BFing moms- do i really need all this stuff??

rpalen29

So, I have the medela pump in style advanced- came with bottles, nipples, container lids, breast shields, membranes and valves. I registered for storage bags, an ice pack, 3 extra bottles, nipples and lids, and extra membranes.

I also registered for disposable and washable nursing pads, and a nursing cover.

Do I need the breast milk removal soap/cleaner, the brush, nipple protectors, the lanolin and bottle drying rack?? Do I absolutely need lanolin or can I use something else (I have baby bee multipurpose ointment with vitamin e, cocoa and shea butter)

anything else I should register for BFing?

chavlin517

Definitely get the lanolin and a pack of Soothies. I'd get a bottle brush and rack they are helpful.  For Medela bottles make sure to get a soft bristle brush bc they are kind of tricky to clean with the brush. Also I believe the reason for lanolin is that I won't hurt the baby, other items may not be good for them to put in their mouth.  

aanchor

Cleaner - No

Brush - if you mean bottle brush then yes

Nipple protectors - If these are the nipple sheilds I don't think they help. I bought a pair but it still hurt with them on.

Lanolin - Personal preference, I liked the lanolin cream

Drying Rack - You don't NEED it but it does come in handy

Edit for poor formatting

MomlovesEloise

You will definitely need the lanolin. It takes the pain away and is ok for the baby to get in their mouth. 

I would go for either the disposable or washable nursing pads. I used disposable. Nursing cover is a must. 

I didn't need/use extra membranes. I did get extra pump parts through the time I breastfed, but didn't need any of it for a good 6 months.

I wouldn't buy special soap. You will need the brush for the bottles. Drying rack is good, but I found mine got mildewy. I would either use a regular dish rack or throw your stuff in the dishwasher like I did. 

I didn't use nipple protectors but a lot of women do. I may not register for this, but will buy if needed. 

 

SaguaroBlossmom

I dont know if breast shields are the same thing, but the nipple shield is what helped me the most, when I was so engourged my DD couldnt latch on properly. Plus they are super cheap!

GoMaltby18

I think the pump stuff you will need assuming you plan to pump a lot.  With DS1 I leaked a lot and went through tons of disposable pads before deciding I liked the washables better.  With DS2 I never really leaked that much so mostly didn't need them.  

I'm not sure about some of the other stuff you're mentioning.  Soap and brush?  Like a bottle brush?  We didn't use bottles much so for me they aren't necessary but if you plan to use bottles often then they might come in handy.  I handwashed my pump parts but put bottles in the dishwasher.

I used lanolin constantly with DS1 before realizing that I wasn't healing *because* of the lanolin. It kept everything so moisturized that I never fully healed.  You can definitely get by without it by just expressing some extra milk out onto your nipples and then letting them air dry before putting your bra back on.  As far as nipple shields, I never needed them.  You can always run out and buy them once LO gets here if you decide you need them.  Really, the beauty of BF is that you don't really need a lot of stuff.

MommaG123

Do I need the breast milk removal soap/cleaner- If this means a special soap no I just used regular dish soap.

the brush- a bottle brush is a must.  I liked that mine had a little tiny brush in the handle for the pacifiers and bottle nipples.

nipple protectors- ?  If you mean shields I never used them at all.

the lanolin- Eh, I had it but never really used it.  I was really fortunate in that my nipples never cracked or bled though.

bottle drying rack- Not a necessity but it does come in handy.

The only other thing I could think of would be maybe the freezable nursing pad deals that can be soothing. I don't remember what they're called. 

Ridgebackmom

Yes to all.

Yes to special soap, I love and still use Baby Ganics.

I loved having the Milk Saver that a friend bought me. Say your nursing on one side, the other side will tend to leak well that is liquid gold...SAVE IT! You'll be amazed at how quickly it fills up

I also like having the drying rack so that everyone knows where to find clean bottles. They're always hanging out there! I just put mine away and my dd is 3.

I like to have both reusable & disposable pads, put them everywhere.

**side note with storage bags, freeze them flat to store upright more effeciently.

Hope this helps.

PotomacSt

You don't have to use lanolin, but if you use an alternative, make sure it is safe for baby to ingest. I'm not familiar with the product you mentioned but if it's designed specifically for BFing and not just some random body lotion if will be fine.

MrsHurricane6610

I agree with getting the lanolin and soothies- they helped BIG TIME. The hospital I was at gave me some stuff (nipple shields, soothies, and probably the lanolin too). I had no idea I'd need any of that stuff, and picked up some more on my way home from the hospital.

We got by without a brush, but used the drying rack. I EBF, and DS rarely got a bottle unless DH and I were planning a night out or something.

alegaga4u

I bought three types of bottles until I found one that worked best forDD.  Just keep in mind you may have to try different styles depending on the baby if you bottle feed at some point. 

Ceefome

alegaga4u:

I bought three types of bottles until I found one that worked best forDD.  Just keep in mind you may have to try different styles depending on the baby if you bottle feed at some point. 

This.  Babies can be picky.

Ask for lanolin in the hospital, but like a PP said, sometimes the lanolin slows healing, your cracked nips will need some time to dry.  They also have soothies, or gel pads, too.  And if you think the soothies are too big, don't be afraid to cut them and get more use out of them.  They're expensive. 

I have no idea what kind of soap you're talking about.  Dishsoap worked fine for us. 

A bottle rack is convenient, but you can just put bottles on a towel to dry while you're deciding to get one or not. 

Depending on the type of bottles, a bottle brush can come in handy, especially when you move to bigger bottles.  But a bottle brush is all of $3, and available at Target or Wal-mart, so if you don't have one right away, no big deal.