I was very dedicated to breastfeeding my first child. I assumed that after the initial physical pain of breastfeeding, everything would go super smoothly and we’d never have any issues. Unfortunately, we did have some troubles and I found myself supplementing close to half her daily food with formula by 6 months. By 10 months, Darah had weaned herself.

While I know it is too early to declare that we are going to be problem-free this time around, I will say that so far, things are going much smoother! And I think a fair amount of that success has to do with my approach to the process. Simply put, I’m much more relaxed about the whole thing this time around. I’m still keeping track of her feeding times like I did last time, but I’m not obsessing over whether or not she’s eating too frequently or not frequently enough. I just feed her when she seems to be hungry. Sometimes that’s every 1 1/2 hours….sometimes it’s every 4 1/2 hours. I can see with my own two eyes that she is growing like a weed, so I’m not getting all caught up in putting her on a schedule this time around.

I also discovered in the first week of feeding Layah that she has a very favorite way to nurse: laying down! That works for me, especially in the middle of the night! I suspect that I also have an overactive let down, and the laying down position helps with that because it is easy for Layah to just let the milk that she can’t drink quickly enough flow right out of her mouth.

Another thing I’ve done differently this time around is kept my resources for support close at hand. I went to a breastfeeding support group meeting when Layah was just 8 days old, and even though we weren’t having major problems, it was SO great to connect with other moms in the early weeks of breastfeeding. I’ve also been quick to consult kellymom.com when I do run into questions, as that is a very comprehensive site with some really terrific information.

Finally, I have made sure that I have the right clothes for comfortable breastfeeding, which is something that I did not have squared away when I was nursing Darah in the early weeks. One of my very favorite items is The Essential Nursing Tank from Bravado. There are many things to like about this particular nursing tank, but my absolute favorite is that it comes with a built-in bra, so you don’t have to wear a separate bra under your tank. HALLELUJAH! And these tanks come in specific sizes for different breast sizes, so it really and truly will fit you, even if you are a bit larger up top!

I also love the snap design on this tank. While it holds in place just fine on its own (I have never had it come undone on me!) it is also easy enough to unsnap with just one hand, which is a clever design for those of us with hungry, mad babies in the other hand!

I also really appreciate the length of the tank. I’m a short gal, so the top isn’t so long that its more like a nightgown, but it does completely cover my tummy, which makes me feel more secure. I’m definitely not at the stage with my post-baby body where I want my mid-section hanging out for the world to see!

While I held on to my nursing tank and didn’t use it until Layah was born, the material is stretchy, and designed to be usable during pregnancy, as well. So if you purchase this tank, you are sure to get LOTS of use out of it!

I personally am trying to decide which other colors I should purchase. I currently have the brown tank, and it is constantly being washed and re-worn. I could definitely use one or two more!

The Essential Nursing Tank by Bravado is available for $49.00 and comes in 9 beautiful colors that will help make your maternity and post-partum wardrobe super functional. It can be purchased here.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.