KA’s List Of Must-Have Baby Registry Recommendations: Feeding/Nursing Items

Here are some of my favorite items for feeding baby! This list is a bit longer because of the fact that I both nursed and formula fed (Short version: Scarlette was born premature, I pumped for five and a half months, we found out that she was allergic to breastmilk, I donated a batrillion bottles of milk, we used the world’s most expensive amino-acid based formula until she was 15 months old. I know a lot about ALL THE THINGS.)

My favorite bibs and drying rack are listed here. Also, I recommend a boppy and this high chair/booster seat (which I totally included on the wrong list, get it together KA.) I did not include any plates/bowls/utensils/sippy cups because those things are really trial and error depending on your needs and your baby’s skill level. And the force with which your child can hurl them at the floor. Scarlette’s is surprisingly high.

1.) Gillian O’Malley Nursing Bras and Tanks – Hands down the most comfortable, stylish and easy to use of all the nursing bras/tanks that I owned. I passed them onto a friend who agreed that she loved the nursing tanks more than any she had ever tried (and she’s on her third kid so that’s some good press for these things.) The NICU is actually kept really warm so even though it was winter time, I spent a lot of time in just a nursing tank while in Scarlette’s room (and pants. That would have been awkward. But not as awkward as this.) I felt totally covered and was still able to easily pump/practice latching often. These are available at Target and I would recommend getting some before you have the baby and taking them to the hospital with you. I was so thankful that my mother ran out and got me a few right when Scarlette was born.

2.) OXO Tot Bottle Brush w/Nipple Cleaner & Stand – You’ll want one with a stand, trust me. And the nipple cleaner is a nice perk. Don’t buy the Munchkin version of this, it is terrible. I know this from experience. Learn from me, grasshoppers.

3.) Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Bottles – Some people will tell you that all of the pieces in these make them hard to clean. Don’t believe them. It literally takes about 10 seconds longer and they are totally worth it. They seriously reduced Scarlette’s really terrible (aka projectile) reflux AND you can connect them directly to your breast pump to pump straight into them. Holla! Plus, they are BPS and BPA free. And I still use the little straw cleaners that came with them to clean Scarlette’s sippy cup straws. (I might opt for the glass version of these bottles if I were doing it all again.)

4.) Nursing Cover Up – Mine was handmade for me by my talented friend Darcy (thanks Darce!) I used it as a carseat cover too. The one pictured is by Bebe Au Lait but there are tons of cute ones on etsy and around the web. I just recommend that you have one that lets you see down it.

5.) BabyGanics Foaming Dish & Bottle Soap – I really liked this dish soap. I still use it for Scarlette’s sippy cups/plates/etc. It doesn’t leave any residue and I feel good about not using harsh chemicals on her things. It is pricey but a little goes a long way so it lasts awhile.

6.) Wean Green Wean Cubes Glass Baby Food Storage Containers – I tried a few different types of storage containers. I should have just spent the money on these in the first place. Here is why I like them: A) They stack to save room. B) The lids don’t pop open and get freezer burnt or spill out in your diaper bag UNLIKE SOME CONTAINERS I COULD MENTION. C) They are glass, which is my personal preference. I made my own baby food in large batches and then froze them and these are a great fit for that.

7.) Infantino Vibrating Teether – “Dream lover come rescue me…” Do you want to know how many FLIPPING teethers we tried? SO MANY TEETHERS. I will tell you all about what didn’t work for us in my What Not To Buy post. Like Sophie The Giraffe, the world’s most expensive squeak toy. This is the only thing Scarlette would use and we found it in a box of hand-me-down toys from my niece. Eventually when we started seeing and Occupational Therapist she said that Scarlette’s sensory issues were what kept her away from cold teethers and drew her to one that had a vibration. THIS THING SHALL NEVER BE PARTED FROM ME.

8.) Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags + Random Freezer Tray – I never had a problem with leaks or the bags splitting open. The best part was that I could fill them and stand them up in the fridge or lay them flat in the freezer. I would lay them flat in a random tray like the one shown above (I picked ours up on clearance at Target, you don’t need to buy the pricey ones labeled as “breastmilk storage trays, a regular freezer bin will hold more anyhow.) Once they were frozen flat I would put them in a gallon ziplock bag and move them to the deep freezer. They held more milk than other bags and I liked the you wrote on a tab above the milk, not over top of it.

9.) Dr. Brown’s Formula Mixing Pitcher – If you use formula at all, get this. I loved it because I could mix up the amount I needed for the day and not have to be measuring out formula/water ratios at two thirty in the morning. Plus, it really does mix well without creating air bubbles which is helpful for reflux babies.

10.) Sili Squeeze With Ease – This is a reusable pouch for baby food. I LOVE these. It’s so much more economical than buying the disposable pouches. Now that we’re no longer on purees I fill ours with applesauce or chilled soup. Scarlette still loves using it so it’s had great longevity in our house. It’s really easy to clean and fill. I have some photos of her using it and a more in depth review here.

11.) Weelicious Cookbook – if you plan on making your own baby food, I love the recipes in the Weelicious cookbook for babies and toddlers. You can find most of them for free on the weelicious website too, I just like having something in my hands while I am in the kitchen. My other favorite book for making your own baby food is Super Baby Food. It is incredibly in depth and includes a ton of recipes plus a lot of fun crafts that you can make from non-toxic pantry/household items. It’s a really good book, it’s just slightly overwhelming with the amount of information it presents.

12.) Medela Pump-In-Style Advanced Breast Pump – Remember how I pumped for 5 and a half months before we found out that my baby was allergic to breast milk? Yeah, that. I used three different breast pumps and hands down the Medela was the most comfortable. I mean, as comfortable as you can be when you are strapped to a breast pump. And it expressed the most milk. I DO NOT recommend the Lansinoh pump. That one feels like it is ripping your bewbies off and I didn’t not pump nearly as much milk using it. Seriously, it was just the worst. My recommendation is this one but if you are having trouble producing milk, I would see your doctor and discuss renting a hospital grade pump (also Medela. The Ameda hospital grade pump is evil. In my opinion. Don’t sue me.)

13.) Food Processor – If you are going to make your own baby food, don’t buy a baby food maker. They are just overpriced food processors. Use the one you have or pick up a mini-one that you can use for other things when you are done with the baby food making stage. This one by Cuisinart is a good size for our family- the 3 cups was plenty for baby food and I use it to make pesto, breadcrumbs, etc. The brand doesn’t matter as much as function. I don’t suggest using the Magic Bullet blender though, because I tried that and burnt the motor out. So it doesn’t quite stand up to the amount of pureeing I was doing for just one baby that didn’t eat a lot.

Coming tomorrow: My favorite recommendations for bath/potty!

(Amazon is definitely my favorite for creating a baby registry)