My sister is having her second baby this summer. She breastfed her first child, but due to an infection, she was unable to feed her son her breastmilk and she was unaware that she could pump and dump to maintain her supply and return to breastfeeding afterwards. This time, she’s determined to nurse her baby longer.
Now, I know that all you *really* need to breastfeed is boobies, but all of us breastfeeding mamas out there know that there’s many things out there that make the task a whole lot easier. My plan is to compile a list of great breastfeeding supplies and put together a gift basket for her. Here’s what I have so far.
- Hands-Free Pumping Bra. I registered for mine and my coworkers thought it was hilarious and bought it more as a gag gift than anything. But you know what? I use this thing EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
- Mother’s Milk Tea. Hopefully she has no issues with supply, but you just never know when that might hit. Also, an excess in supply can be great for getting some milk stored in the freezer, because she is planning to return to work. Plus, it tastes yummy!
- Oatmeal. I found that this increased my supply as much as the Mother’s Milk Tea, and it’s nutritious.
- Washable nursing pads. I find the disposable ones to be kind of noisy. I can’t take the crinkling in my bra every time I move. I also know for a fact that her son thinks disposable nursing pads are stickers. Ahem.
- Nipple Butter. I like the Palmer’s brand better than others, just because I find the scent more pleasant.
- A good nursing cover. I need suggestions for a brand here. I got one at my baby shower that was just not practical. It has loops for each of my arms to go through separately and I ultimately just end up tangled in when I try to maneuver my baby. Perhaps one that just goes over your head like an apron would be better?
What else should I add to her breastfeeding gift basket?











Breast milk storage bags for the freezer. Can’t forget those!
I definitely recommend the Kushies nursing pillow. I had a lot of difficulty getting my son to latch correctly. We tried the Boppy and the Breastfriend pillows. We tried Biological nurturing… Nothing hit the spot for my son like the Kushies pillow. He loves it. This pillow is his happy spot, and once he felt super comfy and secure his natural latch gradually improved.
I’d never heard of that one. Thank you!