My Top 5 Breastfeeding Must Haves!

It can be a minefield, can’t it…what do I buy? What do I need? Shall I express? Should I buy bottles too?

I can’t promise you the answer to every question, but I can share with you what I absolutely feel were the holy grail for me!

1. Breast Pads. Sorry if this is TMI, but there’s a likelihood you’re going to leak in between feeds or when feeding and it took me a while to find some pads that were absorbent enough! I read somewhere that after 4 months, you wouldn’t leak anymore…but that’s not been the case for me, so don’t worry if you also experience the same thing. The breast pads I swear by are the Tommee Tippee ‘Made for Me’ pads. They’ve got a really good deal on Amazon at the moment (todays date of publishing) for £7 for 100, which is great value considering it’s £4.99 for 40. Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tommee-Tippee-Made-Disposable-Contoured-Absorbent/dp/B08P339X5T/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=2SHSQBZTH9Q3K&keywords=tommee+tippee+breast+pad&qid=1648987395&rdc=1&sprefix=tommee+tippee+bre%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-2

My advice? Stock up on them whilst they’re cheap! 

2. Nursing Bras! I never anticipated how important these would be until I started breastfeeding. Trust me, you don’t want to be fighting with a normal bra when your baby wants feeding. Especially not in public. Easy, comfortable access is key! I started off with these:

MAMA 2-pack nursing bras - Powder pink/Light beige - Ladies | H&M GB

And then I moved onto these, which I absolutely LOVE, as there’s no clasps to unfasten. There’s not much support, but they’re so comfy and for me, ease of access and comfort were the priorities.

MAMA 2-pack lace nursing bras - Light turquoise/White - Ladies | H&M GB

3. Nursing Tops! To be completely honest, for the first few months of motherhood, I didn’t wear a top. We were in the house 90% of the time and again, ease of access and comfort were key. Plus I was really keen to experience skin-to-skin contact as much as possible. I just made sure that I had a vest top or something on when we went out, but it wasn’t always practical, so I searched for some nursing tops and bought this one from Etsy. It’s really soft and the zips are a genius idea for when you’re out and about. It made it so much easier than pulling my top down 😂

Pale Pink Fitted Nursing T-shirt / Breastfeeding Nursing | Etsy UK

I also LOVE the look of these! I think they look so comfy and pretty! They’ve just been on ‘Dragon’s Den’, if you want to find out more about the girls behind the brand :-)

Breastfeeding Oversized Crewe Neck Jumper | Etsy UK

4. A Good Quality Breast Pump! I spent ages researching and finally settled on the Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump, which I bought from Aldi for a great price and I’m really pleased to see it’s available on their website: https://www.aldi.co.uk/lansinoh-double-electric-breast-pump/p/716814579132200?gclid=CjwKCAjwi6WSBhA-EiwA6Niok50W1fLGSOKvPqwHXRUiIlVj0_e2hyG3_4tlt2DqqyZUzCM4JQ8n5hoCJLwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

This has been a reliable, easy to use machine, which has grown with me. It’s excellent for expressing, and it’s now fantastic for using to express for my baby’s porridge, Weetabix etc now he’s on solids and something that was invaluable for creating “booby lollies” for teething! More on that below.

5. ‘Booby Lolly’ Moulds! Now, these have been fantastic! When our little boy was teething, he couldn’t get enough of these! I simply expressed my milk, put it in the lolly moulds and then straight in the freezer and voila! He also really enjoyed eating them at tea time in his high chair (when he wasn’t yet on solids) and then as he started eating solids, he would sometimes have one for “dessert”. As your little one gets older, you could always put puréed fruit and veg in them too - something I’ve not tried yet. Again, it’s a great product that grows with you and your baby, so fantastic value for money.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nuby-Garden-Fruitsicles-Frozen-Purees/dp/B00KFP6NHO/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=4XAWT5EGWXX&keywords=nuk+lolly+moulds+baby&qid=1648989618&sprefix=nuk+loll%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-4

Here’s a BONUS and invaluable resource! 💗

6. FAB - Families and Babies. I can’t recommended these enough! Please, please don’t be afraid to ask for support when breastfeeding. Whether it’s in hospital, asking your Health Visitor or by calling FAB. They provide weekly support groups within Sure Start centres; 1:1 home visits a 24 hour helpline and daily support on the maternity ward. I’ve only ever called their helpline and they’ve been amazing for any breastfeeding questions I’ve had. They’re so kind, supportive and understanding and the fact that they’re open 24 hours provides peace of mind that someone is there for you whenever you need it!

I hope this has been of some help to some New Mummies, Existing Mummies or Mummies To Be! 💗

What would you say has been your most invaluable resource when breastfeeding?

With Love,

Kirsty