As a first-time mom, I spent a lot of time preparing for labor and delivery. While a lot of what I did was helpful for the 16 hours I was in labor, in the grand scheme of things it was a very minor part of having a baby. One of the things I wish I had spent more time researching was breastfeeding. I was completely unprepared! I knew I wanted to go the breastfeeding route. (no shame if you don’t, many of these items are helpful postpartum regardless!) I figured it would just come naturally. Well, it definitely did not come naturally to me. But I am so glad I stuck with it. If you are still deciding whether or not you want to breastfeed your little one, this website has loads of good information!
Here are ten essentials that I wish I had when I left the hospital with my new little man to help make it easier!
1. Breastfeeding Pillow
No matter how your baby made his/her way into the world, you are going to be TIRED and you are going to be SORE. Having a pillow to support your baby when you are trying to figure out how to breastfeed is essential! The Boppy pillow is easy to quickly grab and wrap around your waist; no straps, clasps, or strings you have to tie on. I also love that you can take the cover off and wash it. Perfect for when your baby spits up all over you and the pillow.
It’s also great for helping dads hold and give their little one a bottle or for grandma to comfortably cuddle with your new baby.
I ended up buying a second boppy for on-the-go or when we are traveling. Both me and my little man hate being without it!
You can get it here.
2. Hot/Cold Pack
I received this one from a friend at my baby shower. This is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL! It can be heated up in the microwave or popped in the freezer.
It is extremely helpful when your milk first comes in and for clogged ducts. Applying it cold can help to ease the swelling so that your milk can flow better.
3. Nightlight (ESSENTIAL!)
This nightlight has been one of the handiest purchases I have made. After fumbling to find the switch on my bedside lamp for a month I got this light. All you have to do is tap the top to turn it on.
It is rechargeable and lasts a LONG time! You can adjust the light brighter or dimmer by touching and holding the top of the light. It is nice to have such low light so your little one stays in a sleepy state and so you don’t wake dad up!
Also, when you move baby to their nursery, it’s super handy to grab and light your way their. No stubbing your toes or running into the wall!
4. Cup with a straw
The thirst is real after having a baby! Breastmilk is about 90% water, so no wonder you are so thirsty when you feed your baby. Trying to keep your body hydrated AND keep up with milk prodution requires a lot of water. The experts recommend drinking about 128 ounces a day while breastfeeding.
So, having a water bottle with a straw is a must. I ended up using the one from the hospital for quite a while. I love the ones that let you know how much water you have been drinking, like this one, so you can stay on track!
5. Nipple Butter!
The transition to having a little infant breastfeeding 8-12 or more times a day is hard on your nipples. They will be sore and may even be dry and crack. Mastitis can develop from cracked nipples so this was necessary to use for me! Nipple Butter is organic and immediately soothing! Also, this nipple butter is 100% safe for your baby so you don’t have to worry about wiping it off before feeding.
6. Breast Pump
Even if you plan to exclusively breastfeed and not use bottles, a breast pump will still be essential. This is the one I got. I used it when my milk first came in to prevent clogged ducts and use it from time to time if I have to pump a bottle if I am away from my baby. It’s also handy to have to help increase your milk supply by pumping after feeding.
Depending on your insurance, you may be able to get a breast pump at no cost to you. I used AeroFlow Breast Pumps.
All you have to do is enter your insurance information and they will verify everything for you and see what breast pumps you qualify for. Then, you can choose from the ones you qualify for and it is shipped straight to your door! It is that simple! Several other websites do the same including aeroflowbreastpumps.com, yummymummystore.com, medline.com, and breastpumps.com.
7. Nursing Bras
A comfy, supportive nursing bra that doesn’t constrict you is going to be essential. There are so many out there to choose from. I really like these for daytime or when I want to feel more put together. I also have these that I wear at night. Both are super comfortable and are easy to slip nursing pads into to prevent leaking all over the place!
8. Lecithin
At a checkup appointment for my son shortly after having him, I was clued into a wonderful little secret about a way to clear up clogged ducts: Lecithin. Sunflower lecithin has helped me out on so many occasions! It lubricates the ducts and helps everything flow. I take a few of these when I feel a clogged duct coming on and usually by the afternoon, things are flowing again. They don’t recommend taking them for extended periods of time but especially in the beginning when you have a lot of milk coming in or when you start to feel like you are developing some clogs they are wonderful! If you don’t deal with clogged ducts right away there is a chance it could develop into mastitis, a nasty infection in your breast. I have been down that road and HIGHLY recommend keeping lecithin on hand!
9. A hairband or bracelet
It is very important to alternate between breasts when you feed your baby. The only way I could remember was to put a hairband on my hand on the side that he needed to feed off of next. You could also write it down or log it in a breastfeeding app, but I just found it easier to use a hairband or bracelet on my wrist. This ensures you empty each breast fully each time as well as signals to your body that you need to be making more milk in each breast.
10. Lots of healthy food/snacks
It can be hard to remember to take care of yourself when you are completely focused and wrapped up in trying to care for a newborn. But it is SO important to take care of yourself so you can take care of your baby. I recommend making freezer meals ahead of time (I wish I had done more of this). I did make a bunch of muffins ahead of time. It was so nice to be able to grab one, quickly warm it up, and get back to my baby.
11. Patience
With little to no sleep, a sore body, patience can be very hard to come by. One thing that helped me in the middle of the night was thinking about how this tiny little human needs me, he doesn’t know what to do or why he feels the way he does. All he has ever known is me. I am all he needs.
I also found doing some slow breathing exercises helped a LOT!
Being a mom is one of the hardest jobs we will ever have, give yourself grace, you are doing an amazing job Mom!
So there you have it, 11 essential breastfeeding items I wish I had after having my little man. Comment below anything you have found helpful along your journey!
