Nursing is the most beautiful bond you can have with your baby; it’s something not every mother gets the opportunity to enjoy. This is why it is so important that if you are a nursing mother that you try and relax through the journey and enjoy that special bond, because it will be done and over with in a blink of an eye. For new moms, nursing can be a real challenge starting out, it’s messy, uncomfortable, and can even be awkward for some. I’ve created this list of must haves to help make the transition into nursing as easy and comfortable as possible, so you can quickly begin enjoying that bonding time. These are all products that I found to be very helpful during my journey through nursing.
What do I need for Nursing a Baby?
To nurse your baby it’s essential to have proper nourishment, tools to aid in the transition of nursing, and a comfortable place to sit back and relax. It is also important to have some mommy entertainment, supplies for cleanup, mommy care products as well as items that offer privacy.
Keep reading to discover the tools that will aid in you finding success through your journey nursing your baby.
Nursing Must Haves
Water Bottle
Staying hydrated while nursing is key to keeping you healthy, and maintaining a healthy milk supply. I aimed to drink near a gallon of water per day while nursing, so it was helpful to have a water bottle with measurements on it so I could track my water intake. This particular water bottle is great because it has the added bonus of a separate area to place fruit to infuse your water.
Healthy Snacks
Nursing burns some serious calories; it’s not uncommon to constantly be hungry while nursing. While nursing I tried to have a healthy snack nearby to curb my hunger. My go to snack while nursing had to be RX Bars, they have very few ingredients, tasted delicious, and somehow filled me right up. My favorite flavor is maple sea salt if your wondering.
Baby Tracker App
During the early months of nursing it’s helpful to track how often you nurse, how long on each side, and which side you ended on (so you know which side to start on the next time you nurse). Tracking these things will help you to guestimate how much milk your baby is getting. It’s also helpful to have these things tracked for the first few pediatric appointments, this way if there is anything of concern it can more easily be pinpointed.
The Baby Tracker App will take care of all of it for you very easily. With this app you can also track the amount you’re little one sleeps and when they have a wet or dirty diaper. All of this information is very helpful to have tracked for your baby’s pediatrician those first few months; it also gave me some peace of mind.
My Brest Friend Nursing pillow
Adjusting to nursing life can be a challenge, having a nursing pillow handy will help aid in the transition. A nursing pillow will put your baby in the optimal position for nursing and will allow you to be more hands free while nursing. I used My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow for the first three months or so and after that I was an old pro and no longer needed it. Also after a few months your baby will be a bit bigger which places them in a better position for nursing and makes it a whole lot easier for us mommas.
Davinci Olive Upholstered Swivel Glider with Bonus Ottoman
A rocking chair or glider is an item worth splurging on. You will be spending A LOT of time nursing and sitting in the chair you choose. At first it will be every two hours, sometimes for an hour at a time. Let’s also not forget the cluster feeding, which is more like every half an hour. My daughter is through nursing and I still use our rocking chair several times a day when putting her down for naps and bedtime.
We use the rocking chair for story time, and when she wakes in the middle of the night and needs to be rocked back to sleep. I recommend the Davinci Olive Upholstered Swivel Glider with Bonus Ottoman. This rocker/glider is very comfortable and will compliment any nursery with its beautiful design. It also comes in multiple colors. A pillow comes with this chair to offer added lumbar support. Every new mom needs one of these!
A Great Book
Once you’ve mastered nursing it is nice to have something to do occasionally other than starring at your beautiful creation. I recommend an encouraging book on motherhood to keep you motivated as a mother. My favorite read is The Magic of Motherhood.
Burp Cloths
Spit up will become a big part of life with nursing. Having multiple burp cloths on hand is key! My favorite burp cloths are by Copper Pearl.
Mother Love Nipple Cream
Ouch, this can be the tough part about nursing if you do not do some preventative maintenance during the first few weeks to keep your nipples from becoming raw. I used the Mother Love Nipple Cream directly after nursing each time, and luckily never suffered from severe nipple pain while nursing. Once your nipples have essentially callused over, the need for nipple cream will primarily diminish. You also do not need to wash off this cream before nursing; it is safe for your baby.
Nursing Bras
Having access to your goods is going to be very important while nursing. Pick up these Hofish nursing bras, with their rave reviews, you won’t be disappointed!
Kindred Bravely Sleep Bra
You will also need a sleep bra or tank for bedtime so you are able to wear nursing pads, engorgement is very common at night time, and more than likely there will be leakage, if you know what I mean!
Lansinoh Nursing Pads
Pick up a large pack of disposable nursing pads, the Lansinoh disposable nursing pads were by far my favorite while nursing. You will go through these like crazy, especially at first.
Washable Reusable Nursing Pads
Bamboobies make great reusable nursing pads that can be tossed in the wash after each use, some people prefer using washable ones, and out of all the reusable ones on the market these were my favorite!
Copper Pearl Nursing Covers
A nursing cover is key while out in public. I swear I tried every single cover possible and hated all of them until I found Copper Pearl nursing covers. They are lightweight, easy to fit into a diaper bag, breathable, beautifully made, and it’s the only nursing cover my daughter did not fight to get out of, which made nursing a whole lot easier while in public. I cannot tell you how many times my daughter exposed me with the other covers I owned. These covers are an absolute Must Have!
That about rounds up my nursing must have’s, good luck on your journey through nursing life, it’s a beautiful thing! You’ve got this Momma!
