8 Essentials For Baby Feeding

Here's what you need to help ease the load when baby feeding and stay in calm control no matter if you’re opting for a bottle or boob.

Fed is best. In those early days, breastfeeding can be uncomfortable and will take up a lot of your time. Here's what you need to help ease the load when baby feeding and stay in calm control no matter if you’re opting for a bottle or boob.

1. Breast Pump

Okay, so it’s not a dealbreaker, but a breast pump is a seriously good investment to think about. Before you dismiss it, whether you’re breastfeeding OR bottle feeding, it can come in handy!

Some of the key reasons you should consider investing in a pump include:

Relieve sore nipples and/or infected breasts if you’re breastfeeding
Eliminate latching problems if breastfeeding
Allow other people to feed your baby when you need to get some shut eye (or go to the bathroom in peace/work/exercise/just have a moment to yourself!)

We’ve got two of the most popular breast pumps out there at the memo from Medela and Haakaa. We recommend going for the Haakaa breast pump if you’re looking for something manual and just want to pump occasionally. Otherwise, if you’re going to exclusively pump milk, then opt for Medela’s electric version.

2. Breast pads

Feeding and/or giving birth means leakage. It might take a few days for your milk to come in after giving birth, or it could happen straight away. Keep a pack of reusable bamboo breast pads on hand to deal with leaks when they strike. No need to ruin your bra or end up with milk through your top with these ingenious pads. We love that they’re reusable too, so an eco-friendly option at a time when wastage often runs rampant.

3. Burp cloths

We can’t talk about feeding without talking about burping. The two go hand-in-hand. It’s really important to make sure you burp your little one after feeding to help them release any air that they’ve swallowed. Make sure your clothes are protected from any baby vomit or spit that might come up while burping with a burp cloth. Try the muslin cloths from Liewood to mop up any spills. They come in a four pack, and trust us- you’ll need them!

4. Fabric Bibs

We love silicone bibs for when your little one is slightly older, but it’s about the fabric bibs for a newborn. There’s going to be lots of spillage, a bit of spew, and that’s fine. With a fabric bib, you can easily (and gently) wipe it all away from the face without hurting them. We like the 100% organic cotton bibs from PureBaby. They’re soft and simple and get the job done. Be sure to buy a few so you’ve always got a clean one on hand.

5. Nursing Bras

What if nursing bras didn’t have to be hideous?! Enter Juem and Hot Milk. They’re the brands making attractive nursing bras that are both functional and stylish. Now, why you don’t strictly need a nursing bra if you’re breastfeeding, we can promise you it makes it a hell of a lot easier (especially in public!). A nursing bra allows you to easily expose your breast without removing your entire bra and they’re also super comfy. We love the ultra feminine Paloma Bra from Juem, made from GOTS certified organic cotton. Or try, the beautiful Warrior Plunge Brafrom Hot Milk to feel both sexy and practical at once.

6. Baby feeding bottles

If you’re breastfeeding and not considering giving formula or using a breast pump, you can skip this one. For all the other ladies out there who want to bottle feed, or store their own milk, this is for you! We suggest trying the cult classic Comotomo baby bottles. What makes them really cool is the fact that their teats are designed to emulate a real breast! They’re soft and squishy, so they won’t cause nipple confusion if you’re going to be both breastfeeding and bottle feeding.

7. Equipment Steriliser

Keep germs to an absolute minimum and get yourself an equipment steriliser. Babies pick up all kinds of germs, especially once they start going to daycare, so it’s important to keep anything they’re going to put into their mouth sterile. Try the Philips Avent Microwave Steam Steriliser if you want something effective and a time save. This is ideal for sterilising bottles and dummies in literally 2 minutes!

8. Drying Rack

To add to the glam life of all new mums, is an abundance of washing. Keep it cute with a handy (and functional) drying rack for your bottles, lids and dummies. We love love love the Boon Grass Drying Rack paired with the Twig. They’re both BPA-free and free of all nasties, so you can rest assured safety is guaranteed here.

Advice for breastfeeding a newborn

We get it. Sometimes breastfeeding is really f/ing hard and sometimes it just doesn’t work. If you need some advice on breastfeeding or ways to increase your milk supply, we have a great article on our blog with breastfeeding tips from a midwife. We also highly recommend investigating whether a breast pump might help.