What you need on your baby registry (if you plan to breastfeed)

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I know you’re excited to meet your new little one. This is the most exciting time of your life – and possibly the most anxious too. I mean, you’re making a whole ‘nother human! If that doesn’t bring out the worrier in you, not much will. But at the same time, (eeeeeeee!!) it’s a BABY, and all yours!! Mixed emotions are a huge part of what mamas deal with.

Welcome to the club!

As you prepare for life as a nursing mother, I’m sure you’ve given some sort of thought to your baby registry. Do you even need one?

You might be a little confused by All. The. Things. There are so many baby products people say you need! Clothes. Furniture. Babyproofing tools. Feeding gear. Travel gear. Safe sleeping products. Overwhelmed yet?

Let me be very clear for a moment. You don’t need all that stuff! Your baby really only needs clothes, diapers, a safe place to sleep, and food. Everything else is just extra. You can add that stuff later if you decide you need it.  Don’t get overwhelmed! You get the necessities. Let others get the nice-to-haves.

Mama has needs too!

Now let’s talk about what you need. As an expectant mom, you need to sign up for a baby registry. (Remember how I said let other people get the nice-to-haves? This is how you do it!)

Amazon baby registry is probably the easiest way to register and receive gifts. It’s the big daddy of online retail, and they’ve perfected the registry process. Everyone uses Amazon, so it’s familiar territory that simplifies shopping. And your out of town relatives can just have Amazon ship the gift right to you!

Another great registry to have is Target baby registry. Target has seriously some of the CUTEST baby gear! And since Target stores are everywhere, they’re a good fit for your loved ones who prefer to see gifts in person before buying them. Or for people who forgot to buy a gift until the day of your shower. (I’ve done that more than once!)

But what do I register for?

• Nipple balm – Trust me on this, you don’t want to wait until you’re in pain to run out and buy the first nipple cream you can find. You can keep the pain at bay by using nipple balm at the first sign of discomfort.

• My Brest Friend – That’s not a typo, I promise! I’ve used a few different nursing pillows and My Brest Friend is the best. It’s sturdy, not floppy, and doesn’t slide like a lot of pillows do. This brest friend will save your arms a LOT of discomforts!

• Breast pump – Unless you just like to spend extra time doing things, you’re going to want a double electric pump. It pumps faster than manual pumps, saves you the effort, and will get both breasts at the same time!

• Breastmilk storage bags – If you’re going to be expressing milk, you need somewhere to store it! Make sure the bags are made for milk. They MUST be sterile! You also want freezable bags that label the ounces and can stand up on their own.

• Kiinde starter kit – The Kiinde system is SO cool! It includes milk storage bags which can attach directly to your breast pump. Then you put the lid on and store your milk. When it’s ready to use, just put the bag inside Kiinde bottle and Voila! You’ve pumped, stored, and fed without transferring milk. Quick lesson: every single time you transfer milk, you introduce the milk to bacteria, waste a small amount of milk, and get air in the milk, leading to gassiness or illness. The Kiinde system eliminates ALL of that! And it’s recyclable. Perfect.

• Heat/cool packs – Heating and cooling packs do more than just bring relief. When used hot, they also make it easier for you to pump more milk. They help your breasts to let down the hindmilk faster. And they can increase your milk supply over a few days by increasing the amount of milk you put out.

• Nursing cover – You may never use one, but if you can think of even one scenario where you don’t want your boobs seen, it’s worth having a cover. Just in case. Since I like stuff that can do the work of several products, the cover I recommend is one that can also be worn as a scarf or used as a cover for baby’s infant carrier.

• Nursing pads – No one warns new moms that their boobs will leak while they sleep. And every time they think of their baby. And when some random baby cries at the store. Without nursing pads, you’ll get milk everywhere and ruin most of your shirts.

• Amber necklace – Not only are amber necklaces super cute on a baby but they reduce the discomfort of teething. And THAT can reduce your discomfort because teething babies sometimes chew on mommy…just sayin’.

• Teething necklace for mom to wear – Teething necklaces are about the most brilliant idea ever! First, they’re cute. Second, they can be pulled on. (That’s kind of a big deal. Between my 3 babies, I had 5 broken necklaces!) Third, they keep baby entertained while nursing. Fourth, they reduce your discomfort because teething babies sometimes chew on mommy. 🙂

• Baby carrier – Babywearing will change your life! It keeps baby calm, helps you get more done, gives your baby the closeness she craves and helps keep your milk supply stable. Depending on your preferences, you can use a wrap, a sling, a hip holster, a backpack – there’s lots of options! You want a baby carrier. Oh yes, you do!

• Nursing bras – Nursing bras aren’t generally cute. And it may seem like you can do without one. I guess you technically could, but I destroyed 2 bras attempting that. Learn from my dumb, stubborn self and get a nursing bra. These bras aren’t going to win a sexy award, but they’re seamless AND cuter than the average sports bra. Can’t complain about that.

• Nursing shirts – When it comes to nursing tops, you’ve got your pick! You can find anything from tanks to hoodies to business casual tops. The best shirts are going to be the ones you won’t mind wearing even after you’re finished with breastfeeding!

• Nursing pajamas – Because at night, you don’t want to be fumbling with clothes. (Or sleeping without a shirt and soaking the bed in milk) Look for nursing pajamas that are cute, comfy, and make night feedings easy!

• Adorable baby clothes – This is your baby’s registry, after all! She deserves something beautiful to wear. So be sure to register for some awesome swag for your sweet baby!

• Gift cards – Gift cards are always handy to have around – especially if you’re not 100% sure what you’re going to need. With gift cards, you’ll be covered if you think of an extra something you never knew you needed.

My gift for you

Use this link to create your Amazon baby registry, then email me at nicole@nursingthebaby.com & let me know! I’ll respond by sending you a gift to welcome your new baby.

Well, there ya go!

Now that you know the how, where, & what of baby registries, you can get busy setting it up. Using this list, it should only take you a few minutes to have a strong registry going.

Congratulations again on your new baby! I hope you get everything on your new baby registry!!