My Must Haves for Breastfeeding and Pumping Moms
I am currently pregnant with my third child and preparing for my upcoming breastfeeding journey. During my last two breastfeeding experiences, I have exclusively pumped, exclusively breastfed, combo fed, been dairy and soy free, had cracked nipples, couple of different episodes of mastitis. struggled with under supply, and even forced myself into being an over supplier. I have learned so much and have tried SO MANY products. Here are my honest opinions and best products to add to your baby registries. (I am not sponsored by any of these brands, these are purely my opinions to help other mamas)
List of my must haves for breastfeeding:
Nipple Creams
No matter what, you are going to want nipple cream on hand! I had to use nipple cream consistently for the first three months of each of my breastfeeding journeys and then as needed from there. Let me tell you, you do not want cracked and bleeding nipples.
Lanolin is a a great option if you have serious nipple damage! However, I could always get this for free from the hospital or lactation consultant. So I do suggest you have this on hand in case you need it, but don’t waste your money on it.
Lanolin is great if you have injury, but the best advice I can give you is to prevent that damage! Earth Mama Organic Nipple Butter is my absolute favorite. It is not sticky and it gets the job done. I would put this on after every nursing or pumping session.
Sunflower Lecithin, the real MVP!
Why is this not talked about enough??? I did not know about this until way too late into my breastfeeding journey. If you are getting clogged ducts or mastitis, you NEED to be taking this supplement. In short, it does not affect your milk supply, but it makes your milk thinner and so it does not cause as many clogs.
Breastfeeding Pillows
Here are three breastfeeding pillows that I love!
The Original Boppy: It has been around forever because it works and gets the job done. I love it for nursing, tummy time, and when baby is starting to sit up. You can also buy so many different cute covers to match your nursery theme. However, if you are a little on the bigger size (like I am) it tends not to fit around you as well.
The new Ergonomic Boppy: I love this new upgrade! It fits around a plus size mama much better, but still has all the benefits of the original Boppy. Definitely an option to look into!
My Brest Friend Super Deluxe Nursing Pillow: If you are looking for the maximum amount of support without having to worry about readjusting during a feeding session, I would hands down recommend this nursing pillow! The lumbar support makes a huge difference in reducing my back pain. And having a pocket is also just a convenient touch to make your life easier.
These are not essential, but nice to have especially while pumping. I can get a lot more milk out during a pumping session while using this combination of heat and vibration. It also makes my pumping sessions shorter. I have heard of moms using this before a breastfeeding session as well to help them get a letdown sooner.
I would also suggest having one on hand because this greatly helps release any clogs you may get. I personally use the LaVie brand, but there are many options. I would just recommend one that has both heat and vibration.
Nursing Bras
I am going to have to make an entire blog just on nursing bras because there are just too many. However, these are my top favorites.
Best budget nursing bra: HOFISH Maternity and Nursing bras
Best supportive nursing bra: Momcozy Nursing Bra
Best pumping bra: Momcozy Hands Free Pumping Bra
Best comfort with support nursing bra: Kindred Bravely Sublime Seamless Nursing Bra
My newest obsession in nipple care! Pure 925 Sterling Silver cups are naturally antibacterial to help soothe nursing nipples. You do not need to use any creams with them to feel their benefits. They also create a nice barrier between your nipples and your bra to help with any irritation. There are less expensive ones out there, but the original Silverettes are CE approved as a medical device and FDA registered. So I chose to stick with name brand here.
Nursing Pads
Unfortunately, there is a very good chance that you are going to experience leaking milk during your breastfeeding journey. Not only does it stink to waste milk, but it is not fun to leak through your shirt while in public.
There are two common types of nursing pads, disposable and reusable. I honestly like both for different reasons.
Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads: Great when you are out of the house. Just keep a few in your diaper bag and change them as needed. You do not need to worry about bagging up the wet ones to bring home to wash.
Momcozy Reusable Nursing Pads: I love these for at home because they are more comfortable in my bra, especially at night when sleeping. I love the Momcozy brand because they offer thin and thick pads depending on how much you leak.
Nursing Covers
There are so many different nursing covers and everyone seems to have an opinion. However, Muslin Nursing Covers with the Hoop are my absolute favorite! They are lightweight yet still gives great coverage. The hoop allows you to see baby and for baby to still see you. My kids always hated being completely covered while nursing. They needed to be able to see my face or else they would freak out. These are great because they can also double as a burp cloth or blanket if needed.
With my first baby, I struggled with producing enough breastmilk. I tried everything marketed to help increase breastmilk supply. Although some things worked, the biggest thing that helped is the classic Brewer’s Yeast! You only need a little before seeing the results. I would mix it into smoothies or overnight oats. There is a slight bitter taste if you use too much. If the taste bothers you, I would add it to a regular box of brownie mix and you cannot taste it at all! (And it gives you an excuse to treat yourself to a brownie each night)
Also be warned that there are a lot of bags of brewer’s yeast targeted to nursing moms that are way overpriced for the same thing! This brand is my favorite for a budget option that does the same thing.
Am I the only one that never knew that she was supposed to be giving my baby vitamin D drops if they were exclusively drinking breastmilk? I had no idea until my pediatrician filled me in on this way too late into the breastfeeding journey with my second child. Not to scare anyone, but vitamin D drops prevent some pretty scary symptoms in babies. Talk to your pediatrician about it if they have not already mentioned this to you.
I like these Mommy’s Bliss Vitamin D Drops. They are organic and only contain two ingredients. I could easily put a drop on my nipple before feeding or onto a pacifier each day to give it to my baby without any refusal.
I tried to save money the first time around and just got a regular rocking chair that did not recline…please do not make this mistake! I have spent countless hours sleeping straight up and down over the years with my kids. If I had any advice for baby gear, it is to invest in a good quality glider that reclines! You will use this chair for nursing, rocking, snuggling, reading books, EVERYTHING!
This Chita Power Recliner and Glider is the newest addition to my nursery. I could not have another baby without a good chair. This one glides/rocks so smooth. It is faux leather and so it just wipes clean. It has great lumbar support, and it looks stylish. I am very happy with this upgrade and wish I had invested in this chair earlier.
List of my must haves for pumping:
Please please please use a Flange Sizing Kit if you are pumping!
Nothing will destroy your nipples and your milk supply more than using the wrong flange size! I had no idea that these existed during my time as an exclusive pumper for my first born. I was never measured by my lactation consultation because I was “producing enough” so I must have had the right flange size, right? WRONG! No wonder I was in so much pain and cried every time I went to pump.
This flange kit from Nursi Luna has everything you need for a reasonable price, but there are other options out there. Just make sure you get a kit with a measuring card and multiple size flange inserts. Most inserts are universal and fit into all of the common pumps, but check to make sure they fit your pump before purchasing.
Breastmilk Storage Bags
As someone who gets sent breastmilk from all over the world, I have probably seen every type of milk storage bag on the market. These Momcozy milk storage bags are top tier! They are thicker and so they actually do not leak, even when frozen. They freeze flat. The bottom has a corner to cut to make a smooth pour spout and they are temperature sensing so that you know when it is the right temperature for you baby to drink. I love these ones!
Another honorable mention on breastmilk bags:
Motif Medical Breastmilk Storage Bags: I know not everyone loves how these do not freeze flat enough, but I have never had a leak with one of them. And the easy pour spout is the best.
Lets talk about passive milk collectors!
The original Haakaa is the GOAT, especially in that newborn phase where you leak from both sides every single letdown. But please get the one with a lid and a suction base! The original one I had did not have these things and let me tell you, crying over spilled milk is not fun! (Also please look up resources on how to correctly use this. It can be tricky at first) The only downside to the original Haakaa is that as soon as your baby is old enough to start kicking, they will kick this off your breast and spill your milk everywhere.
Haakaa Ladybug Breastmilk Collectors are wonderful to use if you do not like the original Haakaa or if your baby is a kicker! These fit right into your bra and collect any milk that leaks out. They are also great if you have sore nipples and do not want your nips to rub on your bra. I have also worn them to bed to passively collect milk while I was sleeping that would have been lost to pads.
Get yourself a hospital grade pump as your primary pump!
If you are exclusively pumping, you will need a hospital grade pump. I LOVE my mobile pumps, but you need a better pump for most of your pumps if you want to maintain your supply.
Most insurance companies will cover a hospital grade pump for you so please ask your insurance for a list of pumps that they will cover.
I personally love my Motif Luna! This thing has the power to empty me fully and quickly. They also have this exact same pump that can run on batteries so that you do not need to be trapped to the outlet.
Mobile Pumps
There are so many fancy mobile pumps out there! I have tried quite a few and these Momcozy S12 Pros are always the ones that I fall back on. The suction is the best that I have found with a mobile pump. One charge lasts through multiple pumps. They are budget friendly and they aren’t a pain in the butt to clean. However, they are bulky.
If I choose to wear my mobile pumps out in public, then I might grab for one of my more discreet pumps.
Manual Breastpump
Do you need a manual pump? No. But does it come in handy? Yes!
There are definitely some pros to having a manual pump. 1) you do not need to make sure it is charged or that you have an outlet to plug into 2) you can control all the pressure 3) because you have control of the pressure, it can be the most effective way to remove a clog, and 4) it is just more convenient sometimes.
I personally like my Medela Manual Pump better than other manual pumps because it has a different way to pump to stimulate a letdown on the same pump. However, my Lansinoh Manual Pump is a close second.
Glass Pitcher (if you are using the pitcher method)
If you do not know about the pitcher method to collect your breastmilk throughout the day, go look it up. It really does help pumping moms save time.
This is a great simple glass pitcher that does the job. Most glass pitchers are being marketed towards breastfeeding moms and being sold at ridiculously high prices for no reason. So just stick with the classic glass picture to save a few bucks.
Lubricating Pumping Spray
Here is another thing that I wish I knew about before my first time pumping. Lubricate your flanges before you pump for a more comfortable pumping experience. You can use coconut oil or even lanolin. However, I do like to have a pumping spray because it is just easier and I do not need to get oil on my fingers.
Now this is definitely not a need, but I highly recommend it! The worst thing to me is finally getting the baby to sleep at night and then having to spend 45 minutes hand washing bottles and pump parts. At that point, I am tired and just want to lay down. This magic machine has saved my mental health! Not only does it wash the bottles, but it dries and sterilizes them! It if was me, I would skip buying a sterilizer and spend the little bit of extra money for a bottle and pump part washer.
