Mama Must-Have: Hands-Free Nursing

For those of you breastfeeding moms out there who have never nursed you little one in a baby carrier, oh my goodness. Drop what you are doing and try it. You will be amazed at the whole world of opportunity and productivity that opens for you.

I bought two baby carriers when Niamh was born: a Baby K'Tan for the first couple months and then an ERGObaby for later on. Over her first year of life, I really enjoyed wearing Niamh. Not in a super crunchy, granola hippie momma way, but for the sheer practicality of it. I was able to put her in the wrap at a few weeks old and do things like get myself ready to leave the house if I needed to. There were certainly other benefits: she was always likely to take a stellar nap when in her carrier and she seemed to maintain a very laid-back personality with little fussiness.

I nursed Niamh a few times in the ERGObaby carrier and it was a breeze. Just loosen up your backpack straps to drop the baby down to milker level and have at it. However, it was a truly a game changer for having two under the age of two. I can keep Baby Ro content and nursing while fixing Niamh lunch or playing. It has really helped our transition to a family of four because I'm able to give Niamh the time and attention that she needs without continuous breaks to nurse Rowan.

I have only attempted nursing in soft-structured carriers, so I can't give any recommendations for slings. For those of you in Houston, Nurtured Family offers free Saturday classes and has a baby-wearing expert that could give you all the basics on nursing in a sling. (Check out their class schedule here).

If you're in the market for a soft-structured carrier, I was a HUGE fan of our ERGObaby. I once borrowed someone's Baby Bjorn carrier when Niamh was about a year old and could only carry her for about 15 minutes before my back was screaming; with the Ergo I could carry her for hours and stay comfortable. My only complaint about the Ergo was that the forward-facing front carry position wasn't an option, but the new Ergo 360 has solved that problem and still offers a great ergonomic position for baby's hips. Keep in mind that you need to use an infant insert with the ERGObaby 360 and, if you live in a hot climate like I do, you might want to find something that won't be as hot for you and baby. I recently purchased the Beco Gemini carrier and LOVE it! I have used it every day since I bought it and couldn't be happier! I even discreetly nursed Ro in it during a family walk around the neighborhood the other night!

Of course I had to buy this in camo. Duh.