Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover

If there’s one thing on this list that I recommend the most, it’s this. Never underestimate the power of a good quality nursing cover. This one has so many great features, and I take it with me everywhere. It’s large enough that you get full coverage and never have to worry about exposing yourself while nursing. It gently lays on top of/around the baby so he doesn’t feel uncomfortable or claustrophobic and can stay cool. Lastly (and most importantly), this nursing cover has a rigid neckline that stays up on its own so you and your baby can maintain eye contact. This feature is ESPECIALLY helpful when you’re first learning to breastfeed because you’re going to need both hands to get your baby latched, and you have to be able to see!

Milk Snob Nursing Cover/Car Seat Cover

Another great nursing cover option. This is mainly advertised as a car seat cover, but it can also double as a nursing cover. A little more on the expensive side as far as car seat covers go, but this one was definitely worth it. It’s soft, stretchy, and cleans really well. As a nursing cover, it works wonderfully in a pinch!

My Brest Friend Pillow

My personal favorite. This one wraps all the way around you and it has a soft, but firm, flat surface for the baby to lay on. Certainly the most comfortable option, and really easy to learn with.

Boppy Pillow

A pillow like this is really helpful when your baby is still little and you’re first learning to breastfeed. Using this kind of pillow to help prop up your baby is going to save your back, too!

Lanolin Nipple Cream

I would recommend buying some of this before you deliver and have some at home just in case you need it in those beginning weeks of breastfeeding. Nipple soreness can be very common in the first week or two, so it’s good to be prepared. This particular cream is completely safe for babies, so you don’t need to worry about washing it off before feedings!

Lansinoh Cooling Gel Pads

These were absolute lifesavers my first couple of weeks postpartum. My advice would be to grab a few of these, keep them in the refrigerator, and put them on in between feedings. I promise you, your sore nipples will thank you.

Silverette Nursing Cups

These nursing cups are meant to help soothe and protect your nipples from friction and pain in those early stages of breastfeeding and pumping. A little on the expensive side, but there’s a good reason for that. These are actually made of sterling silver and are imported from Italy. Silver naturally has antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties, so they’re great for preventing soreness, cracks, and infections. Tip: I’d go with the XL size. They seem to fit more people.

Breast Shell/Milk Collector

Breast shells are dual-purpose tools. You can put them in your bra to collect leaking breast milk, or you can use them for sore nipples to prevent your nipples from rubbing against a bra or clothing.

Lansinoh Breast Pads

Breast leaking is very common, especially in those first couple of months, so these are a great tool to have on hand! You just stick them on the inside of your bra so you don’t have to worry about leaking through clothes. These breast pads are soft, absorbent, and have adhesive on the back so they will stay in place as long as you need.

Reusable Breast Pads

As an alternative to the disposable breast pads, you can also get these for breast leaking! You can throw these in the washer and use them again and again.

Muslin Burp Cloths

I don’t know what it is, but I just absolutely love muslin material. It’s so absorbent and soft and it’s always my first choice for burp cloths and bibs.

Lansinoh Nipple Shields

Coming from someone who used nipple shields for a very long time at the beginning of her breastfeeding career, these are my favorites. They’re flexible, easy to clean, durable, have cutouts for the baby’s nose, and they come with a great carrying case. I’d recommend trying the 24mm size first to see how they fit and then size up or down based on that.

Lansinoh Nipple Everter

This tool is used to help draw out your nipples using gentle suction in order to make it easier for your baby to latch on. It’s great for those who have flat or inverted nipples or even moms who are just learning to breastfeed and need a little extra assistance! Bonus: It comes with 2 different flange sizes, so you don’t have to worry about it not fitting.

Munchkin Spoons

These are my favorite spoons for both spoon-feeding milk as well as spoon-feeding solids later down the road.

Oral Syringes

If you end up deciding to try syringe feeding in those early weeks, this is a good value pack to buy. These are 5mL syringes, but if your baby is taking more during feedings, you can always try the ones that hold 10mL.

Spectra Breast Pump

This was my choice for an electric pump. I really like Spectra products, and this pump did not disappoint. Make sure you check with your insurance company to see which products are covered for you!

Medela Hand Pump

I absolutely love this pump. If you’re exclusively pumping or pumping really frequently, this product probably isn’t for you. But, if you’re only pumping to relieve discomfort, pumping after feedings, pumping in the middle of the night, or pumping while you wean your baby, this is the one for you. I love that I can take it with me anywhere and I don’t have to worry about getting my entire electric pump out. It’s also incredibly handy when you travel because it’s easy to pack and takes up hardly any space.

Haakaa Breast Pump/Milk Collector

This is a very, very popular product. While I didn’t have a TON of success with it, I have dozens of friends who swear by it. You place the Haakaa on the opposite breast when you are nursing, and it works by gentle suction drawing out the milk into the container. If you are someone who tends to leak a lot, there’s a good chance this will work really well for you.

Lansinoh Milk Collection Bags 

No matter which pump system you use, these are the milk collection bags you want. They’re very sturdy, I’ve never had leaks, and you can store up to 6oz per bag. Each bag also comes with a tab where you can write the date, time, and amount of milk so you never have to guess! Tip: If you’re planning to freeze your breast milk, make sure you store these flat in your freezer!

Medela Sterilization Bags

If you’re going to be pumping frequently, these are essential. They’re incredibly easy to use, all of your pump parts are sterilized in 3 minutes, and each bag can be used up to 10 times.

Lansinoh Anti-Colic Bottles

These are a popular choice for breastfeeding babies because the bottle nipple closely mimics a human nipple. Highly recommend!

Evenflo Wide Neck Bottles

Another popular choice for breastfeeding babies due to the nipple shape. Again, highly recommend!

Dr. Brown's Bottles

One of the many anti-colic options on the market. These happened to be my baby’s favorite, but your baby might prefer one of my other two suggestions!

Breast Pump Bag

If you’re a working mom or do a lot of traveling away from your baby, having an extra breast pump bag will certainly come in handy. You can store the pump, parts, and any milk that you’ve pumped all in one place. This one even comes with a charging port and insulated pockets to help keep your milk cold.

OXO Bottle Brush

I highly recommend getting a brush specifically to wash your bottles. You don’t want to be using the same sponge or brush that you use to clean your dishes. This one is a great option! It comes with a stand and the bottom even unscrews into a tiny brush that you can use for cleaning smaller areas.

Seraphine Nursing Dresses

I cannot stress enough how important it is to invest in some nursing-specific clothes. This website was my best friend when looking for nursing dresses. A little on the expensive side, but I wore a few of these dresses on rotation for the first couple months of my baby’s life. Not only are there tons of nursing clothes to choose from, the clothes are just so classy and beautiful. You can find options with buttons, zippers, and wraps - I’ve tried them all and you can’t go wrong! (But if I had to recommend one… go with the zippers.)

Latched Mama Nursing Clothes

Another fantastic option for nursing-specific clothing. This company has a little bit of everything, but I love how comfortable and casual the options are. They’re perfect for everyday wearing!

Kindred Bravely Nursing Clothes

More great nursing-specific clothing options. In addition, this company actually has products that you can use while pregnant, in the hospital, and postpartum. Can’t go wrong!

Momcozy Nursing Bras

It’s inevitable. You’re going to need some nursing bras. After trying a few different brands, this was my favorite. There’s no underwire, it’s incredibly comfortable, and it’s easy to unlatch and latch. Keep in mind, nursing bras generally don’t have a lot of support and are a little more loose-fitting and these are no different (remember, we don’t want to wear tight-fitting bras while breastfeeding!).

Nursing Bras

Another great option for some comfortable and easy-to-use nursing bras!

Nursing Bras

Another nursing bra favorite!

Pumping Bra

If you’re like me and the idea of sitting down to pump for 10-15 minutes at a time without the use of your hands seems crazy to you, you need a pumping bra. This bra helps hold the pumps in place so you’re free to use your hands. It’s a great investment, especially if you envision yourself pumping a lot!

Nursing Nightgown

Get. This. Nightgown. It is so incredibly soft and comfortable, it’s easy to clean, and it has buttons down the front to make nursing at night so easy. Honestly, I’d wear this nightgown even if I weren’t nursing.

L.L. Bean Robe

In my opinion, postpartum should equal maximum comfort. When you’re nursing a lot in those early months, it can be such a pain to put on and take off multiple layers. My advice is to get a really comfortable, warm robe that you can take on and off easily to nurse. L.L.Bean robes are my favorite, and this is the robe that I’ve been using since my baby was born. I wear it every single day, and after many washes, it never loses its soft texture.

Maternity and Nursing Robe

If you’re not into heavy, warm robes like me, this is a great option for something light to wear around the house. It’s beautiful, soft, knee-length, and easy to breastfeed in. Did I mention it has pockets?

Desitin Diaper Cream

I keep this 16oz size at home at my 2 diaper changing stations. You’ll save money in the long run if you spring for the bigger size. Trust me, you’ll use all of it!

Desitin Diaper Cream (For On The Go)

Breastfed babies poop… a lot. A good diaper cream is essential to help prevent diaper rashes. I always go for the Maximum Strength Desitin. I keep these smaller, 4.8oz pouches in my diaper bags for when I’m on-the-go.

Muslin Drooling Bibs

Again, I’m a big muslin fan. When my baby started teething, the drool was unreal, and these ended up being a huge lifesaver.

Solly Wrap

Such a wonderful baby carrier! This one definitely takes some practice in order to get the wrapping down correctly, but once you do, you’ll want to keep your baby in it all day! It’s so soft, lightweight, and comfortable for both you and your baby.

Bonus:  If you enter the Solly Baby website from the button below, you'll receive a 10% discount on your order!

Tula Baby Carrier

This is another great everyday baby carrier. It’s really simple to understand, it’s very lightweight, and I love that there’s a little fanny pack attached where you can put your phone, keys, etc.

Clearblue Fertility Monitor

Your fertility can be really tricky to understand while you’re breastfeeding. This fertility monitor is really simple and can let you know right away whether you’re fertile or not. Side note: In addition to the machine, you will also need to purchase the accompanying test sticks.

Clearblue Fertility Monitor Test Sticks

These test sticks accompany the Clearblue Fertility Monitor.

Ovulation Test Strips

This is another great option for detecting ovulation/fertile periods. You do have to read the strips yourself or you can upload them to an accompanying phone app for readings. It comes with 100 test strips AND 20 pregnancy test strips, so it’s a fantastic value!

MAM Pacifiers (0-3mo)

I tried probably 5 different brands of pacifiers before I finally found these. The MAM pacifiers stood out to me the most because they’re very lightweight, so when my baby was still really small, it was easy for him to keep them in his mouth. Every baby is different, so yours might prefer a different kind, but these were the only ones that mine wanted!

MAM Glow-In-The-Dark Pacifiers

I very quickly realized the value of glow-in-the-dark pacifiers after spending many nights frantically searching for them around my baby’s crib. Once that baby is asleep, the last thing you want to do is turn the light on. Additionally, once your baby is old enough to put in his own pacifier, the glow-in-the-dark feature makes it easy for him to find it in his crib in the middle of the night. MAM is my favorite pacifier brand, so these were a no-brainer!

Silicone Pacifier Clips

I love pacifier clips. The devastation when your baby drops a pacifier on the floor and you have no easy way to clean it is so real. These were my favorites because they’re made of silicone, so when your baby is teething, you not only have a clean pacifier - you also have a teether! The clip is also incredibly strong, so the likelihood of it falling off is very slim.

Pacifier Clip Adapter

These are specific to the MAM brand pacifiers. They’re needed in order to attach pacifier clips.

Yeti

You’re going to be SO thirsty while you’re nursing, so those normal-sized cups and glasses just aren’t going to cut it. Get something big like this that stays cold and can go with you anywhere.

What can I say? I’m a Yeti girl.

Bulb Syringe

A bulb syringe is used to suck any milk or mucus from the baby’s mouth or nose if you notice your baby choking or if your baby has a stuffy nose. I’d recommend always having one by your baby’s bed just in case!

Silicone Feeder

These are great for a teething baby. You can either freeze your breast milk and place it in here for the baby to suck on or you can put frozen fruit in here instead. Either way, the cold helps numb those painful gums and babies just love it!

Non-Slip Hospital Sandals

I’m sorry to spoil the surprise, but having a baby is… messy. I’ve seen way too many women ruin their fuzzy slippers by bringing them to the hospital and wearing them during their labor/delivery. I highly recommend bringing non-slip shoes that are easy to clean. These shower shoes are perfect for the job. No one wants to walk barefoot on a hospital floor, so do yourself a favor and grab a pair of these before the big day!