Beginning breastfeeding-what do you NEED?

Are you wanting to ebf or pump and nurse? Having formula is good BUT I wouldn’t suggest using it. It’ll become a crutch and waste an opportunity to try nursing. But if you absolutely have to pump if you give a bottle. You’ll want a good wall pump they typically have better suction than wireless or hands free pumps. But you can get one for if and when you are on the go. But I don’t recommend using it for the majority of your pumps. But if you don’t plan to pump you don’t need to get one. Or you can get a manual hand pump for 20 bucks. Breastfed babies aren’t fed like formula babies you don’t need to increase ounces they way they would. Your breastmilk composition will change. In the beginning it will seem like you aren’t making a lot but remember your baby’s stomach is super small. Not everyone is an iversupplier so don’t get discourage by people making 3-5oz or more every pump. That is not the standard. I think that’s really it. Stay hydrated, keep your protein intake up.

All you need is your boobs!! Breast pads are handy, and nursing bras and vests (don’t buy expensive bras until your milk supply settles and you know what size you’ll need). I wouldn’t bother buying a pump until you need one, because you might not even use it at all

The thing that helped me the most in the beginning was simple. I was so incredibly thirsty in those first months. I got a 3litre camelbak that I would fill up before bed and I could hang it on his next to me. I could suck water from the straw while I was breastfeeding.

I personally wouldn't get a pump until you are well established with bf. I got one of those mom cosy hands free ones it was like £150 literally never used it and hate pumping all you need to successfully breastfeed is the girls 🤣X

I haven't breastfed so I couldn't say but best wishes

I love my spectra s2. If you have insurance your ob gyn can actually write you a prescription for it and you can get it as durable medical equipment with that prescription! Get a breastfeeding pillow! My breast friend and boppy are the main ones! Super helpful! Look up videos on different nursing positions! There are different ones and you may need to switch up few times. Look into milk share programs if you think you might have supply issues or even if you don't have supply issues, but if baby has poor latch. You can't easily predict that. My son had poor latch starting out, so we supplemented with formula, but it got better as he got older and his little body filled out more . He'll be 18 months a few days before Christmas and we are still nursing 🥰

Get a haaka! You can use it to collect from the other side, and you can hand express into it. You can also vacuum style manual pump ( attach it to booby ) as well ... And because it's silicone, you can do that in a warm shower! Warmth helps get milk flowing. Find your nearest la leche league! La leche league is an international organization that is a network of lactation consultants and they also have mom meetups in person as well. A lactation consultant is the most helpful person on your team of professionals to help you be successful with breastfeeding. Because things will change, and you will have questions, and they can answer a lot of questions

Also! Free stuff alert ! The app lact Rx . It's the mother to baby database. In app format ! Answers : will this affect my supply, will this transfer in my milk, and will this affect baby ..... For so many active ingredients for medicines, OTC, prescription, and even remedies too

( peppermint for example, avoid things with peppermint extract or super concentrated peppermint flavoring)

A lactation consultant can also help you with sizing for the flanges for a pump and can probably better answer pumping questions better

( we ended up supplementing out of need, and I wish that they had mentioned milk share or milk bank, but they probably hadn't because hospitals get kickback about formula.... And because he wasn't a preemie.... Just early term born and smaller than expected)

lactation consultant is super helpful, if you have insurance! look up the lactation network.

Boobs! All you need. Pumps are optional, I’d wait to see where your journey goes before investing.

Comfy, well fitting nursing bras! A haaka was very useful in the early days when I would latch baby onto one boob and then attach it to the other to collect the let down. And a big water bottle x