I thought it would be handy to create a separate page listing out all resources and products that I have used to establish and increase my milk supply.
I hope it will be useful for you as you start and sail through your breastfeeding journey. I would recommend you to bookmark this page to make it easier to refer in the future. And please feel free to share it with your friends who may benefit from this list.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links. That means, if you purchase something through these links, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and resources that I have tried and loved myself or strongly feel about their benefits.
Let’s start with some recommended readings from various sources
Basic breastfeeding info:
- How milk is produced in breast
- Five tips to prepare for breastfeeding: Give your milk supply a head start
- Five common breastfeeding mistakes that ruin my milk supply
- Top 10 breastfeeding myths that you should know
- How do you know if you have enough milk (FREE printable)
Popular Series:
- What cause low milk supply in breastfeeding (4-part series)
- How to pump breast milk effectively (Pumping 101 Guide)
- The ultimate guide on building breast milk stash before returning to work (tips and story)
- Power pumping to increase your milk supply fast
FREE DOWNLOAD
I’ve created some handy checklist to help you navigate through your breastfeeding journey. Click on the image to download the freebies
1. Breastfeeding checklist for a new mom
2. Build Your Breast Milk Stash Bootcamp
Know exactly how much and how you are going to build your freezer stash.
Learn to plan your pumping schedule to reach your goal (fun!)
3. Effective pumping checklist
Learn how to pump effectively and get more milk.
4. Milk supply checklist
Learn how you can maintain your milk supply after returning to work.
6. Pumping Essentials to streamline your pumping routine.
I have compiled a list of my top 5 breastfeeding books for new moms here. You can read the detailed reviews of some of the books:
- A breastfeeding mother’s guide for making more milk: great for every mom
- Breastfeeding made simple: 7 simple laws for nursing mothers
- Work. Pump. Repeat: a must-have for working mom
PS: I’m still working on other book reviews and will update this list in the future.
When it comes to search information online, make sure it comes from credible websites run by professionals. Here are my favorite breastfeeding websites by lactation consultants or professional health practitioners.
We all know that breastfeeding can be challenging. That’s why I compiled a list of favorite tools that have made my breastfeeding journey easier and smoother.
1.Breast pump
Whether it is to establish milk supply, relieve engorgement, or to provide expressed breast milk after returning to work, breast pumps have become essential elements in today’s breastfeeding.
Here is my list of recommendation for various type and purposes:
– Best manual breast pump: Avent Isis breast pump.
Perfect for occasional use, light and portable, and very effective in emptying the breasts. Read my detailed review here.
– Best electric breast pump
If you are looking for a simple yet effective double electric breast pump that won’t break the bank, I would recommend Spectra M1 breast pump. It is small, portable and has a super strong suction without making your nipple hurts. With a built-in battery that can last for 1.5 hours pumping time, it is no wonder that a lot of working moms rave about this little pump. Read my Spectra M1 reviews here.
If you are exclusively pumping or pumping for twins, then you need a heavy-duty breast pump. For that, Spectra S1 is perfect for you. You can read my detailed reviews here.
This heavy-duty model has a long-lasting motor, very silent despite having a strong suction (up to 300 mm Hg). With separately adjustable suction and cycle speed, no wonder this breast pump is picked as The Editor’s Choice at www.babygearlab.com.
If you are interested in other breast pump models, here are some other detailed reviews that I have written for your consideration:
- Avent Comfort Manual Breast Pump
- Medela Swing Breast Pump
- Ameda Purely Yours Dual Electric Breast Pump
- Medela Freestyle Electric Breast Pump
- Spectra 9+ breast pump
2. Pumping accessories
Do you know that choosing a correctly-fitted breast shield can boost your pumping yield up to 20% more? See my breast shield sizing guide here.
That’s why it is essential to choose a breast pump brand that provides you with various sizes of breast shields. What if the original breast shield size does not fit? Luckily, Maymom has developed a vast range of breast shield sizes, from as small as 19 mm to as big as 36 mm that are compatible with major breast pump brands. Woww… It also offers a breast shield sizing kit (comprising 4 different shield sizes, a pair for each size). I myself, use Maymom breast shield with Spectra breast pump. Read the story here.
If you are a working mom, chances are you need a cooler bag to at least transport your expressed milk from office to home. If you don’t have access to a fridge in your workplace, you will even need a cooler bag that can keep your breast milk cold for long hours. For that, I recommend Fridge-to-Go Cooler Bag. It is long-lasting (up to 12 hours), space-saving, and very durable. You can read my detailed review here.
Lastly, if you need an all in one bag to bring ALL your pumping supplies, plus personal items, and even laptop, while still neatly organized, I strongly recommend you to check Sarah Wells breast pump bag. It has separate compartments for breast pump and milk bottles (yes, it is insulated and can keep your milk cold for up 6 hours), and did I mention that it is pretty stylish? For detailed close-up pictures, check out my recent review of Sarah Wells Lizzy breast pump bag here.
3. Milk storage / milk bottle
I love Avent milk bottle. Its wide-neck design makes it easy to clean without any special bottle brush. And look at the Natural Comfort range, don’t they look cute?
To make my Avent bottles work with breast pump requiring standard-neck bottles, I use Avent conversion kit. This way, I can eliminate transferring from one bottle to another, and just feed directly from the bottles I use for pumping.
For freezer storage, I used both milk bottles and freezer storage bag. You can weigh the detailed pros and cons in this article.
4. Breastfeeding-friendly Baby Carrier
Breastfeeding a newborn around the clock can be tiring. What more if you still have elder children to take care and house to manage. I found that using a breastfeeding-friendly baby carrier helps me to nurse my baby while taking care of other things, such as playing with my preschooler, do the laundry, and such.
If you are struggling with household chores while taking care with your newborn, you got to read these tips on how to manage household chores with newborn.
For newborn phase, I love using a short wrap (mine is a traditional one from batik fabric, but it functions more or less like rebozo. It does need a little learning curve, though. But once you master it, it is the quickest and most comfortable way to carry and nurse your baby on the move. For easier learning, do try Maya Wrap (it comes with a ring for easy adjustment of the wrap).
Note: some mothers swear by stretchy wrap (such as Boba and Moby Wrap), but to me personally, I found the long tails are a bit cumbersome, and the multiple layerings do not fit my tropical climate which tends to be quite hot.
As your baby grows older, you will need more support in carrying your baby. Ergo is one of mom’s favorite. With padded shoulder and waist strap, you can even carry your preschooler here without getting tired easily. My sister has one, and she loves it so much and always wears it whenever she’s out and about. Buy one with the hoodie, to make breastfeeding more discreet.
Or, if you are more budget-conscious, consider a Mei-Tai. I have one that I sew by myself and it has become my go-to carrier whenever I’m out from the house with my 2-year old toddler.
You can see the detailed pros and cons of each baby carrier in this article: Best Baby Carrier for Breastfeeding.
PS: Don’t forget to read my 10+ tips to breastfeeding in a baby carrier (I’ve compiled some videos to help you learn faster).
I hope this list is useful for you. I’ll add more to it as I come across different products or useful resources. If you have questions regarding any of the resources / products I mentioned here, feel free to approach me. I’ll be happy to help you.
Cheers,
Rina
