🍼 Getting started with feeding
Breastfeeding & pumping
Breastfeeding technique
Formula storage guidelines
Breastmilk storage guidelines
Local & virtual support for breastfeeding
Local breastfeeding support groups
Sutter Health free breastfeeding class & livestream w/ educator (virtual)
Stanford Medicine Children's Health breastfeeding support (Palo Alto and virtual)
Blossom Birth & Family breastfeeding support group (Palo Alto)
Breast Friends Lactation Support Services **(Oakland) - Black identified focused support group for pregnant and breastfeeding mamas
Natural Resources lactation support (SF) classes, groups, and consultations
Brilliant Births (Berkeley) classes and consultations
Local lactation consultants and counselors
Rotem Pearlson, lactation counselor and postpartum doula
Droplet — founded by Stanford Professor Emerita Jane Morton; offers the most effective breastfeeding techniques in the critical early postpartum days in order to prevent common challenges
Nursing Mothers Council - free breastfeeding support by phone, text, email, or online video chat
La Leche League International — resources for breastfeeding support in over 80 countries
LactMed — drugs and lactation database from the National Library of Medicine
A database of drugs and other chemicals to which breastfeeding mothers may be exposed. Especially useful for learning about clinical studies of marketed lactation supplements (e.g., fenugreek, shatavari, moringa, etc.).
KellyMom - breastfeeding & parenting website (recommended by Stanford Children's Hospital)
Breastfeeding & pumping equipment
Bras
Bodily “Do Anything” Bra - the material is silky and soft, but sturdy enough to support pumping equipment
Suekaphin Nursing Bra (Amazon) - wireless, soft material, lower-ish cut (good with v-necks T's), removable padding (I don't wear the padding but have nursing pads instead), comes multicolor. It comes with 5 extenders, so you can use it throughout your breastfeeding journey. I've worn the same ones through both kiddos.
Nursing pads (disposable vs. washable)
Lansinoh disposable nursing pads (Amazon) - For someone who has lots of leakage, the washable ones didn't hold enough for me, while I have never leaked with these disposable pads! Highly recommend for those who leak a lot.
Nursing covers
Quince nursing shawl - Basically a knockoff of the AMMA Cacoon. It's soft and breathable, it goes in the wash and dries quickly, acts as a blanket for the baby.
Breastfeeding pillows
MyBrestFriend nursing pillow - this one is sturdy, unlike many other breastfeeding pillows. It helps keep your baby in a stable position while they nurse.
Breast pumps
Electric
Spectra S1 Plus - My bestfriend at night. It's a hospital-grade option that comes with two-level of nightlights, perfect for when you don't want to turn on the room light to wake you up entirely. It's also rechargeable so you can bring it with you in the car (for example) and use it in any case there is power outage.
Manual - Medela Harmony - I've learned to like the manual pump after establishing milk supply (post 3 months). This gets milk out efficiently aka you will spend less time pumping!
On the go / wearable
[Elvie Pump](https://www.elvie.com/en-us/shop/elvie-pump?_gl=1*11li7x7*_ga*NTkyODIzMzk2LjE3Mzk3NjUzMzc.) - I used this when I had to pump at work and have used it with my second while driving. I've never used another wearable pump, but it was said to be one of the quieter ones. This is back in 2023, where there weren't as many highly rated wearable pump options other than the Elvie and the Willow.
Baby bottles
Dr. Brown's baby bottles - made of plastic, glass, and silicone
Philips Avent baby bottles - made of plastic, glass, and silicone
Better Baby Care bottles - made of stainless steel
Milk storage
Freezer bags
Lansinoh — always write the date, time, and amount of breastmilk collected. Use your pump bottle's measurement to note the amount collected because the measurement on the bag is wrong! The bag has never failed me in terms of leakage (in the fridge or freezer).
Fridge pitcher
Dr. Brown's formula mixing pitcher — not necessary, but nice to have to avoid clumping/air bubbles and to make preparing formula more efficient
Haakaa silicone breast pump (helpful for catching letdown)
Bottle cleaning devices
Cleaning / sterilizing
Boiling water
Dishwasher, microwave
Sterilization device
Pressure cooker / Instant Pot (instructions)
On-the-go microwavable bags (e.g., Medela Quick Clean - I like this option while traveling especially. You can use one bag many times. Just make sure you have access to a microwave.)
Drying mats/towers
Breast care
Nipple ointments
Breast shells
Silver cups
Warmth before lactation/breastfeeding, cold compress / cabbage leaves afterward
Lansinoh breast hot and cold pads
Clogged ducts, mastitis, and breastfeeding blebs/milk blisters
How to identify and treat them
Nursing/pumping frequently, using epsom salt & hot water, using Haakaa
Milk supply
Factors that can impact milk supply
“What causes low milk production?” (Bullet points from article pasted below)
Conditions from a baby's delivery, such as having a caesarean section, premature birth, stress during birth, and certain medicines
Excessive bleeding (severe postpartum hemorrhage)
Some pieces of the placenta stay in the nursing parent's body (retained placental fragments)
Thyroid conditions, polycystic ovarian syndrome, diabetes, or obesity
Past breast surgery that cut some of the nerves, milk-making tissue, or milk ducts
Not enough glandular breast tissue
Smoking or drinking
Some medicines and herbs
”Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) can delay the onset of milk secretion if taken during the last trimester of pregnancy.” Read more here.
Hormonal forms of birth control. This is especially true for birth control that has estrogen. But some nursing parents have a drop in milk production even after taking progestin-only birth control during the first 4 to 8 weeks after delivery.
Nursing or pumping less often
Getting sick
Feeling stressed
Getting pregnant again
Lactation supplements
Common supplements
Fenugreek - further info on clinical efficacy
Moringa / malunggay - further info on clinical efficacy
Goat's rue - further info on clinical efficacy
Shatavari / wild asparagus - further info on clinical efficacy
Popular retailers
Lactation snacks
Lactation tea
Nursing Mama's Tea (available through producer and at Rainbow Grocery in SF)
Increasing/decreasing your supply
[Tips for increasing supply](https://wicbreastfeeding.fns.usda.gov/low-milk-supply#:~:text=Pumping or expressing milk frequently,your milk to let down.)
Weaning process
Educational resources / related digital content
