Top 17 Supplies Needed For Breastfeeding
I still remember those days when getting ready all the supplies needed for breastfeeding before my newborn is out. It is a very stressful situation because of worrying if I have the full list of breast feeding items ready. Based on my own experience, I compiled a checklist which I feel are must haves breastfeeding supplies
Breast pump
This is one of the most important breastfeeding supplies you will need when embarking on your breastfeeding journey. Basically, they come in manual and electrical version. I have written a comprehensive guide about best breast pump for stay home moms.
A breast pump allows you to express breast milk out and bottle feed your little hungry monster. It will allows you to enjoy a few hours more of sleep as someone else can bottle-feed expressed breast milk on your behalf.
However, do note that it may sometimes be painful when using a breast pump. Do check with your doctor if this happens frequently.
Additional things to note is that pumping breast milk allows you to lose weight faster and also provides the best-customised nutrients for your newborn.
Based on my experience, if you plan to pump milk frequently, it is recommended to buy 2 breast pumps with 1 as standby. Normally I would keep one at home while I use another portable one to pump on the go.
Hands-Free Pumping Bra
Regardless of you are pumping at home or at work, a hands free pumping bra works like an extra helping hand. Their main purpose is to secure the bottles for you allowing you to be hands free while pumping.
This saves time and allows you to multi task liked typing, answering phone calls or doing household chores while pumping. A good hands free pumping bra should be able to support most major brands, adjustable and provides ultimate comfort when wearing it.
Nursing pads
Nursing pads are very important for nursing mums especially during the early stages of breastfeeding. They help to absorb the excess milk and prevent any embarassement like visible stains or wetness. They comes in many shapes, sizes and thickness and you may have to test a few brands to see which one suits you best.
Nursing clothes
Nursing clothes typically provide convenience when you are feeding your baby. They normally feature hidden nurse openings to enable you to breastfeed discreetly or pump conveniently on the go.
There are multiple types of nursing openings liked lift up, pull down, move aside and side access. (Source) You may like to decide which one suits you best.
Breast Pump Bag
Breast Pump bags are normally large in size and can fit everything you need to breast pump on the go. They provide convenience as you can house all breastfeeding accessories into one bag instead of multiple bags. Normally it should have separate insulated compartments where you can put the bottles and pump in separate compartments.
Spare Pump Parts
This is very crucial in order to be efficient in your breast milk pumping efforts. A lot of mummies do not know what there are some breast pump parts which are wearable and need to be replaced to regularly.
Failure to do so may affect the suction of the breast pump and you may think there is a drop of your milk supply. The most common parts to replace are valve membranes, duck valves, backflow protector diaphragms, tubing and breast shields. (Source)
As personally I only have experience using spectra and medela brands, different breast pumps may have different parts you need to replace. Do check for more details from your breast pump manufacturer website.
Wet/Dry Bag for Pump Parts
As these are breastmilk we are going to feed our little one, we want to prevent contamination as much as possible. Especially when we are pumping away from home, it may be tough to find a clean spot to place and setup your breast pump.
The Wet/dry bag basically save this pressing problem as the detachable staging mat acts as a clean spot whenever you go. The other waterproof main compartment can be used to hold clean and then dirty (wet) pump parts. Personally, I used Sarah Wells Pumparoo Wet/Dry Bag to solve my problem when pumping out of the home.
Power Bank Kit
The worst thing to happen is when you are doing frequent pumping and realised the pump has run out of battery and you forgot to bring the power cord.
As I am using spectra s1 which comes with a rechargeable battery, I keep a power bank kit in my car to act as an emergency. I can also use it to charge my breast pump while I am travelling around in my car.
Breastfeeding chair
Breastfeeding chair is also known as nursing chair are being used by parents for breast feeding since Victorian times. During the first few months of breastfeeding at home, sometimes I feel lonely and tired hearing the hungry little one crying out of milk frequently.
Sometimes it gets physically taxing having to carry the newborn on your arms to latch him/her without any form of support. If the newborn does not want to sleep, your arms will also need to act as his/her rocker. I am lucky when my friend bought me a breastfeeding chair as a gift.
The one I have seems to be quite sturdily built making me feel safe when using it. I also like the fact that it does not take up a lot of space. The thickly padded armrests provide me with all the support needed when I am putting the little one to sleep, snuggle up with them or breastfeeding latching. For your reference, this is the one I had as a gift.
A nursing chair is designed to be low allowing the mum to interact with the little one without bending over. I just love this close bonding session with my little monster and I cannot imagine doing without the breastfeeding chair in the first few months of my breastfeeding journey. You may like to check out also the Best Nursery Glider For All Your Needs
Breastfeeding bottles
Breastfeeding bottles or known as nursing bottles come with a teat where your newborn can drink directly from. It is recommended to buy the same brand for both your breast pump and breastfeeding bottles to ensure maximum compatibility.
The main purpose of an artificial teat on the breastfeeding bottles is to act like a mother’s breast especially for a newborn. It should have a broad and wide base and a short round nipple which allows a slow flow of milk to prevent choking.
A teat is made from a soft thin material such as silicone or latex. However, latex nipples are not recommended because they have allergens. It is important to ensure that the nipple is Bisphenol A (BPA) free.
Most lactation experts would suggest that you only start introducing breastfeeding bottles when your baby is at least one month old. You also have to ensure your breastfeeding is well established before introducing a bottle. If you are going back to work it is better to start introducing it 2 weeks before you start work so both of you have time to adjust. (Source)
Breast milk storage 
You will have to prepare for breast milk storage in your freezer if you are pumping frequently. Depending on individual mums, you may have a lot of excesses or little to no excess breast milk stored.
Breast milk storage bags
Breast milk storage bags are plastics bags made specially to contain breast milk for storage and future consumption. It is mostly designed to withstand freezing, storing and thawing process.
You can use it straight out of the box as they are pre-sterilized. Normally I will write on the storage bag with a marker to indicate the date and time of the breast milk being expressed out.
Breast milk storage containers
As you are piling up on frozen breast milk storage bags, it can be messy if you are not arranging in breast milk storage containers. You may also like to practice the First in, First out(FIFO) practice to ensure there are not breast milk being stored for too long and ensure freshness. You may be also keen to find out How Long Is Warmed Breast Milk Good For?
Breast milk storage freezer
For a start, you may like to empty out part of your freezer to store the breast milk. However, if you feel that your current freezer is too small, getting an additional freezer just to store your breast milk may be top of your shopping list.
Cooler Bag
When expressing breast milk, do note that it can stay at out at room temperature for up to 4 hours, 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 6 months if frozen. (Source) The main purpose of a cooler bag is to ensure you can transfer the stored breast milk back to your freezer at home.
Ice packs
Ice packs come in handy when you expect yourself to be out longer than usual. They help to ensure the temperature in your cooler bag stays low before you reach home. To save cost, you may like to consider using reusable ice packs.
Breastfeeding cover
Breastfeeding cover also known as a nursing cover is designed strategically to cover your breast and baby within the folds of the fabric when you are breastfeeding in public.
The single piece of fabric slips over your head and helps to cover the front, sides and back during nursing.
It provides the convenience of letting your baby latch on whenever you go instead of expressing out the milk all the time.
Remember to practice it at home before using in public because some baby may not like the idea of fabric over their head.
Breastfeeding Supplements
Most mineral supplements liked iron, calcium, copper, chromium and zinc does not really help to affect breastmilk levels. For fat-soluble vitamin supplements like Vitamin A & E, it can be concentrated in human milk. Excessive amounts may be harmful to a breastfeeding baby.
Besides breastfeeding supplements, there are some best foods to increase milk supply that are safe for breast feeding baby. For a safe way and proven way to increase your breastmilk levels, you may like to consider lactation cookies. I have written a whole guide about lactation cookies if you would like to find out more.
Breastfeeding pillow
Breastfeeding pillow also known as a nursing pillow is designed to help support your baby in a proper position during breast feeding. Normally you have to keep in mind your own shape and size to find one suitable for your requirements.
Some nursing pillow comes with fastening straps that allows the pillow to fit closely around your body. As milk spills are common during feeding, you have to make sure that the nursing pillow is also easy to clean. If you feel that you want to save some cost, you may like to explore reusing your existing pregnancy pillow if you have one.
To conclude Supplies Needed For Breastfeeding
You should be ready to go on your breastfeeding journey once you have all these mentioned supplies needed for breastfeeding. The journey of breastfeeding will be tough and challenging. However, when you feel like giving up, do not forget that your breast milk is the best gift you can give to your newborn. Feel free to share and comment on your own breastfeeding experiences below.
