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Are you a mama who is breastfeeding and/or pumping? Are your lady parts feeling a little ragged from all the sudden action that they’re getting? Or are you just a supportive friend or family member who isn’t sure what to get for the postpartum breastfeeding or pumping mama?
From one sore, tired mama to another, here are the top products I’ve used and would highly recommend for the breastfeeding or pumping mom.
For sore boobs
- A good nipple cream. I’ve used two different ones and found them both helpful
- Organic Nipple Butter Breastfeeding Cream by Earth Mama is my absolute favorite. I purchased multiple jars of this. It immediately helped with the soreness and the cracked nipples, left no stains, and is safe for baby if you area breastfeeding (though I did usually try to wipe most of it off).
- Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream would be my runner up from a relief perspective, but it did leave stains on some of my clothes which was a huge bummer
- Disposable nursing pads for leaky days and overnight
- Bamboobies little ice packs for after your nursing or pumping sessions when your nipples are extra sore. These Lansinoh TheraPearl 3-in-1 Hot or Cold Breast Therapy Pack are also amazing. I love how soft they are, something about the beads allows them to stay hot or cold for way longer than you would think.
- Frida Mom has so many awesome products. My favorites include:
- This 2-in-1 Lactation Massager
- Alcohol Detection Test Strips for Breast Milk so you can enjoy your glasses of wine with peace of mind
- These breast masks you can click around for the different types, which include Engorgement, Hydration, and Lactation
- A heating pad that gets plugged in was honestly the most lifesaving product. I would use the heating pad before nursing to get my milk flowing and relieve engorgement followed by an ice pack. This combo was *chefs kiss* for me.
To pump your milk
At home
If you know me, you know I research everything, and that includes breast pumps! When I conducted my super top secret research, the Spectra S1 easily had the best reviews. With the rechargeable battery, you can unplug it from the wall, which is probably the absolute best feature. It also has multiple different options, including a massage / letdown button, a night light, and a wide variety of different suction settings. It comes with a few different flange sizes, but you can get compatible flanges on Amazon if your size differs than what’s in the box.
*As someone who struggled with LOTS of pain when pumping, my top tip is to measure your nipple size and buy the appropriate flange size! Legendary Milk has a great silicon nipple ruler you can purchase, or you can download one for free and print it out (my preferred option).
On the go
Legendary Milk’s Imani i2 Wearable Breast Pump was a game-changer for me. To be attempting to calm a screamy, colicky baby while tethered to a wall was extremely difficult and brought me so much anxiety. I did a lot of research on a lot of different wearable pumps, including the Elvie Stride and the Willow Go, and ultimately decided on this pump. While people claim that wearable pumps don’t empty you as well, I found that this worked just as well for me (if not better than) my Spectra. The cups were easy to put in and because the flanges were silicone and not plastic, I found it way less painful on my sore boobs. It’s also pretty quiet!
The downside? The cups on this pump are not flat at all, so expect some Dolly Parton boobs when you have them in place. They also do leak sometimes if you’re doing anything strenuous with them (or just lifting your arms really).
The Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump was my other go-to. It’s easy to apply and has multiple uses, which I can really appreciate as a tired, sleep-deprived mom! Some ways you can use this pump include:
- Placing on the side that baby isn’t nursing on
- Placing on the side that you are not pumping with your breast pump (if you are doing one at a time)
- Using to relieve engorgement in between sessions or if you are on the go and don’t have your pump supplies with you
*Note: If you are ready to stop pumping and start weaning, check out this post for the lifesaving products I used for this purpose.
To give your boobs a little support
- HOFISH makes my absolute favorite nursing bras and hands-free pumping bras. They are super comfortable and I still wear them all the time. They are also the only ones I wore during my pregnancy that didn’t make me feel suffocated
- I have also heard great things about the Momcozy Nursing Bra as well as the Kindred Bravely Sublime Hands Free Pumping Bra
- These nursing tank tops were also recommended to me by many mom friends
- Another product that was recommended to me is this pumping accessory that essentially turns any bra into a nursing or pumping bra, keeping you hands free!
- Pretty much all of my other maternity clothes are from Kindred Bravely. I cannot say enough about how comfortable the maternity items I have from this company are. (I know this isn’t breastfeeding related, but I still wear the Everyday Lounge Joggers every single day. Just do it and thank me later!)
I hope this list serves as a good starter for your breastfeeding / pumping wishlist. May your boobies remain happy during this difficult time 🙂
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