The Essentials For a Breastfeeding Mom
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As I’m getting ready to have my eighth baby in the next month or so, I am getting all the stuff ready again. I’ve already shared the essentials I find necessary for having a newborn, but as I am getting my breastfeeding things ready I wanted to share the things I find to be necessary as a breastfeeding mom whether you are becoming a mom for the first time or for the eighth time like I am.
Just like with baby items, there are so many products our there that it can be difficult to sift through them all to determine what you really need – and what you really don’t need.
Here are the things that I find to be essential in the life of a breastfeeding mom
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A good book on breastfeeding
There are so many out there, but as a breastfeeding mom of 7 (nearly 8) and a childbirth educator, I can say that these are a few of what I feel are the best books on the subject.
My Breast Friend
You may just think of a breastfeeding pillow here, but I can say that after owning three different brands over the years not all breastfeeding pillows are created equal. This one offers the best positioning for the baby (you really can’t get it wrong), is the most comfortable for you, and clips on so you can actually walk around a bit if necessary. I have made many a meal for the rest of the family while breastfeeding using this pillow.
A breastfeeding cover
As far as I know, these things didn’t exist when I had my first babies so I was left to try to cover myself using a blanket. Let me just tell you, this is not an easy thing to do – especially when outside with a breeze. These are so nice, especially the ones like this that allow you to see your baby the whole time.
Some thick burp cloths
Some babies can really spit up, and there are some burp cloths out there that are so thin they are virtually useless. I find the old fashioned diapers like these to work really well, and you can even sew some nice fabric or ribbon on them to make them look super cute!
Breast pads
It is common to have leaking issues, so being prepared for that is a good idea. Not all women are the same, but nearly all women do have issues with leaking, especially in the beginning. I like washable ones, but you can also get disposable.
Nipple cream
Breastfeeding really puts a nursing mom’s nipples through the ringer, especially if this is your first baby and especially when your baby is first born. This again is one of those things where you have so many options, however, these are the two creams I find to work the best.
A good nursing bra
I will also say that not all nursing bras are equal. You do get what you pay for here. I find these to be the very best brand. They are a bit more costly, but they do hold up really well too, especially if you are hand washing them.
A nursing cami or tank
These are really nice for at night or if you are just around the house and not expecting any visitors. I don’t really find brand to matter all that much.
A good water bottle or cup
This is just to say that drinking lots of water is important for nursing moms. It really does make all the difference in the world when it comes to your milk supply.
If you are a breastfeeding mom, these are the things I find to be a very important to have on hand. I just did the math, and how crazy is it that between all of my kids thus far, I have spent 105 months breastfeeding!
You can do it too, and these are the things that will make your breastfeeding job a whole lot easier!
As a new or expecting mom, here are a couple of other things you don’t want to miss, at least if you like free and deeply discounted kids/baby things!
- If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can save 20% on diapers and 15% off all kinds of family things by joining Amazon Family, which is free for Prime members. You can read all the details about Amazon Family here.
- Also, you can create a list of baby gift ideas by creating an Amazon baby registry, which will score you a 10% discount on certain products just for registering, a change to win your entire baby registry, and bis savings on all kinds of things. The best part is that creating a registry is FREE! Read all about the baby registry here.
