Best books on breastfeeding
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
This book was originally written by the founders of La Leche League, and organisation that helps women around the world with breastfeeding. It is now in its 8th edition and is a must read for all women who want to breast feed.
Best nursing accessoiries
Nursing bras and tops
First of all you will need a good nursing bra. Nursing bras have clips on the straps so the top of the bra comes off and you can nurse your baby easily. There are various styles of nursing bras you can chose from. However I recommend soft flexible ones because the size of your breasts might increase and also they might become more sensitive. I also found this amazing and cheap nursing sports bra at H&M and I wore it throughout my pregnancy. BTW: I’ve written a blogpost on benefits and risks of exercise during pregnancy.
You can also put nursing pads into your bra to avoid wet stains. There are also various options with these like single use or washalbe multi use ones.
I would also recommend getting some nursing tops that are specially cut for breastfeeding. Usually they ensure fast and easy access to your breasts and (if that is important to you) also some coverage. I have seen some amazing elegant nursing tops and dresses where a simple “hole” is hidden underneath some ruffles under your armpit. Trust me, nursing tops don’t have to be boring!
Breast pumps and accessoiries
Breast pumps are hugely popular for moms that want to return to work soon, but still want to give their babies breast milk. However even if you are a stay at home Mom you might want some time off every once in a while (like that date night with your partner) and have some one else watch the baby. Here are my top 3 breast pumps:
The Philips Double electric breast pump for frequent use
This breast pump is probably one of the most efficient ones out there. It is a double pump, which saves a lot of time. The milk goes directly into the bottle you can feed your baby from. The only two downsides to it is the high price and the size.
If you decide to get a double electric breast pump and want to make it even more efficient, get a breast pumping bra so you can go hands-off and can continue other stuff. Like reading this blog on your phone.
The Elvie breast pump for the Mom on the go
The Elvie breast pump is a brand new gadget that finally takes the breast pump away from the plug. Yes, you read correctly: it does not need a plug while pumping. And it fills the milk directly into the attached containers, not in regular bottles. Therefore you can just put the pump into your bra and continue doing whatever you did before. Like cooking, doing your laundry etc.
The Philips manual breast pump for occasional pumping
The Philips Avent manual breast pump is perfect for Moms that regularly breatsfeed their babies, but want to have some time off every once in a while. Because then you don’t need all the fancy expensive gadgets, this simple manual breast pump will do the job.
Do you have any other awesome products for breastfeeding? Let me know in the comments!