Must Haves for Nursing Moms | Bright on a Budget

Breastfeeding can be so intimidating. I watched an educational video on it while pregnant and was scared to death (seriously), but everything turned out fine. And while everyone’s breastfeeding experience is different, Kane and I had a pretty easy go at it. I told myself I hoped to make it 6 months, then 6 months turned into 12 months, and 12 months turned into 18 months. I actually just stopped nursing him in December.

Nursing was an amazing journey for us. I think that being prepared makes it a little easier, though, so I wanted to share my must-have products for nursing moms.

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We really enjoyed Tommee Tippee products. We used the smaller 5 oz bottles for probably the first 4 months (Kane was a daycare baby at 9 weeks old) and then switched to the bigger bottles. Kane also really like their pacifers. They have really tiny ones for newborns, and they really soothed Kane when he got the hang of keeping the paci in his mouth.*
*Some people caution against nipple confusion with pacis, but our pediatrician told us not to worry about it. At the end of the day, follow the advice of your healthcare professional.

I loved the Udder Cover nursing cover! It was lightweight and breathable, so I didn’t feel like I was smothering Kane. And best of all, there’s always codes out there to get one of these covers for free–you just pay shipping. One code I found was PJBABY.

Kane’s daycare is very close to my office, so I was able to go over and feed him on my lunch break, but I also had to pump throughout the day. I used the Lansinoh double electric pump and loved it! Be sure to check with your insurance company to see if you can get a free electric breast pump.

Lansinoh has some other great products, including the nursing pads above. I also liked their milk storage bags better than the Babies ‘R Us brand and the Medela ones, but found that the Up & Up Bags from Target were very comparable to the Lansinoh ones, and cheaper.

Nursing can take a toll on your body, so I relied a lot on the Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter. I read rave reviews online and it’s pretty awesome. Also, simply rubbing expressed milk on your nipples after feeding can help out too!!!

Finally, I think that it’s important to find a good nursing bra. My favorite was this one from Motherhood Maternity. The straps were thin and easy to clip and unclip. The material was comfortable, and, more importantly, the tops of the cups didn’t sag or roll (this is happened with several other nursing bras I tried).

Now, at the end of the day, I think you have to do what makes you comfortable and what works for you and your baby, whether it’s breastfeeding or formula feeding. Either way, your baby will get the nutrition he or she needs:)

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