Okay... bear with me here. What do I need? (BF related)

AshleyMatt1215

I'm planning of BF until I go back to work, so roughly 8 weeks. I'll pump after that, but pumping at my job isn't exactly easy. I don't get breaks and I bill with clients for 6 of my 7 hour work day. I know that work can't deny me time to pump, but there's not usually enough staff to cover my clients... it's a huge production. I'll pump as much as I can, though.

As of today I ordered my pump (Thank you ACA!) and I have the following stuff floating around the house...

-a few samples of breast pads (lanisoh)

-a few samples of lanolin (lanisoh)

-a mombo

-bottles (Avent, Playtex, Tomee Tipee, Dr. Brown's)

-Burp Cloths

What else do I absolutely need? I want to put together a bag of baby stuff to carry around from room to room. 

I'm running out to BRU in a bit to get breast pads and lanolin. 

Do I need to take any of this to the hospital? I already know they provide a manual pump. 

bobcee

You won't need any of it for the hospital. Are you just interested in what things you'll need for pumping or for nursing as well?

You'll need storage bags if you plan to freeze any. Bottles to pump into and to feed. If you want to NIP you may consider a cover if you're on the more modest side. A BFing pillow (recommend the my brestfriend). Soothies were great in the beginning for when nipples were really sore. That's all I can think of for now.

You may want to think of how you're going to clean pump stuff. They have microwaveable bags that some like as an option.

sgautschi

I have a receiving blanket and burp cloth in every room I'll regularly be in (nursery, living room, bedroom) plus in the diaper bag.

Definitely get a box of nursing pads, (Lanisoh or Johnson's are good ones. Nuk brand sucks) I go through nursing pads like crazy, I have to wear them 24/7, but everyone is different and you might not.

Lanolin is good to have on hand. I haven't used mine yet, but I'm still glad I have it.

Get some nursing tanks or sleep bras!! I love the tank because if can sleep in it or wear it during the day and it's really easy to BF with them, especially with the cold weather. Basically get something you can easily pull down that will only expose your boob so you keep the rest of your body warm.

Do you have a bottle brush? Those things are hard to clean without one.

That's all I can think of right now..

sgautschi

Oh actually I also have a nasal aspirator, pacifier and baby blanket in each room also. As well as something I can lay baby in if I need to run and do something real quick.

bobcee

Oh and you made need different size flanges than the ones that come standard with the pump, but you may not know which size you'll need yet.

AshleyMatt1215

I'm going to petition BRU to have personal breast feeding shoppers. 

I have a ton of storage bags, one of our friends gave me then. I'm assuming brand doesn't matter, they're Medela and Lanisoh, but they look the same. 

I did get a bottle brush! I actually yelled at H for almost using it the other day to clean the iced tea pitcher. I think I'm going this weekend to get nursing bras and a few tanks. I just hope they fit, I have a terrible time buying bras.

I'm going to get a breastfeeding book while I'm out too.That would probably save you ladies for 5909094209 questions.  I'm pretty sure that it just hit me in that in a few weeks I'm going to actually need all this stuff... whoa buddy. 

LittleLady77

If it makes you feel better I know a ton of ladies who just can't pump at work.  They BF in the morning and at night and maybe pump once during the day if they're lucky.  These ladies have kept up a small supply for months doing it that way.  I'm not sure if it's the norm but it can be done if you're interested.

I have nothing to add about the supplies that hasn't been said all ready.

Good luck.

liall09

My advice on the nursing bras and tanks is to buy bigger than you think you'll need. I bought a couple of bras that I thought would be fine and they wound up being too small. Otherwise it sounds like you have the right list of things!

sgautschi

I wouldn't buy an actual structured bra until after your milk comes in, I bought mine 3 weeks pp at Motherhood adn they were very helpful with sizing me. I would just get a sleep bra or tank for now. Ditto what liall said about buying a size bigger. I bought my tank at Target in size L. I was a Medium/Large prior to my milk coming in, and my boobs grew! So the large fits me pretty well, and I may have even been able to get away with XL.

Long story short, it won't hurt to buy a size bigger, the last thing you want is something tight on your breasts, its not good for BFing.

sgautschi

Also I have found kellymom.com to be a great resource for BFing, it was recommended by he lactation consultant.

emw1023

For pumping, I highly recommend a hands free bra (as I'm currently bumping and pumping). You will not regret it!

alexisanna44

On top of what everyone else said.... Make sure you have at least a couple of covers for your Mombo. Sometimes things get out of control and you don't want that thing stinking like spoiled milk. Also, after I pumped at work I'd use pacifier wipes to clean the flanges. It was much more convenient than finding a sink to rinse and they're a lot cheaper than the wipes they sell for specifically cleaning pump pieces. They're food grade so it won't hurt anything. Last, when you freeze milk in storage bags I found it super awesome to lay them flat in a small gift bag. I then could label the bag with dates so when I needed I pull from my freezer stash it was easy to do in order an took up the lease amount of space in the deep freeze. (I had almost 400 oz frozen by the time I went back to work and didn't start pumping until Lucy was 4 weeks old.)

spin25

I'm going to have a problem with being able to pump at work too. Sigh.

Ditto the hands free pumping bra. Mine isn't something you could really wear out under a shirt but at least I can do some things while pumping, e.g. Typing this right now. It is a one size fits most so you can order it ahead of time.

I actually prefer the Nuk brand nursing pads to others I've tried.

Definitely get that lanolin. I'm only allowed to offer the breast 1-2 times per day so I pump every three hours but even that is rough on my nipples.

caseyandlizzie

I've had really good luck with the lansinoh brand storage bags and have heard that the Medela ones have had issues with splitting. I definitely needed lanolin early on, but really haven't used it since he was just a few weeks old.