6 Breastfeeding Essentials for New Mums in 2022

I like to say that all a baby needs is Milk... and Love (which is how we got our name!). But in reality for a new mum starting out with breastfeeding there are a few essential items that make breastfeeding so much smoother. 

Firstly, What Things are Non-Essential for Breastfeeding?

You don't need a special chair, most women don't need an electric pump in the early weeks, and most women don't really need a nursing pillow either. In fact, having too many things can get in the way of attaching at the breast properly and can impact bonding with your baby and following your babies cues. 

Timing and tracking everything on a breastfeeding app can be helpful when you're struggling to follow cues, but your baby will tell you when they're hungry, and just like an adult, they can be thirsty or hungry at any time, not just when the routine says they should be! Having too many apps or schedules can get in the way of you learning to trust your instinct and learning to read the subtle cues from your baby to identify when they are hungry or tired.

Your baby is constantly changing and growing. Just like adults, every baby is different and unique. A schedule or routine might be useful to give you a general idea of what your baby needs every day, but you need to adjust it based on the cues your baby is giving you. You also will need to continue to adjust it as your baby grows.

The 2 Most Important Things for Breastfeeding Success

1. Establish your Breastfeeding Support Team

The best thing you can do for your breastfeeding success is to have a great support network. Join the  Australian Breastfeeding Association, go to a breastfeeding workshop, put the helpline number (1800 686 268) on your fridge and encourage your partner to understand the benefits of breastfeeding and how they can support your breastfeeding. 

Surround yourself with people who will encourage you to persist with breastfeeding, and limit your time with people who suggest switching to formula because breastfeeding is too hard. 

Don't be afraid to see a lactation consultant, in fact this can be such a huge help with identifying potential issues, and helping you to gain confidence as a new mum it should be mandatory for all new mums!

2. Try to make sure you have an undisturbed hour with your baby skin-to-skin after birth

The second most important thing you can do for your breastfeeding relationship is to protect the first hour after birth. This is known as the 'golden hour' and is important for establishing your milk supply and for bonding with your baby.

You and your baby are enjoying incredibly high levels of oxytocin after birth, and it is best not to disturb this process if possible. Enjoying undisturbed skin-to-skin time and encouraging your baby to self attach helps to ensure you have good attachment from the very beginning and helps avoid many potential problems.  You can ask for the weighing and measuring to wait until after the first breastfeed.

If you have a c-section you can ask for baby to be put straight to the breast as soon as possible for that skin to skin time. This is good to discuss with your OB or midwife before birth to see what options are available.

If you are having trouble in the first couple of hours after birth then ask for a lactation consultant. Having a professional help get the attachment right at the start makes all the difference! 

In some instances it is not possible to have an undisturbed hour with your baby skin-to-skin. In this case it is important to start pumping as early as possible and see a lactation consultant as soon as possible to help establish your milk supply.

Best 6 Breastfeeding Essentials in 2022

Of course, there are also products that make breastfeeding so much easier, that are recommended by mums. We asked our customers and community what their favourite breastfeeding essentials are and they had a wide and varied list! 

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Here are the top 6 that everyone agreed are essentials for new mums. 

1. Reusable Breast Pads

What are Breast Pads I hear you ask?! They are pads of material that go in your bra to catch any leaking milk. Some women leak more and some don't leak at all, but in the first 6 weeks it is likely that you will have quite a lot of milk leaking at random times through the day, and from the other side when you're breastfeeding. You can get disposable breast pads which are great for using when you're at the hospital after birth, and when caught short, but we recommend investing in some reusable breast pads to use whenever you can. 

You will save money and the environment by washing and reusing your breast pads. We love these super soft  bamboo breast pads. They are highly absorbent and easy to wash and use, whether you use them part time or full time. We love the soft bamboo for sore nipples!

2. Natural Nipple Cream

Breastfeeding can be hard on your nipples in the first 6 weeks or so until everything settles down. If you have a very enthusiastic nursling or you've had trouble with attachment, you can end up with very sore and cracked nipples. 

The best solution in this case is to put a little bit of breast milk on your nipples and leave them out (yes, that's right! No bra, no top). The breast milk is full of antibodies that helps fight infection, and helps your skin to heal, and the air and light helps to speed up the healing process and avoid thrush and other infections. 

When you can't walk around with your nipples out to breathe, the next best thing is a gentle healing  nipple balm and soft bamboo breast pads. We love the all natural nipple balm by the Hermosa Co. It is made with just 4 ingredients. This is perfect for sensitive skin and can be helpful in the first 4 to 6 weeks as you and your baby learn to breastfeed.

3. Comfortable Nursing Bra

Having quick and easy access for breastfeeding is SO IMPORTANT! When you have an upset, hungry baby in one arm and you are trying to open your top and unhook your bra the last thing you want is a fiddly clip that doesn't open properly, or a synthetic fabric that doesn't breathe! We love natural cotton or bamboo fabric, and an easy breastfeeding access clip that you can undo and redo with just one hand (the One Hand Test!) 

Just as important, make sure that your nursing bra doesn't cut in at all as this can cause blocked milk ducts and mastitis. Some new nursing bra's have flexi wire that is designed to be safe for breastfeeding mums and can provide extra support for larger cup sizes or during exercise, but whatever style you choose, make sure it isn't digging in, or cutting off milk ducts.

4. Sleepwear with Easy Nursing Access

This makes our Breastfeeding Essentials list because it is likely that for the first 6 weeks after birth, you will spend a LOT of time in your PJs or lounge wear, so having comfortable breastfeeding sleepwear with easy breastfeeding access is important! Similar to the nursing bra, look for natural fabrics and easy breastfeeding access (remember the One Hand Test - you need to be able to get a boob out and back away again with just one hand!). 

You will need to take these to hospital as well, so make sure you're comfy wearing these around other people. It's nice to have a nice pair of PJs or a nighty, but alternatively you can wear comfy yoga pants or tracksuit pants with a loose top and a sleep nursing bra underneath that can hold breast pads in place.

5 Nice To Have Products for Breastfeeding Mums

While these are not essentials, it is still nice to have these things when you're a new mum! They also make great gifts for a new breastfeeding mum!

1. Breastfeeding Covers

Not everyone needs a breastfeeding cover or nursing scarf, but when you're just getting started with breastfeeding, or if you're self conscious then a breastfeeding cover can give you some extra coverage while you get your attachment right and can help you have more confidence breastfeeding in public.

The boning on the top of the breastfeeding cover helps with airflow and allows you to see what your baby is doing without fussing around with extra fabric. You can also use them as a baby carrier cover when you're out and about, BONUS!

2. Breastfeeding Tops & Dresses

When you're breastfeeding on demand having easy breastfeeding access makes life a lot easier. Similar to your nursing bra and sleepwear, we recommend looking for natural fabrics and easy nursing access (One Hand Test again!) Having breastfeeding tops and/or some nice breastfeeding dresses can make life a lot easier!

3. Lactation Cookies and Breastfeeding Teas

Many of our new mums swear by Lactation Cookies and Breastfeeding Tea to help support their milk supply. They can be nice to have on hand when you need a mid afternoon snack, or if you're wanting to build up your milk supply.

Our favourite fitness expert, Dahlas Fletcher from Body Fabulous recommends adding smoothies to your easy snack list. She even makes up a heap of smoothies at the start of the week so she has a quick and easy snack to grab when she needs it. If you throw together a smoothie, you can add this  breastfeeding protein powder to your smoothie to help support your breast milk supply and to increase your protein intake as well. Winning!

4. GINORMOUS Reusable Water Bottle

Breastfeeding Mums need gallons of water All. The. Time. You're making milk, your body needs fluids. We recommend a LARGE reusable water bottle that you can take with you everywhere so you can keep your fluids up. It is one of the easiest ways to increase your milk supply too. If you're getting dehydrated it is much harder for your body to make milk. 

You can even have a couple of them on the go. One in the fridge, and one with you, so you always have cold water.

5. Hot/Cold Breast Packs

These hot/cold breast packs are cleverly designed to fit around a breast pump, or to sit inside your bra. Why do you need Hot/Cold Breast Packs? These are PERFECT to keep in the fridge in the early days of breastfeeding so that when you are engorged you can whip them out and put them in your bra to help cool everything down. 

If you are trying to help your milk flow then using them warm (e.g. while you're pumping), can help your milk to let down and flow. Using them warm can also help to unblock milk ducts. As a bonus they smell so much better than the cabbage leaves that were recommended back in the day!

Whew! That's it! What have you found helpful as a new mum? Leave a comment below to let us know!

About the Author

Corryn is a lover of coffee, hugs and sunshine. Mum of 3 and founder of Milk and Love, Corryn loves chatting to new mums and pregnant mums. She has extensive breastfeeding experience, and is an advocate for gentle parenting, cosleeping and looking after Mum's mental health...  read more about Corryn here