This post contains information about breastfeeding. If this type of content offends you, you may want to skip to another post.
It is only in the act of nursing that a woman realizes her motherhood in visible and tangible fashion; it is a joy of every moment. ~Honore de Balzac
I had the privilege of nursing my son to 15 months and am currently nursing our second baby. Last night, I tweeted that all of the worry, stress and fatigue that goes along with raising a newborn fades when I’m nursing our baby. Nursing is one of the sweetest parts of early parenting. It can also be challenging…especially in the beginning. While I have found that nursing our baby girl is easier than it was with our son, it is still just as uncomfortable.
These early weeks while my body is trying to adjust and meet her needs, there is engorgement and soreness to contend with. It’s been 2 weeks and we’re still not past this stage. I don’t remember getting past this stage until the 2 week mark with my son when he had his first growth spurt. And throughout those 15 months I dealt with plugged ducts and mastitis on several occasions.
If you’re pregnant or nursing, and suffering from the discomfort of sore breasts, you may be interested in trying The Shower Hug. One would think that showering offers relief from engorgement and soreness. But I shower with my back to the water because it’s really uncomfortable, particularly at this stage. Warm water or not, it hurts. It seems like a small thing…but showers are meant to be relaxing…they’re meant to make you feel refreshed and rejuvenated. And since I’ve had a little help the last 2 weeks, I’ve been taking long showers, trying to soak it all in.
I tried The Shower Hug when I got home from the hospital last week. The first thing I noticed is that it’s super soft. It’s made from a cotton/polyester blend and it feels almost like terry but softer. You simply velcro it in place and you get protection from the shower and a bit of support (the material is stretchy). But protection and support are not the only benefits achieved with The Shower Hug. If you take a warm shower (like I do) it can act as a warm compress. It’s very soothing for engorgement.
Despite the name, you can actually use The Shower Hug outside of the shower. You can use it in place of a bra at night (I haven’t tried this yet but it sounds like a great idea…I’m not one that likes to wear bras at night). And because the fabric is pretty thick, you don’t have to wear pads (The Shower Hug absorbs leaking). I haven’t tried this yet, but I read on the site that some women have used The Shower Hug for c-section incision support both in and out of the shower.
Overall, I like the support and comfort provided by The Shower Hug. The added benefit of multiple uses justifies it’s price of $29.95. The company offers Organic option for an additional $10. Belmama & Cherub also offers burp cloths and wash cloths made of the same, super soft and cozy material.
I did not receive compensation for this post. I did receive a product, courtesy of the company, in order to facilitate my review.
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Now why didn’t I know about this product after…well actually before I had my kiddos?! I still, at 2 days shy of 6 months, of nursing this time, have a hard time showering because it is uncomfortable.
Yes! Getting girls to nurse is so much easier than boys! Holy Smokes! It took my little guy over a month to get his latch correct! I still catch him occasionally trying to be lazy. Most recently, while his 2 bottom teeth were coming through!
I think I would’ve loved to have this when I weaned my daughter! It was awful!