Celebrate your child's love of learning

© Wondertime

Most experts shy away from product endorsements. But the breast-feeding veterans on our staff have their own favorite tips, and they're not shy about sharing.

• Repelled by rentable pumps? Rest assured: The only thing pre-used is the machine. The cones and tubing are new. But if you're going to pump longer than a few months, it pays to invest in your own.



• If you find yourself full and your pump's malfunctioning, most hospitals will provide loaner pumps.



• A baby sling is a lifesaver when you need your hands free while nursing or want to be discreet in public (hotslings.com, $44 and up).



• Reread the benefits of breast-feeding periodically to counter those "Why are you torturing yourself?!" comments from naysayers.



• Latch-off is not painful if you nudge your pinky between your baby's mouth and your nipple to break the suction.



• If your breast-feeding pillow has a Velcro waist strap, beware: The ripping sound can wake your baby. Or consider a pillow without one (boppy.com, $20 and up).



• If nursing bras annoy you, try a regular banded (non-underwire) bra, padded if that feels better. To nurse, just lift the band.



• Cold packs keep expressed breast milk chilled and out of the office fridge, where things get forgotten.



• Washable nursing pads, unlike disposable ones, don't leave any fuzzy "leftovers."



• Breast pads also make great coasters.

Good Reads
Breastfeeding Secrets & Solutions by Janis Graham (Pocket Books).

Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins (Harvard Common Press).