Preparing for breastfeeding: supplies
Researching and purchasing supplies for breastfeeding can feel overwhelming!!
Here is a minimal list of my personal and professional breastfeeding favorites as a mom, postpartum nurse and lactation consultant!
Breast Pumps:
My favorite Primary Pump (if you don’t know what this means check out my post on Primary vs. Secondary pumps) is the Spectra S1: it is reliable, durable and powerful! I also appreciate that it has a battery, meaning as long as it is charged you aren’t stuck to a wall while pumping!
be sure to go through insurance when getting your pump! Babylist is a great resource for this
My other two favorite primary pumps are the Genie Advanced and Baby Buddha - these are much smaller, more portable primary pumps!
As for a Secondary Pump - there are a lot of options out there! My professional opinion will always be to be careful when using a secondary pump (see this post if you don’t know why) but my personal favorite when I was an exclusive pumper was the Eufy S1 Pro
As a backup pump, I always recommend having a hand pump! It is cheap, doesn’t require a charge and is great to through in your bag “just in case”
Nursing/Pumping Bras:
Love & Fit has my favorite bra: it is both a nursing AND pumping bra! I love that it’s both so you don’t have to buy several bras!
As for bras that are just for nursing (not pumping), I love any of the v-shape ones
An important thing to remember when purchasing either a nursing or pumping bras is avoiding wires or a bra that’s too tight, these can both contribute to clogged ducts!
Breastmilk Chiller:
If you are planning on pumping AT ALL, especially when returning to work, a breastmilk chiller just makes everything easier!
It great for work, pumping away from home, travelling and more! I highly recommend one to any mom that may pump! It is my go-to baby shower gift!
For nipple pain:
I will always recommend addressing the root cause of the pain first, but if you are experiencing nipple pain my favorite choices for pain management are:
Check out my nipple pain post for more information on pain management options!
Breastfeeding Pillow:
I find that the My Brest Friend pillow has the best support for breastfeeding and is both my personal and professional choice for a breastfeeding pillow!
It is light weight, has a back support and is adjustable!
Baby Bottles:
When looking for a baby bottle, the top ones I recommend as a lactation consultant are the Evenflo Balance + Wide Neck, Lansinoh, and Pigeon Wide Neck because all of these bottles have an ideal nipple shape, meaning baby can latch deeply, just as they should be latching at the breast
For a full list of all my favorites, including plastic and glass options, check out this post on choosing a baby bottle!
Milk Collector:
I recommend having a milk collector on hand, which can collect letdown but does not act as a pump
You can put it on the opposite side baby is breastfeeding to catch any leaking/letdown, and you can also wear it throughout the day if you find you leak often between nursing sessions
It is important to note that some women do not leak and this kind of device will not work for you if you don’t leak, since the whole purpose is to catch leaking milk!
A couple other brands of milk collectors: boon trove, willow, elvie, momcozy
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