DIY Breastfeeding kit

[sweettalkingwoman]

Hi, I’m 37 weeks pregnant and just doing some last minute prepping..
I saw a suggestion somewhere to prep a little basket with breastfeeding essentials to keep close by when feeding.. including things like..

• lansinoh cream
• nipple pads
• muslins
• snacks?

What else would be handy in there? TIA x

Water...loads of it. Made me so thirsty breastfeeding. Maybe nappies and vests really nearby, mine used to need changing halfway through feeding all the time.

Water bottle
Insulated travel cup

iPad

Insulated/travel mug
Long charger cable for your phone/iPad

Bibs

Savoury snacks. I got so sick of sweet things. Nuts are good.

Water, or better, squash (so thirsty when breastfeeding!)
Magazine, phone charger, newspaper (takes forever!)
Bottle of formula and bottle with tray same shape as nipple goes when breastfeeding (an advocate of combi feeding particularly if it keeps breastfeeding going at all)

Water, bibs/muslin and some form
of entertainment (a book or something) 😊 x

Alllllllllll the snacks... Oaty cereal bars, chocolate bit also like a Pp says, Savoury stuff too. Salt and vinegar snack a jacks were my fave. Philidelphia do lovely little snack thingies with cream cheese and sticks... I'd take one upto bed for middle of the night munchies.

Allllll the muzzies and breast pads... Lansinoh are the best imo. Pricier but so good of you have gallons of milk like me.

Water, water and more water, in a cup with a straw for ease.

Phone, charger and headphones. Find some good YouTube channels to watch.

Brilliant - thanks all! X

Kindle for reading during the night so you can keep so you have something to do while sitting in the dark and quiet so your baby figures out they are suppose to sleep at night. Netflix or other TV subscription.

Kindle with a backlight, water, paracetamol for early days and lansinoh.

ALL THE CHOCOLATE

and some cake

A list (not buried in your emails like mine was) of breastfeeding clinics and any other support network - lactation consultants etc. I had my DH searching old NCT mails for an attachment (there were lots and lots of attachments) keep them handy as you may want to call at a silly time!

Paracetamol, water, chocolate, little single packs of cakes, baby wipes, chocolate, more water, more chocolate...

I also (don't waste money as amazon prime is next day in most areas) needed the following as my nipples took a bit of a bartering!
Nipple shields - get a bad press for nipple confusion but quite honestly if it wasn't for the odd usage of the shields I'd have likely given up
Breast shells - pop in bra they collect the
Leaking milk and help heal nipples and also stop bra rubbing
Lots of cheap nursing bras - I'm a small bust so cooed very well with multipack nursing bras from amazon, I leaked so much that I was going through bras twice a day
I also wish I had reusable breast pads as I used to many I feel guilty!
I didn't use an app but personally was very helpful to track feeds - when, how long and which boob so maybe an app?
The thirst is unreal!!!! Get a 2 litre water bottle that you can keep in bed with you
Look at a portable nightlight - I carried mine from bed to change unit and it was touch dimmabke and I could leave it in bed with me - there's an egg shape one on Amazon

I personally disagree with the suggestion of a bottle of formula... depends where you live though I've got a 24/7 supermarket near me so I knew that in the worst case I could send DH out. But I'm glad I didn't have formula at home because it may have stopped me BF and general advice is BF and no teats for the first 6 weeks

These are all so helpful! A few things I had never thought of.
Unfortunately we don’t have any 24hr shops near us, so I have got a very small stash of ready-made formula bottles for any desperate times. Also my DH works away for weeks at a time, so I will often be home alone unfortunately.
Trying to be as prepared as I possibly can be. Currently reading lots of bf websites and a couple of good books

Makes sense to have the formula in then (you will be tempted to use it!) best of luck the first few weeks are tough and relentless and at worst very painful!! But I'm 9 wonderful months in and I don't ever want to stop!

@catnip100 thanks! I’m certainly expecting a tough few weeks at the beginning - but hopefully I can get past that stage and bf successfully X

A blanket. I used to get really chilly when breastfeeding. Of course that could just have been me!

I made a google map of local breastfeeding support because I live on the edge of 4 boroughs and finding the info is a pain, never needed it but it was good to know that every week day there were a few about.

I love my 6-10ft phone chargers

Decant your biscuits in to something less noisy for late night snacking, digestives are in the loudest packet!!!

I had hot/cold pads that were used to cool my bits after the birth and warmly sooth my boobs when I got blocked ducts (I used my comb on them too)

My stupidly expensive body pillow was great in the early days as I could prop baby up in it and balance food on the other side.

Yes a blanket is an excellent tip. You are still for so long your circulation goes tits up (he he) and you can end up freezing, but by then baby is asleep and you don't want to wake them so you just sit there getting cold! I try to do longer feeds in bed now, so I can have the duvet.

I got a hydrate mate to help with water intake (I think shops like home bargains sell cheaper equivalents)

Comfy pillow

Also you obviously can't prep this in advance but I always make sure I have my phone and tv remote handy before starting!

I attended a bf support group and the bf counsellor advised that less is more re. nipple cream as the skin needs to breathe.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Portable phone charger.