If you plan to breastfeed your baby, there are a few items to have on hand before your baby(s) arrive. This list is very minimal because you truly do not need much when it comes to breastfeeding other than knowledge, nutrients, and a comfortable breastfeeding station.
I bought all kinds of products meant to make life easier while breastfeeding and only ended up using them a few times, deciding they weren’t useful to me.
The items I’ve listed in this post are the only items I use daily when it comes to nursing my baby, and the minimal essentials any mother should have on hand when planning to breastfeed her newborn.
This post contains affiliate links which means that I will make a small commission if you purchase a product after clicking on any of them, at no extra cost to you.
Breastfeeding Station
Think of two comfortable places you sit most in your home that you plan to breastfeed in. One primarily for night feeds and one for day time feeding.
For me, I chose one location to be in my bedroom (for night feedings because my baby slept in our room) and one in the living room (for day time feedings).
These two places would be great to prepare a little basket with a few breastfeeding supplies to help you while nursing. These items being a water bottle, healthy snacks, a nursing pillow, a muslin blanket, and a burp cloth.
Gain knowledge on how to increase your milk supply once baby arrives.
Nursing Pillow
A nursing pillow is the number one item all breastfeeding mothers should have. This for me was life-changing when nursing my baby.
It made nursing easier and more comfortable for me and my healing postpartum body, along with it being a comfortable cushion for baby to lay on while nursing.
I didn’t have it in the hospital with me when I was learning to breastfeed but wish I did. When I got home and was able to use the nursing pillow for the first time, it made breastfeeding so much more relaxing.
It holds the baby up breast height so you don’t have to do all the work or stack pillows under the baby to attempt creating the perfect support (like I had to do in the hospital after giving birth).
Breastfeeding pillows just make nursing easier, among other things. Nursing pillows can also be used to help your baby during tummy time and help support your baby when learning to sit up on their own.
Breast Pump
Breastfeeding or breast pumping are the cheapest and most beneficial forms of feeding a baby (It’s also the best method for feeding a baby on a budget). Beneficial for both baby and mom in so many ways.
The new recommendations for breastfeeding from the American Academy of Pediatrics state: “The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for approximately 6 months after birth. Furthermore, the AAP supports continued breastfeeding, along with appropriate complementary foods introduced at about 6 months, as long as mutually desired by mother and child for 2 years or beyond. These recommendations are consistent with those of the World Health Organization (WHO).”
Starting from birth, you have a free, nutrient-dense, source of food for your baby in the form of breastmilk! I exclusively breastfeed, and it’s always good to have a breast pump on hand if you need to be away from your baby for any reason (like appointments that run longer than expected, work, or emergencies).
If you haven’t gotten a breast pump yet, you can get a FREE BREAST PUMP through your insurance using AEROFLOW! I went through Aeroflow to get a Medela breast pump and the experience was very easy. All I had to do was enter the info it asked for, choose my breast pump and other pumping supplies and wait for them to send it to me (which didn’t take long at all)! Breast pumps can run you hundreds of dollars. Why spend that on your own when you don’t have to!? Let your insurance cover that!
Formula is expensive and adds up quickly. It also doesn’t provide the lifelong immune and digestive system support for your baby that breastfeeding does. Check out all my breastfeeding tips and information here.
Nursing Bras
Maternity and nursing bras make it easier to access your breast to feed your baby. It provides support while giving you ease of access. I’ve attempted breastfeeding in a wire supported bra with no nursing clip and do not recommend trying that yourself.
Always have a few comfortable nursing bras. The seamless, wireless maternity & nursing bras from Amazon are the ones I use and wear every day.
Water Bottle
While breastfeeding, it is dehydrating you to feed the baby. Always keep a big bottle of water with you while breastfeeding to rehydrate. This also aids in increasing your milk supply.
If you are dehydrated while breastfeeding, you may experience light headedness or dizziness, as I have before. That is your body telling you to take a break and hydrate, maybe have a healthy snack, then get back to breastfeeding.
Healthy Breastfeeding Snacks
Breastfeeding takes a lot out of you. The act of breastfeeding can actually burn up to 500 calories per day. This means you need to be filling your body with healthy calories to continue to support yourself and your little one.
Snacks containing galactagogues are best to have on hand. Galactagogues are foods and herbs with the ability to increase breast milk supply.
Some good snacks to have on hand with plenty of nutrients in them are oatmeal bars, lactation cookies, protein bars, granola bars, snacks of that nature. Keep these close by when nursing just in case you need a little something.
Burp Cloth
After breastfeeding for a few minutes, it’s good to burp your baby, as babies do not yet have the reflex to burp on their own.
These burps may include a little spit-up, which is why burp cloths are a must-have for breastfeeding.
Nipple Healer
The first few weeks of breastfeeding may be painful as the skin of your nipples and areolas adjust to the action of your baby’s sucking. This may result in soreness, dryness, or cracking of the skin.
To prevent this, the best solution is to squeeze out a small amount of breast milk from your nipple and wipe it around the sore areas at the end of each nursing session. Wait a few seconds for the milk to dry before covering with your nursing bra.
Enzymes in the breast milk healed my sensitive skin faster than any nipple cream.
Muslin Blanket
Keep a muslin baby blanket in arms reach just in case your baby gets a little chilly while feeding.
These blankets are thin enough to be comfortable even in the summer months but can be folded to create more layers for more warmth in winter months.
I’ve also used muslin blankets as a burp cloth before and it worked perfectly.
Nursing Cover
For breastfeeding in public or if you happen to have guests over to your home, you may wish to cover up while nursing with a nursing cover.
It will give you and baby more privacy if you feel uncomfortable nursing in front of others.
I use this breastfeeding cover when going to the doctor’s office or anywhere my baby and I may need to nurse.
