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New Delhi: Women’s Day is a celebration of women empowerment. But with women trying to be independent in all walks of life, especially in work life, it has become difficult to strike a balance between work and personal life. And this causes difficulty for one of the most significant roles of a woman - a mother.


The first and most important duty of a mother is to protect her child against diseases and make him/ her immune to battle illnesses on their own.


Since, breastfeeding is very crucial for overall immunity and development of a child, this should be mother’s first duty post-delivery.


If you’re planning to go back to work, there are plenty of accessories that are designed to help you work through your feeding challenges.


Here are a few ‘must-have accessories’ for new mothers, as listed down by Dr Madhavi Latha, Lactation Consultant-


Nursing bras: Provide additional support to women who are lactating and permit comfortable breastfeeding without the need to remove the bra. Celebs with the likes of Angelina Jolie and Jessica Alba have been spotted wearing nursing bras during the first few months of their delivery.


Nursing tanks: If you’re a nursing mother managing household chores or working from home, breastfeeding at regular intervals could be a tiring task. Nursing tanks allow new mothers to breastfeed comfortably without any hassle. Bonus: They can be layered up or inside tees or maxis when you go out.


Nursing tops: Being a mom doesn't mean your wardrobe has to be boring. Nursing tops incorporate hidden openings that provide easy access for feeding your baby. Faux wraps, tank tops, long sleeve shirts are just a few of the options that enable you to breastfeed easily on the go while still making you look stylish.


Nipple shield: Many new moms may develop sore/painful/ cracked nipples initially because of improper baby latch, Nipple shield is a great help to save sore, cracked nipples


Nipple puller: If your nipple is flat, inverted or puckered, nipple puller is a very useful small, handy product, which helps in protracting and formation of nipple, convenient for baby latching.


Breast pads: Especially useful if you have a rapid let down reflex and breast seems to be leaking all the time.


Nursing wrap: Absolute blessing for discreet and comfortable breastfeeding in public, you can be on the go with your tiny tot anywhere, anytime.


Hydrogel pads: For sore and sensitive nipples.


Nursing pillow:  Most nursing moms cannot live without a nursing pillow. Considering the fact that a baby requires feeding every two hours (or more), it can really take a toll on your back. Having a pillow to prop your little one on while nursing can lighten your load, might ease back pain and make the experience better.


Breast milk pump: If you’re heading back to work and want to continue breast-feeding, a breast pump is going to be an essential part of your routine. Breast pumps help in expressing milk from a lactating mother which is later bottle fed to their child by a caregiver. A breast pump may also be used to stimulate lactation for women with a low milk supply.        


Breast milk storage: New moms pumping milk to feed their baby at a later time need to store it somewhere. Breast milk storage bags are convenient to use for such a purpose. If you don’t like the idea of filling your freezer with plastic bags of milk and only need to store a small amount at a time, try filling up extra baby bottles with pumped milk. Then label and store them in the refrigerator for up to eight days.


Breast pump bag: A breast pump bag is a must have for active mothers on the go. The bag must have plenty of space for the breast pump and its accessories. If the mother is going to stay out for a long time, a cooling bag must also be included in the kit to keep the expressed breast milk cold.