was so quiet and happy because he was getting his momma's milk. The nursing shirts helped me protect my modesty, take care of my baby, and be apart of normal life. I will welcome our second child this July and am so glad I know about nursing shirts from the beginning of this new breastfeeding journey.
    - Adele H.

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Occasionally I meet women who complain that they just can't breastfeed. It is too hard, too time consuming, and just didn't work for them. And while there certainly are times and situations that may keep a wiling mother from breastfeeding, I've found that where there is a will, usually there is a way. My first pregnancy resulted in premature twin boys. They were not naturals when it came to breastfeeding, since their first "taste" of milk was through a tube in their stomachs. Later they learned to bottle feed, but breastfeeding required more sucking power and was incredibly difficult on them. We went through three months of training before they finally got the ability to latch on well enough for a full feed. When they were six months old, and nursing well, I decided to finish my last semester of my master's degree. I took online classes, so that I could schedule my day around feedings. Many times I sat reading blogs from teachers and students, with my over-sized Boppy pillow propped across the arms of my desk chair, tandem nursing the boys. It was quite a sight! I finished that semester elated that I was able to continue to give my boys the nutrition that they desperately needed to overcome their initial struggles to survive. I'm now nursing my fifth child, and while it has never been easy for me, it has been rewarding. There is no better way to bond with and to nourish your child.
    - Leanne T.

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It was 2:00am and I had been cramped in a car with four other people for well over 12 hours, therefore I was in no mood to deal with the argumentative border guards of Romania. My 13month old son (at the time) and I had been in Romania for well over 6months caring for my ill husband, but due to the fact that I had no Romanian I.D., my stay there was considered illegal. I attempted to explain the situation to the young man who despite his rough speech was quite pleasant compared to others I had dealt with. He took the legal documents I had (marriage license, birth certificate, death certificate - all Romanian) and walked off with them making us wait for a significant amount of time. My cousin who had been driving and was more familiar with their ways said ¨I think they’re waiting for a bribe of some sort... They can wait all they want! They’re not getting anything!¨, was my curt reply. The guard returned and asked my cousin to step out of the car in order to talk to him...They spoke (or rather argued) and we continued to wait. My son, who had been sleeping until then, woke up to all this commotion and started whimpering. That was my cue. Although breastfeeding is quite common in this country (more so than in the US), you will not see most decent women in public doing so. It is considered rather inappropriate and makes most decent men uncomfortable. As I saw the young awkward guard approaching the car again I took my son from his car seat and latched him on. He came to my door and asked me to exit the vehicle. At least he attempted to do so, but stopped mid-sentence when he saw what was happening. He retracted his words and said I could remain in the car. I was already grinning inwardly. I then proceeded to open the window and engage in the discussion I knew was coming. To my delight, it did not last long. He seemed very concerned that the window not remain open for too long lest the child catch a cold and he was having a hard time making eye contact. His tone of voice was more polite than I expected and after briefly explaining a few legal things he said I must quickly close the window and let the ¨Prince¨ rest easy. =) I thanked him politely, closed the window, waited for my cousin to climb back into the car and then I burst into laughter. *Note* I was indeed wearing a Motherwear top and so I wasn’t ¨showing¨ anything. I’m a decent woman :)
    - Ella T. B.

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My name is Tamber, my son is Ezekiel & my husband is Shamus. My son is now 11 months old & is breastfed. It was not easy getting to this point. He's my first child & like most first time moms trying to breastfeed, it was difficult. He nursed fine while we were in the hospital, but once we got home, that’s when the problems started. He lost a pound during the first week & didn’t gain for 2 weeks. His pediatrician recommended that we supplement with formula to help him gain weight. Once he had a bottle, it got harder & harder to get him to nurse. I went to my lactation consultant & they said that once babies have bottles, especially so early, it can be very difficult to continue breastfeeding. I was devastated. I wanted so badly to give him the best start in life. I know that babies have survived on formula for years, but there are plenty of studies that show that breast milk is absolutely the best choice for babies for so many reasons. My husband is in the army & was deployed for my last trimester. He actually made it home for r&r 2 days before our son was born; it was a miracle! Once he left 12 days later, it was hard for me. I missed my husband terribly & was stressed because of our situation. Stress can decrease milk supply, so that was working against us too. By the time my son was 2 months old, he was down to nursing only once a day for about 2 weeks before I finally called my lactation consultant again & went to WIC for help. It was my last big effort to make breastfeeding work for my son & I. they were both very encouraging, but warned that we were close to him weaning himself from nursing, so it was very important that I give it my all if I really wanted it to work. For the first week I tried to cut back on bottles & nurse him more, but he was miserable when I tried to nurse him. He cried, screamed & refused most of the time. I finally found & bought a nursing supplementer. It saved us! I couldn’t pump much, so I put formula in the supplementer. Slowly, I had to put less & less formula in the supplementer & he would finally latch on without fussing & crying. It was amazing, absolutely the best feeling knowing that we had succeeded at reaching my goal of breastfeeding. We only had to use the supplementer for a month & we haven’t had to use it since. I plan on nursing him until he is one year, then slowly weaning him. I am so proud of my son & myself for making it work. Especially since everyone else in my life had been unsuccessful with breastfeeding their own children. It made us feel special, haha.
    - Tamber O.

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I am the mother to three young children: Drew, Megan and Kate. I breastfed Drew for 15 months and had every intention of breastfeeding Megan at least that long. However, when Megan was four days old I found myself in the emergency room of the hospital where I had just given birth with a blood clot in my leg. I was scared, of course, but was fortunate enough to have caught it early. I was given a shot in my stomach (no problem, considering my stomach was still loose and jiggly after birth!) and sent home with anti-inflammatory medication and blood thinners. I spent several weeks on the anti-inflammatory medication, and so I barely noticed when one of my breasts seemed tender and it hurt to nurse. When Megan was almost four weeks old, I found myself back in the hospital with a severe case of mastitis and a staph infection in my breast. Luckily, Megan was able to stay in the hospital with me, and my mom stayed with me as well. I underwent a brief procedure to drain the infection from my breast, and I was told that I would have to take very powerful antibiotics to kill the staph infection. My biggest concern was my ability to continue breastfeeding Megan. I wanted to continue; yet every doctor who entered my room (and there were a lot!) told me that I could not breastfeed while I was taking the antibiotics. The course of medication that they prescribed was scheduled to last several weeks, and could possibly last longer depending on the results. I was devastated. I had only nursed Megan for four weeks, and now I was being told that I would have to stop. I did what any hormonal, exhausted mother of a newborn would do: I cried. And cried. And cried. Boy, I bet those doctors got tired of seeing me cry! My obstetrician told me that Megan had received four wonderful weeks of breast milk, and that I had done the best that I could. A pediatrician in the practice I used echoed the same sentiments. The surgeon was unsympathetic, and the infectious disease doctor simply couldn’t understand why I wasso upset about not being able to breastfeed my daughter. So I cried some more. Later that day, however, I decided that I would keep my supply up for as long as I could in the hopes that I would one day be able to breastfeed Megan again. My mom bought me a powerful breast pump for my birthday (one of my favorite gifts ever!), and I started to pump. I pumped and pumped, and it broke my heart each time I had to pour the milk down the drain. I pumped and dumped for over two weeks before I was given the green light to breastfeed Megan again. I consulted my pediatrician, my obstetrician, and a lactation consultant, and each was confident that my breast milk was safe to give my daughter. I was ecstatic! The next several weeks were difficult for me, as well as for Megan. There were times when I thought that she would not nurse again. It was so easy for her to drink out of a bottle, and attempting to latch her on was sometimes a chore. Of course, I was nervous and worried that I would develop mastitis again. I was so nervous, in fact, that I only breastfed and pumped out of the breast that had not undergone the trauma. However, I am proud to say that I was able to return to exclusively breastfeeding my daughter. The process was long and not always easy, but we did it together. I was so fortunate to have a husband and a family who supported me every step of the way. And that is my nursing story. It’s one of the accomplishments in my life that I am most proud of. I now have another child, and breastfeeding her has been a breeze. I think I earned it, too!
    - Amy A.

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I have been approached nursing my child in a pool before :( I decided to get a nursing swimsuit to cover up some skin. I love the suit and the fit and feel very comfortable nursing my child when we are at the pool. The coverage is modest enough to keep me comfortable to tend to my child's needs and the cut of the suit is so cute...it makes me feel cute :)
    - Heidi L.

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Nursing has been a large part of my life for the last 11 years. I have nursed our 6 children and plan to nurse our baby due in August. I have enjoyed the bond it brings between mother and baby and also the ease and flexibility of not having to prepare bottles. I have nursed as a stay at home mom in the past and currently as a work at home mom. I welcome the breaks in my schedule when my husband brings in the baby for a "check in." Not every child has been alike, but all have thoroughly loved nursing. In fact, the hardest part has been weaning. Some of our children I nursed for 2+ years and others I weaned while pregnant. I tandem nursed twice and nursed a baby through a hospitalization (including pumping in the middle of the night to keep up the milk supply). With all the variety of nursing I have done, it has always been nice to have nursing clothes. I especially appreciate the nightgowns, as we live in a cold climate and the easy access allows me to stay warm. The dresses and tops also allow for discrete nursing when out in public, especially as the baby gets to the age where covering up with a blanket becomes a game of peek-a-boo!
    - Jody T.

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Below are a few nursing stories I wanted to share with you all and be entered into the drawing for $100 gift card. Thanks for sharing. 1. Had to laugh when I walked in on my 4 year old son pretending like he was pumping, breast shields and all. I think I ran and got the camera so that I could blackmail him at some point in the future!!!! 2. Caught my, now five-year-old son, playing house with his two-year-old sister. He was the Dad, she the Mom. He asked her to feed the baby and helped to lift her shirt. 3. Another time I caught my 2-year-old daughter feeding her baby doll from her belly button. Gotta love kids and nursing!!!
    - Jennifer A.

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My nursing story is this: when we went on vacation to Panama last summer, my three-and-a-half-year-old stayed with grandma and grandpa. He was still nursing when we left, and when we came home a week later I expected the first thing he would ask for was to nurse. I was right. However, he took one taste and got very angry. "Your milkies are bad!" he said. He refused to nurse after that---even when I offered----and I never figured out why he would say my milk was 'bad.' However, he seems completely content with his decision to stop nursing, and I've even asked him about it. He told me that he doesn't want to have milkies any more because he's a big boy now. I think that he was just ready to be done, and has seemed very content with not nursing. In my wildest dreams, I never thought child-led weaning could be so easy! =)
   - Jennifer B.

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Toward the end of a long walk my baby started to get fussy in her front carrier. Nothing seemed to calm her. So, while I was walking, I lifted the panel of my shirt and she latched on. Now quiet, she nursed while I walked. Because of the Motherwear shirt design no one could see she was nursing. I was still covered. One of my neighbors stopped to chat and at the end of our conversation she leaned in and asked, "is the baby sleeping?" I replied that the baby was nursing. My neighbor had no idea, and was very impressed that we could walk and nurse and no one could even tell!
    - Lisa Ann G.

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I'm a brand new mom so I don't have too many nursing tips or stories of my own yet but I know my mom nursed all 5 of us until we were all toddlers. My mom has pictures of all of our "favorite nursing positions" ... and being the weirdo that I am, my favorite nursing position was to stand up on the chair or couch and bending over to nurse. It's quite a funny picture and makes me now wonder what kind of silly pictures I'll capture of my new daughter one of these days and I can share my stories with her. As a new mom, my only tip for other moms is to stop reading all the "rules" and do what you feel is right --- because you probably are right for what to do with you and your baby. I've read so many things from so many different sources that all say different things - and it gets confusing. When I started following what I thought was right, it just worked! :)
    - Rebecca W.

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As a plus-size woman, finding attractive clothing can be a daunting task. When I became a mother for the first time, I realized finding a flattering nursing wardrobe for a bigger mom was downright impossible! Thankfully a friend recommended Motherwear. Motherwear offers the same cute styles for more ample moms that the petite moms enjoy. Every time our family is blessed with a new addition, I treat myself to a few new tops and or bras. Baby number five just arrived and so did my latest online order! The fit is great and the quality never disappoints. Thanks, Motherwear, for providing top-notch styles for nursing moms of all shapes and sizes!
    - Ali S.

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One of the most memorable times I was reminded of the amazing convenience and portability of nursing was when my youngest daughter was a little over a year old. My husband, daughter and I were visiting Alcatraz (in San Francisco). We were in the middle of touring the old prison building when my daughter became hungry. No problem! I simply sat down in one of the old prisoner cells (which conveniently had a comfy chair in it), and started nursing my baby. Since I was wearing one of my Motherwear nursing tops it was so easy to just lift the front panel and discreetly feed my daughter while dozens of other tourists meandered by.
    - Amy A.

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I am a mother of three and did not discover Motherwear until my third child was born. I nursed my first two who are 12 and 9 and am still nursing my son who is 7 1/2 months. I tell all my friends who are pregnant or nursing about Motherwear. It was so nice to find someone who makes comfortable nursing tops that are so attractive. When my baby was about 2 months old I stopped off at a cafe for a lunch break while grocery shopping. I nursed my son while I ate my soup and there was a gentleman sitting across the isle from me who kept glancing over. When I finished nursing and was burping the baby he came over and asked if I was nursing and told me he thought it was a wonderful thing and that more mothers should do it. He then complimented me on how discreet it was and the fact that he couldn't even tell that was what I was doing. With my first son I used to get odd looks and rude comments when I would stop to nurse him and use a receiving blanket to cover- making it very obvious what I was about. It's very refreshing to be able to nurse anytime and anywhere without worrying about making others uncomfortable. Having two older children who are in extracurricular activities posed a challenge until I found Motherwear. I now nurse easily at soccer, dancing, scouts, church, and school functions and everyone is oblivious to what I'm doing. Thank you Motherwear for helping me give my baby the best while looking nice and being discreet!
    - Angela B.

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When my little girl was 6 months old, my mother and I were visiting Boston, and decided to go to the Ritz Carlton for tea. We settled into a cute little couch with a table, ordered the food and I started nursing Posey. I noticed the neighboring table getting stern looks on their faces and asking the French waiter for management. The manager then came over to me and politely asked me to please be discreet while breastfeeding, as some patrons thought they saw my breast. I felt like, well, I am already, but I understand- she is managing the situation to the best of her abilities. Then the French waiter comes over quite upset, and says to us in his thick accent, "What eeez the matter with these people? Theese is the natural thing to do, no?!". We just laughed and I kept on nursing.
    - Bethany F.

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My nursing tip is to pay the money and get supportive nursing bras. They are completely worth the money!
    - Chandra B.

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I wear a simple bracelet on my wrist to remind me which side I started nursing on. If I feed my baby on the right breast first, I move the bracelet to my right wrist. The bracelet is simply beads on an elastic band. I don't have to unclasp it to move it or remove it to shower.
    - Elizabeth D.

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My infant son saved our breastfeeding relationship -- he knew more about breastfeeding than I did! Before he was born, I had decided to breastfeed him, but thought I'd save myself some money by not buying any breastfeeding books, after all, how hard could it be? Put your baby to your breast, and the baby suckles, right? Easy! Needless to say, I had set myself up for trouble. After he was born, I indulged all sorts of ignorant practices I had gleaned from poor sources, such as only nursing him every 4 hours, so my breasts would have time to "fill," and topping him off with formula after every feed. Then my in-laws arrived to stay for a few months. They mocked my inability to nurse him, stuffed him formula, and kept him in their room as much as they could get away with. In desperation, I tried to increase my supply by pumping every few hours, and taking fenugreek, dark beer, and any other galactagogue I could learn about, but despaired at the measly 2 ounces I always pumped. Meanwhile, my son showed a clear preference for breast milk. Everyone noticed that he would choke and sputter on the formula, needing frequent breaks and spitting up often, while the bottles of pumped breast milk went down smoothly and quickly, without a hitch. He became increasingly reluctant to drink formula. The day my in-laws left, they coaxed one final bottle of formula down before catching the plane. Alone with my son again at 3 months, I let him do what he had been longing to do from day one -- nurse around the clock. For nearly three days, it seemed all we did was sit and nurse. He knew exactly what to do, and I followed his lead. With amazement I realized that each day he was talking less and less formula, until by the 3rd day, he had finally brought in a full milk supply from my breasts! If only I had let him do this from the beginning, I am sure I could have saved myself months of anguish. My son is now 2 1/2 years old, and he still deeply attached to our nursing sessions.
    - Jennifer P.

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My nursing tip to any mother new to nursing is: to not give up on nursing! I will admit, those first 2 weeks of nursing are very hard, you probably will think about quitting several times; but stick it out, it is completely worth it! Nursing is such a wonderful gift God gave us to bond with our child and provide them nourishment at the same time. Nourishment that benefits them their whole lives and ours as well. My other tip is to use your local lactose consultants, mine were phenomenal, they gave me all the tools and confidence I needed. Also, nurse as long as is comfortable for you and your child - each mother and child is different.
    - Cassandra G.

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Last weekend while attending my niece's confirmation church service I was nursing my 5-month-old daughter. Due to the warm Texas weather I did not want to use a blanket for cover and I did not want to miss any of the service, so I planned to wear one of my Motherwear tops with my favorite skirt. It worked great. So well, in fact, that when the pastor asked the congregation to stand and shake hands with those around them, even though I remained seated, with my nursing baby, people were shaking my hand. They were completely unaware that my baby was nursing. I didn't miss a minute of the service and I was very comfortable and stylish. Thanks Motherwear!
    - Tiffany W.

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When my son was about a month old I felt confident enough to attempt nursing in public. I figured the safest place to attempt this would be at church. Everyone would be paying attention to the preacher, no one would even notice if I discreetly feed my child during service, right? Well, with my luck it did not happen like that. First of all, my wonderful, patient son got mad. Very mad. I don't know if he was used to me being able to just whip it out like at home or if he got really hungry all of a sudden and wanted his food now, but he was letting everyone know he was PO. So, I’m sitting on the far end of the aisle, which I figured was a good spot in case I had to get up and run, and I am trying really hard to get my baby calmed down and my breast out of my shirt at the same time with out drawing too much attention. Of course I didn't have any fancy nursing cover that wraps around my neck or anything so all I had was a good ol' fashion blanket draped over my shoulder. I finally get Dillan latched on and took a sigh of relief. After about a minute in a half I feel the need to look down and BAM, my boob is hanging out there for god and everyone to see. Immediately, I grab for my blanket, cover up and franticly look around to make sure no one saw the show. Well, to my right, about four people down, I see my husbands best friend, Jesse, staring at me bug eyed with his jaw to the floor. The expression on his face was priceless; all I could do was laugh. I started laughing so hard I almost peed my pants. He started laughing, my husband started laughing, and we couldn’t stop. I am sure Jesse was not the only lucky fella to get a peek at my cheechees, but it did cut back a lot when I finally bought a nursing cover. I know, from experience that breast-feeding can be aggravating and maybe even embarrassing sometimes, but to know that you are doing the best thing for your baby makes it all worthwhile. I hope that this story helps any women that may have had a bad or embarrassing experience nursing be able to laugh about it and not give up. Sometimes all you can do is laugh.
    - Kayla C.

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My best Nursing tips are when your milk supply is low to drink Mother’s Milk Tea everyday to increase your milk supply. And take Fenugreek and Brewer’s Yeast supplements everyday to increase your milk supply. Also using a Moist Heating Pad before feeding or pumping with also help with your milk supply.
    - Miranda H.

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When tandem-nursing twins, always have some small toys available to keep the babies' hands busy, so that they don't poke each other or pull each other's hair!
    - Kelly B.

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When my first daughter was born, I gave myself my word that I would nurse for as long as she wanted and, boy was it hard to stick to it. I was constantly growing out of my bras, pumping milk, clearing plugged ducts, and fighting/nursing through mastitis, which I wound up having 3 times. I nursed for 13 months, ending very naturally when my daughter weaned herself. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. Even with all the troubles, I succeeded and she was healthier for it. This time around, with baby number two, I had no doubts that could provide enough milk for this little girl to thrive. What's made it even better are the nursing clothes I received as hand me downs from a friend. I've supplemented my nursing wardrobe with some tank tops and short sleeved shirts that allow me to nurse discreetly and comfortably in public (unlike the nursing cover I used to use with my regular shirts first time around). I can now take a toddler to a playground and nurse my baby at the bench without a bag full of props.

So, what is the moral of my story? Have the right equipment! My husband always says that he can only do house projects if he has the right equipment, and if he doesn't, he heads for the hardware store. So, now, I also make sure that I have the right equipment, and head to Motherwear for my nursing supply.

P.s. And if your baby has eczema or dry skin, rub some breast milk on it - it's the best moisturizer.
    - Daria M.

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I wanted to share one of my favorite pieces of advice that I was given when I was nursing my first daughter. Place a square of cold cabbage leaf over your nipples for 5 – 10 minutes when they are sore when you are first nursing. It helps to alleviate the soreness and swelling.
    - Rachel R.

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I am from Biggar Sask about 50mins from Saskatoon. I am 25 years old... This is my daughter Zuri's birth story.... includes the struggle with breastfeeding.

I think a brief medical history is needed before starting my story. When I was about 14 years old I was diagnosed with a uterine horn and it was removed because of the extreme amount of pain it caused me when I had my monthly period. This basically meant that I had 2 uteri. (One almost fully developed and another small closed off one that filled with blood and contracted and caused pain) After this was removed I was told I should be able to have children normal like anyone else although I had only 1 tube and 2 ovaries. Sure enough when my partner and I decided to try for a baby it took only a few short months and after my first period since trying we got pregnant.

I saw an OB for the whole pregnancy because no one really seemed sure how my pregnancy would play out. I had about 7 ultrasounds through my pregnancy to “watch” if everything was going well which it was. I had an ultrasound right before going into labor and no one seemed to notice anything...

The night of December 27 2009 my partner Chris Bailey and I were having a family supper for Christmas at my grandmothers. I was 32 weeks pregnant with Zuri. I ate so much turkey and potatoes I felt like I might burst. Little did I know that hours later this would come true.

Just after midnight that same night it turned December 28 2009 and I was playing a game on Facebook. (Treasure Isle) Chris was upstairs sleeping and had to work in the morning. I went into the fridge to eat some left over turkey and chocolate. As I was standing there pigging out I heard a pop and felt a gush. I looked down to see water pouring through my pants. I thought “oh my god I'm peeing my pants!” I grabbed at my crotch and smelt the liquid. Didn't smell like pee and it wouldn't stop. Yes, I was in HUGE denial about my water just breaking. I started to panic and ran upstairs turned the light on in the bedroom and yelled at Chris “CHRIS GET UP I THINK MY WATER JUST BROKE!” He sat straight up out of a dead sleep and said “Oh my god really? Are you sure?” I said, “I think so, look.” I sat on the toilet for a few minutes till I got some clean pants.

I called my mom and told her and in minutes my whole family was at my house, including mom, dad and my younger sister. I am sure I was in denial and shock because I went on Facebook and typed in my status what happened. I started to walk around drinking a pop. I was saying “I have tons of time to pack and get ready because I was reading that women go into labor and it takes hours or even days for the baby to arrive!!” Little did I know that this was NOT the case with me having a baby at 32 weeks.

After my family yelled enough for me to get into the car we discovered there was no gas to make it to the hospital in the city 1 hour away. It was midnight so nothing was open. We had to drive and get my sisters car. Once I got into my sisters car we started to head to the city. (Saskatoon) Chris was driving I was passenger and my mom was in the back seat. My dad and sister followed in their car. About 15-20 minutes since my water broke and just out of town I started to have contractions. My mom was timing them. She kept saying, “this isn't right, this can't be right...” I said, “what's going on? Why do you seem worried?” She said “Well your contractions seem to be perfectly 5 minutes apart and this happens at the END of labor!” I guess I was STILL in denial because I didn't seem to realize I was very close to having Zuri. I kept having an extreme urge to pee and poop. I had Chris stop the car and got out in the snow and -20 weather and stared to push really hard trying to pee. (I realize NOW this was me wanted to PUSH Zuri out!) After this my contractions were about 3 consistent minutes apart. My mom called 911. I have to “use the bathroom” and it was driving me crazy so I wanted Chris to pull over again. The lady on the phone said “NO, don't let her do that whatever you do!!”

We drove a few more miles and met the ambulance and by the time I got in my contractions were VERY strong and about 2 minutes apart. The paramedic “checked” me and said, “I feel a foot!” (I later found out this was her bum poking out) I said “where? How far out?” She was coming and by now I started to realize this and had to “hold on” and not push.

We pulled into the hospital about 2 ½ hours after my water broke, I was 10 centimeters dilated and Zuri was WELL on her way and breech. My contractions were pretty much one long one by this point and I SO wanted to just push her out. (Knowing what I know now I probably just would have) I was rushed into emergency and the doctor came in and I heard them talking about if they should do a c-section because she was breach or let me push her out. At this point I was not able to speak for myself and just signed the paper for the c-section having no idea what it even said. I could have been signing over my soul for all I knew. I signed the paper and was instantly giving the epidural for a c-section. As this was happening I was trying with everything I had not to push while I had a nurse yelling at me “DON'T PUSH!”

Before I knew it I was cut open and could “feel” them pulling Zuri out then I heard her cry and I was so happy. Zuri was born 4 lbs 4 oz and 16 Inches long! This isn't too small for a baby born at 32 weeks. Chris was right next to me taking pictures of her and telling me she was ok and everything was going great. Thank god for his support. Then the most amazing moment happened and they passed Zuri to Chris and he held her by my face and she was beautiful. Chris was talking to me and she was looking around for him. She recognized his voice and knew this was her daddy. It was simply amazing!

Then this story starts to get sad... I never got to touch her yet and they took her down to the NICU. I was wheeled into the recovery room where I threw up all the turkey and chocolate I ate earlier that night. I really regretted that. After a while I was moved into a room where I go to sleep. Not once did anyone ask or talk to me about breast feeding my baby or pumping. The next day once I realize I had no milk for Zuri and she was getting formula I got upset and started to ask what to do. I didn't get much or any help for that matter. I was just told to use this pump and pump my milk. I later found an amazing nurse that explained everything to me: how to do it and how often. She said about every 2-3 hours around the clock.

This is when the pumping started in. I pumped every 2-3 hours and set my phone alarm to wake up in the night. I will NEVER forget how exciting it was to see the first few drops of milk only a few days later. The first time I started to get milk was about 2:00AM and as it started to come I cried and cried. I pumped for an hour to get about an oz. I made it a point to bring it down to Zuri myself in the middle of the night crying because I was so happy to get it and give it to her and from the pain of the c-section.

Days later I finally got to hold Zuri for the first time. I touched her a few days before but not hold her. This was very difficult because I honestly think I sound horrible when I say this but I did not feel a bond between us. I felt empty and almost like I had “lost” a baby the whole 49 days in the hospital. There was no skin to skin and hardly any breast-feeding. I spent most of my time arguing with the nurses back and forth to keep feeding Zuri breast milk. Almost every time I went back into the room they were feeding formula. The reason would be because she was spitting up because of re-flux and I didn't know any better so I listened. I know SO much better now but this didn't help me then.

While in the hospital Chris and I stayed with Zuri and nearly went poor in the process. We could hardly afford rent, food or bills. At times we just didn't pay anything because we couldn't. We need to focus all our attention on and being with Zuri and forget the rest. We had enough stress with being in the hospital. We each had a few breakdowns but thankfully at separate times so we could be there for each other. We also had amazing support from family. My amazing mother was in the city almost daily to be with me. For anyone that has had a baby in the NICU you must know the pain I speak of. PLUS, we were treated like non-humans most often while there. They kicked us out of our room and put us on the dirty floor at one point. One horrific event I will never forget because it was one of the scariest times in my life. I was sitting in the room with Zuri and a large group of doctors and students came in and were looking at Zuri and talking to each other while I was sitting there. They completely ignored me and talked amongst each other. I could hear them saying something about Zuri's heart. I was panicked and asked what was wrong and they just said, “oh she has a heart murmur and will be fine” while walking out. I was freaked out and so worried something was wrong with my baby and NO ONE to explain anything to me. I had to wait a few days to find out anything about it. (It is now gone and she is great!) But at the time I had NO idea what was going on. Talk about being treated like an animal.

So 49 days of hell later, it was time for Zuri to come home. It was an amazing but scary day. We took Zuri home in her car seat and she looked so tiny at not yet 5 lbs. For the first few months it was very difficult because I still pumped around the clock every 2-3 hours (through the night) because Zuri had trouble getting enough milk from the breast. I was also extremely afraid to stop pumping and lose my milk. I was 100% against the idea of formula and wanted a large supply of milk in case anything went wrong. It never did. One day I just put the pump away and said “let’s try just breast feeding for a few days.” Well ever since then the bottles have never been used again and were put away completely and Zuri is and was exclusively breast-fed. I am SO proud to say this! Through all the stress, pain and hardships I never stopped pumping breast milk for my beautiful baby and am so glad I made this choice. So glad I never had to give 1 drop of formula since her early NICU days.

Chris and I went through a lot but we were there for each other through it all and this matters most. Yes, I am sad I never got to have a natural birth but I don't regret anything because it made me the amazing mommy I am. Would I ever go through this again? Not in 100 years! Now that I KNOW better I will DO better! Next time NO formula! I have so many supports (Friends and Eats On Feets milk sharing) I would make sure of this. Would I get a c-section again? NEVER! I missed out on that beautiful skin-to-skin contact that every mother NEEDS to bond. Like I said I felt like I lost a baby for so long and it took me a while to bond properly with my beautiful baby. Now we get skin-to-skin daily! I do feel like Zuri and I missed out on what is sacred and special at birth and will do everything I can next time to MAKE SURE this never happens again. This experience has taught Chris and me a lot for better.

Zuri is now almost a year old and breast-feeding like a sure pro and not stopping anytime soon. She will wean when she is good and ready. She is strong and healthy and weighs 17 lbs and is 27 ½ Inches long! She is the most amazing little girl. She is loved by all our hearts! I hope other mommies can read this story and gain strength. We will do all we can do as parents; to fight for our children and make sure they get what is best for them.
    - Amy M

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I am the first one to breastfeed in my family and so my family was a little hesitant at the thought of me nursing my son in the same room as them. I came across your site and quickly ordered several tops. The story that sticks out in my mind was when my husband's cousin came over to visit us. I was feeding my son when he came in, gave a kiss hello to all of us and then sat right next to me on the couch. Time and conversation had passed and I went to burp my son and the discussion of feeding came in to topic... he put two and two together and immediately said "WAIT, you were just feeding him this whole time!!!???" He had NO clue I was feeding the baby because your tops are awesome! No one ever notices or stares because they can't tell. It simply looks as if I am holding a sleeping baby. :) From then on it doesn't matter who is around me when I nurse my 2nd child now, because they all know that I wear a Motherwear top and feel completely comfortable... and most importantly... SO DO I!!! THANK YOU MOTHERWEAR!!!
    - Marisa K.