Feeding Supplies to Have on Hand for the Breastfed Newborn
If you’re wondering what feeding supplies to have on hand for the breastfed newborn we will cover this topic in today’s blog! Newborns basically sleep, eat, and poop, it’s true. Most of what you hear or read in books is that newborns should eat every 2-3 hours if they’re breastfed and every 3-4 hours if they are formula fed. That happens, sure, but it’s actually more common for the breastfed baby to want to eat almost every hour.
Naturally, you’ll need to keep milk on tap and readily available 24/7.
While ensuring your newborn is getting fed you’ll also have to be certain you’re getting enough rest, several naps throughout the day, and one 4-5 hour stretch of solid sleep each twenty-four hour period.
The next question I’m most commonly asked is, “For how long does that usually last?”
The first two to three weeks are the hardest. That is the time where you’re getting to know your baby, your baby is getting to know you, and your body is adjusting to making milk while healing from birth. During this time, it’s not at all uncommon for the breastfed baby to want to be fed almost every hour around the clock, giving mom a longer break only once a day or so. After that the next big milestone is six weeks. By then you are both really getting the hang of things; breast, bottle, or both.
So, what products do you need? What can you live without?
There’s no way to know for certain what feeding supplies to have on hand for the breastfed newborn or exactly what you won’t need because of all of the variables that come into play. Some women only need their breasts and some breast pads. Most need some additional supplies. Some need many more supplies.
There are literally hundreds of products on the market for feeding babies.
You don’t need all of them, or even most of them for a breastfed baby, but you should have some on hand to make life as simple as possible after giving birth. What we’re giving you is more than just a list of feeding supplies to have on hand for the breastfed newborn. This list comes from years of working with families. We hope that our expertise will make shopping easy and your first six weeks go as smooth and organized as possible!
Feeding Supplies to Have on Hand for the Breastfed Newborn:
An Electric Breast Pump with Parts
- Pump w/ AC Adapter & Car Adapter is nice to have, but you don’t “need” it
- Tubing
- Connector
- Collection Bottles with Lids
- Flanges or Breastshelids that fit correctly (22-24mm is the most common size I see used, ask around many women buy)
- Membranes
- Valves
Whether you plan to pump or not Id be sure to have a breast pump on hand. There may be times when you need to pump and the last thing any new mom wants is to have to shop online or in store, especially for a pump. Read the reviews! Most insurance providers cover the cost of a pump.
1 Complete Additional Set of Pump Parts
This would either be considered a backup or replacement set of pump parts. This is everything above minus the pump and AC adapter and car adapter. If, or rather when you pull these out to use them, go ahead and order another to replace it. Be careful when washing parts that those white membranes that come with some pumps aren’t rinsed down the drain of your sink. They’re tiny and can slip away easily.
Hospital Wash Basin
The good news is that one of these will be given to you during your hospital stay. Not to be confused with a bedpan, these wash basins are great to use for all your pump and bottle parts and keep tiny membranes from being lost to the pipes in the sink. Place it beside your sink and toss only pump parts and baby bottle in.
2- Nipple Sheilds
In a perfect World, your baby will breastfeed without any issues and your breast won’t hurt at all. SNAP! Back to reality. That rarely happens. Breastfeeding comes with challenges and takes work. Pain during breastfeeding is NOT normal. If you’re feeling pain you need to carefully break suction and relatch baby. If your nipples are sore, or the skin is broken you need to see an IBCLC or CLC to figure out what is going on. Having these nipple shields on hand will help keep baby feeding at the breast until you can see a professional and will allow you to heal. Make sure you select these after selecting the correct size flanges. If you’re not nursing from one side due to pain be sure to pump.
6-8 Size 0 or Preemie Nipples & 4 oz. Bottles
There are several popular bottles on the market, but not many that make size 0/preemie nipples. Although I am not a fan of all the pieces because I feel they are unnecessary, Dr. Brown’s preemie/size 0 nipples are my personal favorite. By getting your hands on 6-8 of these and learning how to Pace Bottle Feed your newborn it will give you an advantage.
These bottles and nipples will be enough to get you started if you need to supplement with either breastmilk or formula. They can help preserve the breastfeeding relationship when used in conjunction with Paced Bottle Feeding. These bottles can easily last up to about 4 months. If you continue to use bottles to feed your little one you can simply buy 6-8 size 1 nipples to replace the size 0 and they should go right onto your same brand bottles. For this reason, I recommend buying the 4 oz. bottles instead of any 2 oz. bottles.
Bottle Drying Rack
A place for everything and everything in its place. Your pump parts, bottles, and nipples need to dry out after washing and sanitizing, this rack serves its purpose! I don’t have a favorite per say. For a baby who primarily breastfed with minimal supplementation, I would go with a drying rack that is space saving and fits your style! For a baby who is both breast and bottle fed, I would get a high capacity rack. However, for the baby who will be exclusively bottle fed, I might buy two racks, but one would get you by in the beginning especially if you have lost of help at home.
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Baby Bottle Brush
You’ll need something to clean those pump parts and bottles. A dedicated brush. Something with a long neck and reaches into those tiny cracks and crevices. A baby bottle brush is just the thing. My personal favorite suctions to the countertop. This ensures it’s not falling all over the place or laying in the bottom of a dirty sink. It also has a stiff plastic neck instead of a metal neck which seems more durable and lasts a bit longer.
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Bottle Warmer
These warmers come with so many options. Too many in my honest opinion. In the early weeks of parenting, sleep is scarce. You’ll be operating on near empty. Reading, comprehension, and execution of too many things and you’ll find yourself on major overload. My expert advice is to go simple. Something that plugs in, has an on and off knob, and no expert level skills necessary. Something like this or this will do great! Now, if you’re having twins your needs are doubled so I would absolutely go for one that holds two bottles like this!
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Formula or Frozen Donor Breastmilk
In a perfect World, our births go smoothly, our babies are born full term, nurse like champs, and gain weight beautifully. Our breasts make milk right away and at the perfect amount!
SNAP! Back to reality again! It rarely goes that perfectly. Sure, it can! BUT, rarely does! That’s a variation of normal.
In my professional opinion, I think it is valuable and wise to have on hand either donor breastmilk from someone with a baby as young as possible, a newborn or baby under 3 months old preferably. If you’re not comfortable with that or you do not have a donor have infant formula on hand. There’s no particular brand of infant formula that is best for ALL babies or even all breastfed babies. Choose an iron-fortified infant formula that is made especially for infants, not toddlers. Some do well on Enfamil, some better on Similac, some better on Goodstart. You can get samples for free from many of the formula companies. Of course, if your baby is a preemie or has special dietary needs this would be different. You can also get some at the hospital to take home. For the early weeks, I absolutely LOVE the 2 oz. ready to use nursettes. They make life easier.
Breastpads
With a new baby comes new leaky boobs! From engorgement to sudden let downs you’ll get to experience all twists and turns early motherhood has to offer! There are two types of nursing pads/breast pads. The first type is disposable breast pads made by companies like Lansinoh, and Nuby. The next type is washable and reusable like those made by EcoNursingPads and Baby Zelis. Whatever you choose you to want to make sure your breast are staying dry. Warm, wet, and dark are the perfect ingredients for yeast growth!
Boppy
A Good amount of pillows can take the place of a boppy when breastfeeding, but a good boppy is worth every penny spent. Did you see the amazing football hold she is using with the Boppy in the cover photo?! The Boppy has multiple uses though. You can use it to hold against your incision on the car ride home from the hospital if you have a cesarean birth. As you cough or go over bumps using counter pressure with the Boppy can help lessen the discomfort you experience. You can also use it to sit on like a donut if your perineum is sore or your tailbone is hurting. You’ll find yourself using it as a baby lounger on your bed when you put the baby down, but want to keep baby close to you, especially as you pump in bed. You can use it for a variation of tummy time. As baby grows and begins to sit up you can place it around them. Also, the covers are changeable and adorable! Get the Boppy!
Feeding a newborn is hard work, breastfeeding a newborn is exhausting! We hope this list gives you a head start!
Again, I’m not a big fan of the hundreds of products marketed to new parents. Honestly, I feel the amount of space, money, and the time needed to learn how to use these products are more of a hindrance than helpful sometimes. This is the time you could spend resting and money and space you could use for that Instapot you’ve been wanting and need now more than ever!
Hold onto those receipts and keep those bottle-feeding supplies in the packaging if you’re skeptical, but having them on hand will save you from sending your partner out all hours of the night if you need them! We hope this list of feeding supplies to have on hand for the breastfed newborn is helpful to you and your family! May the early weeks of your baby’s life be filled with love, light, and laughter!
Grab your free printable supply list here! For a private consult get in contact with us today!
Happy Birth & Parenting!
~The Jacksonville Baby Company
