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As a first time mom, I didn’t really know what to expect when I made the decision to nurse my baby. I didn’t do a ton of research, it was just something I always knew I’d try. However, searching products on Amazon, Pinterest, and chatting with friends and family who had also nursed, was very helpful. I am proud and feel lucky to say, I’m having a very successful time (4 months in). I feel for anyone who has a hard time with this. I have had 2 minor scares thinking it was going to get difficult or not go well, and we have made it through both scares!
Anyway, I wanted to share some of my favorite nursing products in case you too are new to this too, and would love to prepare with a few tools in your back pocket.
- Nipple Cream – This was super helpful during the first few days when your body is getting used to nursing!
- Nipple Cooling Pads – Wow! These were also a lifesaver in the first few days. I did not have these prior to giving birth, but I wish I had! They were a quick Amazon order out of desperation, and they really did the trick!
- Breast Therapy Packs – Another must have for the first few days. These were another lifesaver! I love that they can be used cold or hot. Super helpful when that milk comes in and you’re uncomfortable.
- Pump – Whether or not you plan to pump (I knew I was going to upon returning to work), I think it would be helpful to have a pump. It was very helpful for me to have the day my milk came in! I love this one – it’s a basic Spectra pump but it’s the rechargeable one so you can use it anywhere without being plugged into an outlet. That was super handy.
- Milk Storage Bags – Of course if you use the pump, you’ll need somewhere to store your milk. I use and like these bags. I don’t freeze any more than 4 oz at a time.
- Nursing Pads – I liked these nursing pads because they were very thin and discreet. However, in the beginning, I preferred thicker ones – see below. 🙂
- Reusable Nursing Pads – I loved these terry material nursing pads for night time and also in the beginning when things were a little more unpredictable! You simply throw them in the washer and they were a little more comfortable without the sticker part for bedtime, I thought. They also serve many purposes because I would put warm water on them and apply them to a sore/clogged nipple later on (you are probably not supposed to do this, but I did and it helped). Overall, these are great quality and I love the little bag for storing them. They are on the thicker side, so a little less discreet, which is why I found them especially good for sleep.
- Nursing Bralette – These nursing bralettes are cute and comfortable, non-padded, and some of my favorite nursing bras. They kept me cool all summer, and were comfortable yet helped me feel a little more put together because of the lace. I wore some loose dresses and rompers postpartum that were lower cut in the back, so I needed something that would be cute if it showed. It didn’t bother me that they had no padding, because I’d be wearing nursing pads.
- Nursing Bra for Sleep – I loved sleeping in a soft, overlap nursing bra like this one!
- Boppy Pillow – I found it much easier to nurse using a pillow, and felt that my baby was much more comfortable this way too. We just never got the hang of doing it without a pillow. Luckily, the boppy is easily portable (I kept it in the trunk of my SUV and would grab it for in the car nursing sessions while on the go). It was comfy for nursing on the couch, in the rocker, etc. She often fell asleep on it, and I love that it serves multiple purposes as others can use it to hold the baby, and she can use it to practice sitting up a bit too.
- My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow – I also have this nursing pillow! I loved this one for early on because it provides more support than the boppy. It is more of a foam pillow rather than pillow-y pillow like the Boppy. I also love the back support. In retrospect, I even wonder if I would have preferred to bring this one to the hospital over the boppy. It continues to be my go-to pillow for night feeds so I keep it in my room. While baby girl has been sleeping in our room, I sit on the edge of the bed to feed her in the night. It’s also nice to have 2 nursing pillows so I can keep one in the living room/nursery, and this one in my bedroom.
- Drip Drop Hydration Packs – I LOVE water. I rarely drink anything else. However, during pregnancy and postpartum, it was hard for me to keep up with my water for some reason. These packs helped ensure I enjoyed drinking water, while also providing the added benefit of electrolytes. I also drink Body Armor Lyte because I read it was good for milk production (I’m guessing because it contains coconut water?)
- Cleaning solutions – Lastly, these cleaning wipes are great not just for breast pump parts (which I plan to use them for when I return to work and need to pump there), but they are great surface wipes for breast milk spills or in our case – spit up! For several weeks, my baby girl had lotssss of spit up. It would hit some pretty hard to clean surfaces. These wipes helped with that, as well as protecting against grease stains and sour smells. (I also recommend Dreft Stain Remover for greasy breast milk stains on clothing!)
I hope this list will be helpful for someone else preparing for their first experience with nursing! Good luck!