Breastfeeding essentials

We thought it was time to put together our essential buying guide for those mums wishing to breastfeed.

Marnie is 6 months old now (crazy I know). I’m now combi-feeding, breastfeeding in the morning, and afternoon. The rest of the time, she’s on formula. I waited until Marnie was almost 5 months old before I introduced formula.

I’m so glad I persevered with breastfeeding. The first few weeks were tough, and to start with I was counting down the days to when I was going to stop. But there was light at the end of the tunnel, and it became a great bonding experience that I absolutely loved.

(Alex will be following up this post with her breastfeeding struggles. Watch this space).

If you are finding it tough, please don’t suffer alone. Speak to your midwife/health visitor who will be able to advise you. If you’re a Colchester mum, there’s great support through ‘Pink Ladies‘.

What you need:

Nursing Pillow.

I used this when Marnie was really small and couldn’t hold her head up. Really handy, as in the early days you’ll find your baby is permanently attached to the boob. I’ve always suffered with back pain, so having a nursing pillow really helped. This is the one I have.

Nipple Butter.

A must. I used the Earth Mama nipple butter, and I found it the best. A little bit more expensive compared to some, but that’s because it’s bloody good! All natural too.

Washable Breast Pads.

These are so much comfier then your disposable ones. I found they were much more absorbent and stayed in place better. I know it’s an extra thing to wash, but they’re small, and can be chucked in with your ‘whites’. These ones are good.

Medela Swing Electric Breast pump.

I can not recommend the Medela Swing enough. It’s an electric breast pump that’s discreet, quiet and quick. It was my favourite ‘gadget’. I’d recommend getting a breast pump to all breastfeeding mums because your milk flow will increase pretty rapidly. I used to express milk at about 5am every morning because I had so much milk my boobs felt like they might explode. You can buy it here.

Breastmilk Storage Bags.

Be one step a head and freeze your breast milk. Handy for days when you have to be away from your baby for more than a couple of hours. (You still need a life!). Also, handy for when you start weaning, as you can still use your milk to mix with your baby’s first tastes like porridge and single fruit and veg purees. Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags are a good choice.

Nursing chair.

I wasn’t sure whether to get a nursing chair at first, but I am so glad I did. My advice would be to get a rocking nursing chair (like this one). You’ll find it super comfy, and surprisingly, you might start to enjoy the night feeds. They became my quiet time with Marnie. She was at her most beautiful, because she was so sleepy and cuddly.

I hope you’ve found this guide helpful. Feel free to email lambandbearblog@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Lots of love x