Breasting Feeding Equipment: What is better???

Eden - posted on 03/26/2009

Nursing pads are a must ... i have disposable ones so i'd recommend any of the ones that have an adhesive and stick to your bra.  (lansinoh, johnson and johnson to name a couple

Lanolin for your nipples when they are sore. (medela and lansionh  i loved both brands)

a breast pump..i had the avent isis manual but did not get as much out of it as i did an electric. Now i have the Medela "pump in style"  (you can buy this online @ target) and it was just as good as the hospital grade i rented from medela.

nursing bra - make sure you get several sizes because your breasts will get smaller. after your milk comes in they only produce as much as your baby is taking (supply and demand type deal)

milk storage bags - for the milk that you pump obviously these come in handy

the complete book of breastfeeding - i have this book and its answered all of my questions its great.

goodluck with breastfeeding..it truly is an amazing experience for both mother and baby.

Lori - posted on 03/26/2009

I love the Ameda Purely Yours pump (I bought the BPA-free version). It's much less expensive than the Medela, and works great.

For expressed milk feedings, we're using Evenflo glass bottles with Evenflo nipples. My son gave us a hard time with bottles at first, since he only wanted to nurse, but these were the only ones he'd take at all.

I bought the reusable Lily Padz nursing pads, which I liked....except that they don't last as long as they are supposed to, and they're pricey if you have to keep replacing them. I didn't have a big need for pads - only at night, so mine were able to be used for a decent amount of time until I stopped leaking and could go without. Probably wouldn't recommend for heavier duty.

Brenda - posted on 03/26/2009

Nipple Cream- I used Lansinoh lanolin for my nipples the first few months and it was a lifesaver!

Nursing Pillow- I have the My Brest Friend and LOVE it.  I tried the Boppy for nursing and it doesn't work!  Nursing was SO much easier once I got the MBF.

Pump- Go electric, double pump if you can afford it.  I have the Ameda Truly Yours and it has worked well for me, though it is a bit loud.  I have heard lots of good things about Medela too.

Milk Storage- BPA free plastic or glass for pumping and feeding.  I use Medela plastic breastmilk storage bags to store in the freezer.  They have an area where you can write date and ounces on the bag, which is nice since it is only good for 3-4 months in a standard freezer.  I wish they were a bit larger though... they are 5 oz bags, and I would have liked them to be 6-7.

Breast Pads- I echo the above posts on this one... cloth is nice, and if you want to use disposable the Lansinoh ones are outstanding.

Nursing Bra- I got mine at Motherhood, and they are mostly nice except the bra support on one of them (the bra has one vertical wire between each breast and underarm)  bunches up/pinches under my arms after wearing it all day.  You will probably need 2-3 bras.  Go size yourself for one once your milk comes in after the birth.

Good luck!

Ashley - posted on 03/26/2009

I couldn't live without my ring sling for nursing in public.  It's so convenient for baby wearing and when baby gets hungry, just swing their legs over, cradle carry them, and there's a piece of fabric left out that you can cover up with.  It's practically hands free and noone knows baby's eating.  Also , Hooter Hiders are really nice.  I've tried to cover up with a blanket and it's pretty awkward and hot under there. The hider, slips over your neck, covers you fully, and there's an opening in the top so you can check on baby.  I only used my Boppy pillow for the first month but it was a great help until I got more coordinated.  Good luck!

Elizabeth - posted on 03/26/2009

Thanks a lot everyone! This has been really very helpful! 4 weeks to go!

Emily - posted on 03/25/2009

I would say get the pads. I used cloth and they were fine. I think only for about 2 mos did I need them. If you plan to work full time get a Medela Pump in Style pump, if you plan to work part time get an Avent Isis. If you don't plan to work skip the pump. You can hand express if you need to for comfort. I never liked nursing bras. I like nursing from under not over if that makes sense. Most nursing bras require you to unsnap from the top. I just lifted shirt and bra from bottom so a nonunderwire bra was the way to go for me. I would recoment Lanisoh lanolin over Medela or any other brand. It really did help in the beginning for cracked nipples.

Danielle - posted on 03/25/2009

Seems all the others have pretty well covered all the topics well, but I wanted to drop one more note to you. If you plan on using the disposable nursing pads, Lansinoh makes the best I have found. These are more like a panty-liner type material and turn to like a gel inside (like a diaper) when saturated. I have nursed three and have a major leakage problem the duration of my time,and these were the best I found. Plus they are already cup shaped so you can't tell you have them on under your shirt like you can in with some, plus they are the only ones I found that have a little sticky spot to attach them to your bra versus the others that slide all around.
Congrats on the baby, and the choice to nurse!

Jenny - posted on 03/25/2009

I only used the nursing pads for a couple months, I got the cloth ones, you can also use panny liners,  just cut them in half, and you can stick them to your bra, for a pump it really depends on how much you plan on using it, dont get the pump right away you might find out that breastfeeding isnt your thing, and for the nursing bra I just get mine from Target I use to get it from walmart but they stopped caring them.

Jenny - posted on 03/25/2009

I never used the nursing pads but love Bella Bee nipple lotion and their nipple cleansing pads. I use the lansinoh double electric breast pump - it was the most inexpenslive with the best ratings (I did a lot of research) and besides the fact that's it's a little noisy i love it. And the thing I use most for breastfeeding is www.kellymom.com - I had SO many questions and concerns and this site was the best! Good luck!

Tricia - posted on 03/25/2009

Some people need nursing pads for longer, but there's no way to know if you will until after you've had the baby.  The advantage of the disopsibles is that they absorb way more milk without leaking, but the cloth ones are cheaper and more environmentally friendly.  My solution is to use cloth most of the time and disposibles when I'll need the extra leak protection.

High qualith electric pumps are expensive (although cheaper in the long run than formula, so they are worth the investment).  You only need one if you're going to have to pump frequently (i.e. after you go back to work).  If that's the case, the Medela Pump in Style has the best reviews, so that's what I bought, and it's working well for me.  Otherwise, decide if you can get by with a hand pump.  One piece of advice... don't buy a pump made by a formula company.

If you're pumping, you'll need bottles and things too.  The recomendation is to definitly use plastic if you're not freezing the milk and probably use glass if you are freezing the milk.  I can't keep track of 2 kinds of bottles, so I just bought plastic.  Again I went with medela because they work with my pump and they're BPA free.  Plus Medela sells these little 2 oz test tube looking bottles, so it's easier to freeze and defrost just a little milk.  I bought one box of test tubes and 9 5 oz bottles.  The test tubes live in the freezer as emergency back up and the bottles rotate daily for pumping at work.

As for bras, I recommend buying a couple of cheap nursing bras from Target or wherever to wear home from the hospital.  Then, once you've seen how those work for you and what you need to be different, go online and buy some really nice nursing bras.  Treat yourself, you're saving over a thousand dollars on formula, so you can afford a couple of great bras.  Bravado is a brand with some good reviews. 

Hooray for too much information!

Stasha - posted on 03/25/2009

Good nursing brats are an essential! As far as what brand, check to see if your favorite regular bra maker has a nursing bra. Personally, I prefer cloth nursing pads, but disposables work great as well, and since you really only need them for the first couple of months until your milk supply stabilizes, you really won't use too many anyway. As far as breast pumps go, it depends on how often you need to use one. If you are only planning to use it occasionally, a cheap model will work just fine, if you plan on daily use I would recommend a nicer one. Either way, I would go with an electric pump. Good luck!!

Arlene - posted on 03/25/2009

nursing pads, (only need then for 2-3months), lanolin for yer nips,  an electric dual breast pump works great...hospital brand is way better, pillows, and lots of them..some moms like the boppy for breastfeding, i have one, and the only thing it was good for was after i gave birth, i sat on it to relieve my "area" lol

cant help ya in the nursing bra area...i am not that large and dont have any issues..i wear tank top kind of nursing bra, and i highly recomend them!!