We all know that breastfeeding doesn’t require many things to start. This is because you don’t need bottles, sterilisers, bottle cleaners etc. Although, there is a range of products that helped me to make my journey a lot easier.
Here, I am going to talk to you about the products that I used to help me on my journey as a breastfeeding mum. I have had the great joy of breastfeeding all three of my children. Although the journey hasn’t been easy to begin with, it eventually became a lot easier along the way.
1. Maternity Bras
Maternity or Nursing bras are so helpful for new breastfeeding mums. They help with supporting changing breasts during pregnancy and breastfeeding. They are useful when you need to feed your baby with ease too. There is nothing worse than having to spend ages trying to get your breast out of your bra to feed your baby!
Maternity bras have a simple clip so that you can take the top of your bra down so that you can feed your baby. It has been a game changer for me and many women. My favourite top-quality bra company is ‘Cake Maternity’. They have a range of classy bras, sports bras, bigger busted bras, smaller bras and more unique styles.
They have a vast range of bras that will suit what you are looking for. Please check out their blog here for more about the changes women’s breasts go through during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
2. Milk Collectors and Storage Bags
This is something that I wish I had done with my first baby. There will be a time in the early stages of breastfeeding when you may have leaky breasts. This is due to your breasts adapting to your new baby and sometimes there can be an overspill.
Instead of getting wet, you can use milk collectors to collect any extra milk. You can feed your baby on one side whilst collecting extra milk from the other.
You can also use milk collectors to hand-express any extra milk you may have as well. Additionally having storage bags can be a great help, as they can be stored nicely in the fridge or freezer. They are great because you can put a date on the storage bag so you know how long the ‘shelf life’ is. Have a look here for my recommended range of milk collectors and storage bags.
3. Easy Access Clothing
Easy-access clothing is so helpful when you need to feed your baby, it is the quickest and most hassle-free way. I talk more about scenarios and tips though in this blog here. As a breastfeeding mum, it is also good to feel comfortable and stylish (when we want to feel stylish).
Bshirt has a great selection of affordable maternity and breastfeeding-friendly clothing for mothers. You can check out their range here. You don’t have to buy clothing that is designed for breastfeeding, just make sure you have easy access to clothing. Easy access clothing can be like a v-neck top/ dress, buttoned dresses and shirts. Try to avoid pencil dresses or tops that are high-necked.
4. Daily Vitamins
Vitamins are essential for breastfeeding mums. Not just the newborn stage, it’s all the way through until the baby stops feeding and of course, you still need your vitamins afterwards. We have to realise that during breastfeeding more nutrients are taken from your body to feed your little one, so it is important to give yourself that extra boost. Check out my blog on how to boost your milk supply here.
A nutritional diet is very important, but sometimes when you are a busy mum you can forget to look after yourself. So having vitamin supplements can give you that extra boost. I like to go for whole-food vitamin supplements.
Wholefood supplements are vitamin supplements that use only natural ingredients that you get from fruits, vegetables and herbs. I found that synthetic supplements caused me to be nauseous and constipated. So this alternative was a great option for me.
So I used Wild Nutrition, check out their range here. I just brought some of their vitamins and I love it! A little investment, but very worth it.
5. A Nursing Pillow
A good nursing pillow will bring you and your baby comfort. It just gives you that extra support when you are holding your baby when you feeding them. It takes the weight of the baby off of you so that you can relax a little.
There are different types of nursing pillows that you can choose from. Some are great for certain positions, some are great for nursing twins and some are great for tiny babies. You have to find the one that works for you! But it is an investment that you will be thankful for. If you would like to learn about the top breastfeeding positions, please check out my blog here.
6. A Baby Sling
Baby slings are great! Especially when you have multiple kids to look after. When you want to do things around the house you just put the baby in the sling and your baby has that bonding time with you. Babies love to snuggle so you might find them falling asleep quickly! I remember when I had my second baby, I put her in a sling and I could do activities with my toddler, I could go outside and put the washing on the line, and I could go for a walk. It was great!
Just to note, it works best when you put your baby in the sling when they are a newborn like ‘days’ old. I say this because I tried to put my first baby in a sling when she was a couple of months old, she wanted to escape! Haha, she was not enjoying it at all. So do it while they are young, you will love it. Also, I talk about how wearing a sling can help soothe a colicky baby check out the blog here
7. A Nursing Cover
This one isn’t essential but if you wanted to get one just in case they can help. I didn’t use a nursing cover when my babies were newborns as they feed well. It was only when they hit 4 months and above they were distracted by what was around them.
I couldn’t get them to feed (in public) I even went to a private room, still the same. But when I used a breastfeeding cover the distractions were gone and they fed well. So like I said it isn’t a necessity, it is just a bonus if you do get one.
8. Nipple Cream
Nipple cream is great for breastfeeding your newborns in the first 2 weeks. Not just for new mums but great for when you have another baby. Nipple creams help to protect your nipples from the constant sucking. It helps to soothe and protect your nipples before you go onto your next baby feed.
I found when I used it before and after every feed it reduced to breastfeeding pain that you get when the baby first latches on (note this is just the initial latch, not when the baby is feeding throughout). Please check out my blog about painful breastfeeding and how to fix it here.
9. Muslin Cloths
Muslin cloths are great for a lot of reasons. One reason is when you need a burp your baby you can put one over your shoulder to stop any spit up going onto your clothes. They are also great for when you have guests around and you don’t want their clothes to touch your baby.
You can use the large muslin cloths to swaddle your baby. Muslin cloths can be used as blankets in the warmer months too. They can be used as nursing covers, or bibs for when your baby starts to wean. I am sure there are many other things that I haven’t mentioned that you could use them for. So it is a go for me. You don’t need to buy a lot of them as you can just put them in the wash! If you are having a baby shower most people tend to buy these.
10. A Pump
Having a pump isn’t a necessity but it can help if you are going out for a long period or you are going back to work and you want to continue to breastfeed your child. It’s important to find the right pump that works for you. I didn’t like hand pumps I preferred the electric pumps as they were more effective. So really take the time to work out what works for you. Here are my recommended breast pumps.
So, there you have it, my top 10 products that helped me as a breastfeeding mum. These will set you up for a good start. I haven’t included nipple shields or nursing pads as I never did use them as they were a bit annoying for me.
Nursing pads were irritating my nipples so I used milk collectors. At least you can use the milk instead of it going to waste. Nipple shields kept coming off and it was best for me to learn how to get a good latch and position for me to avoid the need to wear nipple shields.
I hope this blog has been helpful to you and if it has please share it with others on social media. You can also find me on Instagram and Pinterest, or you can subscribe to my newsletter for more breastfeeding info.
Keep going mama you are doing so well for your little one!
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