I’ve Breastfed Two Babies—Here Are My Must-Have Products

I don't think I can do it justice to explaining how comfortable this bra is. It's so soft and the absolute best bra for the first few days and weeks postpartum, but also well beyond that. Plus, it provides gentle support, which is essential for the heightened breast sensitivity during this stage of nursing.

The Do Anything Bra is an editor-fave because it's much thinner than other pumping bras. The fabric is buttery soft yet strong enough to hold up both traditional and hands-free pumps making it our top hands-free option. It also functions as a nursing bra, so you can easily do both. We recommend the three-pack.

The ideal nursing solution for those late-night feedings when you're too tired to mess with clip closures. Its pull-down access makes feeding (and dressing yourself) effortless.

For the pumping mamas out there, I'm a fan of the Spectra S1. This may be covered by your insurance, so check before making the purchase. I recommend the S1 because you can plug it in or you can charge it so you can move about your house if needed.

And if you're pumping a lot, you might want to consider a wearable option like the Elvie, which fits into your bra. It's a splurge, but for moms who are pumping while on the go, it's pretty incredible.

A little pumping trick is that you don't need to wash your pump parts after every use. You can instead put them in a bag in the fridge and wash them every 24 hours. If you're going for that approach (not everyone feels comfortable doing it, but I do), these giant reusable bags fit pump parts nicely. You can wash the bag and the pump parts every 24 hours.

We're a fan of these bottles from MAM, so if you're pumping or using formula, check these out.

And another bottle we loved, these Dr. Brown's bottles. They have a lot of parts to clean which is a little annoying, but both of my kids took to them easily.

If you're freezing milk, these bags are my go-to. Pro tip: lay the bags flat in the freezer so they freeze into slim blocks for easier storage. I would stack each new bag on top of an older frozen bag after each pump.

This suctioning pump can be used while you're feeding baby on the other side. You simply put it on and it collects milk that might otherwise just drip onto your clothes and be wasted. Be warned though, once your baby gets a little bigger, they can kick it off. Seeing all that milk go flying is a sad experience. Even if you just use this for the first few weeks, it's inexpensive and worth it.

Additionally, Haakaa recently launched a new ladybug design that fits inside your bra.

Which brings me to my next product, the Curve. This is essentially a fancier (and therefore more expensive) version of the Haakaa. It actually fits inside of your bra so as your baby gets bigger and kicks, it will stay in place.

When I had my first baby, I was advised not to keep any formula in the house because, if breastfeeding got hard, it would be easy to just throw in the towel and grab the formula. I don't agree with this advice. Why put so much pressure on yourself? I say have a can of formula in your house so if you do want to use it or you're struggling with breastfeeding, you will have it as a backup. Also, it's very common to do combo feeding (breastfeeding and supplementing with formula), so having formula around is a good idea. This one from Bobbie is organic and is modeled after breastmilk.

Lactation powders are great for providing quick and easy production support. Incorporate into your morning ritual by mixing it into your favorite drink for warm and delicious sipping, or sprinkle into oatmeal or a smoothie to add a dash of lactogenic goodness.

Breastfeeding can make you incredibly thirsty, and staying hydrated is important. While many drink powders brag about their low salt content, this one actually does the exact opposite and is a salt-fueled explosion. It might be an acquired taste, but I'm obsessed with it. Even if you're not breastfeeding but you're feeling sluggish or dehydrated, take one sip of this and you are instantly energized.