My Top 5 Breastfeeding Must Haves!
It can be a minefield, canât itâŠwhat do I buy? What do I need? Shall I express? Should I buy bottles too?
I canât promise you the answer to every question, but I can share with you what I absolutely feel were the holy grail for me!
- Breast Pads. Sorry if this is TMI, but thereâs a likelihood youâre 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 wouldnât leak anymoreâŠbut thatâs not been the case for me, so donât worry if you also experience the same thing. The breast pads I swear by are the Tommee Tippee âMade for Meâ pads. Theyâve got a really good deal on Amazon at the moment (todays date of publishing) for ÂŁ7 for 100, which is great value considering itâs ÂŁ4.99 for 40. Hereâs 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 theyâre cheap!Â
2. Nursing Bras! I never anticipated how important these would be until I started breastfeeding. Trust me, you donât 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 thereâs no clasps to unfasten. Thereâs not much support, but theyâre 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 didnât 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 wasnât always practical, so I searched for some nursing tops and bought this one from Etsy. Itâs really soft and the zips are a genius idea for when youâre out and about. It made it so much easier than pulling my top down đ
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! Theyâve just been on âDragonâs Denâ, 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 Iâm really pleased to see itâs 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. Itâs excellent for expressing, and itâs now fantastic for using to express for my babyâs porridge, Weetabix etc now heâs on solids and something that was invaluable for creating âbooby lolliesâ for teething! More on that below.
5. âBooby Lollyâ Moulds! Now, these have been fantastic! When our little boy was teething, he couldnât 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 wasnât yet on solids) and then as he started eating solids, he would sometimes have one for âdessertâ. As your little one gets older, you could always put purĂ©ed fruit and veg in them too - something Iâve not tried yet. Again, itâs a great product that grows with you and your baby, so fantastic value for money.
Hereâs a BONUS and invaluable resource! đ
6. FAB - Families and Babies. I canât recommended these enough! Please, please donât be afraid to ask for support when breastfeeding. Whether itâs 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. Iâve only ever called their helpline and theyâve been amazing for any breastfeeding questions Iâve had. Theyâre so kind, supportive and understanding and the fact that theyâre 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! đ
What would you say has been your most invaluable resource when breastfeeding?
With Love,
Kirsty