10 Breastfeeding Essentials: Must-Have Items for Nursing Moms

Always bring baby to breast and not the other way around. I learned this the hard way with neck and back pain. A nursing pillow to the rescue!

This pillow helps support your baby and takes some of the weight off. This was a lifesaver as I learned to nurse a newborn, especially in the cross cradle hold. Some moms prefer a Boppy, as it has a longer shelf life; it can be used to support baby sitting or for tummy time. I liked how flat and supportive the My Brest Friend pillow was to support baby's body.

Leaking? You bet I am. Whenever I feel the let down tingles I know there will be a few drops of milk escaping. When I'm nursing baby on one side, I'm definitely leaking on the other.

I leak a ton during the first few months and I make sure to never be caught off guard by wearing nursing pads. These reusable nursing pads are so soft and easy to wash and can collect a ton of milk.

While I love reusable nursing pads, sometimes disposable ones make more sense, such as when you are traveling. I try to keep some extras in my purse and car for those times when I do forget to put nursing pads in.

Nipple cream is essential, especially during the early days when your nipples are toughening up. My favorite is Motherlove Nipple Cream. It's one of the best and goes on without being sticky. There is no need to wipe away before baby nurses and can also be used when pumping.

Lansinoh Nipple Cream is another option that many moms love.

With my third baby I was not as prepared as I should have been and actually had to order these via Amazon Prime Now as soon as I got home from the hospital.

These cool hydrogel pads are a lifesaver for sore nipples and are reusable for 24 hours. These cooling pads really helped my bloody and bruised nipples during the first few weeks and I highly recommend them to any mom who is hurting.

This latch assist is a miracle worker for those with flat or inverted nipples. It draws out your nipple so baby can latch and something I used with all three of my babies for the first few weeks until my nipples drew out on their own.

A breast pump is essential for moms returning to work, but also for stay at home moms who might want or need the freedom to be away from baby for longer periods of time. It's also important if you'll be exclusively pumping for a baby who won't latch or supplementing with pumped breast milk. An electric breast pump is a no-brainer and works far better than a manual pump (at least in my case).

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires most insurance plans to cover the cost of a breast pump. Check with your insurance on breast pump coverage to see which options are available. I used a Medela Pump in Style for my first two babies but I'm excited to try the Spectra with my 3rd as it's all the rage in my Moms' Facebook groups.

You'll for sure want to invest in some comfy nursing bras. I loved the ones that slide over for night time nursing (like these). I'm excited to share this little known bra, which is a huge time saver for those who need to pump and nurse.

If you are heading back to work or pumping to build up a freezer stash, you will want this bra. This option provides the ability to be hands free for pumping without needing to switch bras. Pumping is boring, not to mention uncomfortable to hold onto bottles while pumping. Being hands free allows you to scroll your phone, read a book, or even work on a computer.

I used the one shown, but it looks like there are other options like it, such as this one from Momcozy.

If you plan to pump you'll need some freezer bags to store your milk. These are double zippered bags that will securely close and store your liquid gold. Lay flat to save space.

You'll want to invest in some nursing friendly tops. While you can simply wear a nursing tank under any shirt, it's nice to invest in a couple of cute tees like this one. Believe me, having a nursing friendly wardrobe will reduce the stress of what to wear, especially when you are heading out into public.