What to Buy Before Baby Arrives: The Basics
Breastfeeding Accessories
Breast Pumps
Breastfeeding Books
 

In most countries, breastfeeding continues until the child's fourth birthday, and for good reason. It's free and convenient. It reduces the incidence of colic, allergies, obesity, diabetes, ear infections, and learning disorders during childhood, and breastfed babies are less likely to have high cholesterol levels or heart disease later in life. A study by American Family Physician found that 97 percent of formula-fed babies became ill in their first 6 months, compared to just a quarter of breastfed babies. Breastfeeding builds a brainy baby: a mother's milk contains all the fatty acids a newborn's brain needs for proper development. It doesn't require fumbling to prepare a bottle for those 2 a.m. feedings, it's less expensive than formula, and it promotes mother/baby bonding. Moms who breastfeed find they lose their "baby fat" without dieting or exercising.

While any new mother will attest that while breastfeeding can be one of the most fulfilling experiences in life, there can be some not-so-pleasant side effects from constantly feeding a ravenous newborn--sore nipples, an aching back, and just plain exhaustion. It takes more extra daily calories to breastfeed than it does to be pregnant (500 compared to 300); when you're not feeding the baby, you'll be feeding yourself! In addition to a steady supply of nutritious meals and snacks, a breastfeeding mom needs some TLC to help her out, and breastfeeding pillows, well-fitting nursing bras, and other breastfeeding supplies are just what the doctor ordered.

What to Buy Before Baby Arrives: The Basics
Chances are, you won't be in the mood or have the time to shop for these things after your special delivery. Take care of them now and you'll thank yourself later! The basics include:

Breast Pads In the beginning, you're going to leak. A lot. (Whenever you hear your baby cry, or even think about her!) Disposable breast pads are convenient, especially while you're out and about, but reusable, machine-washable cotton and wool ones are more absorbent (and therefore best for nighttime), and more economical.

Shop for these mother's helpers.

Breastfeeding Accessories
Nursing Stools You run a strong enough risk of needing chiropractice in the years ahead from horsing around, playing piggyback, lifting your child in and out of the car seat, and just picking her up and carrying her around. You don't need breastfeeding to contribute to your potential back woes; all those hours of breastfeeding while slouching can add up quickly to produce back strain. It's a miracle the difference a little nursing stool to prop up your feet just right can make, helping to prevent mid- and lower-back pain during the breastfeeding months (or years!).

Pillows There's good reason why the Boppy is a breastfeeding woman's best friend; it props a newborn up at just the right height to make mealtime a pleasant experience for both baby and mom. You may feel a little funny using it, your childless friends may mock the name of it ("Isn't 'Boppy' one of Barney's friends?"), but you'll soon want yours permanently attached to your body. Later on, it can double as a handy little support for your baby when she's learning to sit up on her own.

Shawls and Covers It's hard to believe how sexualized breasts have become in our culture--and how it seems that babies squeal with hunger whenever there's no quiet, private spot to feed them. A shawl serves double duty: it gives privacy to mom and tunes out the world for baby, providing a little cozy, quiet spot for nursing in contentment.

Breast Pumps
Key Features For women not in the mood to think about returning to work, it's easy to procrastinate in the search for a pump. It's a good idea, though, to practice using one and getting baby accustomed to a bottle a few weeks before you go back, and thankfully, today's pumps are compact, simple to set up, and efficient.

Manual Pumps If you don't plan to return to work, or know you'll need to pump just a few times a week, a relatively inexpensive manual pump like the Isis model from Avent is probably all you'll need for those times when you need to leave a bottle or two with your partner or caregiver. They're lightweight and quiet, but can require up to half an hour to pump both breasts, don't allow for adjustable suction, and can provide more thumb and wrist exercise than you ever bargained for.

Mini Electric Pumps A step up from manual pumps are the compact, mini electric varieties, many of which can operate manually, with batteries, or electrically. These don't usually come with several collection bottles the way that full-size pumps do, but are ideal for occasional use or travel.

Full-Size Electric Pumps The Medela Pump In Style and Ameda Egnell Purely Yours electric breast pumps are the two most popular choices for working moms because they're lightweight, quick to assemble, easy to use, and efficient, and may even be covered by health insurance. Their motors are under warranty usually for a year. This type of pump is well worth investing in if you'll be pumping daily for a while, or plan on having more than one baby. While noisier and heavier than the mini electric pumps, they make up for these drawbacks in comfort, with multiple settings for vacuum strength and speed. They feature built-in coolers, can operate as single or double pumps, and come with bottles and briefcase-like carrying cases.

Pump Accessories If you have a killer commute, you'll want to invest in an adapter so you can plug your electric pump into your car's cigarette lighter. Freezer bags are a great no-fuss, sterile way to store expressed milk, and labels for stored breast milk will remind you what milk to use first, or if it needs to be discarded (usually after three months for frozen milk).

Breastfeeding Books
In the West, most of today's new moms can't ask their own mothers for advice because they used formula. Fortunately, there are some phenomenal books available that are almost as good as having an experienced mom by your side, including The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins, a nurse and certified lactation consultant; The Breastfeeding Book by Martha Sears and Dr. William Sears (parents of nine!); The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding; and Breastfeeding Your Baby by Sheila Kitzinger.

Erica Jorgensen, Halfvalue.com's Health, Mind & Body and Parenting & Families editor, has ghostwritten two books and written hundreds of articles for publications including The Boston Globe and Seattle Magazine. Her very entertaining daughter Isobel was born at home in July 2000.