Starting to breastfeed can be overwhelming. Get these breastfeeding supplies and you will be off to a wonderful breastfeeding journey.

As a mother of four who breastfed for a total of 90 months over the span of 10 years, I found that being prepared for the “unexpected” gave me an advantage when our breastfeeding journeys were thrown a curveball. 

Through the years, the things on this list helped me nurse through bleeding nipples, tongue tie, countless clogged ducts, surgeries, medical procedures, returning to full time work four times after maternity leave, and 8 weeks of having one of our infants in a medically induced coma.

*** Get all the breastfeeding encouragement you need from 67 other breastfeeding moms. ***

*** These breastfeeding cheerleaders will save your sanity! ***

None of those experiences made me quit – on the contrary, they made me more determined to stick with it. All four boys weaned when they were ready (at 16, 22, 22 and 30 months respectively). But I can tell you, without the breastfeeding supplies listed below, I would have never made it much longer than a few days with our first son. I needed every single one of these breastfeeding supplies at some point – and you will too!

(This post was originally published in January 2015 and was updated in March 2019 for accuracy and updated content!) 

Breastfeeding Supplies:

• Breastfeeding class!
  • Attend a breastfeeding class while you are pregnant. Bring your partner or a good friend, if at all possible.
  • (I told my husband that his attendance was mandatory. He ended up being the only male present! But to this day he remembers what we learned in the class and he was my biggest breastfeeding cheerleader!)
• Breastfeeding books!
  • Read a good breastfeeding book before you give birth.
  • You won’t have the time to read the book cover to cover after the baby is here, but you will then use it as a reference guide.
  • My favorite breastfeeding books: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, The Nursing Mother’s Companion and The Breastfeeding Book
• Breast pump!
  • Get a pump, boil the parts, assemble it and become familiar with how it works before the baby gets here. You probably won’t need to pump the first few weeks, but having one will help you handle unexpected situations like a pro: in case of a clogged duct, a skipped nursing session or for the first few nights the baby sleeps through the night.
  • Get a double electric pump if you plan on returning to work or being aparet from the baby on a regular basis.
  • The Medela Pump In Style is my favorite and it may be covered by insurance.
  • If you don’t foresee needing a workhorse of a pump, then a single Medela manual pump will suffice.

• Nursing bras!
  • Buy comfortable nursing bras without underwires. You will more than likely be wearing them day and night, so comfort is key – sexiness is NOT!(At least not in the first few weeks/ months!)
  • These have worked really well for me: Lamaze nursing bra. These seamless clip-down nursing bras from HOFISH are super comfy! 
• Lanolin cream!
  • You will want to stock up on this heavenly nipple-soothing cream. Have a tube in your purse, your diaper bag and one in your nightstand, TRUST ME!
  • Apply Lanolin to your nipples after each nursing session, especially in the early days. The cream doesn’t need to be washed off before the baby feeds again. Lanolin has saved countless nipples over the years from becoming raw and bloody.  
  • Bleeding nipples are as unattractive and painful as they sound, please call a lactation consultant immediately if you get to that point – they can help you with the latch!
  • Lansinoh Lanolin is my favorite brand of Lanolin cream. 
• Nursing pads! **Money saving tip**
  • Nursing pads will be your best friend the first several weeks, perhaps even months, until your milk supply settles. There’s nothing worse than having a milk “let down” in public and wondering if you are sporting “wet spots” on the front of your shirt. 
  • I have over the years gone from disposable to reusable nursing pads. I find the reusable cheaper, more discreet and effective.
  • Bamboobies Washable Nursing Pads is my favorite brand! They are nearly indestructible. 
• Nursing clothes! **Money saving tip**
  • Other than nursing bras have I never bought clothes specifically made for nursing moms. They do make some cute nursing tops and nursing dresses, but I always just found it easy enough to wear a camisole under a shirt.
  • When the baby gets hungry, you pop your breast out of the bra, over the camisole’s neckline and pull your shirt up just far enough to expose the bottom of your breast. Your midriff stays covered and your breast is barely visible!

    *** Get all the breastfeeding encouragement you need from 67 other breastfeeding moms. ***

    *** These breastfeeding cheerleaders will save your sanity! ***

• Nursing cover! **Money saving tip**
  • As with anything, nursing in public is a matter of personal preference. Personally, I nursed wherever and whenever, but I used the camisole/ shirt trick, so I never felt like I was fully exposed.
  • I know the law states that we have the legal right to nurse anywhere, and breastfeeding is using your breasts for their God-intended purpose, but some situations may require more modesty than others.
  • Instead of buying a big nursing cover, I have always just had a receiving blanket handy. Normally I hold the baby in the blanket and casually hold a corner up to shield any exposed skin – for my own modesty.
• Boppy pillow! **Money saving tip**
  • This monstrosity of a crescent moon-shaped pillow, also known as a “Boppy pillow” comes in handy the first weeks as you recover from delivery, especially if you have had a c-section.
  • It helps you position the baby comfortably, so you can focus on perfecting the latch, which is crucial for your nipples’ wellbeing. However, once you and the baby have gotten to know each other, the Boppy pillow will slowly work its way into a corner of the bedroom where it will collect dust until your next pregnancy.
  • If at all possible – ask a veteran mommy friend if she has one you can borrow – chances are, her’s is sitting in the corner… trust me!
• Support network! This is THE MOST important item on the list!
  • Your breastfeeding cheerleading squad is a specialized group of people who are there for you, day or night, through engorgement and low supply and they help support, EDUCATE and celebrate your achievements.
  • This group hopefully includes your spouse/ partner, women who have “been there done that” and a lactation consultant/ lactation educator. However, anyone can support your journey – having breastfeeding experience is not a requirement!

For more breastfeeding tips check out my previous posts, which include real life stories of trials and triumphs and lots of great advice and encouragement.

My “Breastfeeding” Pinterest board is another great resource for tips and encouragement. I add new articles every day, so please follow the board – or all my boards for that matter!

Follow Mama in the Now’s board Breastfeeding on Pinterest.