Wondering how you can prepare to breastfeed your baby? Here are the breastfeeding supplies you may want to get before your baby arrives.
Breastfeeding is quite the controversial topic these days. Whether you choose to do it or not, someone will have something to say about your choice. Back in December, I confessed my true feelings about breastfeeding. I am not one to criticize anyone for their decisions – so take note that this post isn’t anything but some tips for a new mom who wants to BF.
How to Prepare to Breastfeed
Taking a breastfeeding class while I was pregnant never appealed to me. How could I learn to breastfeed without already having 1. breast milk and 2. a baby to feed?? Once I delivered Annabelle, I literally called for the lactation consultant in the hospital as soon as they told me it was time to nurse. If you’re going to breastfeed, don’t be afraid to ask for help! The lactation consultant was my hero. I honestly had no idea what I was doing when it came to BF, just that I wanted to do it.
With that being said, don’t be afraid to have your husband stick around during these consultations. Brandon became a pro at how the baby was supposed to latch, how to wake her if she fell asleep during a feeding, and how I should hold her in case I forgot. He was quite the handy helper after the lactation consultant left me on my own to nurse.
Don’t be afraid to use nipple shields for breastfeeding

I was so excited that I didn’t have any issues the first day that I nursed Annabelle. Then she started mashing my nipple downwards against the base of her mouth with her tongue and I developed quite the painful cut on my left side. I heard of nipple shields from a friend who used them because she had small nipples and her baby had trouble latching. I didn’t know that these lovely plastic nipple shields could be used to protect you from a baby with a strong tongue. I bought them a week after I got home from the hospital and they were life changing. After two days of using them, the baby was latching on quickly, correctly, and staying latched on the entire feed.
Drink water. Eat a lot of food.
Breastfeeding takes a lot out of you – so make sure you eat a lot and drink more water than you think is normal. The reason that moms who breastfeed may lose their baby weight more quickly than others is because breastfeeding requires an extra 500 calories a day. I noticed that while my appetite increased after I delivered, my body weight decreased. This is not the case with everyone but it can happen. All breastfeeding Moms need energy, so make sure to fuel and hydrate your body.
Prepare Your Nursing Bra
Speaking of nighttime feedings, after two weeks of wet tank tops and bras, I invested in disposable breast pads. I tried using washable pads, but they would be soaked within an hour and I went through all three sets that I owned in just a few hours. I have found that the disposable pads seem to hold more leakage than washable cotton pads. You can also fold them down with your bra during a feeding and let the extra milk that drips out of baby’s mouth collect on the pad. A lot of milk seems to spill out of Annabelle’s mouth. I started tucking a burp cloth in my bra and under A’s chin to soak up the extra milk.
A nursing bra is a must.
Buy a nursing bra that is comfortable – because comfort outweighs style! I found my favorite bra after buying four various kinds and asking for recommendations from friends. Now I own the bra in three colors and plan on getting a few more!
What kind of tips do you have to offer first time breastfeeding Moms?!
My husband was amazingly supportive in the beginning (and still is almost 4 months in!) and it’s because of him that I stuck it out honestly. We had a rough start in the beginning because my son refused to nurse after his circumcision which is completely normal but everyone in the hospital had us freaking out. He had a great latch but after that procedure he was tired and lazy so I had to use a nipple shield and still use one. I can get him to latch without one for a little while but we have a great thing going so why worry about it? I knew breastfeeding would be hard but I didn’t expect it to be SO difficult some days. We’re almost 4 months in and we’re doing great with the exception of a few supply issues here and there.
BFing is hard work!! So proud of you for still going strong!! I am with you the LC was AMAZING!!! My hubs did the same thing – take mental notes and he helped out each and every time it was time to feed. The drinking water thing is KEY!! It was so hard for me to drink enough as I would feed him and then crash out too. My BFing days are over for various reasons and it sadness me most days.
How funny I have a post coming about this Friday of my 2 big essentials to breast feed 🙂 I def understand it’s hard work and lots of time! so proud of you for sticking with it!
Thank you for doing this post!! I’ve never talked to anyone who has used nipple shields, but I’ve wondered about them. I’ll definitely keep them in mind if I have the same issue you did. 🙂
I am glad I could help! They are definitely worth buying – especially if you have flow issues. It helped me with that too!
Thank you! I wanna read your post!
I am so sorry to hear that =0(
That’s fantastic! Have you tried Fenugreek or Milk Thistle vitamins? I am going to post about those someday soon!
We breastfed for a solid 8 months before my production decreased, which I am assuming is due to full time work plus G’s appetite increasing. We had to use nipple shields at first for the first couple weeks due to being so sore! My one piece of encouragement for mama’s is work towards getting off the nipple shield once you’re healed up because the baby can get use to it, and then be unable to nurse off your regular nipple! Lots of water & eating healthy is a must!! I never had a supply issue really until I was only really producing about 5 oz at around 8 months & G was eating 6-8oz a feeding, but when I was earlier on, I would eat oatmeal or lactation cookies and my supply would increase immediately!! Keep taking prenatals that helps, and lots of stress reducing activities 🙂 For mama’s who go back to work and have to pump, make sure you try to pump MORE than what baby eats since you will not gets as much milk with pumping as baby gets!!
I really want to try lactation cookies but am too lazy to make them, haha!
This is such a good list! I found I had the same issue with the cotton nursing pads! Disposables saved my life! As far as tips for other first time moms: don’t be afraid of breastfeeding! I actually wrote a whole post about it: http://thebestfwordsblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/family-her-cup-runneth-over.html#.UwkL_xbpjww