How to Prepare for Breastfeeding 

You’re little one is growing in your belly, the registry is all set, nursery is making good progress. What else may you need to prepare for with this new little one coming soon?  

HOW WILL YOU FEED THEM?! 
 
Whether you plan to exclusively breastfeed or combo feed, if you intend to give your baby breastmilk, there are a few things you can do to prepare.

EDUCATION 

Read up on the basics of breastfeeding, take a local breastfeeding class, schedule a prenatal consult with your local IBCLC. All of these can help lay the groundwork for a successful breastfeeding start.  

SUPPLIES 

The amount of breastfeeding supplies on the market has grown exponentially over the last 5 years! There are SO many breast pumps available on the market, numerous companies with milk collection cups, nursing pads, lactation massagers and cold/hot packs for breast comfort. It can be quite overwhelming navigating all the choices!  

Breast Pumps

First, start by finding out what breast pumps your insurance offers, so you can then research those options and determine which one will best fit your needs. A prenatal consult is useful for demoing and selecting the best pump for your needs, as many IBCLCs have pumps in their office. As for all the other supplies, you can start with the basics and add on other items if desired/needed.

Breast Pads/Nursing Pads:

In the early days of milk production, breasts often leak in between feedings. Disposable nursing pads are very convenient for on-the-go, while washable ones, which are often more comfortable, can be easily thrown in the wash with baby clothes and reused multiple times.

Nipple Cream

You can apply nipple creams after nursing sessions and pumping sessions to help manage discomfort for the sensitive skin of the nipples and areola.

Breastfeeding can cause them to be dry and somewhat tender in the beginning, so applying a little nipple cream can really bring relief. There are many different creams available on the market, and every mom has their personal favorites. Ultimately, you want a product with quality ingredients that doesn’t need to be washed off before pumping or nursing. Most moms should generally avoid lanolin-based creams due to allergies that they often experience with them. Many people simply use coconut oil, although some people do find that coconut oil is drying on their skin.  

Nursing Bras

You may find you need to get a bigger bra well before the arrival of your little one due to the typical breast growth that occurs during your pregnancy. It can be tempting to go ahead and purchase a nursing bra as that bigger bra. The tricky thing is that it is very hard to predict exactly how much more your breast size will increase once milk has come in following delivery. Many moms wait until they are between 35-38 weeks pregnant to purchase a nursing bra for the hospital and the early days at home afterward.

Nipple Prep

It was once believed that you needed to “rough up” your nipples in order to prepare them for breastfeeding. Thankfully this practice has been debunked long ago and now we know there is nothing we can physically do to prepare our nipples for the upcoming task of breastfeeding😊   

While there are many more items that could aid in your breastfeeding journey, the basics above will give you a great start.