Breastfeeding Essentials?

[Rooster30]

Hi. I'm planning on breast feeding my baby when it arrives. I did not breastfeed my son so I'm very new to it all. Aside from breasts is there anything that's needed in particular?

Also can anyone recommend and good breastfeeding books?

 

[Maud]

I didn't read any books, but kellymom.com is a very useful website.

Lots of muslins and lansinoh nipple cream were my essentials, as was a very supportive husband!

 

[CamFi]

Nursing bras, nipple cream with lanolin, a nursing pillow if you're tall helps to avoid hunching over while feeding and associated back pain.

 

[tinkerbell13]

Don't forget LOTS of breast pads!

 

[tiggy85]

Ditto kellymom website, have a good read beforehand so you know what to expect.

Things I found useful, nursing tops, nursing bras and loads of breast pads, I had an avent electric pump and some bottles for after 6 weeks (but tried him at 5 weeks old) , lots of Muslin cloths and a pretty large scarf that I used when I was feeding out and about as it would hide any bits I might flash but not look like I'm obviously feeding.
Xxx

 

[BunnyN]

I didn't end up needing the breastpads or lansinoh cream but worth to have on hand. We never used bottles. Its hard to have too many muslins.

A friend lent me a hand breast pump but I didn't really get on with it. It probably would have worked fine for relieving rock hard breasts but my milk came in quite slow and steady so I never had that issue. If you know you are going to need to express because of work or something a good electric pump is probably worth the investment.

Kellymom is a great site.

After boobs I think determination and good support are what help most.

 

[Jajis]

These are the things I needed/wanted:

• breast pads
• nursing bras
• sleep bras (stretchy fabric with no nasty clips to dig in when you're sleeping)
• a water bottle (and somebody to refil it frequently)
• flapjacks (oats are supposedly good for milk supply)
• a DVD boxset (for when you're stuck on the sofa with a baby on your lap)
• a smartphone with crappy games (to play in the middle of the night to keep you awake during feeds)
• a supportive partner / family member / friend (to bring you food, drinks, the remote control etc. & to remind you that you CAN do it if the going gets tough)
• contact details of local breastfeeding drop ins / groups in case you need somebody who knows what they're talking about to check your latch
• a couple of facebook breastfeeding groups so you can ask all your 'is this normal?' questions (although they are obviously welcome here too!)

For the facebook groups I would recommend 'UK Breastfeeding and Parenting Support' and 'Breastfeeding Younger Babies and Beyond' - full of lots of lovely breastfeeding folk Some of the other, larger, facebook groups I've seen have a lot of people in who are very quick to recommend formula if somebody posts that they are having any problems - these two groups are (from what I've seen so far) more dedicated to actually helping solve the problems and helping people carry on breastfeeding.

I didn't read any books but I've seen a lot of people recommend 'The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding' by the La Leche League

 

[Becky1]

Aside from everything else mentioned if add - vest tops. Great for wearing under normal tops so you're not exposing your tum when feeding in public (or even with friends who certainly didn't need to be treated to the sight of my wobbly tum!)

I also invested in a decent and expensive nursing bra as I have quite big boobs and found the ones I'd got front the high street quite unsupportive and unflattering. x

 

[Rooster30]

Hi all. Thanks for the responses. It has been good to revisit this as the due date steadily gets closer (though still a while left to go yet). I have most of those things on hand now - nursing bras, sleep bras, breast pads etc.

Just wondering if anyone could recommend a nursing pillow? (Or have one to sell?!).

 

[BunnyN]

I didn't use a nursing pillow last time. I just shoved a normal pillow under my arm to support it when I needed to and it worked quite well. This time I decided I wanted to try a propper nursing pillow because I have a toddler too and having the hands more free would be handy. They seem really pricey for what they are but my inlaws ended up getting one for us as a baby present. It is called 'poppy' and is suposed to be good but I haven't tried it yet. LO loves to use it while sitting on the floor watching TV though, lol.

 

[Rooster30]

Ah, do you mean Boppy? I have been looking into those. I'm going to a baby show in March so going to hold off buying anything big until I have been there. I figure, even if I fail at breastfeeding a pillow would still be good anyway.

 

[Maud]

I used all sorts of pillows and cushions to try to help our early feeding, but in the end we settled on a large cushion from our sofa for downstairs and a standard pillow for upstairs. I did find my V shaped cushion quite handy though, for wedging under and behind my arm

 

[BunnyN]

Ah, do you mean Boppy? I have been looking into those. I'm going to a baby show in March so going to hold off buying anything big until I have been there. I figure, even if I fail at breastfeeding a pillow would still be good anyway.

Yeh, I meant Boppy, lol.

 

[Tootsmaloy]

Always make sure you have a large glass of water within reach. Before you sit/lay down to feed. Newborns can feed for a long time and breastfeeding mamas get mega thirsty!

 

[mellie_88]

Definitely get a nursing pillow, I have a boppy couldn't be without it.
Breast pads are also a must as are nursing bras and pjs that you can easily get your boob out of! Muslins too. Can never have too many, especially as my baby loves to blow bubbles!!

 

[nicejuicypear]

A bottle of water/juice by the bed and some snacks. I got hungry and thirsty during night feeds so would have cereal bars to hand.

I got a nursing pillow from Argos, pretty bog standard u shaped pillow. It came in a pack with a wedge which I think is supposed to be for my back, but I put it under her mattress to create a slope, helps her sleep better.

 

[Aimee84]

Is it worth buying nursing tops?

 

[Jajis]

It depends how fussed you are about people seeing any skin... I didn't, I just wore my normal tops and pulled them up over one boob at a time - my son was so big that you couldn't really see anything because he hid my stomach I guess if I'd had a smaller baby I might have not wanted my stomach on display

 

[Rooster30]

Thanks all. I'm going to a baby show in March and hope to get some decently priced BF essentials whilst there.

 

[Maud]

I have a few breastfeeding tops and did wear them in the warmer weather. The most useful for me were really loose layered ones that could easily cover me up. I had some where I pretty much had to poke my boob out of a hole to get LO latched on, which wasn't very subtle in public! Otherwise I just wear a large vest under a baggy enough top to lift out of the way and then keep everything covered.