If you’re pregnant or a new mum wondering what you might need on your breastfeeding journey, this post is for you. Natural breastfeeding products – the breastfeeding essentials you’ll need for the first six months and beyond. These are my all-time favourite breastfeeding products, which have been invaluable to me.
I’ve breastfed all four of my littles from birth until the age of 2, so I’ve tried a lot of breastfeeding products. Here are the products I return to again and again – from the best nipple balms, teas and support for mum, but also the best breast pumps, bottles for breastfeeding babies, and nursing pillows.
My breastfeeding back story
When I first wrote this post, I’d been breastfeeding Jonah for almost 17 months. We struggled at the start with painful latch, and we overcame it together.
My mum breastfed me for a few weeks so had a little experience to pass along, but ultimately I didn’t have anyone to hand on a daily basis for support.
Instead, I used breastfeeding groups and council-funded feeding specialists to support us early on. I also used Facebook breastfeeding support groups.
My favourite natural breastfeeding products
A question I see pop up in Facebook groups all the time from mums-to-be is what are your favourite breastfeeding products?
I’m disappointed when I see Vaseline being recommended as a nipple balm.
Hopefully, if you’re reading my blog then you’re a something of a crunchy mama, who makes healthy and clean breastfeeding product choices!
A pro tip
A tip I wish I’d known at the start about buying breastfeeding products: there’s a lot of advice out there about what to buy, but I would advise holding back until you’re absolutely sure you need something.
Also try before you buy, if you can. Local breastfeeding groups and support libraries are a great place to start asking about products and possibly borrowing things.
Another great tip, if you’ll excuse the pun – is to suck it and see. I was sure I’d want a breastfeeding cover, but after my first public outing breastfeeding, I started to become more confident. Had I bought a cover, it’d definitely been on the shelf unused!
That said, the one thing you really do need at the start, is nipple balm.
Do not scrimp on nipple balm!
Nipple balm
Weleda Nipple Balm is one of my favourite natural breastfeeding products. It’s organic and contains lanolin, plant waxes, and healing calendula. It protects nipples from damage and helps to heal them if they get sore.
Developed by midwives and pharmacists, this fragrance-free balm is a must have!
Weleda Nipple Balm, £5.50 at Amazon.
Nursing oil
You’ve heard of nipple balm, but have you ever used a nursing oil? This one is amazing! Use Weleda Nursing Oil with massage to comfort and warm your breasts and promote letdown. This sweet-smelling oil aids lactation with herbs that are known galactagogues, supporting your natural milk production.
Your boobs will feel so comforted and soothed after treating them with this gorgeous oil.
Weleda Nursing Oil, £15.49 at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
Nipple shields
These things literally saved our breastfeeding journey. In an ideal world, all babies would find it easy to latch and feed right away, but this isn’t always the case.
I love that these Medela Nipple Shields come in a handy yellow clamshell case. I used to keep mine under the pillow for nighttime feeds.
Medela Nipple Shields, £8.99/$7.35 at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
Reusable bamboo breast pads
If you don’t use a silicone breast pump to catch milk on the opposite breast, then use these instead to save leakage on to your clothes. Bamboo is an amazing fabric for absorbency.
These bamboo breast pads are a wonderful natural breastfeeding product. They’re organic, washable, and come in a neat laundry bag so they don’t get jumbled up in your regular laundry. The bamboo used to make them is sustainably harvested, making them a truly crunchy choice.
Reusable Bamboo Breast Pads at Amazon.co.uk.
Breast pumps
A breast pump to some is an essential, yet significant, investment. Read this article to decide if you need a breast pump.
Why would you need a breast pump?
- Create a freezer stash if you ever need to leave your baby
- Relieve engorgement and maintain your supply should your baby ever not feed
- Increase your milk supply should you ever need to
Silicone breast pump
I use the BeeMom Silicone Breast Pump for casual expressing when I need some breast milk fast. This pump is amazing for catching milk from the opposite side to the breast you’re feeding on. For me, definitely a breastfeeding essential.
Since the BeeMom pump isn’t available any more, I use the Haakaa Breast Pump, £14.39 at Amazon.
Electric breast pump
For an electric pump, I use the Medela Swing Electric Breast Pump. This pump helped me to increase my milk supply when we’d supplemented Jonah with organic infant formula. Milk expressed with this pump can replace entire feeds and is great for expressing for younger, exclusively breastfed babies. This is a pump ideal for daily expressing.
Medela Swing Electric Pump, £99.99/$152.99 at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
Bottles and cooler bag
The Medela Swing comes with a single Medela Calma bottle. In my opinion, the Calma is a natural choice for a bottle to feed your breastfed baby. Its unique flow action makes your baby really work for their milk, as they would at the breast.
You can get the bottles in a set of 3, or you can get this 4 bottle and cooler bag set.
This cooler bag is awesome if your baby is in nursery, or if you’re travelling and carrying bottles with you.
Medela Cooler Bag with 4 bottles, £24.99/$23.74 at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
Freezer bags
Medela Pump & Save Breastmilk Bags attach directly to the breast pump which saves you expressing into a bottle. Just express, label it, and pop it in your freezer stash.
Medela Pump & Save Breastmilk bags x 50, with adaptors, £22.99/$14.38 at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.
Final thoughts
I hope this list of natural breastfeeding products has been helpful to you!
If you know a new mum who would appreciate this list, please feel free to share this post.
Can you add any other natural breastfeeding products to my list? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!
Until next time!
20 Comments
It has been a while since I was in your shoes. But I remember feeling defeated that I had to ask for help with something that seemed like it would come so naturally. Eventually, my baby caught on and all was well, even without fancy products. Wishing you the best with your baby!
So pleased it worked out for you both! Your story sounds similar to mine. I panicked about the pain at first, but eventually it went away and it’s so easy for us now. Thanks for reading. 🙂
Ohhhhh I’m so excited to try the nipple oil and the beemum for catching milk from the opposite breast! Two that I have not heard of before and I’m alittle bit of s breast feeding vet! Haha I’m pregnant with our four child and all our children are about 2 years apart so I think I’m going on my 7th year of consecutive breast feeding!!!!! Look forward to trying these thanks so much!
Oh wow Hannah, that’s awesome! And congratulations on your fourth pregnancy! 🙂 So glad you like the products!
I’m a huge fan of Medela products too! I used them with my youngest 3 children, they were a life saver.
Love Medela Rhiannan! They really helped us when Jonah struggled to latch, and helped me increase my supply.
It’s been 12 years since I was a breastfeeding mom, I wish I had this list then… I remember the pads, I couldn’t be without them. I loved Medela line of products!
Awww yes! The pads are very handy. Medela are fab! Would’ve found it so hard without them.
I whole-heartedly second the advice on nipple balm – it took a good six weeks or so with both of mine to get beyond painful latching on, and I definitely would have given up without it. So glad now that I persevered, but at the time it was sooooo painful!
It’s so worth persevering isn’t it? It can be so painful though! I don’t know any mum who’s had it completely pain-free. Nipple balm all the way!
I am bookmarking this for when we have our first! These are great tips. Thanks so much for sharing with us. It really helps!!
You are very welcome and thanks so much for reading!
Great products! I used many of these same ones with my kiddos!
They’re really good! Thanks for reading.
I have no children, but this looks like a great natural list for any new parent!
Lauren
Thank you, Lauren!
It took four days before my milk came down. No one ever told me that could happen and I felt horrible. Before you know it, I was breastfeeding my twins with no issues at all.
That’s amazing! So nice to hear it went well! 🙂
What a fantastic and informative post.
Thank you, Margaret!