So I’m going to be totally honest. I didn’t plan on breastfeeding my first child. It wasn’t something I was particularly looking forward to or truly felt like I needed to do. I was basically banking on my boobs not “working” and assumed he’d be on formula before we could leave the hospital… well, he took to the boob right away and it was a lot easier than I had planned on, minus the first month or two of cluster-feeding and I ended up nursing for 17 months.
Here’s everything I needed to survive:
Pajamas you can take your boobs out in. This is a must… or you can just plan on being topless for the first month.
A BOPPY. Praise the boppy. I think I probably would have quit breastfeeding without it. You’re just truly too weak and tired to hold your baby in the beginning and it positions them in the perfect way.
Nipple cream. This is not a necessity, but it will ease some chapping should you have any.
A Haakaa. Y’all, I had never heard of this but it is a GAME CHANGER. It naturally increases your milk supply and collects all that good “let down.” Also, it lets you visually see you’re producing milk and builds your confidence while nursing. You can put it on one side while you’re feeding on the other… it’s truly a miracle worker.
A good, easy show to binge-watch, Netflix. Trash TV. Something you don’t need to use your brain for.
A GIANT cup for ice water and basket of snacks. (I lived off of pop tarts the first week, not the healthiest, but I could eat it safely with one hand in the dark). The second that baby latches you will be more thirsty than you have ever been in your life and nothing will taste better than super cold ice water.
Breast-milk bags for storage! Yay, storage!!! I love these with the twist-off cap.
An extra-long phone charger… this is self-explanatory.
Sports bras. Save your money on nursing bras and just buy some comfy sports bras and grab some washable nursing pads for overnight leakage!
Good luck, mamas! Let me know your breastfeeding must-haves!
SHOP THE POST
