This post contains affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure policy here!
So you have decided you want to breastfeed. Congratulations! You are about to embark on the most wonderful, exhausting, beautiful, and wild ride with your little guy or gal. Hopefully, you are looking to prepare for the experience by stocking up on must-have breastfeeding essentials to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. I have been working on this ultimate list of must-have breastfeeding essentials for a few months now in order to provide moms with a one stop resource for preparing to breastfeed.
Now that I am nearly 7 months into my breastfeeding journey with my second born, I have picked up a trick or two along the way about what products are actually necessary or helpful. These are products I use currently or used often in the early stages of nursing that I feel really helped me successfully nurse now two babies.
However, those early days of learning to breastfeed are tough! Some moms have a more difficult time than others and the early obstacles can definitely lead to a mom wanting to throw in the towel when things don’t go as expected. These products will help make those days a little easier as you potentially battle some of the less desirable parts of breastfeeding such sore nipples, engorged breasts, latching issues, comfort, pumping, or trouble getting your baby to take a bottle.
So without further ado, here are my top 10 must-have breastfeeding essentials to help ensure you have a successful experience!
If you plan to return to work or bottle feed your baby occasionally so you can have a break etc., then having a good breast pump is a must! With baby #1, I used a traditional double electric pump, the Medela Pump in Style and while it did the job, it was inconvenient to have to sit in one place for 15-20 minutes every time I needed to pump! With baby #2, I went with a hands free breast pump, the Medela Freestyle Breast pump, and it is so much better! I am able to pump while getting other things done which is a big deal since I have two little ones needing my attention. I was able to get the handsfree pump by paying an upgrade charge through my insurance.
With my first son, I used the manual Medela pump when I needed to pump quickly on the go and it did the job! This time, I purchased the BumbleBee Manual Breast pump because it uses suction to allow you to attach it hands free! It’s small and includes the caps, stand and a cute travel bag. And the best part about this pump is you can use it while the baby is nursing on the other side to collect all the milk you loose from the other breast during let down.
With both boys, I used the MilkSnob Cover and I highly recommend them to any mom whether breastfeeding or not! This cover can be used as a nursing cover, car seat cover and a shopping cart cover. You will really get your money worth with this lightweight and breathable cover. The fact that is is lightweight alone sold me since I can discreetly nurse in public without worrying about my baby sweating to death under a hot blanket.
Do you know you can save so much time by pumping directly into storage bags? Yeah, I didn’t either with my first baby. So I had to pump into the bottle, transfer that milk into storage bags, and then transfer the milk back into a bottle whenever my son had to drink pumped milk. What a hassle and not to mention, messy! I learned about the Kiinde System when I was expecting baby number 2 and it has make pumping so much easier. I pump directly into storage bags, thaw the frozen milk in a breast milk safe bottle warmer, and have the option to use snap in bottles to bottle feed straight from the bag without having to transfer the milk to a bottle! Game changer!
Some babies do not like bottles and prefer nursing. My second son is one of those babies. The best bottle for breastfed babies in my opinion hands down are the Como Tomo Bottles. I have used them with both boys and I like them because the bottle is soft like a breast and the nipple is wide and resembles/feels like the breast nipple.
Some women have an oversupply of milk that results in leaks throughout the day. I have this issue and it can really suck when you are leaking breastmilk through your bra/shirt and could be very embarrassing if you were to leak while in public. I play it safe by wearing disposable breast pad and my favorite are the Lanisoh Stay Dry Breast Pads. They do the best job at keeping me dry all day and I never have leaks when wearing them.
During the early days of nursing, I was frequently engorged because of an oversupply of milk. It helps to use cold therapy to alleviate the pain and I love the Lanisoh Hot/Cold Therapy packs because they are reusable and do both hot and cold therapy. Heat is really good when you are trying to stimulate your milk flow so these are also really good to help encourage let downs.
The best one is the My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow because you strap it to you. This is perfect when you are new to nursing and have trouble handling a small newborn trying to find the right position. One of the hardest things during the early stages of nursing is finding a position that is comfortable for you both you and the baby.
You and your sore boobs will thank me later. I personally did not like lanolin and prefer a natural product like The Honest Company Nipple Balm because I feel more comfortable seeing that the baby may eat some of it while nursing. I used this the first few weeks with both boys and I never dealt with cracked or bleeding nipples not even once!
Stock up on as many Nursing Friendly Bras, Tanks, and Clothes as you can. If you are successful with this whole breastfeeding thing which I pray that you are, you will be nursing your baby around the clock so take care of yourself with clothing that helps you feel comfortable and confident. One brand I highly recommend is Lottie Life. They make high quality, fashionable and comfortable athleisure for nursing moms!
If you do not listen to a word I said during this entire post, do yourself a huge favor and at the very least look into the Kiinde system. I didn’t have it with my first and it has been a real game changer this time around when it comes to pumping! You can also use the system to store and thaw homemade baby food!
What must-have breastfeeding essentials would you recommend to a mama aspiring to breastfeed?
