Hi! Just a quick question for all of you who breastfeed and I apologize if it's been asked before, but what have you found to be essential for breastfeeding? I plan to both pump and breastfeed (as long as I can and have no issues, I know some women can have problems). I already have a boppy, lanisoh cream, breast pads....am planning on renting a pump from the hospital. What am I missing?
TIA for your help. Everytime I turn around I swear I realize I am forgetting something else!
Re: Question from a 3rd Trier RE: Breastfeeding Essentials
A child that latches. :-P (Mine wouldn't.)
Microwave sterilizer bags are nice for pump and bottle parts. Eventually you'll want nursing bras, and if you end up pumping a lot, a hands free pumping bra ($20 on amazon.com) is worth its weight in gold.
GL!
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I agree with PP about a second Boppy pillow. I ended up buying a second one when she came home because it was such a pain to lug around. I got my second one on Craigslist and it has been a lifesaver having them both!!
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In addition to what you have and what other people have said -- you might consider a My Brest Friend (especially if you have a 2 story house and can have the boppy on one floor and the My Brest Friend on another). I like MBF better than the boppy -- it straps to you, so you can put it up higher.
Lots of lasinoh. Also, if you're going to be keeping a log of eating/poopy diapers once you leave the hospital (I am still because my daughter isn't gaining like they'd like her to), make sure you can see a clock from whatever chair you want to use for nursing.
Also -- here's my big tip. Make sure your baby's not tongue tied!!! Or, if he/she is, make sure you get it clipped asap. My daughter was and could not latch without a nipple shield.
I 2nd the reccomendation for the Brest Friend pillow - I love mine.
Also, not a necessity, but I have the Itzbeen baby timer and use it to time my feedings and track the time in between feedings. It's a handy little tool.
Burp cloths.
Very large water bottle - (breastfeeding takes so much fluid out of you, and you're gonna be prone enough to constipation as it is.)
Also, I have to go to the store and buy new nursing pads because I wasn't thinking the first time and got Ultra-Thin. My bewbs are overachievers, so I'm plowing through them at a rate of at least having to change them every two hours. You may or may not have this issue, but just a heads up that not all pads are created equal.
I haven't gotten to pumping yet so I don't really have any advice in that arena.