18 Best Breastfeeding Must Haves For New Moms

Check out the best breastfeeding must haves! These top breastfeeding accessories are perfect for new moms to fulfill all your breastfeeding needs.

If you are wondering, “What will I need for breastfeeding?” Fear not. It can be quite overwhelming to figure out all the first time mom breastfeeding essentials.

So, I’ve put together a guide of all the must have breastfeeding items you will want to have as a new mom.  

I thought breastfeeding would come naturally and easily. Boy was I wrong. It was hard and at times frustrating.

While every baby and mom are different, I found a few must have breastfeeding supplies for new moms that make your breastfeeding journey a lot easier. 

Here are some first time mom breastfeeding tips along with the top breast feeding must haves you will want to have!

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Breastfeeding Tips

There were a lot of things I wish I knew before I began my breastfeeding journey. So, before I get into the essentials for breastfeeding, here are a few tips to help breastfeeding be a smoother journey for you. 

Definitely use all of the breastfeeding tools from this article. I would put them on your baby registry to get them for free, and stock up before your baby arrives, so you can best be prepared. 

Use all the free resources at the hospital or from the free pregnancy boxes.

Consult a breastfeeding nurse at the hospital and learn all you can from them. This was super helpful for me with my first baby.

Also, be sure to ask about a tongue tie on your newborn. My firstborn had a tongue tie and it made breastfeeding extremely painful and difficult. 

Go at your own pace and don’t compare yourself to other moms. Do what works best for you and your baby. 

I preferred pumping and formula feeding both of my little ones due to a lot of different factors. Use your mother’s intuition and don’t let anyone make you feel guilty about your decision. 

Top Breastfeeding Must Haves For New Moms

These are breastfeeding essentials for mom that really helped me to have a much easier time breastfeeding.

Whether you are pumping, solely breastfeeding, or doing a hybrid, these are some of the equipment for breastfeeding that makes life so much easier.  

1. Silicone Breast Pump

This is a huge breastfeeding necessity. It is probably my absolute favorite. I love it so much I got two. 

The haakaa is a silicone pump. The best thing is it is hands-free! I could put it on and do the dishes or when I’m driving. 

This is perfect for either breastfeeding or pumping. Moms can put it on the opposite breast while the baby eats. I’ve heard moms talk about how well it stays on, even when their baby is kicking!

I even used this silicone manual breast pump daily in the shower to collect the letdown. These breastfeeding necessities helped me gain a huge freezer stash. 

When I was pumping, I would put the haakaa one right before and right after I pumped to get the most breastmilk out as possible. 

I was below on milk supply before I got this and now I have about 4-5 bottles on average saved up in the fridge.

The haakaa manual breast pump stays on super well and actually gets out a lot of breastmilk. The Haakaa is so easy to use as you only have to place it on, and then you are hands-free! 

A haakaa is one of the best nursing essentials I’ve ever found and one I recommend all the time to new mothers!

Check out my haakaa tips to help you get the most out of this amazing breast pump.

2. Reusable Nursing Pads

I have used a variety of nursing pads and there are ones I’ve always liked more than others.  

First, I do not like disposable ones. Those feel like a waste to me and there are a lot of better products to try! 

I used the disposable nursing pads I received in my free baby boxes but other than that I never bought them again. 

I used these amazing nursing pads at night or around the house when I am not busy. They are so soft and so effective. 

The best thing is they are reusable breast pads and don’t break easily. They have bamboo in them which is why they are so soft.

Reusable nursing pads are not only eco-friendly but you can also use them as makeup removers when you’re done breastfeeding. That is what I still do with mine!

These are one of the things new mothers need for themselves they often forget.

3. Milk Catchers

At first, I was hesitant about these interesting milk catchers but I truly love them. 

They are amazing especially at the beginning of breastfeeding when your breasts are engorged all the time as soon as your milk comes in. 

These milk catchers actually will catch and store whatever leaks so you can save even more milk!

It was a huge blessing when I was low on supply to help build my freezer stash quickly. It definitely became one of my favorite nursing gifts I received.

These don’t work throughout the night sadly as the milk will leak when you lie down. 

However, I wore them during the day all the time. 

I could even wear them out and about and it never looked weird or out of place. They fit perfectly in my bra. 

These milk catchers are also good to give some room for your nipples to breathe and not hurt when you have to wear clothes. 

4. pumps

Even if you plan to breastfeed exclusively, you never know when you might have to pump. 

My baby had trouble latching due to a lip tie, and it was so frustrating for her to try to latch, pumping was the best option.

However, you can always breastfeed and pump to build a storage supply, or if you go back to work full-time. 

There are a few pumps I want to suggest no matter what your journey may look like. 

wearable breast pump 

If you can, I highly suggest getting a wearable breast pump. These things are incredible!

You can walk around freely while pumping your milk.

These hands-free breast pumps come in handy when you have to work or when you have other children, especially toddlers who need you so you can’t really sit down for 20 minutes pumping at a time.

(Make sure to check out Aeroflow to see if you qualify to get a FREE wearable breast pump! It was so easy, I have gotten 2 free pumps from them for my 2 kids.)

I love that there aren’t any cords or anything. Wearable breast pumps are so easy to use!

Check out my review of two wearable breast pumps from Momcozy

Manual Pump

There are a few manual pumps to choose from. Usually, the hospital will give you one and it is indeed a manual pump that requires a lot of work and can only be used on one side. I would only use this for extreme cases, as there are a lot better options out there. 

The Haakaa silicone breast pump is an amazing manual breast pump. I was so impressed with how well they work, especially compared to the traditional manual pumps.

Double Pump

Double pumps are always great to have in case something goes wrong. My baby had a tongue-tie and it made breastfeeding hard. It was nice to have the breast pump to fall back on when I needed it. 

Many insurances allow you to get a free breast pump! The second time around I was able to go through AeroFlow Breast Pumps and got a nice free Motif Luna. It was the perfect breast pump and my favorite one I’ve ever gotten. 

AeroFlow will take care of the entire process. They contact your insurance, your doctor, everything! Mine came in a matter of a month, while I’ve heard others had to wait until after the baby was born. 

The Motif Luna uses a large number of speeds and suctions to let you personalize to fit your needs. It got more milk out in just 15 minutes than any other pump I tried in 30 minutes! 

With AeroFlow, I also got a packaged deal so I got the pump, nursing pads, and milk storage bags. It was a great experience, so try to get a free one before you buy one! 

5. Nursing Bra

You will definitely want to have a few nursing bras to wear! They come in handy and just make things easier.

If you are pumping, try getting a hands free pumping bra as well. I didn’t use it with my first, but did with my second and it really made a HUGE difference.

6. Nipple Cream

I don’t even have to explain myself. This is just a breastfeeding necessity as you will or already have found out. I tried multiple types. 

I would go for Earth Mama’s Nipple Butter. It is made with all-natural ingredients, so it is not only safe for your body, but also your precious baby as well. 

I also found it so helpful to use before pumping to help with suction and take away some of the pain that can come with pumping. 

I also love the Frida Mom Cracked Nipple Spray. It is such a relief on painful nipples.

7. Hydrogel Pads 

These hydrogel pads help to take away the pain that comes with breastfeeding for the first time. 

You can wear these in place of nursing pads the first few days while you’re getting in your milk supply. 

8. Breastmilk Storage Bags

I had some free trial breastmilk storage bags from other brands but these incredible breastmilk storage bags turned out to be my favorite. Let me tell you why.

First, they hold 8oz instead of the typical 6oz so you use fewer bags and less space in your freezer. 

These are a breastfeeding must have as it is truly a lifesaver because it creates so much more space in your freezer!

Second, they can stand up on their own, taking even less space in your freezer. You don’t have to lay them down and hope nothing bumps into them and they stay flat.

Finally, these have a spot to clip and you can pour easily and cleanly! How awesome is that! No more mess and spilled milk, and we all know how sad it is to lose milk!

These amazing storage bags were definitely my go to all the time instead of the traditional ones.

We my second, we found eco-friendly reusable breast milk storage bags and I really enjoyed using them too. It was nice especially when I didn’t have a big freezer stash, just need a few bags here and there.

9. Heat Pads

Heating pads were another huge breastfeeding must have, especially if you are a first time mom.  

They are heat pads filled with flaxseed, rice, or something else. You can heat or cool them and they are are so nice to have!

They fit perfectly to the breast! You can use one on each side, or both on one breast at a time. These heating pads work amazing both for breastfeeding and pumping. 

They also can bring relief with engorgement, mastitis and clogged ducts. You never know when you will get one or all of those, but it is best to be prepared. 

Not only are they heating pads, you can also freeze them and use them as an ice pad. Again, helping with engorgement or when you end your breastfeeding journey. 

10. Massager

Mastitis is no joke. Even having a clogged duct is so painful. One way to help that is having a massager while you pump. 

LaVie created massagers that fit your breast to maximize your milk supply. They even have heating pads that massage as well. 

These incredible massagers are a breastfeeding essential to help ease the process as much as possible. 

11. Nursing Cover

A nursing cover will help you, your baby, and others are comfortable. It is always your choice and you certainly never have to cover up, only if you want to. 

Some babies need less stimulation while eating. If that is the case, a nursing cover will help them not get distracted while eating.  

I love this dual-function nursing cover as it is also a car seat cover and scarf as well! 

12. Nursing Pillow 

If you are exclusively nursing, this is one of a definite nursing must haves. 

It has a water bottle holder, which is so crucial for your milk supply. 

Sometimes it is so hard to find and maintain a good position for breastfeeding. This amazing breastfeeding pillow will help with that tremendously. 

13. Nipple Shields 

Sometimes when your baby is struggling to latch, a nipple shield can help tremendously. 

I used one of these with my first when she had a tongue-tie. 

There are different sizes and can help in that initial struggle. It is also easy to wean off when you want to as well. 

14. Breastfeeding Tea

Get some organic tea that will help your milk supply! This breastfeeding tea is quite tasty and is from Earth Mama, one of my favorite companies.

It has fenugreek, fennel, milk thistle, and a few other great herbs. It is one of the best postpartum teas.

15. Herbal Breastfeeding Milk Supply Tincture

One of the best nursing essentials I’ve found to increase milk supply has been this incredible herbal tincture.

So many moms have had so much success increasing their supply with only taking it for a few days.

If you get one thing to help your milk supply, this would be it.

16. Water Bottle

A water bottle is quite handy for new moms. You need to keep up your water intake to produce more milk.

So, why not get a new water bottle that fits this new chapter in your life!

Be sure to get a lactation drink mix to further help your supply along with your water bottle.

17. Insulated Breast Milk Cooler

One thing that I recently found that I absolutely love is this insulated breast milk cooler.

It is like a water bottle, with a glass breast milk storage, and a cooler all in one. It is so nice to have on hand when you want to take a walk in the park or shopping.

Plus, when you are done breastfeeding, you have a gorgeous new water bottle too!

It is one of the top breastfeeding gifts for new moms.

18. Nursing Tops

There are tons of nursing tops you can find and use. But, they all kinda bothered me. Even though they were considered nursing tops, they bunched up at the top or didn’t open up as much as I wanted them to.

Enter Suckle: I recently tried this new top and I am obsessed! It is so easy to use and looks like a normal shirt. Plus, it is the comfiest shirt I’ve ever worn. It is so soft, I LIVE in it!

Definitely get a suckle shirt or two, they are worth it!

Done For You Breastfeeding Kit

Frida Mom

Frida Mom has a wonderful breastfeeding survival kit that you will love!

It comes with:

• 2 Hot + Cold Breast Relief Packs
• 2 Hydrogel Nipple Pads
• No-Mess Nipple Balm
• Cacked Nipple Saline Spray
• 6 All-Day Dry Nursing Pads
• Carry-All Case

Lansinoh

Lansinoh also has a breastfeeding kit you will love.

It comes with:

• Lanolin Nipple Cream
• 2 TheraPearl Breast Therapy Packs
• 48 Disposable Nursing Pads
• Silicone Breast Pump
• 25 Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags

Breastfeeding Station Must Haves 

You will want to have a breastfeeding station all set up to help make things a lot easier. Here are some of my favorite breastfeeding station must haves: 

• Nipple cream
   
• Diaper caddy to keep things organized 
  
• Pumping bra and breast pump 
  
• Nursing pads
  
• Haakaa 
  
• Heat pads
  
• LaVie massagers
  
• Milk catchers 
  
• Baby wipes or cleaning wipes 
  
• Comfortable chair or position 
  
• Nursing pillow 
  
• Water bottle
  
• Snacks
  
• Nightlight for night feeds 
  
• Baby items (diapers, wipes, pacifiers, etc.) 

Check out my top breast pumping station items.

Breastfeeding Essentials FAQs

Breastfeeding Must Haves Wrap-Up 

Having these breastfeeding essentials on hand in an organized place will help tremendously. Not only will having a breastfeeding station help relax you but you don’t have to worry about finding things. 

These must haves for breastfeeding moms literally saved my life in more ways than I can count. 

I’m able to provide milk for my baby. Without these products, I thought I wouldn’t be able to feed her. Feeding is not a struggle anymore, which it never should be.  

What breastfeeding necessities have you found that you cannot live without? Share them below!