Breastfeeding Essentials

This is a list of the items I believe all breastfeeding moms need as well as why I find them so important. The list is based on my own experiences and opinions only. Click the name of the item to be taken to a place where you can buy it!

Lanolin Cream. This is so important from Day 1 because it will help you heal, help you be protected, and keep you from getting toooo sore.

Cloth Breastfeeding Pads. I tried 7 different brands of disposables, but they were all scratchy on my sore breasts. I tried cloth and I'll never go back. Cloth is more absorbent and much softer. When you're more sore than you can ever imagine being, softness counts for a lot! (A friend made mine for me out of extra prefolds I had lying around).

Nursing Tanks. Yes, nursing bras and nursing shirts are helpful, but I swear by my tanks! You can wear them under dress shirts for work, under t-shirts at home, by themselves at night and during the day! Can you say versatile?

Hard Nipple Shield. For those days when you are so sore that even the softest nursing pads are painful, these hard shields are a lifesaver! They make it so that nothing touches your most sensitive parts until they heal enough that you can take the covers off.

Glucose Water. Don't be afraid to ask for this at the hospital when you and baby first start your journey together! There isn't anything in it that will hurt the baby and it will make your life sooo much easier if you have a reluctant latcher. (Baby "S" refused to latch on my right side until my milk came in. The Lactation Consultant finally suggested a tiny drip of this to entice her to eat and it worked like a charm until my milk came in and she was eager to eat off either side).

Optional Items

Boppy Pillow. Many moms swear by this. I didn't find it all that helpful because I have a short torso so Baby "S" ended up nursing from above a little when using the pillow which hurt me too much. However, I don't regret buying it because it is great for use with so many things as baby grows!

Nursing Cover. I LOVE this when I'm out of my own home or when we have visitors over. Many people use a blanket instead, but Baby "S" pulls those off. I like the cover because it hangs around my neck and she can't pull it off, but I can still see her from above because of the shaped neck.