Hellobee Boards

A few bottles that are compatible with your pump. Lansinoh bags for storing frozen milk. Lansinoh pads for leaking. Lanolin for nipples. Hot/cold packs for engorgement/plugged ducts. Some sort of nursing pillow -- some like the Boppy, others like the breast friend, I preferred the Gia. Plenty of water. A good book on nursing, and an LC on speed dial!

Is it a double pump? If so get one of those hands-free pumping bras so you can type or read or whatever without holding up the flanges.

Lansinoh lanolin cream was a lifesaver! I'm on my 3rd tube of it almost 2 months later.

I really like the Lansinoh breastmilk storage bags because you can freeze the milk flat for more freezer storage.

Bottles and nipples are different for every baby- I just got a bottle of a few different types to try out later on. I had to supplement immediately due to latch problems and jaundice, but the NICU sent me home with plenty of supplies for early on.

My son likes the orthodontic nipples, so I use the MAM nipples in slow flow since I am breastfeeding with the Advent and Nuk bottles since they work best with my pump (not an Advent pump). Again, you hopefully won't have to worry about this stuff until later on!

Oh and another thing about the advent pump to watch out for is that the bottle lids leak like crazy! They have a center part that can be removed (I think so you can turn them into a bottle) and they have a collar that has to be used in order for the lid to fit on. It took me forever to figure this out, but whenever I would get milk from the fridge some had leaked out onto the shelves! It also leaks when swirling.

I just got this little breastfeeding essentials kit at Babies R Us the other day:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12066469
It comes all packaged up in a cute little pouch. I added a small tube of lanolin cream into the pouch (didn't come with it for some reason) and threw it in my hospital bag. I have a feeling it will come in handy...

I haven't used any real books- we mostly have been winging pregnancy and the newborn stages. I took the breastfeeding class that my hospital offered, so I have the magazine from that class that I use a lot. Also the "Breastfeeding is hard" post from Weddingbee has been super helpful.

In the hospital I met with every single lactation consultant that I could. I also asked every single nurse for advice- this can be a little discouraging at first because everyone has unique opinions, but in the end it helped a lot to see that there are many ways to have success- you just need to do what works best for you and your baby.

I chose my pediatrician because she is also a certified lactation consultant and has another on staff that met with us for a few weeks after the birth.

My hospital also has a breastfeeding support group that I'm going to start going to, mostly to meet other mothers and look for new ideas.

A support group is awesome. I found that so useful and recommend starting to go ASAP after you came home from the hospital. It is also nice to be able to get out and do something and NOT plan it around when LO might be nursing, because everyone there is nursing.

As an alternative to the milk bags - I use milk trays:
http://www.amazon.com/Sensible-Lines-20060401-Milk-Trays/dp/B000ZK3YBC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1330908312&sr=8-2
They are slightly more work to use, since you have to wash them by hand and it takes a little more caution to put the trays in the freezer, but it is so nice to know exactly how much you are thawing, you thaw only what you need, and we've found it much easier to thaw from these than to try to pour from the bags into the bottles.

I also have this bra for sleeping:
http://www.amazon.com/Medela-Sleep-Bra-White-M/dp/B000JIH8WQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1330908510&sr=8-2
It is not super supportive but it is soft and nice for sleeping in, at first I slept in just a t shirt but found that really uncomfortable and like having a little support.