Are you a new mom looking for breastfeeding essentials? These are the best items to use during your breastfeeding journey as a first-time mom that you won’t want to live without!
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Breastfeeding is such an amazing way to bond with your baby. Sometimes feeding your baby can be difficult and painful, but these breastfeeding essentials will change your life as a new mom.
As a new mom you will want to dive deep into this breastfeeding essentials list so you can feel confident and prepared to tackle the beautiful journey of breastfeeding.
After reviewing the tried and true breastfeeding essentials from a first-time mom herself, you can start preparing for your breastfeeding journey before the arrival of your baby!
This post is all about breastfeeding essentials.
The Tried and True Breastfeeding Essentials:
1. Haaka/Milk Collector
One thing you should get yourself is a milk collector! It is definitely at the top of the list for breastfeeding essentials. The traditional Silicone Haakaa Breast Pump is a great option and I personally loved it. You will want to make sure that if you are going with the traditional Haakaa that it is secure so you don’t lose any of your liquid gold!
If you are looking for a different style, check out the Haakaa Ladybug Milk Collector. Rather than having a suction feature, it fits more like a wireless breast breast pump that sits in your bra. Trust me, as someone who lost a ton of milk prior to using a Haakaa, you will want to get every last drop.
Your body works so hard to make breast milk for your sweet baby, get a milk collector so you can use it for Brest Milk Lotion, soothing baths, and even eczema (works wonders for eczema)!
2. Colostrum Collector
Believe me when I tell you these Haakaa Colostrum Collectors were literally life saving.
Imagine this: you are newly postpartum and your milk as yet to come in. You saved colostrum from when you were pregnant, so you will have something nutritious to give to your baby.
Once you are considered full-term, you can start “pumping” Colostrum. I would just simply squeeze my breast into a container/spoon and fill these Colostrum Collectors (this is not medical advice, just speaking from personal experience). I started pumping Colostrum a few days after I hit 37 weeks and saved them so I could use them before my breast milk came in to feed my daughter.
3. Nipple Cream
I LOVE this Nipple Butter by Earth Mama. I still use it over one year later after having my daughter and plan to use it for future pregnancies! I think my absolute favorite part is you can use it on other dry areas of your body. It is my favorite nipple cream AND chap stick.
This amazing stuff leaves your skin feeling buttery smooth and melts into your skin. Some sort of nipple cream/healing cream, will be crucial for those raw and cracked nipples while you are breastfeeding.
Pro Tip: use this before you start breastfeeding after you deliver and use it frequently. I promise you, this will save your nipples. I did this and experience no cracked nipples and minimal pain!
4. Nursing Bras
Another breastfeeding essential that you cannot live without are some comfy nursing bras. These are the exact nursing bras I have and use daily more than one year postpartum.
They are the comfortable and flexible, and more importantly they do the job so you can nurse your baby. They come in a variety of colors and sizes. It is also important to note that these bras still have some structure and padding. Hands down the comfiest nursing bras I own.
I highly recommend a flexible sports bra like nursing bra! Wired or structured bras are extremely uncomfortable when you are nursing, especially in those early months postpartum. The wire will dig into your ribs during normal wear and be difficult to get access to your breast when it is time to feed.
5. Hand Pump
A manual breast pump will save your life at one point and time, and it is at the top of the breastfeeding essentials list. If you are considering an electric pump or a manual pump, 100% go with the manual pump.
The Medela Manual Breast Pump is a great option and so is the Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump. The best part about a manual pump is that you have the control of the flow of your milk and you don’t need any power to operate it. It is very easy to clean with minimal parts (compared to an electric breast pump).
If you need to have free hands or want to pump both breasts at the same time, consider an electric pump. A manual pump and an electric pump can be equally as effective and they both have pros and cons. Manual pumps are definitely the affordable option!
6. Electric Pump
Now, we will discuss the electric breast pump on the breastfeeding essentials list. I LOVE this particular Medela Breast Pump.
It has the ability to be used without being attached to the wall with some AA batteries, but you can also just plug it right in and relax on the couch. This is by far the best feature of it because it is so annoying to plug into the wall. You will want to just grab your pump and sit down and pump without worrying about finding the nearest outlet.
The downside of a quality electric pump is the price. However, I got my pump through a company called Aeroflow. It is a company that partners with insurance companies to help you qualify for a free breast pump covered by your insurance. This is the exact way I got the Max Flow Medela Pump.
7. Milk Storage Bags
If you plan on breastfeeding and pumping, Breastmilk Storage bags are definitely an essential to help build your freezer stash.
You’ll want to get the best bang for your buck and get the most out of your bags. I have found that if you get milk storage bags that are compatible with your breast pump, you can pump right into the bag saving yourself from hundreds of dishes. Dishes will be your worst enemy, especially in those early postpartum months. Consider looking for higher quality breastmilk bags that you can pump right into!
8. Pump Case
This is actually a breastfeeding essential I did not know I needed until very late in my breastfeeding journey. You will want some kind of case or bag to put your pump and all of its tiny pieces in.
The Damero Breast Pump Bag is the BEST. It is the size of a medium lunch box, so you can easily travel with it or take it to work if you are a working mama. Even if you are a stay at home mama like myself, you will want something to store all of you parts in one place.
I love this bag because the bottom is insulated, so if you are pumping away from home, it can keep your milk cold. It can keep it cold even longer with an ice pack. It has a separate section to place all of the smaller parts, it takes up little space, and it has a handle for easy carrying. Most importantly, it is so freaking cute!!
9. Ice/Hot Packs
Having an ice/hot pack will be beneficial especially if you end up getting a clogged milk duct, also known as mastitis.
Mastitis can be very painful and lead to infection. Your breast may suffer from severe pain and inflammation. If this is the case having an ice pack can offer some relief around the entire breast.
You may be lucky and not get a clogged milk duct, but it is better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it. You don’t need a breast specific ice pack, so if you already have one that is great! The biggest advantage of the breast ice packs is that it can fit and provide relief to your entire breast.
10. Bottles
Bottles may only be necessary if you plan to bottle feed and breastfeed at the same time. To mimic a real breast, you’ll want to look for a wide mouth nipple when searching for the perfect bottle.
If your baby is anything like mine, they may struggle to take a bottle if you are giving them the real nipple. My daughter hated a bottle, until we found the right nipple. It can take time to find the right nipple, so I suggest starting with a wider nipple that is most like your actual nipple. Doing this can make the transition from breastfeeding to bottle feeding a little easier.
11. Bottle Scrub Brush + Accessories
A simple scrub brush is all you need when cleaning your baby’s bottles. You will love the Munchkin bottle brush. It has a piece that unscrews from the bottom to clean those tiny parts that carries bacteria easily.
The Munchkin Details Key Ring is amazing for water bottles. It has so many styled brushes to really get those difficult to reach areas of the water bottle. You can hang it right up with your other cleaning brushes and it takes up little to no space. Having all of the little brushes really changes the game for cleaning those fancy straw cups.
12. Nursing Pads
There are many options when it comes to nursing pads. You can get the disposable nursing pads, or a more eco-friendly option would be getting the reusable bamboo nursing pads.
Nursing pads are a must because believe it or not, your breasts will leak all of the time especially early postpartum. They will leak at night, after feedings, when they are too full, or simply just because. Disposable nursing pads have a sticky back so they will stay in place. Reusable nursing pads made of bamboo can hold a lot of liquid.
Have you ever heard that breast milk can stain clothes? I hadn’t either until it happened to me. Save your clothes, and wear nursing pads. At least in the early stages of postpartum. Once you stop frequently leaking, you don’t need to wear them. I still leak at over a year postpartum, but not nearly as much as I used to.
13. Nipple Shields
My top breastfeeding essential would definitely be these nipple shields. They are actually life-changing.
When you are in pain or have cracked nipples, you can put these over the top of your nipple in your bra and that is it. You will want to squeeze a few drops of breastmilk into the shield, this is what helps them heal.
After wearing these, you will have moist, healed nipples that will make you feel confident about nursing again.
3 Breastfeeding Items You Do Not Need:
1. Bottle Sterilizer
Bottle Sterilizers can be great to have! However, most of them take up a lot of counter space. They can be expensive, and you only use them for a short period of time. If you have a dishwasher and the bottles are safe to go in it, use it!
2. Pumping Bras
I actually ordered one and returned it before using it. If you plan on buying nursing bras, you can use them. Just unclip the bra, set your pump on your breast, and then hook the bra back on its clasp. It works great at holding the pump there AND you don’t need a different kind of bra to have a successful pumping session. It also saves you a little money.
3. Nursing Clothing
Nursing clothing sounds nice right? I mean, it is! But, you definitely do not need it. Normal clothing will give you a little more privacy because you can just pull your top up and cover your breast as much as you can. With a nursing top, the middle of the shirt has an opening. They can be more convenient at times, but you might prefer to wear your normal clothes.
This post was all about the tried and true breastfeeding essentials.
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