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This post is all about breastfeeding essentials and must-haves.
Before my first-born, I thought breastfeeding was an easy job. I assumed there wasn’t anything complicated or inherently difficult about feedings. Boy was I wrong!
From leaking breast to cracked nipples, life was not easy in the initial few weeks. I know some moms struggle to get their babies to latch at first, but mine was a natural! So much so that I thought I wasn’t producing enough with how tough she’d tug on my nipple.
Besides the pain, the breast would leak at the oddest times, which was both uncomfortable and embarrassing! More so, holding the baby in the correct position for long left me with a strained back and shoulder.
But later I found out that there are a couple of breastfeeding essentials that can make your motherhood journey more comfortable.
It wasn’t until I talked to a girlfriend that had been through it, did I learn about a couple of nifty products to save your breasts.
Allow me to make your life much easier with this complete list of absolute must-haves for breastfeeding moms
Don’t forget to create an Amazon Baby Registry for all your essentials for breastfeeding and postpartum recovery. You get a discount for products placed on the registry and have 90 days to return any goods. Plus, you can add products from any site, not just Amazon.
Breastfeeding & Nursing Essentials
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Lanolin Nipple Cream
Your nipple becomes sore the first couple of times you feed your baby. If the baby does not latch properly, the soreness can aggravate. This is where a nipple cream comes in handy!
There are a couple of nipple creams on the market, but my all-time favorite is the Lanolin nipple cream.
This cream protects the nipple while feeding the baby. It is 100% natural and does not contain any preservatives, color, or taste. Thus, you do not have to wash it off while feeding the baby. Apply this cream every time after a feed to bring down the soreness of the nipple.
The Lanolin nipple cream is available in 3 mini tubes so you can stock it up anywhere you think you would need it (I normally had one in my purse, bathroom, and kitchen).
I’m so obsessed with this nipple cream, that it’s also in my postpartum essentials list.
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Nursing Bra
Nursing the baby comfortably and with ease is the top priority of every new mother. A nursing bra helps you to feed your baby without much effort and allows you the freedom to feed wherever you are.
This seamless sleep/nursing bra comes with an adjustable strap that allows adjusting for the right fit. It is also easy to open while feeding.
The bra is made of cotton and spandex and is very soft on the skin. It is also lightly padded to provide excellent support and absorb any leak. The easy fold-down cups offer excellent support while feeding or pumping.
Make sure whatever nursing bra you decide on, it’s comfortable and absorbent. My first nursing bra was super comfy but I had more public leaks than I’d care to mention.
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Nursing Pillow
Nursing the baby can put undue strain on your arms, neck, and back. You will be nursing multiple times a day and taking up to half an hour on . some occasions. The nursing pillow provides the right support while feeding the baby.
The My Best Friend Deluxe nursing pillow helps you to maintain a comfortable posture while feeding the baby.
The pillow is flat yet firm, thus preventing the baby from rolling out while feeding. The pillow has convenient pockets to keep your maternity supplies and can be buckled up against your body. Hence it is both easy and safe to use.
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Breast Feeding Pump
If you are a working mother or cannot feed the baby on time, then breastfeeding pump comes handy. These pumps enable you to express the milk and store it for later use.
A breast pump can also ease discomfort when breasts become engorged and even helps avoid mastitis (inflammation of the breast).
The Bellababy Double Electric Breastfeeding pump has a strong suction power that expresses the milk without causing any discomfort for you.
This pump comes with two milk storage bag adapter that helps you store the milk without it getting contaminated.
The pump also comes with a high-definition screen that displays the suction level, working mode and battery status.
Another great option is this breast pump for half the price of the Bellababy, but it is a manual breast pump.
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Breast Milk Storage Bag
Storage bag helps you store the breast milk without contamination and leakage. It can be placed in the freezer or fridge and are great for traveling.
The Medela breast milk storage bag is hygienically pre-sealed and can store up to 6 ounces of milk. Thie bag comes with double zipper protection that prevents the leakage of liquid. It’s self-standing making it an excellent choice for travel. The bag also has a write-on area where you can write the date and time of storage, which I find pretty nifty.
The Medela breast milk storage bag is made of BPA-free material, so it is safe for your baby. This storage bag is available as a set of 25, 50, and 100 pieces.
There are a lot of milk storage bags on the market, but make sure your is BPA-free and hygienically pre-sealed.
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Nursing cover/poncho
I sometimes wish I was one of those confident mama’s that could whip out her breasts in a public place with no care in the world, but I’m not.
Breastfeeding in public may not be comfortable for everyone (and that’s ok!).
If that’s the case, this nursing cover and poncho is useful when you have to feed the baby while in a public place.
What I especially love about a nursing cover is how multi-functional it is. The baby cover can be used as a baby car seat canopy, shopping cart cover and stroller cover ontop of providing full privacy while feeding the baby. This nursing cover comes with 9.84 ft hem (it’s quite large!) and can be worn by mothers of any size.
Apart from providing privacy while nursing, this cover also protects your baby from sunlight, wind and mosquito and bug bite. This cover is made of baby-friendly material and is soft and comfortable for the baby.
It is lightweight and can be easily folded and stored in the bag easily.
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Baby Bottle
This one’s a no brainer if you are going back to work or pumping.
Baby bottles help you to feed the baby at your convenience. The main advantage of using a baby bottle is that anybody can feed the baby as long as the baby is comfortable with it.
The Comotomo baby bottle is designed to mimic the breast closely. Thus, the chances of rejection are less likely while using this bottle. The bottle is wide, making it is easy to clean. The nipple is made of 100% hygienic silicone so it is safe for the baby.
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Nipple Gel Pad
These pads absolutely need to be in your breastfeeding essentials kit!
Feeding the baby during the initial days is tough. If you feel like the nipple cream just isn’t giving you enough relief, the breast therapy pack comes in handy in this situation.
The Lansinoh TheraPearl 3-in-1 breast therapy pack comes with both hot and cold pack for breastfeeding relief. While the cold pack provides relief from pain and engorgement, the hot pack helps in the easy let-down of milk. So it helps in easy breast pumping.
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Breast Pump and Accessories Wipes
Baby wipes are a mother’s best friend. It comes handy in several situations.
The Medela Quick Clean Breast Pump and Accessory Wipes is the best product for cleaning the breast pump and accessories while on the go. These wipes are unscented and free of alcohol.
In addition to pumps, these wipes can also be used for cleaning several other baby products.
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Postnatal Vitamin
A mother’s health should be given special care not just during pregnancy but well after delivery as well.
The Pink Stork Total Postnatal Plus DHA contains all the essential nutrients required during the post-natal period. It contains all essential nutrients that help in breastfeeding and postpartum recovery. The tablet is gluten and preservative-free and is safe even for mother’s who are allergic to such things.
Breastfeeding is a crucial stage in a mother’s life that can drain you physically. The above products help you in making your breastfeeding journey an easy and pleasurable one.
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