Breastfeeding Supplies Checklist

____ Nursing pads (to absorb leaks; they're sold at drugstores near baby supplies)

____ Daytime nursing bras (in the size you're wearing during pregnancy, or bigger)

____ Nighttime nursing bras (soft cotton without much support; they're mainly just to hold breast pads so you don't leak while you're sleeping)

____ Nursing pillow (such as the Boppy or the My Breast Friend) This can't-live-without helps you position baby properly and gives you hands-free support, so you can read or channel-surf while feeding.

____ Button-down shirts

____ Shirts and PJs with nursing panels

____ Lanolin cream, which is a lifesaver for sore or cracked nipples

____ Expert help -- via a good breastfeeding book such as the American Academy of Pediatrics' New Mother's Guide to Breastfeeding or La Leche League's The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

____ Bibs

____ Burp cloths

____ Comfy chair, like a glider or rocker

____ Hand pump (for occasional pumping, relieving engorgement, or pumping someplace tricky, like the car)

____ Electric pump (great if you'll be working or need to pump often)

____ Collection bags or bottles (If you go with the latter, just make sure they're freezer-safe for longer-term storage)

____ Cooler to carry milk home from work

____ Bottles, newborn nipples and flat screw-on bottle covers (to keep milk from spilling when you tote it around)

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