Howdy! This week was World Breastfeeding Week. In honor of that, and since quite a few people mentioned they’d like to see me share some breastfeeding advice when I started my Baby Rabies Blog YouTube channel, I’ve got a 5 minute video up today where I talk about a few of my favorite breastfeeding products and a couple bits of advice.
Medela manual pump – I think every mom who plans to breastfeed should have a small, inexpensive manual pump. It is so handy in so many situations! Even if you never plan to give your baby a bottle, it’s great to have on hand in case of emergencies.
Hygeia Enjoye double electric pump– Once I started traveling and staying overnight without my baby, this pump became a necessity. You can read my review of the Enjoye pump here.
Lansinoh breastmilk storage bags- I’ve tried several brands. These are, in my opinion, the clear winner.
Packit insulated, freezable tote- I love Packits for a lot of reasons, but especially for traveling with breastmilk.
Bamboobies breast pads- My favorite reusable breast pads.
Lansinoh disposable breast pads- These are what I wear most of the time because I produce (and leak) so much milk.
Since I wanted to keep the video short, I couldn’t include everything.
Here are a few other favorite breastfeeding products:
Bravado Silk Seamless nursing bras- I love the cups that come in these that give me some shape and a touch of padding.
Bravado nursing tanks- By far, the best I’ve tried. Super stretchy, soft, and long.
Bellabumbum nusing pjs- These are a lovely luxury and a nice way to treat yourself after baby comes.
Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Nipple Butter- There are a lot of brands on the market that do a great job, but I love that this brand is free of toxins and certified organic.
Boppy breastfeeding pillow- Tried and true and popular for a reason. I still have and use the same one I got with my first 6 years ago.
Aden & Anais muslin swaddling blankets- These are workhorses for me. They are makeshift nursing covers when I feel like I want one. They are burp cloths. They are boogie rags. They are sometimes also blankets.
Moji Neck Heat Wrap- It doesn’t have to be this fancy, or this brand. Though I do LOVE this one that I’ve had forever. But get you a good heat pack that you can put on your neck and shoulders. For me, breastfeeding can cause intense shoulder and neck pain in the beginning as I struggle to get a tiny baby to latch.
If you’d like to read more advice and tips, check out my Top 10 Breastfeeding Tips.
And remember, no matter how you feed your baby – breast, bottle, formula- you’re doing a great job.
Disclosure- Some links are affiliate, some products were sent to me in the past. All are legitimately my favorites.
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15 Comments
Great advice (and video), Jill! I, too, love the Lansinoh products you mentioned – have used them with all five of my babies. I’ve always had a double-electric pump that I used when I was working. However, it wasn’t until my fourth baby was born that a lactation consultant at the hospital suggested and had me try a manual pump to help with engorgement and such. What an awesome revelation! I am now a SAHM so I don’t pump nearly as often as I used to, but they are great to have on hand when I do need them. My youngest will be 8 weeks old in a few days so we are full swing in the throws of nursing. Thank goodness for my Lansinoh disposable nursing pads! 😉 And, thank you, Jill – love your blog!
Thanks, Dawn! And congrats. Hope you’re getting a little sleep. 🙂
This is awesome. You are awesome. Go boobies!
Thanks, Carrie!
I was wondering if you have any advice on breastfeeding and older/easily distracted baby? My little girl is 5 months old and recently breastfeeding has become a lot harder. When she is hungry she nurses for only a few minutes and then gets distracted. She is then hungry again an hour later and the cycle repeats. I know a lot of people give up around this age, but I really want to keep breastfeeding her for at least a year. How were you able to get all 3 of your kids to keep breastfeeding for a year?
That stage is so frustrating! I basically do everything I can to retreat to a quiet space. Some moms also have luck wearing a nursing necklace for baby to play with while nursing. Good luck and keep up the great work!
“Breast milk! It’s just breast milk!” YES. This has been me. Then the guy put some sort of litmus paper stick-thing INSIDE the bottle of breast milk. Dude. I was so ready to kill that man for contaminating 5 oz (FIVE!!) of gold.
Noooooooo!
So what “toxins” are in other brands of nipple creams? What do you recommend avoiding?
Parabens can be found in many brands of nipple cream, and I’d definitely recommend avoiding that.
Jill you did a great job on this post. I especially liked what you said about feeding babies at the end of your video. Have you ever tried LilyPadz washable reusable silicone pads? They’re not absorbable pads, they actually work to prevent you from leaking without negatively impacting your milk supply. They are also great for swimming.
Beautiful photos! Love bamboobies and bravado!
You look as good as the stars in the magazines who are breastfeeding! I sometimes wondered if i scared my kids with the way I’d look (no shower, crazy hair).. But that was years ago.
Have you heard of Topless Tees for breastfeeding? They started a whole baby shower conversation just on the name. LOL!
Aww, thanks! I haven’t heard of those. Will have to look them up.
Great video! I recall chucking my nipple shield across the room and cursing. That clear sombrero took the brunt of my anger.