Breastfeeding is natural, eco-friendly, and healthy for your baby. As a self-proclaimed crunchy mom, I made the decision to breastfeed before my son was even born.
I knew breastfeeding was cheaper, more natural, beneficial for his development, convenient (once I got the hang of it), and helped with postpartum weight loss.
I also knew breastfeeding was painful at first and took several weeks to get the hang of.
It is important for me to mention I was also aware there are about 20% of women cannot breastfeed for various reasons. While many others decide to stop before making it to six months.
Throughout my journey of breastfeeding, I have 100% empathized with women who stopped breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is hard work. Battling bleeding nipples and a hungry baby on top of extreme sleep deprivation is a lot.
On the opposite end, breastfeeding has so many more positive benefits that far outweigh the occasional irritation of being at your baby’s beck and call.
I’ve found that the longer I breastfeed, the more I love it! I am able to provide every ounce of nutrition my baby needs with milk flowing from your breast… I mean C’MON…we’re talking superpower stuff here, ladies!
I figured it would be helpful for me to share some of the benefits of breastfeeding that make it both natural and eco-friendly.
How is breastfeeding natural and eco-friendly?
No Greenhouse Gases
I practice a flexitarian diet because of the dramatic impact meat has on our environment.
Similarly, baby formula is made from powdered cow’s milk. Cow’s produce methane, a greenhouse gas.
Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere. Because the heat is trapped, it can’t escape, causing our planet to warm up.
Certain human actions, like driving cars, eating excessive amounts of many animal products, and burning coal, cause an increase in the number of greenhouse gases released in the atmosphere and intensify the rate of global warming.
Breastfeeding is Zero-waste
According to a 2009 study, 550 million infant formula cans (86,000 tons of metal and 364,000 tons of paper) are added to landfills every year.
This contributes to the millions of tons of packaging and containers that are already placed in our landfill every year.
Breastmilk is naturally produced
Breastmilk is naturally created by our bodies! Your body is full of cells that send off signals telling your body to produce milk for your baby. And your body knows just what to do.
Your milk is perfectly created with the exact amount of nutrients needed to sustain your baby’s body for at least the first 6 months of life.
Formula, on the other hand, is processed and manufactured. It involves additives, packaging, and extensive travel to make its way to the store shelves.
Breastfeeding is not for everyone
Just as I understand living an eco-conscious lifestyle is not for everyone, I understand breastfeeding is not for everyone.
Women choose not to breastfeed for several reasons and ultimately, it is your choice as a woman. I understand some women do not want to breastfeed (or exclusively pump) and some women cannot breastfeed.
The purpose of this post is to communicate facts related to how breastfeeding is natural and eco-friendly.
As well, I share my own breastfeeding journey at the end of this post so stay tuned.
Zero-waste Breastfeeding Products
Here are the 11 (mostly) Eco Friendly Breastfeeding Products
This blog may contain affiliate links. If you choose to take action (and I hope you do!), I will earn a commission. I have chosen these products because they are awesome and helpful, not because of the small commission I will receive. Thank you!
Breastfeeding itself is zero-waste. It requires nothing, but your boob and your baby! In today’s world, however, breastfeeding requires a few more items for comfort and convenience.
Here are a list of natural and eco-friendly(ish) breastfeeding products I’ve used along my breastfeeding journey.
The products I’ve recommended below have been used and tested!
Breastfeeding Storage Pods
These breastfeeding pods are a perfect eco-friendly choice for breastmilk storage.
When I was beginning my breastfeeding journey I started with the traditional plastic breastfeeding bags.
I knew I wanted to find a more healthy and environmentally friendly way to store my breastmilk.
These silicone pods are perfect!
Pros:
- The pod seal is more secure than the classic breast pumping plastic bag
- It is faster to defrost frozen breastmilk in these pods
- They’ll save you money in the long run.
No need to keep buying bags and disposing of them after using them once.
Haaka
This is a hands-free, portable, and extremely effective tool to capture every drop of your liquid gold.
The Haaka Silicone Breast Pump is one of the most helpful items for first-time mommas.
This is for all breastfeeding mommas, but especially the leakers!
My favorite way to use the haaka was while nursing on one side, my haaka would be on the other.
Hands Free Pumping Bra
This is an absolute must-have for hands free pumping.
Can I be honest for a second? Pumping is a lot of work. You’re cemented to one spot and at the liberty of the length of your breast pump cord.
You NEED a hands-free bra to give you access to do other things while pumping.
I used my time breast pumping to read books, check social media, and write blogs.
This breast pumping bra is adjustable which was important to me. During postpartum and your breastfeeding journey you will be thankful for the forgiving clasp.
Organic Nipple Butter Breastfeeding Cream
Your nipples will feel sore, painful, and raw. This helps!
Boob ease does just that! It doesn’t take away all the pain you’ll experience in the beginning, but it does provide some relief.
Your nipples will be cracked and sore for about two weeks. To help ease the pain, be sure to stock up with this balm!
Boob ease is also organic and safe for baby!
Hot/Cold Pack
If you experience clogged ducts from being engorged, you’ll need these to help relieve the pain!
Did someone sore boob relief? YES! One side of the pack is gel and the other side is cloth.
Place these in the fridge or freezer for relief when your boobs (and nipples) are feeling the pain from producing the source of all nutrients for your baby.
Pop these on your boobs for a few minutes to get some relief and ease the ache! They fit easily inside your bra and work well warm or cold.
Quick Clean Breast Pump Wipes
For the on-the-go momma who doesn’t have time to hand-wash her breast pump after use.
When breastfeeding at work, I didn’t always have the time to properly wash my breastpump with soap and water. Okay honestly, I never had the time. I was always in between meetings or events and seldom found the time to hand wash after each pumping sessions.
These wipes were perfect for a quick wipe down after pumping! It helped me feel like I was wiping away any bacteria or dirt that could have gotten trapped.
After I wipe down the breastpump parts, I would put all the pump parts in the fridge along with the freshly expressed milk to prevent any bacteria growth.
Every night I would make sure to thoroughly hand wash the pump parts with soap and warm water to be ready for the next day.
Organic Washable Breast Pads
Another necessity for the leaky momma!
These are life savers. I always had a fear that I would leak through my shirt in public or at a work meeting!
I kept these washable nursing pads everywhere. In my car, in my desk drawer, in my breast pump bag. I never wanted to be caught without them!
These pads were absorbant for me and I never had an issue with leaking through them. I washed them on gentle with baby boy’s clothes.
Nipple Shields
Nipple shields are single handily the most supportive breastfeeding accessory there is.
I am still breastfeeding to this day because I used nipple shields during the first few weeks of breastfeeding.
Nipple shields make breastfeeding in the beginning much less painful and helps your baby latch. It was seriously life-changing for me while baby and I learned the rhythm of breastfeeding.
Now, this is one more thing you have to remember to have by your bedside when nursing, but nipple shields are meant to be temporary. The comfort of nursing with them was much larger than the annoyance of having to locate it.
Buy a few to keep them in your diaper bag and diaper caddies.
Breastpump with Cooler
You and your breast pump will spend a lot of time together. This is not the time to cut corners or money.
I’ll be honest in saying there are seveal products from my registery that I would not buy again. Investing money in a high-quality breastpump is not one of them!
If you know of someone who has an old breast pump you can use, buy new parts, and reuse the breast pump. It’s cheaper and more environmentally friendly.
If not, splurge on a really nice breast pump. You’ll want something that is quiet, portable, and easy to use.
This built in pump is perfect for emptying your breast! It is efficient, gets the job done perfectly and comes with a carrying case!
Nursing Cover
Nursing covers are essential for successfully breastfeeding in public. They double as car seat covers!
This product is stretchy, light-weight, and versatile. Easy to manuever to get your baby to latch on, but it also breathable.
I had my baby in July so having a nursing cover where we could both get air was important! This product is inexpensive and works well.
Nursing Bra
If you have the energy to put on a bra, it will be a nursing bra!
Get a ton of nursing bras! I’ve been breastfeeding for 13 months and still wear them!
I started wearing these during my third trimester when the weight of my boobs started to feel like one more thing to carry and I couldn’t take it anymore.
They’re light weigh, comfortable, and very easy to pop open for feeding!
My Breastfeeding Journey as an Eco-Conscious Momma
I have a bunch of helpful breastfeeding blogs on my site, but I have yet to share my own breastfeeding journey with my baby boy.
Related Posts: Breastfeeding Foods to Increase Your Milk Supply
So, who am I?
I’m a first-time mom who tends to opt for more natural, eco-conscious lifestyle choices which of course, included breastfeeding.
I’ve been breastfeeding my son for 13 months.
In The Beginning
As I mentioned earlier, I knew I wanted to breastfeed before I had my son. Breastfeeding was so important to me I was determined to make it work.
As a Black woman raised in a Southern family, breastfeeding wasn’t something I remember a lot growing up. I never saw it nor did I ever hear about it.
It’s funny how your perception of the world is based on your own surroundings. I honestly didn’t think many women breastfed! It turns out the CDC reports 80% of women attempt breastfeeding their babies at birth.
Black women, however, have the lowest breastfeeding rates (64%) and the shortest breastfeeding duration (about 6 weeks) than any other ethnic group (source).
It is obvious it is much harder for Black breastfeeding mommas to have successful breastfeeding journey.
Thanks makes it so much more important for each of us to share our stories.
First Time Breastfeeding Struggles
The first thing I did after getting Baby Boy in my arms was placed him on my breasts to get him to latch. It was a beautiful and overwhelming experience. Obviously he wasn’t actually getting in any milk, and honestly, I was so exhausted from 12 hours of labor that I honestly may not have even given him my nipple.
All research I had done (and had I done a lot of it!) before his birth told me about the importance of suckling and attempting over and over to get a latch. The idea is that you’re telling your brain “hey, you need to fire off some signals to make milk for this hungry baby”.
This is the analogy I kept in my mind my entire breastfeeding journey. The more my son nurses, the more milk I produce.
Breastfeeding in the First 48 Hours
Nipple Shield
When we moved to our hospital room for our after birth 48-hour stay, I was told to watch a movie about SIDS and breastfeeding. I lie to you not…when I looked at the video I thought “look at their nipples! Is that how my nipples are supposed to look? My nipples DO NOT look like that!”
It turns out I have flat nipples. This was most likely contributing to why I was struggling to get my son to latch. I had been trying all day and night (I was so exhausted I don’t actually know if it was all day and night, but it felt that way!) and it was always extremely painful.
Based on my research, if you were breastfeeding correctly, it shouldn’t hurt. Clearly I wasn’t. Very quickly my right nipple became cracked and bled.
This is when a nurse brought me a nipple shield.
Honestly, I didn’t even know what they were until she brought. OMG. They saved me. The nipple shield helped pull my nipple so it was easier for my son to latch. It was so much less painful than what I was trying before.
Cluster Feeding
One thing I was not prepared for was how often I would have to nurse. When Baby Boy was cluster feeding on night two I thought I did something wrong! He was crying, I was crying, and my husband was so confused. I was trying my hardest and I thought I wasn’t doing well enough.
It turns out he wanted the comfort of me and my breast. Once I learned this, I was able to change my frame of thinking from “I’m doing something wrong” to “my baby needs me”. It helped. With breastfeeding, I learned quickly mindset is everything.
Getting The Hang of Breastfeeding
I tracked everything on my breastfeeding app
Once home, our journey began of waking every two hours to nurse. I continued the tracking the nurses started in the hospitals using the Medela app on my phone.
I tracked how often he ate, for how long, which side he fed on, and how many wet diapers he made.
Using my nipple shield was still necessary at this point, but I slowly weaned him off. I didn’t want to be dependent on it.
Supplementing with Formula
The most interesting part of the beginning of my breastfeeding journey was when I was told to give baby boy formula.
Again, I thought “what am I doing wrong!” In truth, my son was born on the smaller side and the formula was only to make sure he gets enough nutrients until my milk came in.
We only gave him one or two bottles of formula in total because I didn’t want him to favor the fast flow of the bottle over my breast.
It was also an opportunity for my husband, to help feed the baby. Up until that point, he had admittedly felt helpless because I was the sole provider for feeding the baby.
The 4 week mark
Overall, the first four weeks were tough. My nipples were aching and sore.
For some, I know maintaining an adequate supply is difficult. Fortunately, I didn’t have any issues with supply. Once my milk came in I leaked everywhere all the time.
Every single day before that 4 week mark I empathized with moms who stop breastfeeding. It was not easy! But the reward is so so sweet.
Breastfeeding 13 Months Later
Here I am 13 months later LOVING breastfeeding. I’ve grown to love breastfeeding so much that so I’m still doing it. Currently, baby boy nurses 3-4 times a day.
To be honest, I thought I would be done with breastfeeding at six months. Once I hit six months, I could easily see that I could continue for the long haul.
The comfort he feels and the closeness I feel is priceless to me. I know that it won’t last forever, but I’m enjoying every minute of it for the time being.
I worked so hard to get that latch and create that bond, I’m not going to rush it ending!
Let Me Know With A Comment
So tell me, have you tried any of these products? Are there any other products you would recommend? Are you a first-time breastfeeding momma?
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