Udderly, one of my favorite baby gear items

I am a proud nursing mama.  I nursed Charley for almost his entire first year and Henry nursed until he was a little over 1.  Charley did get bottles at daycare so I was a pumping machine too.  Henry pretty much refused bottles and that sucked (literally).  
Admittedly, I wasn't sure if nursing a baby was going to be up my alley.  Before I had Charley, I didn't really give it much thought and then when people started asking I pondered it with hesitation, because the idea of being somewhat like a cow turned me off.  But I did it.  I loved it.  And I got pretty darn good at it - which to me means I could comfortably do it where ever and whenever. 

It is a choice that I made for many reasons...and I am not going to go into those reasons here because frankly, I think choosing to nurse is a personal decision and there is a lot of back and forth between nursing mamas, the public, bottle feeding mamas, etc.  It is a choice you have to be secure with, comfortable with, and content with.  If it is painful, and man oh man did I experience the "want to throw your baby across the room and scream for a good 20 minutes" pain when I got thrush with Henry.   And during this time I related to any woman that had severe pain and gave up.  I think nursing is one of the most stressful parts of having a new born because you don't know if they are getting enough, how much they are getting, if you have them positioned right, and then you have people giving their opinions and telling you that a bottle/formula will help them sleep longer.  If the experience is stressing you out too much your milk production won't be good and you won't be relaxed and it just isn't worth it. 

I will say that having support, good friends to talk through things with, and confidence in demanding a lactation consultant visit several times in the hospital,  breastfeeding can be one of the ultimate mothering experiences.  Oh, and taking a breastfeeding class WITH husband is key!  And if anyone out there ever needs a friend to talk through it with give me a shout out because I am here. 

As baby number three's arrival nears I am busy getting the nursery and all the baby gear ready.  With Charley I just used blankets for discretion when nursing in public.  But with Henry I came across some "hooter hiders" or nursing covers and they became my saving grace.  Having Charley running around, asking for things in the diaper bag, pulling on this and that...it was such a relief to have a nursing cover that was a little more secure...AND CUTE! 

What makes them different than just draping a blanket...well they have this nifty rigid neckline that allows you to make direct eye contact with baby by just looking down.  Love this!  And the fabric is light and breathable so baby doesn't get sooo HOT so fast. 

So, I have in my hands two fresh and fancy Udder Covers that will discreetly allow me to nurse baby number three here, there, and everywhere!  Many didn't notice when I nursed Henry with the nursing cover.  And that, for this conservative mama, is key. 

Udder Covers has given me the opportunity to give away one of their adorable and quaint nursing covers to one of you!  Whether you need one or not...there is probably someone in your life that will come along and what a fabulous baby shower gift. 

So stop by the Udder Cover website and share what pattern you would choose.  (I got the Elsa and Laila!)

And tell me one of the baby gear item(s) that you could not have lived without! 

This giveaway will end on Friday, January 7th at noon.