Savannah Walsh shares all her nursing and pumping essentials to add to your baby registry.
MyRegistry contributing writer Savannah Walsh is a Canadian blogger, a mom of five little ones, and the face behind That Caffeinated Mom, where she talks pregnancy, birth, and everyday mom life in her own relatable and very candid storytelling style.
Whoever came up with the saying “Don’t cry over spilt milk” clearly never breastfed. Have you ever pumped 10 ounces only to watch it run across your kitchen counter and splash onto the floor? Believe me, my sobbing face over my spilt milk puts Kim Kardashian to shame.
Whether you’re feeding your baby directly from the breast or pumping/hand expressing, giving your baby breast milk is HARD WORK! I have had a variety of experiences and can assure you that every way of feeding your baby comes with its own set of challenges.
With my first, I fed her via breast and pumping. With my second, I returned to work when he was 4 months old (dad was a full-time stay-at-home parent!), so my pump and I were in a pretty committed relationship. He was fed exclusively breast milk from a bottle Monday through Friday, 6:30am to 6:30pm, and breastfed the rest of the time.
My third was a real challenge: Because she was born with congenital heart failure, our nursing relationship was beyond challenging. I was pumping nonstop to feed her over her NG tube, while also attempting to nurse her to the best of her ability. Our fourth was almost solely breastfed, with the rare bottle of breast milk here and there. I have just begun my nursing relationship with my fifth, but it’s seeming to be the same relationship as it is with my fourth, who is also still nursing.
Each of my unique, individual breastfeeding relationships brought out different challenges that would lead into a long (not to mention, expensive) ride of finding the appropriate products to help make my life easier. I may not be able to take away your breastfeeding challenges, but I can certainly help by providing you with a list of my nursing essentials to, hopefully, make your life easier too!
Breast Pads
I fully underestimated how long I would end up needing breast pads! Some women never leak, some only leak the first few weeks, and some women (like myself) leak all the time with every single baby. I personally recommend using the reusable pads. Not only are they better for the environment (and your wallet), but in my experience, they’re more gentle on your nipples, causing much less irritation.
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As much as I prefer reusable pads, sometimes it makes the most sense to start with the disposables and then transition to reusables. In the beginning of your breastfeeding journey, before your milk is stabilized, you can be leaking almost constantly and may need to change your pads often. Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads are my favorite in the disposables category because they have the adhesive on both sides of the pad to ensure they don’t shift in your bra.
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When it comes to leaking, my biggest problem with my first two babies came at night. I used to have to sleep in a bra with a million receiving blankets surrounding me in an attempt to keep somewhat dry at night. Then I found the amazing LilyPadz! They’re reusable silicone pads that suction right onto your breast, tucking your nipple in and keeping you leak-free. They’re the perfect nighttime solution.
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Hot/Cold Pads
This one is incredibly high up on my essentials list! I suffer from hyperlactation (which is the oversupply of milk), and with that, I suffer from more-than-frequent bouts of mastitis and plugged ducts. These hot/cold pads are a lifesaver when I’m trying to deal with my plugged ducts, but they can be helpful for everyone. The cold helps you get some relief from engorgement in the beginning stages of breastfeeding, and the heat can help bring on a letdown, when you’re encouraging your milk supply to come in.
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Nipple Cream
Everyone, at one point or another on their breastfeeding journey, will need a bit of nipple help, especially in the beginning. I had a really hard time with nipple cream to begin with because I hated feeling sticky! Earth Mama Nipple Butter was a fabulous find for me. It helps restore and prevent cracked and irritated nipples, but I can easily forget I have it on with its nonsticky formula.
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Breast Pump
Breast pumps are one of those things that vary from person to person. What works for one lady's boobies may totally not work for another. Personal comfort, supply, and how often you want to use it will all come into play when considering a breast pump. For me? I’m a huge Medela fan. I’ve always been able to find what I needed within the Medela family.
I started with the Medela Swing and was incredibly happy with it. It’s a single electric pump that’s user friendly, portable, and small. It has good, reliable suction, it’s comfortable, and it isn’t crazy expensive. I used it with my first two babies (I actually exclusively pumped with it during my time at work with my second, even though it's designed as an “occasional pumper,” not a multiple-times-daily pumper). If you’re someone who’s looking to pump sometimes, but mainly breastfeed, this is my top choice for you.
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For someone who’s pumping more frequently, I would recommend a double electric pump with a bigger motor. The Medela Freestyle Flex is the newest to the Medela collection and comes with all the bells and whistles. Not only is it a double pump that can withstand regular daily use, it also has bluetooth that connects to your phone, making it easy to track all your pumping (believe me, that may sound ridiculous, but it really is a game changer when you live on a pump). Additionally, they have made it small and quiet, so it’s easy to use on the go.
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For someone who maybe doesn’t pump but wants to have something to help catch milk on the other breast when they’re nursing or wants to have something in their diaper bag in case they need to relieve engorgement, the Haakaa is perfect. It's an all-silicone manual pump that’s easy to use for some quick relief or to catch extra milk.
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Milk Storage Bags
Ahhh, this one is bringing me back to the spilt-milk trauma! Storage bags are inevitable if you’re planning to stash up some of your milk. The problem with the majority of storage bags is that they’re really hard to put the milk in without any casualties! Lansinoh storage bags are the only ones I feel safe with, as they have a structured bottom that allows the bag to stand up without immediately tipping over.
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Nursing Pillow
Some incredible women I know can happily nurse anywhere without any form of pillow or support. I am not one of those women. Don’t get me wrong, I nurse in public without a pillow all the time, but whenever I’m able to use one I always will, in an attempt to save my back and make it more comfortable for baby. Over the years, I have tried a million different nursing pillows: the cheap ones, the really expensive ones, the pretty ones, and the ugly ones. Every single time I always go back to the Jolly Jumper Boomerang. It’s adjustable, and while it’s big and fluffy, allowing me to easily and comfortably prop up my baby, it can also squish down tight when I need baby laying a little lower down.
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If you prefer a firmer pillow, the classic Jolly Jumper Nursing Pillows are always a great go-to.
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Over the past eight years of nursing I’ve come to realize that even the “easy” nursing relationships are never truly that easy. It all requires a major commitment for both mom and baby. No matter how you get your breast milk to your baby, it's a lot of work, devotion, exhaustion, and frustration... and yet, somehow, one of the most incredible and magical things you will ever do.
About the Writer
Canadian blogger Savannah Walsh is the mom of five little ones and the face behind That Caffeinated Mom, where she talks pregnancy, birth, postpartum struggles, and everyday mom life in her own relatable and very candid storytelling style. Savannah has created a space for moms from all walks of life to connect over motherhood by telling the real-life story of a regular mom, including the tough parts of motherhood we sometimes shy away from. When Savannah had her first baby, she knew very little about the mom world and quickly felt overwhelmed by the number of options available to her, from baby brands to parenting advice. Over the years, she’s tried just about every baby and kid product there is, along with developing her own parenting style and devising ways to stay sane while balancing a busy household. Savannah joins us every month on MyRegistry to share her stories, mom tips, and favorite baby products.
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