Nurtured Products for Parenting - cloth diapers in Canada, baby carriers, baby gifts

At Nurtured, we see a surprising number of new moms who come through our doors within a few days of giving birth - some even stop in before they've gone home for the first time with their bundle of joy! They've gotten through what they thought would be the hardest part - birth- but realize that the recovery can actually be surprisingly difficult. And no wonder! Your body has just gone from pregnant to not-pregnant in a matter of a few hours and there's a LOT of adjusting that you have to do, and you're now responsible for a brand new person on top of everything else!

It's easy to think of things to pack in your hospital bag or to have on hand at the time of birth, but often the aftercare is also an afterthought. At Nurtured, we pride ourselves in offering products that help you during your pregnancy, and give you the essentials for the first few years of life, but we also have a large number of items that can make the post-partum experience easier, and more comfortable. Recovering from birth, whether caesarian or vaginal, can be a painful and long process for a lot of women, and we have some tools to help.

Breastfeeding Pillows

Kuddlering - Canada's Favourite Breastfeeding Pillow

One of our favorite tools to make breastfeeding easier for the first few months is a breastfeeding pillow. The Canadian-made Kuddlering hugs your waist and props up baby to the ideal height to nurse. This means you don't have to hold the child's weight AND try to properly position them to latch on all at the same time. It also alleviates pressue on your abdomen if you've had a caesarian birth. The pillow comes in three different colours and offers a handle so you can carry it and the baby easily from room to room. The slipcover is easily removable for washing after those inevitable spit ups.

Nipple Cream

Earth Mama Angel Baby Vegan Nipple Cream

Sore nipples. Need we say more? Learning to breastfeed is difficult for many women, and a shocking number of new moms don't know that even with proper latch, your nipples will be very sore for the first few weeks. This soreness may contribute to low breastfeeding rates, particularly in Nova Scotia, where less than 20% of women are still breastfeeding at six months.

To alleviate the tenderness of sore nipples, we have two options available: Lansinoh is a fantastic product made of lanolin that soothes, heals and protects sore, cracked nipples. Earth Mama Angel Baby has made the first organic, all natural, plant-based balm created without lanolin, so it is certified vegan too. A must-have in your hospital bag, apply nipple cream before and after each nursing session to ease the discomfort.

Breastfeeding Books and Support Group

Dr. Newman's Ultimate Guide to Breastfeeding

There's a lot to learn about how to breastfeed a new baby, even if it's your second or third baby, it's never the same twice! Breastfeeding is a skill that needs to be learned and is unlike anything you've done before. Nurtured has several books to help answer your questions including Dr. Jack Newman's Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers and La Leche League's The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. We also have a lending library of hard-to-find and out-of-print resource books in store. If you are in need of one-on-one advice or assistance, Nurtured is proud to offer a doula-facilitated Breastfeeding Support Group that meets every Friday in the common area at the store (2571 Robie Street, Halifax) from 1-3 pm.

Breast Pads & Nighttime Comfort

Leaking and engorgement are common in the first weeks of breastfeeding, and many women leak throughout the time they are breastfeeding. Earth Mama Angel Baby Booby Tubes are all-natural breast pack that can be used hot or cold to relieve swelling and engorgement. For everyday wear, organic hemp jersey breast pads are discrete enough to wear under form-fitting shirts. For heavier letdown (leaking more than the size of a loonie), and for overnight, when prolactin levels peak and leaking tends to follow suit, we recommend organic hemp fleece breast pads. A truly revolutionary idea, for women who don't want to waste a drop of breast milk, or those who have trouble pumping, we have Milkies Breast Milk Savers to store the milk dripped from the non-feeding breast.

One of the things that I found the most uncomfortable after my first baby was having to wear a bra all day and all night to keep breast pads in place. By the time my second baby was born, I had learned some important lessons: I slept with a felted wool puddle pad under me to absorb any leaks and keep the sheets dry. I also invested in a Glamourmom Breastfeeding Tank Top that would allow me to keep my breast pads in place, but ditch the nighttime bra!

Witch Hazel

No one ever wants to talk about hemorrhoids, especially not when there's a brand new baby to distract everyone, but the reality is that hemorrhoids are a common occurrence with pregnancy AND post-partum recovery. Swelling can be a big problem (pun intended!) after giving birth, and witch hazel is fantastic relief. Using witch hazel couldn't be easier: cool witch hazel-soaked cotton balls in a container in your refrigerator. Once chilled, apply against your hemorrhoids until the cotton ball is no longer cold, then repeat. When paired with a reusable menstrual pad, this method can also be used for another whispered side effect of giving birth: vaginal swelling.

Cloth Menstrual Pads

Soft, Stain Resistant Reusable Menstrual Pads

Post-partum bleeding occurs with both vaginal and caesarian births, and can last up to six weeks. The first few days after giving birth has the heaviest bleeding, and then it should taper off to be similar to a light-to-medium period. After giving birth, you can imagine that your perineal area will be extra sensitive, and the idea of a sticky, plastic pad with "soft weave" may not be ideal. Cloth pads are an excellent alternative, and we're willing to bet that once your menstrual cycle starts again, you'll never want to go back to disposable pads. Cloth pads are, frankly, like sitting on a cloud. They are extremely comfortable and the best thing about them is that you (or your stitches) don't stick to them like you do conventional pads. The cloth pads come in two different sizes, but we recommend the longer ones with three layers of hemp for your recovery. They're machine washable and stain resistant - they come out white every time.

More To Come in Volume 2
We have so much more to talk about when it comes to post-partum recovery. In the meantime, we'd love to hear your tips and lessons learned. What worked for you? What did you wish you had known in the beginning? If we print your tips, you'll receive a $10 gift certificate toward your next order.

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Monday, November 9, 2009
Post-Partum Recovery, Part 1

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