Nursery and Baby Tips

Hello there, wonderful parents and parents-to-be, I have been questionably gracefully frolicking through this incredible journey of motherhood for just over a year now, and oh, what an adventure it has been! It sure is a journey and adventure, just like everyone tells you, filled with joy, an immeasurable amount of love, a photo library that's overflowing, and yes, its fair share of worries that tag along. Stepping into the world of motherhood has unfolded numerous lessons for me, drawing from my experiences as both a paramedic during the unpredictable nights and days, and now, as a mum trying to find her groove as a toddler mum to a very adventurous little guy who seems to hold no fear about anything. Navigating the newborn phase can sometimes feel like you're trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions—confusing, frustrating, but oh-so-rewarding when you get it right. On reflection, I can see how hard we were trying to find our groove as new parents, understanding what felt right for our family, discerning what worked and what didn't. Each step, each decision, was a learning curve, teaching us more about ourselves and our son than we ever imagined possible. Through many conversations with new parents, one topic seems to continue to come to light, and that is safe sleep for babies, particularly how to dress newborns for sleep. I get it; I too found myself thinking about this every night before bed, wondering what to dress Sullivan in, wondering if he would be warm enough or too warm. Then, during the night, constantly putting a hand down his back to check. So much second-guessing around the topic of newborn sleep and what’s the safest practices. I do want to highlight that if you are in the newborn trenches trying to navigate this, or soon will be, I promise it gets easier, and you will become surer of yourself. Trust your instincts; they make us pay close attention to things for usually good reason. I wanted to share some wisdom to help you find that delicate balance between keeping your newborn close in those early days to create that strong bond, as well as for the convenience of those overnight feeds and nappy changes, all whilst ensuring they are sleeping safely and soundly. Because the perfect sleeping space goes beyond aesthetics and comfort; it's about providing a safe and secure environment that promotes healthy sleep habits right from the start. Back is best: Just like how we all have that one side of the bed, babies need their special sleep position too—and it's on their back. This helps to ensure their airways are nice and open and protected should they have little spit-ups of milk throughout the night. As babies develop and learn to roll, you might find they develop a preference for sleeping on their tummies. Just like adults, babies will sleep where they are most comfortable. However, it is still recommended that at the beginning of the night when placed into their sleep space, they are laid on their back. Once your baby is showing signs of starting to roll, it's time to ditch the swaddle and let their arms be free. Closeness counts: Having our newborns close to us, especially in those first few months, not only facilitates bonding, aids in convenience for those middle-of-the-night feeds and nappy changes but can also enhance sleep safety. It also allows for easy monitoring of your little babe throughout the night because I know you’ll be checking on them a few times, pinching yourself that they are real and here! Experts recommend that your new baby sleeps in your room for the first 6 months of their life. Keep in mind that every family's setup will be unique, so find what works and feels right for you, using these recommendations to help guide your decisions. Something that can help make room sharing a dream is a bedside co-sleeper, like the Cozee Breeze Plus Bassinet. Co-sleepers are an absolute game changer. The Cozee Breeze Plus enables you to have your baby within arm's reach for said feeds and nappy changes, and I love the transparent sides so you can very quickly peep on bub for some reassurance throughout the night. It can be attached to the side of your bed with the side rail lowered, so you can easily get them in and out without having to get out of bed…genius. A bare necessity: Creating a minimalist sleep space isn’t just chic; it's safe. So, whilst I know all those soft toys your baby will be gifted are beautiful and treasured, they are best kept out of your baby's sleep space whilst they are sleeping in it. All they need is a fitted sheet on their mattress and perhaps a mattress protector underneath for those accidental explosions or little spit-ups, something that has been thought of and included in the CoZee range. If you are worried about your baby being cold while they are sleeping, you can pop a light blanket over them, ensuring it is tucked tightly under the mattress and it only reaches the height of their chest so they can't accidentally wriggle down or pull the blanket up. Their sleep space should stay bare until about 7 months old, where you can introduce a comforter if that is something you wish to do. A firm and snug space: Why firm, you ask? Imagine sleeping on a marshmallow. Sounds dreamy, but swap to baby context, and it’s a big safety risk. This is the same for soft surfaces such as beanbags, loungers, and pillows. Red Nose states that babies need a supportive surface to ensure their little lungs can breathe easily and to keep their little bodies in just the right position. A firm mattress ensures no unwanted dips or soft spots can disrupt your baby’s breathing or sleep. And why flat? This isn’t just about preference; it's about providing a stable environment that supports their delicate spinal development and ensures they remain in a safe sleeping position throughout the night (not accidentally rolling). While we want to make sure the mattress is flat and firm, we also need to make sure it’s a snug fit in their cot or bassinet, without any gaps. I love that the iL Tutto Fuori and Hygge cot mattresses embody these exact safety principles, whilst providing the perfect balance between firmness for support and softness for comfort for our sleeping babes. Likewise, the CoZee Breeze Plus bassinet prioritizes safety without compromising on comfort. A standout feature I particularly love about the CoZee Breeze Plus is its adjustable heights and the option to set one end at an incline. This can be so helpful for our little refluxy bubs and is far safer and aesthetically pleasing than propping one end up on some books (hello, yes, I’m speaking from personal experience). Dressing for the occasion: Figuring out how to dress your baby for bed can seem like a puzzle that I know us new parents stew over, especially when considering room temperature and not wanting to over or underdress. That’s the goal, isn’t it, trying to keep them comfortable yet not too hot and not too cold. But how do I master that, you ask… Firstly, let's talk about the ideal room temperature. There are measures we can implement to ensure our babies are kept comfortable without needing to pile on lots of layers to keep them warm. If you opt to use a newborn swaddle sleeping bag, which might I add are so convenient, each brand will typically give a guide for how best to dress your baby depending on the different tog ratings and room temperature. This takes the guesswork out of it, however, there might be a buffering period of trial and error to get the sweet spot and that’s okay, you’re doing great! Remember, every baby is unique, and what works for one family may not work for another. These tips are here to guide you toward creating a safe sleep environment for your little one. Listen to your baby and trust your instincts; you know your baby best. Enjoy every cuddle, every late-night feed, and even those moments when sleep seems like a distant dream. I promise these moments are fleeting, and before you know it, your little one will be on to the next big adventure. Sending you all the love, strength and a few extra coffee beans if needed, as you navigate this beautiful, sometimes challenging, but always rewarding journey of parenthood.  

Parents are at the heart of the iL Tutto brand. Every decision we make, every product we design is about making parents' lives easier. And that’s how it will always be. We know that for the majority of families, mums are the ones taking on the role of primary caregiver. This International Women’s Day we want to give you insight into the iL Tutto business and how we’re inspired by those mums. The mums breastfeeding at all hours. The mums juggling newborn nap times with the needs of a busy toddler. The mums who make our family lives hum so perfectly. The inspiration behind iL Tutto When Leanne Boyd and her husband started their first business importing and distributing baby goods, her youngest child was four months old. What started as a hobby of sorts while she was raising her young children, evolved into the couple buying the iL Tutto business in 2007. “At that time iL Tutto was a nappy bag brand,” she recalls. “We loved the iL Tutto brand and we were keen to start producing our own products. Ultimately, we decided to steer the brand towards nursery products.” The evolution of the brand into nursery was driven by a gap Leanne and her husband identified in the market. That is, for stylish nursing chairs that people were proud to display in their homes. “The brand focus is about combining practicality with the style that parents are searching for,” she explains. “Our products evolve beyond the newborn stage so they’re not just purchases for the short term. It’s furniture you can use in your home for many years to come.” Support when mums need it most The iL Tutto range today reflects what mums need and want. That is, stylish, high quality baby products that are designed to support their unique needs. Jess Carroll is a Nurse, Paediatric Sleep Consultant and mum of three. She works with parents to teach, support and empower them as they navigate the sleep journey with their baby. She’s also an advocate of the iL Tutto brand, recognising that the nursery chairs are so much more than a chair for a new mum. “The chairs are just divine,” she says. “While you’re creating a calming sleep environment for your baby, it’s also important that you’re comfortable. Gentle rocking in a chair is a really lovely way to wind down with your baby before you pop them into their cot for a restful sleep.” After working with so many families over the years, Jess says that many mums still feel a stigma about getting the support they need. “When you have a baby, your life changes in an instant,” she explains. “No one can prepare you for just how much it will change. There’s still a stigma around mums putting themselves first but self care, whatever you need to do to fill your own cup, is so important. Every other parent is out there trying to figure it all out in the same way you are.” Always evolving One thing that we truly value at iL Tutto is our customer feedback. We’re always listening to our customers and taking that feedback on board to evolve our products. “With each design we release, we consider what our customers are telling us and introduce features that will make their lives easier,” says Julie Georgiadis, iL Tutto Marketing Director. “Our latest collection – the Frankie Electric Recliner Glider Nursery Chairs – is the perfect example of this. “Parents were telling us they wanted somewhere in their nursery chair to store things like storybooks for reading to their toddlers while feeding the baby. We added discreet yet functional side pockets for this.” The Frankie range also includes a wider base for a smooth glide, bolster cushions for lower back and feeding support and USB ports for charging. For mums with a compromised core, the electric recline steps in to do the heavy lifting for her. “Frankie takes everything that our customers love about each of the other chairs in our collection and combines it all in a single, stylish chair. This is about understanding what parents want, what mums need and delivering on that.” Extending the support Our support for women, mothers and families goes beyond the features in a nursery chair. Leanne says that as a small family business, each member of the team is like a member of the extended family.  “Many of our staff work flexibly around school pick ups and drop offs,” adds Julie. “Even staff who don’t have children have access to the same flexibility.” When the business was looking to extend their support into the community, it made sense to look at ways to support women and families.

Becoming a mum for the first time is one of the single biggest changes you’ll experience in your life. You realise just what ‘busy’ actually means and experience a love truly like no other. When a woman becomes a mother, the focus is on the baby. Everyone wants to have a newborn snuggle and ask how the baby is sleeping and feeding. But what about mum? Self-care for new mums is something that most don’t think about until they're on the edge of burnout. Or when they’re out of the newborn phase and into the next stage of motherhood, when their babies are now big kids and more self-sufficient. But any mum will tell you that taking time out for yourself, even if it’s just a bath on a Saturday night, is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your baby. We share our tips for mum self-care to help you take the time you need to look after yourself while you’re looking after your baby. A shower can be self-care Yes, self-care can be weekly massages and facials. But it can also be a shower or a cup of tea in the garden by yourself.  Does a shower recharge your batteries? Does it make you feel like you’re ready to face another sleepless night?  New mums know that sometimes showers are hard to come by in those early days and weeks. But if a shower ticks all your mother self-care boxes then go for it. Likewise if it’s an afternoon walk or a cup of tea that you actually get to drink while it’s still hot. What you do for self-care in the newborn phase will likely look very different to your motherhood self-care at other stages. And that’s completely ok. Accept offers of help One of the biggest barriers that gets in the way of self-care for new mums? Speaking from experience, it’s accepting offers of help.  If a friend visits and offers to hang out your washing or do the dishes, let them. If someone asks you if there’s anything they can do to help, give them a job. People don’t offer to help if they don’t mean it and if you say no, the offers will dry up very quickly. Your friends who are mums will remember what it’s like to be so desperately tired but still needing to function as a human being. They probably wish someone had offered to do their dishes or laundry… or regret saying no when they did. Take the help. You’ll be so grateful you did. Set yourself up for success The nursery chair you buy for your baby’s nursery isn’t actually for your baby. It’s for you. Your nursery chair are to help make feeding and rocking your baby to sleep a more comfortable experience for you. Many mums love the convenience of an electric recliner, such as the Chelsea Electric Recliner Glider Chair. It has all the features of a traditional nursing chair, with the mod cons of push button recline. It also features an in-built USB port so your devices never run out of battery while you’re buried under a sleeping baby. A glider chair, like the Billie Recliner Glider offers the same comfort with spring-loaded recline. This means you can easily move between reclining and sitting positions without needing to use your abdominal muscles.  Motherhood self-care is about the whole picture. Not just the indulgent moments of free time to feel like yourself again. Invest in yourself and your back will thank you later! Here for mums At iL Tutto, we’re deeply committed to supporting mums in their journey. Whether it’s self-care for mums, sharing your breastfeeding stories or tips for co-sleeping, we want you to feel supported. That support extends to our nursery chairs, all designed with the needs of new mums in mind. Designed in Australia and loved by parents around the world, iL Tutto is helping new mums care for themselves, one feed at a time. Explore the range and discover products that will care for you while you care for your baby.

The grey nursery trend is still as popular as ever. And for good reason! Grey is timeless, stylish and calming. Building your nursery styling around grey nursery chair gives you so many options. You can carry the grey styling throughout the nursery to create a soothing sleep retreat or you can add pops of colour to bring your little one’s personality to life in their space. We explore grey nursery inspiration, including high-quality and functional grey nursery chairs from the iL Tutto range and tips for selecting accents and accessories to complement your style. Furniture first When styling a nursery, it’s best to start with the big items, like your nursery chair, cot or bassinet.  Grey is a staple colour in the iL Tutto range. From grey nursery rocking chairs to grey gliders, it’s a popular, versatile and chic colour.  One of the best sellers in the range is the Billie Recliner Glider Nursery Chair, available in Pure Grey. The ergonomic design features a spring-loaded recline and provides next level comfort and support. The Paige Recliner Glider and Willow Recliner Glider, both available in Pure Grey, have similar functionality and comfort with unique design features. Paige offers a high backrest and a clean, minimal design, while Willow provides plush cushioning to sink into. For a high-tech addition to the nursery, consider the Chelsea Electric Recliner Glider Chair in Grey Frost or the Henry Electric Recliner Glider Chair in Pure Grey. Both offer luxury and comfort with push-button electric recline and an in-built USB port.  A more traditional style in the range, the Olivia Rocking Chair with Ottoman features a beautiful, on-trend Shadow Bouclé fabric. When you no longer have a need for a rocking chair, the rockers can be replaced with the included legs to give you longevity for your chair.  Choosing the right shade of grey With so many shades of grey, which is best for your grey neutral nursery?  One important consideration is the undertones of the grey. Cooler greys have blue undertones that pair beautifully with crisp whites and pastels. Warmer taupe-tinged greys lend well to accent colours like buttery yellow or sage green. Also, remember that the lighting in a room will reflect different grey tones. Lighter dove greys are ideal for rooms with soft light. Deeper charcoal is best for rooms with warmer light. The size of the room may also impact your choice as lighter greys will visually open smaller spaces. Accenting your grey nursery furniture Once you’ve chosen your grey nursery furniture, you can then play with accents. Whether that’s tonal grey nursery accessories, contrasting prints or pops of colour through soft furnishings. The sky’s the limit with how you style. Choose white accents, such as curtains, cushions or lamp shades to crisply complement the grey while also brightening the space. Or opt for bedding and pillows in contrasting prints and colourful solids to highlight the grey backdrop. Or punctuate the grey with bright artwork, toys and accessories in primary hues. Some popular grey nursery colour combinations include: Baby blue or peach for a light and airy feel. Cherry red or bright orange for a bolder vibe. Rainbow colours dotted through the room for a playful whimsy. If you prefer to maintain the neutral shades in the room, incorporate natural wood finishes and touches of greenery. This also helps to provide a connection to nature in the nursery. Explore the possibilities of grey with iL Tutto Grey is a cosy backdrop for your baby’s nursery. And much how grey pairs perfectly with any colour, it also pairs with every stage of childhood and into the teen years for an effortless room transition. As your baby grows and their interests and personality develop, you can easily swap out the accent pieces and build on the grey foundations. Looking for more grey neutral nursery ideas and inspiration? Explore the iL Tutto full range of nursery chairs to find the perfect grey nursery chair for you and your baby. The award-winning range is designed in Australia to support parents as they embark on the most exciting journey of their lives.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. But it can also be the most stressful time of the year, especially when you have little kids. Seeing your family enjoying Christmas brings new meaning to the season. But it can also add to the stress of Christmas. From the disrupted routines to the overstimulation, the neverending Christmas events and the endless expectations, managing Christmas stress is a job in itself. We share simple tips to navigate the festive season with ease, ensuring a stress-free Christmas for you and your little elves. 1. Maintain your routine Disruptions to your routine during the festive season are inevitable. There’s the late nights, Christmas celebrations and, for toddlers and up, the sheer excitement of the impending arrival of the big guy in the red suit. While there’s not a lot you can do about the disruptions, you can still try to maintain some semblance of a schedule. That may mean keeping mealtimes consistent. Or sticking to bedtimes on the nights when you’re home. Kids thrive on routine this will help to give some stability. 2. Start a family Christmas tradition Family traditions are far more beneficial for kids than something for them to look forward to each year. Those fun little rituals can actually help to encourage their sense of identity and belonging. At Christmas time, family traditions can become the anchors of a memorable Christmas. Your family traditions don’t need to be extravagant. Something as simple as baking and decorating cookies or wearing a silly hat for the photo with Santa. Your traditions can also evolve as your children get older. These are the moments that your kids will look back on with such fondness. Plus, having something exciting to look forward to can also help with your own stress at Christmas. 3. Imperfectly perfect Perfection is not the prerequisite for a wonderful family Christmas. Especially when you have little kids. There’s a good chance that they’ll break an ornament or cry when they see Santa. On Christmas Day they’ll be a catastrophic combination of overtired and overexcited. They’ll likely look at the incredible spread on the Christmas table and just want a bread roll with butter. No amount of stress can change any of this. It’s imperfectly perfect. And these are likely the moments that will make for your most cherished memories. Have realistic expectations and try to go with the flow. 4. Simplify the festivities If you’re really looking for a stress-free Christmas, keep it simple. Focus on what brings joy to you and your family and do more of that. This might mean fewer decorations or saying no to an invitation but it might be exactly what you need to reduce the frenzy of the season. Sometimes – for whatever reason – you can’t opt for a simple approach. In this case, it’s all about balance. Prioritise the activities and traditions that matter the most and adjust or let go of less important ones. This isn’t necessarily about doing less. It’s about doing what’s right for you and your family, focusing on connection, joy and balance. 5. Practise self-care Amidst the whirlwind of holiday activities, self-care often takes a backseat. But it’s actually at the heart of a stress-free Christmas. Yes, it’s challenging to find time for self-care when you have a baby or young children. But taking time for yourself isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. Take time out for your morning coffee. Go for a walk each day. Run a bath once the kids have gone to bed. Do some relaxing Christmas activities, like Christmas craft or baking (without the kids to minimise the stress!). Do whatever works for you to find some space to breathe and recharge. Even though it’s for the baby, the nursery can also often be your sanctuary. With the right nursery chair, you can lie back and read while the baby naps during the day. Or even recline and have a little nap yourself, away from possible interruptions. Merry stress-free Christmas from iL Tutto At iL Tutto, we’re on a mission to support parents. Usually that’s with quality, Australian-designed, award-winning. But we’re also here for the milestones and special events of life with kids. Merry Christmas from the iL Tutto family to yours. We hope it’s stress-free and magical.

Storytelling is as old as humankind. We tell stories to share history, to connect and to entertain. There’s a reason why storytelling is as old as it is… it works.  For some mums, breastfeeding is a lonely experience. For others they’re overwhelmed by all the information available to them, even before they’ve started. That’s where breastfeeding stories can help to connect mums so they know they’re not alone and that support is available.  Lactation Consultant Pinky McKay agrees that mums sharing their breastfeeding stories is helpful because every breastfeeding experience is unique.  “If women can talk openly about breastfeeding, they’re going to normalise that breastfeeding is actually a skill to be learned,” she explains. “A lot of the time people expect that it will come naturally, but that’s not necessarily the case. There’s often a learning curve and challenges to overcome along the way, even if it’s not your first baby."  Pinky cautions that when sharing stories, we should also be careful not to add to the overwhelm or fear a new or pregnant mother might be feeling. But she says that mothers' groups are a great place to start sharing.  “You never know how someone else is feeling until you ask them or share your own story,” she adds. “The mum sitting next to you might be struggling too, even if she doesn’t look like it from the outside. It can be reassuring to share breastfeeding stories and know that others are in the same boat. Also remember that you don’t need to take on board every piece of advice from every story. If it doesn’t feel right to you, you can imagine the advice floating out through an open window.”  With this in mind, three wonderful mums agreed to share their breastfeeding stories with us to help support other mums in their breastfeeding journey.  Danielle’s story  Already mum to six-year-old twin girls, Danielle assumed her breastfeeding story the second time around would be straightforward. She soon realised that breastfeeding one baby can be just as challenging as breastfeeding twins.  “In the first two weeks I didn’t realise that my daughter wasn’t transferring the milk very well,” she recalls. “I wasn’t in any pain when she was feeding but she was quite unsettled. By day 11 she was pretty much refusing to feed as she didn’t have enough energy to do so.”  Danielle initially thought her baby was unsettled due to catching a bug from her older sisters. But at her three week check up the midwife discovered the cause of the issue.  “At the two week check up we found out why she was unsettled. We had a two day hospital stay to get support. Sometimes she latches perfectly, other times not so much. I have a portable breast pump so if she refuses the breast I can give her a bottle of expressed breastmilk.”  Despite the unexpected challenges, Danielle is positive about her experience saying that you can never be sure of the path that lays ahead.  Tarsha’s story  As a first time mum, Tarsha didn’t know what to expect from breastfeeding. She was overwhelmed with information and didn’t really know what to expect or where to start.  “When we had our daughter, we were in the hospital for four nights,” she recalls. “Each one of the midwives offered their own thoughts, experiences and opinions. Their approaches were sometimes quite different, which is confusing for a new mum.”  Tarsha decided to keep breastfeeding for the first couple of weeks and see how she went. Now three weeks into motherhood and breastfeeding, her advice to other new mums is to seek breastfeeding support early on.  “We did a birthing class with a midwife while I was still pregnant but they didn’t really cover anything about breastfeeding. I kept seeing different ads for breastfeeding classes but there were so many different options that I didn’t know which to choose!”  “I wish I’d known to find a lactation consultant while I was still pregnant. Then we could have built the relationship before the baby arrived so I had the support on hand when I needed it.”  Brittany’s story  Brittany had an amazing birth experience. But on day two, she learned that her son had tongue and lip ties. She had heard of these before but didn’t know anything about tongue and lip ties and breastfeeding.  “Initially we were told that the ties weren’t that bad and might not need to be released,” she recalls. “We were advised to see a lactation consultant and take it from there. A week later we saw the lactation consultant and she said that our son’s tongue and lip ties were some of the worst she had seen!”  While Brittany was anxious about her baby needing surgery, she also felt a level of relief because feeding was causing her a lot of pain. At three weeks of age, her son had the surgery. He started feeding immediately, much to Brittany’s joy.  “He’s now 15 weeks old and we’ve come out the other side. Those first three weeks were so incredibly challenging. He would cry while he was trying to feed and I would cry too. Each feed would take close to two hours and then he would sleep for 20 minutes before we had to start all over again. It’s honestly amazing how far we’ve come.”  Support for every breastfeeding journey  Danielle, Tarsha and Brittany all have completely unique breastfeeding experience stories. But the thing that they have in common is their iL Tutto nursery chairs. All three mums agree that their breastfeeding chairs have been the best investment they’ve made in their nursery.  “I didn’t realise how much time I would spend in my nursery and in my nursing chair,” says Tarsha of her Henry Electric Recliner Glider Chair. “I liked the chair because of the electric recline functionality, which I thought would be really helpful straight after birth. But the rocking and gliding motion of the chair has also helped me with burping and settling my baby.”  Brittany recalls how much time she has spent in her Recliner Glider Nursery Chair, particularly through the very challenging early days of her breastfeeding journey.  “My chair was my saving grace,” she says. “I don’t know how many times I slept in it with my baby in the crib next to the chair. I sat in the chair for hours upon hours each day in the newborn phase. I would feed for two hours and then burp for 45 minutes. It was so comfortable, even straight after birth.”  When Danielle had her twins, she didn’t have a nursing chair. This time around, it was the first thing on her list. She chose the Chelsea Electric Glider Recliner Chair and says that it ticks all the boxes.   “The nursery is my sanctuary,” she explains. “I love the reclining option on the chair and also the rocking option. I can bring the baby into the nursery, away from the busyness of the house, and escape to feed. If she’s unsettled, I can recline back and rock to calm her down.”  Complete your story  With a chair to suit every style of decor, our award-winning range is designed in Australia. Choose from glider chairs, recliner chairs, nursery rocking chairs and electric recliner chairs.   Explore our complete range and complete your story with an iL Tutto nursery chair. 

Many women in the UK who can breastfeed, plan to breastfeed their child with statistics telling us 81% begin with hopeful intentions. However, by 6 weeks only 55% of mothers in the UK are still breastfeeding in some capacity. It often comes as a huge surprise for women how difficult breastfeeding can be, with many women left feeling as though they have been given unrealistic expectations. Ultimately, women feel unprepared when they encountered pain, problems, and the sheer relentlessness of early infant feeding. iL Tutto have teamed up with The Breast-feeding Mentor to give you some advice and support to help prepare you for the journey ahead Breast Feeding: it’s a FULL-TIME job! Feeding your baby is a full-time job. One mum in the USA did the maths and estimates that she spent approximately 1,800 hours feeding her baby over the course of a year. That equates to almost 35 hours a week sitting in your nursing chair! What this number doesn’t factor is all the time you spend rocking and patting your baby trying to get them to sleep. Or the nights you sleep in your nursing chair because it’s not worth the effort of waking the baby up to go back to your own bed.  Whether you bottle or breastfeed, your Nursing chair can becomes a place you spend a significant portion of your days… and nights. If it’s comfortable and designed to support you on your feeding journey, it will make an immeasurable difference to your life as a mum. You’ll quickly discover that it’s the best investment you’ve made in your nursery. The First Week It may take up to six days for your milk to ‘come in,’ especially if you have a c-section. Despite popular belief, your colostrum (the thick, liquid gold that your breasts produce from around month 4 of pregnancy) is almost certainly enough for your baby until it does. Your newborn’s stomach is the size of a marble on day one earth side and only as big as a walnut by day three. They do not need gallons of breast milk to fill them up, but because their stomach is so tiny, they do need to be fed frequently (at least every two hours, around the clock initially) Baby won’t stop feeding? Keep Calm and Keep Cluster Feeding Cluster feeding (when your baby nurses for hours at a time, day & night) is a completely natural & normal part of breastfeeding. Is it easy or convenient? Not by modern standards, but it does not mean that you should be worried about your supply. In fact, the only times you may need to be concerned about not producing enough milk are if your babe is not producing enough wet nappies in a day or if they are not gaining weight at the expected rate. Pain? Posture matters! Research has found that when mothers have poor breastfeeding posture, it may affect latch and result in shoulder, neck, back or hand pain. This is common across so many breastfeeding stories of mothers who don’t have the adequate support or the right feeding equipment. Breastfeeding in the correct position helps to minimise the risk of this pain.   There are a range of different positions you can adopt while breastfeeding your baby, depending on which is most comfortable for you. You may also use different positions at different stages of your baby’s growth.  Cradle or cross cradle hold are the most used. Other mothers opt for a straddle to keep their baby upright or the football hold to avoid the baby pressing on their stomach. If you’re experiencing nipple pain, a laid-back hold may help to reduce that pain and encourage a good latch. Understanding breastfeeding positions is one thing. Having the right feeding chair to support you to achieve this is another. The right chair makes it so much easier. It’s been designed with feeding and your comfort in mind. On a nursing chair recliner you can achieve the laid-back hold without having to move into another room. You can easily shift between positions because the chair has been designed to accommodate the full spectrum of feeding positions. The result is a supportive breastfeeding chair that can accommodate different feeding positions in supreme comfort and safety. Breast feeding is not easy, but it’s very worthwhile and does get easier with time and a whole lot of patience and stamina. You won’t feel like you have a lot of time for yourself, but here are 5 tips on carving out some me-time for nursing Mamas. Call on your village. Whether your circle of support is dozens strong or just two or three people, drawing on them is essential if you are going to get some much-needed downtime. It will take time for you and your babe to feel comfortable being separated from one another initially, so start small. Take a nap, give yourself a manicure, or meditate while your partner, mom or father-in-law or plays with your child/children in another room. Maximize on nap times. Even if your little one will only contact nap, buy yourself some me-time by preparing to do so in advance. If you are able to put your babe down to sleep, do not under any circumstances use this time to do household chores. They can either be done when your baby is awake, or by someone else. The washing up will still be there at the end of the day, but if you do not take care of yourself, your sanity & patience may not! If you are nap-trapped daily, before you settle down to get your little one to sleep, grab: your phone, a charger, the remote control, some headphones & some snacks.   Set up your feeding station in advance (day or night!) Have a water bottle, cup of tea, and decent pod cast at the ready! Let’s face it, you are likely going to be awake a few times throughout the night, and sat feeding a lot though out the day, anything you can do to prepare in advance will help make the feeds/ night feed that bit more comfortable. A pre-made flask of (de-café?) tea may make the difference and give you that much needed little boost though out the long nights - especially in winter, or for the warmer months something ice-cold will be super refreshing. Eat! One of the kindest things you can do for yourself when feeding your baby, is feed yourself. The amount of energy you burn when feeding a baby is astonishing, so prepare yourself snacks and meals. If you are too tired to prepare much, ready to eats carrot batons, breast feeding cookies, bread sticks, and fruit – ready to eat foods with little effort, yet loaded with energy and nutrients! Your body will thank you for the fuel!   Maximize on sleep. Oh sleep, that wonderful, distant memory…if like me your baby is more wakeful than you knew was humanly possible(!), doing everything that you can to maximize on your own sleep will give you a new lease of life. People commonly advise new parents to, “Sleep when baby sleeps,” but you may not be able to if you have older children or if you struggle to fall asleep in the middle of the day. Instead, try going to bed at night at the same time as your child(ren). This may mean that you don’t get to put the washing machine on, or cuddle with your partner on the sofa, but if it gives you an extra few hours of sleep, it may well be worthwhile. Breast feeding is incredibly worthwhile but it’s not easy for a variety of physical and emotional reasons. For better support and more information on Nursing chairs visit www.iltutto.co.uk

Feeding your baby is a full-time job. One mum in the USA did the maths and estimates that she spent approximately 1,800 hours feeding her baby over the course of a year. That equates to almost 35 hours a week sitting in your breastfeeding chair!  What this number doesn’t factor is all the time you spend rocking and patting your baby trying to get them to sleep. Or the nights you sleep in your breastfeeding chair because it’s not worth the effort of waking the baby up to go back to your own bed.   Whether you bottle or breastfeed, your nursery chair becomes a place you spend a significant portion of your days… and nights. If it’s comfortable and designed to support you on your feeding journey, it will make an immeasurable difference to your life as a mum. You’ll quickly discover that it’s the best investment you’ve made in your nursery.  Breastfeeding posture matters  Research has found that when mothers have poor breastfeeding posture, it may lead to shoulder, neck, back or hand pain. This is common across so many breastfeeding stories of mothers who don’t have the adequate support or the right feeding equipment. Breastfeeding in the correct position helps to minimise the risk of this pain.    There are a range of different positions you can adopt while breastfeeding your baby, depending on which is most comfortable for you. You may also use different positions at different stages of your baby’s growth.   Cradle or cross cradle hold are the most commonly used. Other mothers opt for a straddle to keep their baby upright or the football hold to avoid the baby pressing on their stomach. If you’re experiencing nipple pain, a laid-back hold may help to reduce that pain and encourage a good latch.  Understanding breastfeeding positions is one thing. Having the right breastfeeding chair to support you to achieve this is another. The right chair makes it so much easier. It’s been designed with feeding and your comfort in mind. On a nursing chair recliner you can achieve the laid-back hold without having to move into another room. You can easily shift between positions because the chair has been designed to accommodate the full spectrum of feeding positions.  More than feeding  Breastfeeding chair doesn’t quite capture all the ways you’ll use this versatile piece of furniture. It’s a rocking chair, a story chair, a nursery rhyme time chair and a watching your baby while they drift peacefully off to sleep chair… if you’re lucky!  Those 1,800 hours of breastfeeding are over in the blink of an eye. The toddler years whiz past at lightning speed. No sooner are you sending your baby off to big school than you’re preparing them for high school and attending their graduation. There has never been a truer saying than, ‘the days are long, but the years are short.’  Long after the cot and bassinet are packed away, your breastfeeding chair will remain. From breastfeeding time to story time, the chair can stay with you beyond the baby years. Each time you sit in it to tell a story to your toddler, or have a snuggle with your preschooler, or listen to your teens dramas, you’ll be reminded of those early days.  A quality nursing chair glider is just as at home in a nursery as it is in a bedroom, playroom or a living room. That nursery investment is a piece of furniture that you can enjoy well beyond the baby years.  It’s the little details that count  The best way to demonstrate the value of a breastfeeding chair is to dive into the features.  One of our most popular breastfeeding chairs is the Chelsea Glider Recliner Chair in Grey Frost. It’s also available in a range of other fabric colours, including Egg Shell, and Coastal Sand. And for those who prefer an electric option, there is the Electric Glider Recliner Chair in Egg Shell & Grey Frost No matter which Chelsea you choose, you get a breastfeeding chair that’s been designed specifically for your needs.   It starts with the ergonomic design, including a higher backrest suitable for all heights and armrests positioned to support correct breastfeeding posture. The electric version of Chelsea features a single push button recline. All other Chelsea varieties have a spring-loaded recline. Either way, you’re supported to sit up without using your abdominals, particularly important while you recover after giving birth.   The 360-degree swivel glider base (180 degrees for the electric version) has a gentle and smooth gliding motion, ideal for rocking your baby to sleep. Our exclusive, premium fabrics are STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certified, meaning they contain harmful substances or toxic chemicals.   The result is a supportive breastfeeding chair that can accommodate different feeding positions in supreme comfort, safety and style.  Discover your new breastfeeding chair  Chelsea is just one of the many breastfeeding chair options available from iL Tutto. Our award-winning range of Australian designed furniture includes glider chairs, recliner chairs, nursery rocking chairs and electric recliner chairs.   Explore our complete range and fall in love with your new breastfeeding chair.