Life

Moms Are Using This Frozen-Aisle Fave To Relieve Their Sore Boobs — Yes, Really

One of the gifts of the internet is the abundance of life hacks that pop up daily. The world wide web is full of seemingly bizarre tips designed to make life easier, like how to use a vacuum cleaner to tie a ponytail or how to put a spout on sports drink bottle to make it easier to drink. Twitter is one of the best places to find these kinds of tips, and the latest bit advice moms especially are loving is that you can use frozen Smuckers Uncrustables to ease breastfeeding pain.

Let me back up. As any new mom knows, although breastfeeding can be a beautiful bonding experience for a mother and child, it's actually really difficult for a lot of reasons. Sometimes babies have trouble latching, milk supply is a challenge — according to the Surgeon General's report on breastfeeding, almost 50 percent of mothers stopped breastfeeding because of insufficient milk supply — and being on call for you kid 24/7 is incredibly stressful.

Plus, it can hurt. Breastfeeding can make your breasts sore as a result of overuse, your nipples can crack, or they can become engorged because of an oversupply of milk. Mastitis, in fact, effects 10 percent of breastfeeding mothers according to Medical News Today, and it's incredibly painful. So breastfeeding moms are constantly looking for ways to make the process easier, which is where Smuckers Uncrustables enter. The hype about this hack all started with a tweet from Jayde Donovan, a radio host, philanthropist, and mother of three, who shared her secret for easing her breastfeeding boob pain:

"I just used frozen uncrustables as boob ice packs. Which actually makes perfect sense bc after they defrost in your nursing bra oh look a delicious treat," Donovan tweeted. A round of applause for this mom, please. First of all, this is hilarious, but second, it seems like it's super effective. Kelley Mom suggests cold compressions in twenty minute intervals to help with engorgement and pain from breastfeeding, and these pre-packaged frozen "sandwiches" can definitely help with that. And how many icepacks perfectly fit into your nursing bra and can double as a delicious snack? Let's not forget how hungry breastfeeding makes you, too.

Jayde's advice made its viral way around the internet after Reddit user u/tessa1hope screenshotted the tweet with the caption "I actually tried this and I'm not mad about it," and fellow Reddit moms jumped on the train to share their excitement about the tip and to celebrate how much they love Uncrustables (like, same). The enthusiasm from the Reddit mom community indicates Jayde's tip is definitely worth trying.

But why stop at Uncrustables? I bet there are a ton of other frozen food items that would make excellent breast icepacks. Mini waffles and mini pancakes would definitely work. Frozen french toast sticks might be even better if you're experiencing pain in specific areas because you could break them apart and place the smaller sticks exactly where you need the relief. Ooh, or bagel bites would be the perfect size to ice your chaffed and overworked nipples. Seriously, who knew the secret to pain relief was hiding in the frozen food aisle all along?

This first-time mom wants to have a home birth, but is she ready? Watch how a doula supports a military mom who's determined to have a home birth in Episode One of Romper's Doula Diaries, Season Two, below. Visit Bustle Digital Group's YouTube page for the next three episodes, launching Mondays in December.