1. elvie Breast Pump(s)
2. Lagunitas Hop Water
3. Hakaa
4. Bamboo Nursing Pads
5. Storage Cooler
6. Dr. Browns Bottles
7. Medela Hand Pump
8. Nursing Tank Tops
9. Wet-erase Marker
10. Water Bottle

elvie Breast Pump(s)

This is the best thing to happen to breastfeeding moms since... ever. Most pumps require awful zippered tube top as visible pulsating nipples drop milk into hanging exterior bottles while tubes connect to a noisy machine that makes you feel somewhere between 1940s sci-fi and milkcow attached to a wall outlet or carrying a battery pack. These are elegant, effective, and allow you to actually make breakfast, walk around, or cover a football game. They are pricey, consider going in on the purchase with friends. It is worth it!

Lagunitas Hop Water

Did you know that brewer's yeast helps with lactation? That's great news for beer-drinking mamas. The problem is, alcohol can reduce supply and alcohol can cross over into breast milk. This carbonated beverage has the benefit of brewer's yeast, a refreshing beer-like taste and is alcohol free!

Hakaa

This handy little suction cup is perfect to easily capture some extra milk without pumping. While baby is feeding on one breast, the other will leak (oh the joy of motherhood). Instead of losing that milk, save it, and save a pumping session with your collection throughout the day. *Worth noting, this could cause an oversupply and is really only practical for when nursing in private as it is anything but discrete. Once my supply was established and baby was nursing in both breasts in a session, I stopped using this, but it was so convenient in the first months.

Bamboo Nursing Pads

Leaking, leaking everywhere! These reusable pads are soft and slip into your bra. In the early weeks and at night, you'll think you need a pack of 20. I had two packs, though now one pack is more than enough with the laundry we are otherwise doing.

Storage Cooler

There are so many baby items that seem gimmicky. Can breastmilk store in any ol' cooler, yes, but not so conveniently. Unless you kept an artic cooler from elementary school days of bringing a bag lunch, will need some sort of milk transport, even if have a refrigerator at work, then for the commute home. This is cleverly arranged with a freezer pack designed to curve around the bottles.

Dr. Browns Bottles

I like to store milk in the refrigerator more than in the freezer. While freezer bags are a nice option, these bottles are super convenient with a cover to store in the refrigerator or not spill in a diaper bag if someone else takes baby out for a day and brings bottles. Note: Most come with size 1 nipple. Our lactation consultant told us to order preemie size separately, even though baby wasn't premature.

Medela Hand Pump

If I don't have a whole session worth of pumping, even with the ease of elvie, if I'm at home, I found it easier to use a hand pump for a quick pump if I'm just looking to finish a session started by baby that didn’t fully deplete my supply.

Nursing Tank Top

To be honest, I was eyeing nursing tank tops from H&M well before I was even considering motherhood (organic cotton and cute patterns) but when it came time for nursing tank tops, I opted for tank tops that had discrete padded support. Nursing bras have their place, but I prefer to not have to lift up my shirt and expose my stomach and instead clip down. Not for modesty sake, but to avoid chilly air. I also purchased and was gifted some shirts and sweatshirts, but of my regular wardrobe can otherwise accommodate nursing.

Wet-erase Marker

As you are writing on various storage bottles, instead of using tape or trying to remember the date or hour when the milk was pumped, a simple wet-erase marker has been our solution/system.

Water Bottle With Straw

This one seems strange. Hopefully we all have a reusable water bottle at this point, but in those frequent feedings, it's so important to stay hydrated. And whether it's exhaustion or just odd angles you find yourself in trying to nurse, a bottle with a straw will be much more convenient that one you have to unscrew.