How to Take a Nursing Vacation to Increase Milk Supply
Have you ever tried a nursing vacation?
If you're scratching your head and wondering what a nursing vacation is, you're probably not alone.
We all know what a vacation is and what it means to nurse your child but did you know that you can easily combine the two and create something epic and special?
Simply put, a nursing vacation is a way to bond with your baby while also increasing your milk supply. Double win!
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What is a nursing vacation?
While the time frame can slightly vary, a nursing vacation is a 2-3 day period where mom and baby are together, in seclusion, bonding and nursing around the clock.
This includes cuddling, a lot of skin to skin contact, breastfeeding on demand, and adding anything else that allows you and your baby to relax and feel comfortable together.
How does a nursing vacation increase milk supply?
A natural way to increase your milk supply quickly is to have your baby breastfeed more often.
The way your body work is that when the milk is taken out, you’ll produce more to replenish it. So the more that goes out, the more that comes in.
This means that if you're spending several continuous days together with your baby nursing around the clock, your body will double down and produce extra milk.
One of the biggest reasons that moms plan a nursing vacation is because they need a quick way to increase their milk supply.
When should you take a nursing vacation?
A lot of moms choose to do this right when the baby is born because it gives extra bonding time when they're so fragile and young and you’re establishing your milk supply.
Other moms do it when they see a dip in their supply for one reason or another and would like to bump it up naturally.
What can a new mom expect to get out of a nursing vacation?
There are lots of benefits! Here are a few…
Rest and relaxation
While it's work breastfeeding and taking care of your baby during your time with them, it's literally the only thing that you're going to have to be focused on during a nursing vacation. This means that any other responsibilities such as work, house, cooking, cleaning, running errands, etc. will all just have to wait.
Your only focus during those few days is to be on you and your baby. That's it. This gives you time to put your feet up and just "be" with your baby.
Peace of mind
During the time frame that you and your baby are secluded, you can have peace of mind knowing that you're both staying healthy together, safe & snuggling.
Increased milk supply
This was mentioned before but it's a big one so it's worth repeating. You're going to be amazed at how your milk supply will increase after a nursing vacation!
Must-Haves for a Nursing Vacation
Plenty of water and snacks
It's not like you can't leave the room and get more but you need to make certain that you're hydrating yourself EXTREMELY well and you're also eating nutritious foods to keep yourself healthy.
Nipple Cream
It's no secret that your nipples may become sensitive while breastfeeding so when you're upping the frequency to almost constantly for a few days straight, you're going to want to have precautions on hand to keep your nipples as healthy and happy as possible.
Our favorite is lanolin nipple cream because it’s 100% natural.
Reading material
The purpose of taking a breastfeeding bonding vacation is to spend a ton of time with your baby but there’ll be a bit of downtime that you'll want to fill, too. Newborns sleep a lot so having some great reading material or something entertaining nearby will help you enjoy your downtime, too.
Comfy clothes
You might not even want to wear a shirt so you can have skin-to-skin contact all the time but just in case you do, make certain that whatever clothing you have on, it's comfortable for you and the baby as well.
Don't be scared to pamper yourself during this time. You deserve it!
This time is all about you, your baby, and your boobies.
When it all comes down to it, your nursing vacation is an extra special time.
You’ll get to take in every little thing about your baby from their little fingers and toes all the way down to their wonderful and amazing baby smell.
Enjoy it as best as you can because the days are long, but the years are short, mama.
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