Prepping to welcome your newborn in 2022? Congratulations! You are probably weeding through the piles of information scattered on the internet about what breastfeeding supplies you might need. While you’re making your baby registry and getting the nursery ready to go don’t forget these essential supplies to get beforehand to help make sure you have everything you need (I mean, there IS always Amazon Prime but it’s nice to have these things ready to go before you are sleep deprived :)

While one of the benefits of breastfeeding is that it doesn’t include preparing and washing any bottles and it’s ready on demand there are some supplies I like to share with my families: 

• Nipple Butter

Having a great nipple cream is a great essential to help protect your nipple tissue from the marathon feeding sessions your baby will be doing. Remember, you don’t need to “toughen up” your breast in order to breastfeed however breastfeeding is A LOT of stimulation for your breast and having nipple butter can be a great soothing tool for the tissue. I like Earth Mama’s Nipple Butter because of it’s natural and organic ingredients. If you are delivering in a hospital they will likely send you home with Lanolin which is fine as well!

• Haaka

Probably the best $20 you can spend. It’s what is known as a passive pump which means that when you are feeding baby on one side you will collect milk on the other- genius! You can order on on Amazon or add it to your registry wish list.

• Silverettes

I love these since they provide soothing care to sore nipples & help with healing any damaged tissue from latching (if this is happening you should be working with an IBCLC). Bonus: they are eco friendly + they reuse the material after use.

• Nursing Bra

I love Cake Maternity’s bamboo bra, it’s so soft and easy. I also have gotten good feedback from moms on Kindred Braverly which comes in a range of sizes for busty mamas too.

• Access to an IBCLC

This is the reallll essential since an IBCLC can help you navigate any latching concerns, milk supply questions and everything else related to breastfeeding. Having the support of a lactation specialist by your side does wonders in building your confidence in your ability to feed your baby.

These essentials are really everything you need to get breastfeeding off to a good start. I’ve listed some other nice to have supplies however I typically say to start with the essentials and get what you need as you go. With my daughter, my nesting phase really put me in a place where I ended up with way more supplies than I actually needed so know that you can always add in/purchase whatever else you need as you move forward with breastfeeding.

Nice to have 

• Bamboobies breast pads

Natural and organic to catch any leaking that may happen in between feedings so you don’t soak through. I love that these are eco friendly and you can just wash them in between feedings. Remember, not everyone leaks in between feedings (and it is not a sign of your milk supply).

• Nursing cover

This is an item to work up towards as you start to rock fedding your baby and want to venture our into public. Of course it is always up to you if you decide to use a cover or not but I love these multiuse covers that you can use for the carseat too! Find some options here.

• Nursing pillow

  This is helpful when you are learning how to position your baby at the breast. In my lactation consultations I always encourage moms to bring the baby to them vs hunching over when trying to get baby to latch (ouch). Having a nursing pillow acts as a “table” for you to bring baby to YOU and not the other way around. I really like this one because it has more of a “ledge” for baby to be on. I promise as baby grows you will not have to use the pillow forever!

If you are returning to work within the first 3 months I would recommend checking in with insurance on ordering your breast pump as well! 

What type of pump you need will depend on: 

• How often you need to pump

• How long you will be away from your baby

Working with an IBCLC can help you identify which will suit your needs best! 

If your goal is to breastfeed your baby consider scheduling a prenatal consultation to address any questions you might have about feeding your baby, what to expect in the first few days, how to know your baby is getting enough and more.

Your visit may be 100% covered by your insurance provider, if you are looking for more support on your breastfeeding journey click here to schedule a consultation.