Breastfeeding Essentials

Now, you all know I'm not an expert. I have been a mom for approximately 125 days(-ish). However, there are a few things that have made my life easier as a new mom, and there are a few things that have made feeding another human with my boobs easier.

Breastfeeding is no easy task, it's hard, it's time consuming and it takes a hot minute to get the hang of it. But it is SO WORTH IT, I can't stress that enough. The hard fought battles in the first 6 weeks are worth the sweet milky smiles you get mid-feed at 3 months. And more than that, every pound H gains I feel a bit of accomplishment, I helped him gain that, WITH MY BODY. It's pretty incredible.

Anyway, my breastfeeding essentials are as follows:

Nursing bras and GOOD sports bra:
Almost my entirety of my maternity leave was spent in tank tops and a sports bra. Not just any sports bra though, it is the most amazing sports bra and I originally bought it because of the review on Target's website that specifically mentioned it was good for breastfeeding. You can find it here. I have 5 of them and I'm dreading the day I go back to work and have to wear a "real" bra. ;)

Boppy:
I've seen many people talk about how great the boppy is for breastfeeding, and it's totally awesome, I loved all the different ways I could use the Boppy. I set a newborn H on it, while I was whipping out the boob, I use it as a pillow when I nurse on my side or even stick it between my legs as support when I'm laying down. We rarely use it for nursing because Harrison is just too big at this point but we use it for everything else!

Kindle/iPhone: 
Some nursing sessions in the beginning can last for hours. I always had my Kindle and iPhone within arms reach. I was able to read a bunch because of this and also keep up with my twitter feed, of course. ;)

Lansinoh Lanolin:
THIS WAS A LIFESAVER IN THE BEGINNING. Seriously. It helped so much with my sore nips. I would apply it after every feeding. Now, I don't need anything but those first 2 months were brutal.

Reusable nursing pads:
I liked the reusable nursing pads SO much more than the disposable ones. The disposable ones were too plasitc-y and large. I've tried 4 different brands of reusables and the Avent ones are my absolute favorite--they don't lose their thickness through multiple washings and have the best leak protection, in my opinion.

Medela pump:
Speaking of lifesavers, this magic machine changed my boob feeding life. My super cool cousin Megan let me borrow this. I was using my Avent single pump and while it was fine, it was NOTHING compared to this baby. Of course I still feel like a cow getting milked but it has helped me build up a freezer stash of 125-ish ounces.

Breast milk freezer bags:
If you're like my husband, you wonder why you can't just use regular ziplock bags for milk storage. Well, because these are already sterilized for your boob milk. They are also handy as they have a spot to write in the ounces, date and time.

Water (not pictured):
Obviously, eating a balanced diet is important while breastfeeding. But more than anything, drinking water is super important. If I start feeling dehydrated because I've forgotten to drink enough water all day, I see it effect my supply. So, be sure to hydrate!


What did I miss? What are your boob feeding essentials?