PREPARING FOR BABY – THINGS TO BUY -BREASTFEEDING [PART 3]

BREASTFEEDING

• Breast pump
[Yes, you will need this if you are a working mum. There are two main types, manual and electric pump. I am using both Avent manual pump and electric Medela pump.

Started off with Avent manual pump and it worked well until I got lazy washing it each time after expressing. (I was expressing 4-5 times a day). So I got the electric ones so that I can space out the washing which, to me, was really tedious.

I personally prefer the electric pump as it was easier to wash, and it drains my milk better. However, do note that if you intend to bring the electric one out, the nursing room will need to be equipped with powerpoint. Further, electric pump is pricier than manual ones.

Do also consider getting a "fridge-to-go" bag with ice pack for you to transport your milk from office to home if you intend to continue breastfeeding after going back to workforce..]



• Feeding pillow
[Not a necessity unless you have the money to splurge.]



• Nipple cream
[Can consider getting one but get a small tube will do.]

• Prenatal heart listener
[Dun waste money on this]

• 3-6 breastmilk storage bags
[Storage bags are used to freeze extra milk for future consumption. Depending on whether you have excess milk to freeze. You won't know until you are in confinement. As such, I would suggest you hold back on this purchase first. If you really have a lot of extra milk, then you can consider buying storage bags. Note that for normal fridge, frozen milk can last no more than 6 months. ]




• Stretch mark cream
[Yes. You should start using stretch mark cream when you are preggie. After delivery, consider getting post-natal stretch mark cream if your budget permits.]

• Washable nursing pad
[Yes. I found this useful. In the first few months, milk may start to "leak" after a few hours. Using a nursing pad helps to avoid a situation where you soil your bra. Also, when you nurse ur baby/express your milk, the other side might start to leak. Get about 8 washable nursing pads.

Forget about disposable ones and washable pads are more value-for-money over time. But remember to handwash them. No machine spin. ]

• Milk collection shell / Nipple shells
[I personally didn't use this, so I can't comment.]