Before you start shopping for breastfeeding essentials, there are a few questions that you should ask yourself. For example, do you plan to breastfeed full-time? Or will you and your partner/family split up some of the feeding responsibilities in order share the bonding experience; giving you a break?
Let’s take a look at some of the most useful breastfeeding essentials on the market – some from Medela and some not. We hope that this article will help you to choose a few items that will make your breastfeeding experience easier.
Choosing the Right Breast Pump for you
You may ask yourself whether you will need to buy a breast pump and if so, which one will fit your needs best. A breast pump allows you to express your breast milk so that your baby always has access to what they need most. Most breastfeeding moms purchase a breast pump as part of their breastfeeding experience.
However, since we’ve covered this topic in the “How to Choose the Best Breast Pump for your Lifestyle” post on our blog, let’s move on to the other breastfeeding essentials!
Breast Milk Storage bags, bottles, and feeding solution
Breast milk is precious – collecting and storing breast milk for your baby is essential for their health. Medela offers breast milk storage bags and bottles that are simple to use and make storing breast milk easy. They are made from BPA-free, food-grade materials and are safe for refrigeration, freezing, thawing, and warming.
Medela’s Calma is an innovative feeding solution that does not interfere with breastfeeding and lets your baby feed the way they learned at the breast, which makes switching from breast to Calma and back easy.
It is important to keep all your nursing and baby feeding accessories clean, and Medela Quick Clean MicroSteam Bags can help ensure you do a thorough job. The steam cleaning that takes place inside these bags kills 99.9 percent of the most harmful bacteria and germs, so your bottles, teats, lids, and breast pump shields are clean and safe to use again.
Breast Care Essentials
One of the biggest challenges that new moms may face in the first few weeks of breastfeeding, is sore nipples. This is just a natural part of the process as your baby gets used to latching on and your nipples get used to being used in a new way.
While you and your baby are adjusting to breastfeeding, you may want to consider using Medela’s Tender Care Lanolin or Tender Care Hydrogel pads to treat your sore nipples. Made from natural, hypoallergenic moisturizing, ingredients – so there’s no need to wash them off before feeding your baby. Lanolin has also been shown to reduce inflammation, kill bacteria and help protect the skin’s moisture barrier.
Contact Nipple Shields
If you need a little extra help healing your sore nipples, try using a Contact Nipple Shield. It can help your baby latch better if he or she is having trouble, and protect a sore nipple during breastfeeding. Plus, the cut-out allows your baby to get more skin-to-skin contact with your breast while using it. Medela SoftShells have a soft, flexible membrane that reduces friction and helps to protect your nipples between feedings.
Nursing Bra Pads
A good way to deal with breast milk leakage is to use nursing bra pads that can absorb any excess breast milk and keep you feeling comfortable throughout the day.
Medela offers both reusable nursing bra pads, as well as high capacity, super-absorbent, disposable nursing bra pads that are easy to use. If you are using reusable nursing bra pads, ensure that they are cleaned thoroughly between uses and dried in the dryer or in direct sunlight to help prevent bacterial growth.
If you are using disposable nursing bra pads, remember to change them after each feeding or pumping session to minimize the risk of infection, and to prevent staining your clothes or developing a sour-milk odor over time.
Hopefully, these breastfeeding essentials can help to make your experience as positive as possible. The more comfortable you are, the more time you will be able to focus on your wonderful new baby.
