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Disclaimer: The information in this post is for educational purposes only. I am not a doctor. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. None of the opinions are meant to diagnose or treat any disease or illness. You should always consult your healthcare provider.


My Favorite Breastfeeding Accessories

breastfeeding accessoriesEvery mom needs her “mom gear!” And, while some items are necessities, others are simple luxuries. Breastfeeding calls for some new things, and this list showcases the nursing items I can’t live without — my favorite breastfeeding accessories.

Nursing Cover – I’m not one of those women who feels comfortable nursing in public or at home with guests without some kind of covering. And for nursing covers, the bigger the better. I initially used a sort of drape that covered my front and back. However, the neck was so wide, it was easy for baby to pull down, and the cover didn’t go quite low enough to cover me if baby was kicking a lot. I then switched to using receiving blankets to cover the “main event”, paired with nursing camisoles (see below). For my fourth child, I received an infinity scarf that doubles as a nursing cover. You can wear it as a scarf to look fashionable and then pull it down as a nursing cover.

Nursing Pillow – Whether it’s a Boppy pillow, an off-brand, or simply a fluffy pillow, the extra support a nursing pillow can lend is immeasurable. Newborns are tiny, so sometimes you really have to lift them high to get them to the breast and latched on properly. To save on backaches, a nursing pillow will help hold the baby up so you can relax a little easier.

Manual Breast Pump – Although I loved my electric breast pump for serious pumping sessions, the manual pump is wonderful for several reasons. First, it’s portable, and when I was a working mom with my first child, it was easier to tote around and use on the job than an electric pump. Second, if baby is changing his or her feeding routine and leaves me full for a couple of hours, I can just whip out the pump real quick and lighten the breast milk load.

Disposable Nursing Pads – For most of my nursing career, I like to use reusable nursing pads. They’re more comfortable and save money! However, for the first month, I use disposable nursing pads for convenience. When your milk first comes in, oftentimes it really comes in. You can go through nursing pads rather quickly in that first month.  With a new baby to care for, you may not want to have to worry about extra laundry and running out of clean nursing pads. So just for the first month or so, I find it’s a little easier to just reach for a new, disposable pair of pads, then switch to the reusables when life starts to feel a little more normal again.

Nursing Camisoles – Nursing camisoles, or nursing camis, are those undershirts with bra-like shoulder straps and a sort of nursing bra attached. Most nursing camis provide some breast support so you don’t need to wear a nursing bra. And just like a regular nursing bra, you can snap the cup open and closed to provide easy breastfeeding access for your baby. What’s great about nursing camisoles (and my favorite feature) is that you don’t have to worry about exposing your side when you’re nursing. This makes it very easy to breastfeed modestly without the use of a nursing cover. Nursing camisoles also provide extra warmth for the winter while still making it easy to nurse.

Large Burp Rags – Many of the burp rags on the market are approximately the size of a brownie pan, maybe a little longer. Now, if your kids are anything like mine, those burp rags wouldn’t even catch a sneeze. So I improvised with my babies and used receiving blankets instead of the standard burp rag you find in stores. Some stores are starting to produce larger burp rags, or “burp blankets”, that provide a little more coverage than the average rag.

Nursing Tea – Whether or not my favorite nursing tea actually improved my milk production, it helped me take in extra fluids, and the nursing tea contained chamomile, which was great for the unhappy tummy I got postpartum while everything was moving back into place. Anna Naturals has a delicious supply-increasing, organic tea!

A Strong Necklace – Unless you want baby to tug on your hair or break your favorite necklace, a nice, sturdy necklace just for baby to pull on is a worthy investment. Bonus if it’s good for baby to teethe on as well.

Bottle Warmer – For anyone watching my baby, a bottle warmer like this one is so much easier for them to heat up a bottle full of breast milk with a bottle warmer than any other method. Plus, I know that the bottle will be heated evenly and to the right temperature.

Now that you know my favorite breastfeeding accessories, what are your favorite breastfeeding accessories?


A mom of four with one current breastfeeder, Stephanie loves to share her breastfeeding, birthing, and child-rearing experiences with anyone who asks. She is an experienced copywriter, editor, and blogger who hopes her words will reach others while glorifying God. Feel free to drop her a line at ForgetiveOkaasan@gmail.com

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