Breastfeeding your babies can be a really beautiful experience… and… at times it can feel like a full time job! Whether you’re still pregnant and getting prepped for baby’s arrival (gotta love that nesting energy!), or you’re already navigating your breastfeeding journey, set yourself up for success now with these ideas for making your very own breastfeeding basket.
So… a basket?
This is my spin off of the “breastfeeding station,” or “breastfeeding cart.” Some moms will make a special cart (think a small home crafts cart or organizational cart) that they can wheel around (but tends to stay in the same general area) to hold all of their breastfeeding gear. I loved this idea and wanted to make one for myself during my second postpartum, but I had one major obstacle— my first born! Koda was 1.5 yo and was getting into everything at the time, so I knew if there were items on display and within arms reach of him (and that’s pretty much the point here— to make the items you need frequently all within arms reach!), he would inevitably throw them all over the place. So I needed to come up with a different storage method. Henceforth, the breastfeeding basket was born!
Obvi, use whatever is most convenient for you. This can be a basket, a cart, a box, a tray, a tote, or even a canvas bag. Some designated storage system where you can keep everything you need for breastfeeding. I ended up really liking the basket method because it was easy to carry around to different areas of my house. Or better yet, it was easy for my husband to carry for me! This made moving from our bed (which should basically be your command center during early postpartum) to the living room a snap and I knew that all of the important things I needed would come along too without having to call out to my partner a hundred times to bring me all the miscellaneous items. In hind site, this kinda sounds like the origin story of a crazy bag lady in the making. Hmmm, well I guess it’s different cause I’m talking about baskets.
Anyways! During the fourth trimester, you will be breastfeeding a lot. Like A LOT A LOT. Make things easier on yourself by keeping your essentials handy.
Here are ten things I would recommend putting in your breastfeeding basket.
1) Milk savers
Also known as milk catchers. These help collect breastmilk that lets down from your other boob so you can easily build up your freezer milk stash.
2) Nipple cream
This little item will keep your nipples more comfortable and help bring some soothing relief when those bad girls get over worked. I recommend choosing a natural option with all food grade ingredients. (Here’s my favorite one made by a local doula!— use “wildflower” for 20% off).
3) Water bottle
Or maybe even two! Staying hydrated is your main job right now. Along with feeding baby, resting, and eating nutritious food. Choose a water bottle that you can open and drink from with one hand, like a a flip top or straw.
4) Electrolyte packets
This is a good one to consider to help ensure that you are staying hydrated. We need LOTS of hydration in order to produce breastmilk and to recover from birth (did you know that we excrete electrolytes through breastmilk!? —women’s bodies are amazing!). (I recommend the brand LMNT for a sugar and artificial ingredient-free option. Use this link for your first LMNT order and they’ll send you a 12 sample variety pack completely free!)
5) Snacks, snacks, and more snacks!
You will be ravenous at the start of breastfeeding. And you need to eat a lot to support all that nutrition for baby! Did you know that breastfeeding mamas need to consume even more calories during lactation than during pregnancy? Yep. One of the many reasons I highly recommend doing some freezer meal prep ahead of time and including some snacks! For more on this, check out my ebook, Postpartum Freezer Meals.
Ideally we are consuming healthy, homemade snacks, but what’s most important is that you are getting in some kind of food. Keep some shelf stable snacks in your basket so you’re always prepared. Think nuts, dried or fresh fruit, trail mix, Lara bars, grass fed meat sticks, or even seaweed snacks.
Side note— do you have any toddlers in the house? I remember getting slightly hangry when my 2 yo. consistently stole my breastfeeding snacks! I recommend stocking up on some snacks specifically for them so they don’t tap into yours. My all time favorite healthier convenience snack for babies and toddlers is Serenity Kids pouches.
5) Burp cloth (or any old hand towel)
This is nice thing to have around because inevitably you and baby will get a little messy at times!
6) Breast pads
So you don’t leak all over your clothes all the time. I like reusable bamboo pads because they’re soft on your tender parts and more sustainable. Just be aware that someone will likely need to do laundry pretty frequently in the early weeks (but that’s the name of the game anyways!).
7) A good, heartwarming book!
Rest is essential during postpartum and one way to encourage this is to get into some old fashioned book reading! Since our spirit and emotions can be all over the place after birth, I recommend choosing something sweet and happy. I re-read The First Forty Days during my postpartum and it was like medicine for my soul.
For my whole list of top postpartum and baby books, look here.
Bonus things that are nice to have nearby
A push light to help you see at night! Choosing some type of soft light that won’t disturb baby is ideal. After postpartum, keep it by your bedside or near baby’s crib.
A phone charger. I’m a fan of being present during breastfeeding, but sometimes it’s great to have your phone handy. If you find yourself scrolling on your phone a lot, try setting aside one breastfeeding session a day to not have your phone or book or anything else distracting you and just be present with your baby. You’ll thank yourself later!
A breastfeeding pillow. People have different opinions about these, but I think whatever helps you get into an ergonomic and comfortable position is great. Talk to a lactation consultant, support group, midwife, or even YouTube for ideas on optimal positioning. This can make a HUGE difference in the long run.
A box of tissues. Just sayin…
Have you made a breastfeeding “basket” before? Are you going to make one?
What else will you/did you keep in yours!?
This page contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you choose to make a purchase. It should go without saying, but just in case, I only ever recommend products that I whole heartedly believe in, that I use in my own personal life, and that I would recommend to my best friend. I hope these resources are helpful to you!