The Best Gifts for Nursing or Breastfeeding Mothers

Nursing can be one of the most amazing experiences of a mom's life, but it also can be stressful. Starting off with the right equipment can really make a difference. I tend to give a nursing gift package to all my friends that are about to become new moms. Many of the gifts are not as well known for moms-to-be and are really appreciated after the baby arrives. Having nursed three girls each for a year, and trying out many products, I've come up with a list of the best presents out there for nursing mamas!

The Boppy and My Breast Friend are probably the most popular breast feeding pillows out there, but I, hands-down, prefer the Luna Lullaby Bosom Baby Pillow. The shape of the pillow is so much better than the Boppy and Breast Friend. (I have used both of them as well.) The lamb's wool texture, my favorite, is super soft and the pillow adjusts so much better around your waist than the other pillows. I had cesarian sections with all three of my girls, and the Boppy was too tight around my stomach. The Luna Lullaby pillow is shaped like a right angel, but soft and flexible. It's also great when nursing in a football hold. This is when you hold the baby perpendicular to your body on your side. The baby's legs are behind you and the back of their head is cupped in your hand. This particular hold is great for moms that just had a cesarean section because the baby isn't resting on your incision. You can position the Luna Lullaby pillow so the baby lies on the pillow to your side.  If you are going to give a nursing pillow, I definitely recommend this one.

I cannot recommend enough these three products made by Earth Mama Angel Baby for nursing moms. The organic products are simply the best. The nipple butter, (in my opinion) the most necessary, is a great product to help prevent nipple cracking during nursing. I actually recommend that moms start using the butter before they even have their baby to prepare the nipple. Nursing is rough on the breast, and the butter is incredibly soothing. Plus, it's all organic and lanolin free. The baby will likely be ingesting a small portion of the butter when nursing, so anything else would be ill advised. Cracking and soreness are to be expected in the first few weeks, so preparing and using the nipple butter after every nursing is a great remedy.

Another great product are Booby Tubes.  Booby Tubes are basically heating pads shaped for the breast. You heat them in the microwave and can place them on the breast. These are also especially useful in the first few weeks when mom's breasts are feeling engorged. The warm compresses are incredibly soothing when a mom's milk is adjusting to the baby's needs.

The Breastfeeding kit, is a combination of these items as well as other Earth Mama Angel Baby products. For a complete gift to a mom, this is a great gift!

For the working mom, or mom that wants to be able to have a little time away from le bebe, the Medela Pump In Style breast pump is the best on the market. I would recommend this as a group gift since it's expensive. There are different styles out there, but the Pump In Style is the most popular. The breast pump can either run off of its battery or can be plugged in. It comes with two pumping bottles, a backpack or over the shoulder bag, a milk carrying case with ice packs, and tubes.

I've added steam bags and freezer bags to the amazon capsule as these will be needed as well. The steam bags are the best way to clean all of the equipment. Simply place the tubes, valves and membranes in the bag, add water, and microwave. It sterilizes all of the equipment, which is a great idea when you are dealing with milk. The freezer bags are the best for storing the milk. Most mothers pump and store the milk for a later time, and placing the milk in the freezer is the best way to store it.

If there is one nursing item you buy for your friend, this should be it. It is the best nursing book out there! The Nursing Mother's Companion was the one book that my husband read before we had our first daughter and I was so thankful that he did! I had a fairly difficult child birth with our first daughter and after having the cesarian section, I was pretty out of it. Fortunately, he helped me so much with those first few nursings because he had read the book.

The book covers everything from preventing and addressing nursing problems, to what medications are safe during pregnancy, to the different nursing positions. Everything you can imagine, is covered. We really used it more as a reference guide than anything and it sat on my nightstand for months! As a side note, the author is from our hometown and I've met her many times; she's an amazing lady and former lactation nurse.

These are the best nursing covers. The Bebe Au Lait nursing cover, also called a Hooter Hider, is like a blanket except it connects around the neck of the mom. This is so much better than a blanket, especially when the baby is older and can start to pull the blanket off of the shoulder. The best part about the cover is the wire in the top of the cover. This allows mom to look down at the baby and for the baby to have a little breathing room.

I highly recommend all of the items listed above. If you have any other must-haves for nursing moms, please leave them in the comment box!