Breastfeeding is natural, innate and beautiful but it’s also tough, challenging and exhausting. Being the only source of food and nourishment for the baby is a big responsibility on the mother that can weary her down with so many things like milk supply, proper latching, steady weight gain and a healthy, happy baby. Breastfeeding drinks and treats are a great way to increase milk supply, naturally. In the all perfect world, one would imagine that a mother actually needs just her baby and breasts and her breastfeeding journey can commence but it’s really not that simple. Many times mothers do need something extra and supportive in order to make things easier for them.
Breastfeeding must-haves are a blessing to modern age mums and if you’re missing out on them it’s the perfect little piece for you to read and acquire some of them. There are a wide range of breastfeeding supplies available in the market that make this beautiful yet strenuous task way less complicated and borderline easy for the mothers especially the ones juggling between home, job and social life. Although there are a diversity of items in the market, a mother needs to pick and choose the ones that she really needs. Don’t become a hoarder of these supplies as not all of them are useful or fit in with your lifestyle and requirements.
These supplies and essentials cover anything from poor latch to poor milk supply. Breastfeeding drinks and treats surely work as a milk supply booster and helps the mother get the required amount for her baby. There are different supplies that do different jobs, choosing the right ones can be an overwhelming task for sure as the range of breastfeeding supplies is elaborated. But don’t you worry about it, we have picked the best of the best supplies which will help you in your nursing journey. Here is a list of these essential, must-have supplies for every new mom.
1. Breast Pump
Probably the most well-known and useful breastfeeding supply is a breast pump that helps the mother to drain her breasts. Breast pumps can save the mother from breast engorgement, pain and various other problems that can occur when the milk is not emptied from the breasts. It is also a great milk supply booster as it stimulates the milk production even when the baby isn’t feeding. Breast pumps also have options to choose from like a manual breast for mothers who rarely are away from their babies, electric breast pump for working mothers and double pump for super busing mothers. Nowadays you can even get a hand-free breast pump that can be worn like a bra but the decision is to be taken according to use budget and requirement.
2. Nursing Bras and Tank tops
Breastfeeding is going to be an ongoing task at least for the first few weeks as the newborns feed around the clock without any routine. Feeding on demand is a great way to increase milk supply so mothers must nurse whenever the baby wants. In order to make that task easier and less tedious every mother needs to invest in nursing bras and tank tops that give easy access to the breasts without fumbling with the layers of clothing. If you want to pick and choose one clothing item for your nursing days be it nursing bras and you can thank me later.
Nursing bras unclip from the front so the mother doesn’t have additional stress on the breast and the best part is that on one can tell them apart from any normal bra. Nursing bras are also super supportive which means when your breasts are full you get support from the breasts rather than the shoulders and back. Tank tops are also a great clothing item to wear at home, giving easy and stress-free access to breasts to the baby and mother.
3. Nursing Pads
Talking about breastfeeding essential supplies and not mentioning nursing pads is a crime, every mother should invest in nursing pads in order to be stress-free. Nursing pads are also known as breast pads that are inserted in between the breasts and nursing bras, saving the mother from any leakage embarrassment. These tiny little pads have great absorbent qualities that can soak up good amounts of outflow of milk from the breasts. Although leakage isn’t something that is a constant through-out the nursing period but it can happen anytime when the baby is away or the breasts are too full. Leaking breasts can not only cause awkwardness but can also ruin the clothes. You can choose the disposable nursing pads or reusable ones, according to the frequency of the leaking.
4. Breastfeeding Pillow
Breastfeeding pillows provide great support and comfort to the mother. A nursing session can last anywhere between 20-35 mins which is a long time to hold the baby on the arms and nurse while sitting in a position that ropes the baby and allows proper latching. A breastfeeding pillow will help in propping up the baby to the proper height allowing the weight to rest on the pillow instead of the mother herself. Breastfeeding pillows can also be used to lay the baby comfortably and make him/her feel warm. A nursing pillow is a must have for moms with large breasts, who have delivered with a C-section or mothers of twins.
5. Nipple Creams
Breasts go through a lot during the whole nursing journey, they get sore, red, itchy, cracked, and dry and chapped due to a number of reasons. Even when your breasts are tender to touch you have to nurse the baby in order to prevent various other problems. Every mom should have nipple creams handy in the medicine boxes as they will give you the much needed relief and respite from various nipple problems. Lanolin is an effective ingredient as it’s hypoallergenic and works for most of the nipple problems.
Summary
Breastfeeding challenges are inevitable and will pop up any time during the whole period, having these essential items will provide you with additional support that will help you conquer all the obstacles with ease.