If you’re about to begin your nursing journey and trying to get a good idea of what to buy, this is the post for you.
I’ve breastfed and pumped for all three of my children and have tried many different breastfeeding products.
Today, I’d like to share the nursing products that will stand the test of time and give you the most bang for your buck!
Affiliate Disclaimer:
This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on any of my fun-little-links and purchase something, I'll make a small commision at no extra cost to you. It's a win-win for both of us right?
1. Nursing Pads
So this one might sound a little strange, however, if you have several cotton or cotton/bamboo reusable nursing pads lying around you can still put them to good use!
The most popular way to repurpose nursing pads is to use them as makeup removers. They’re the perfect size for removing your eye or facial makeup after a long day.
If you do this you can also ditch the disposable facial wipes and help save the environment a little more.
My Personal Favorite
I’ve also stumbled on another unusual use for my old nursing pads. I like to use a breast pad as a clean barrier to sit my menstrual cup on after washing it.
Breast pads are the perfect size for this and they keep my cup from getting dirty as it dries.
I’ve also used my old nursing pads as makeshift coasters before, although, that was just a temporary thing.
2. Nursing Bras/Clothes
Who says you have to get rid of your maternity/nursing clothes after you’ve finished that stage of your life?
I still rock a few of my nursing bras today as one of them continues to provide great support while being super comfortable.
If you have cute nursing clothes such as hoodies, tanks, or dresses that don’t “look like” nursing clothes, you can continue to wear them. I won’t judge ya!
Some of my favorite nursing/maternity tops come from PinkBlush Maternity. You can check out the review I did for them if you’re interested.
3. Nursing Cover Scarfs & LatchPal
Speaking of clothing, some nursing covers are designed to be multi-use and double as scarves or shawls.
I personally wasn’t a fan of nursing scarves as my nursing cover came with a stiff pointy neck that helped me to track baby’s latch.
However, If you already have one of those cute nursing scarves, you may as well get the most bang for your buck.
Kids & Such (Amazon aff link) have some cool covers that double as burp cloths and there are some covers that double as car seat canopies as well.
If you already have a LatchPal (Amazon aff link) you can also continue to use it to clip dresses and long shirts out of the way while your toddler is learning to potty!
4. Bottle Brush
After you’ve finished with the baby bottle stage keep that bottle brush to wash out your water cups and canteens. I still use my brush when I need to get a really good scrub in the bottom of my blender or glasses.
My Favorite Bottle Brush (Amazon aff link) that I still use today comes with a stand and has a nipple cleaner.
5. Baby/Cloth Wipes
I always kept cotton baby wipes by my nursing station or nursing bag to clean my chest or wipe down any milk drips on my bottles after pumping.
I’ve since repurposed all of my baby wipes into reusable napkins. We just keep a basket of clean wipes sitting on the table and my kids grab them as needed.
One of my very first posts was on Different Ways To Use Baby Washcloths if you want to check that out.
You can also repurpose them into reusable tissues … or if you’re feeling super edgy you can use them as family cloth -aka- reusable toilet paper!
They work nicely if you’re in a pinch. “Cough Cough, 2020!”
6. Glass Bottles Or Breastfeeding Storage Bags
Glass is always a wonderful storage option for food as it’s non-toxic and can be used countless times.
I thoroughly loved using my Glass Baby Bottles (Amazon aff link) from Evenflow. I’ve always preferred storing and heating up my breastmilk or food in glass containers over plastic.
You can continue to use glass baby bottles to store maple syrups, spices, corn starch, or cleaning products such as baking soda. Your baby bottles can also be turned into emergency candles by adding soy wax and essential oils.
Another idea is to use these bottles to store interior paint for occasional touch-ups.
Don’t Forget About Those Breastmilk Storage Bags!
Do you still have a ton of milk storage bags left over? Don’t toss them Go ahead and store your homemade sauces, dressings, and purées in them.
Mince up some onion and garlic and even ginger in a ninja blender and divide up into your bags.
If you plan on making fried rice or any dish that calls for garlic and onions you can whip one of these bags out. It will cut down your prep time for sure.
7. Boppy Pillow
The Boppy Pillow (Amazon aff link) is one of the best things ever invented for propping your baby up to nurse but did you know there’re many other ways to use this pillow?
A few common ways to use the boppy is to prop up your baby while bottle feeding or training them to sit up. You can also prop them forward on their tummies while they watch a cartoon.
But Wait, There’s More!
I saw a tip online that was pure genius and that was to use it to sit on after having a baby! This would allow you to not put pressure on your most sensitive bits but still sit comfortably.
My young boys loved using their old boppy pillows wrapped behind them when watching TV. Boppy pillows add a little bit of back support even for older kids. You could also use your pillow to prop up a book or to play on your iPad for longer periods of time.
If none of those ideas interest you how about gifting your Boppy to your pet to cuddle up with?
8. Nipple Cream Or Lanolin
Nipple Creams (Amazon aff link) are fantastic for keeping cracked and sore nipples at bay and they’re good for your skin in general.
Don’t toss your cream after you’re done breastfeeding. You can continue to use it as a gentle diaper cream or to soften the skin on your feet by wrapping it in a sock after applying.
I personally like to treat skin rashes with it since my kid’s struggle with eczema.
Lanolin Is King
Did you know the best ingredient for chapped lips is pure lanolin and every major brand of chapstick has lanolin in it?
Skip all of the unnecessary fragrances and chemicals and rub Pure Lanolin (Amazon aff link) on your lips. This will keep them nice and healthy through the winter months.
If you’re allergic to lanolin you can use raw organic coconut oil or Shea butter as a substitute.
9. Wet Bags
When I was pregnant I purchased a small wet bag that was designed to carry my nursing gear around when I traveled.
Wet bags are great at preventing or limiting leaks if you need to store anything wet or something like milk storage bags that could leak.
These bags are so versatile you can continue to use them to put dirty cloth diapers, makeup, toiletries, a wet bathing suit, extra change of clothes, or even snacks!
Whatever you do, grab one of these suckers as they’re super useful. They come in many styles/sizes and I suggest getting one with an extra dry pocket like These Ones. (Amazon aff link)
Click the image above to play the video.
10. Designer Pumping Bags
Sarah Wells Bags (Amazon aff link) is basically the Michael Kors of pumping bags. If you plan on pumping at work and want to carry your pumping supplies, these bags are a great option.
Sarah Wells bags don’t look like “pumping bags” as they are fashionable and even convert over into diaper bags. You can continue to use them as regular day bags once your nursing and baby journey is over.
Well that’s it for the breastfeeding products that you can continue to use or repurpose. Let me know in the comments below what your favorite repurposing hack was or do you have another usefull tip to share?
Giveaway Details!
US & Canada Only!
If you’d like to enter this awesome giveaway simply comment below your favorite breastfeeding product repurposing hack from above or share one that wasn’t listed.
Also, if you share this post on social media, let me know and I’ll add your name twice into the drawing!
I’ll respond to the winners comment on this page and also send an email. Winner has 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen.
Sponsor, Prize, & Discount Info!
Kids & Such
Kids & Such is giving away one nursing cover, one multi-use cover, and one boppy pillow cover. The winner will get to choose their pattern of choice from the options given! 🙂
Kids & Such is offering a 15% off code for my nesties (you guys) on thier website and 10% on thier Amazon store. Use code greennest15
Kids N’ Such is a brand whose soul purpose extends far beyond providing high quality products for children. We wanted our products to be intuitive for parents as well. We wanted them to be so useful that every parent would want them, not just for their kids, but also for themselves.
We take great care in selecting products that add value to the lives of our customers. This is possible because we are parents too. We know that safety is of the utmost importance and that quality is essential.
LatchPal
LatchPal is giving away their gray arrow LatchPal along with a set of breast soothies.
Use code LPGIFT20 to grab 20% off on the LatchPal website until the new year, 2022!
Melissa LaHann is the creator of LatchPal and the founder of Happy Fig. Her business is 100% woman-owned and her products are made in Chicago, Illinois.
When Melissa was learning to breastfeed, she struggled to nurse in comfort as she held her infant and her shirt (up and out of the way). She’d been cinching her shirt beneath her chin and she knew there had to be another way; that’s when the idea of LatchPal was born. LatchPal holds up a mother’s shirt to eliminate muscle tension while nursing, so mom can relax and optimize milk flow for breastfeeding success. The simple design and one-handed fastening have made it a top choice for moms, hospitals, and lactation professionals!
You can purchase LatchPal on Amazon, ETSY, or LatchPal.com, and don’t forget to show Melissa some love on social @LatchPal.
Bamboobies
Bamboobies is giving away $25.00 in store credit to their store. The winner can purchase anything they need.
Bamboobies puts moms first. Created by a real-life mom who was frustrated at the lack of reusable and comfortable nursing pads, Bamboobies combines smart design and baby-and-mom-friendly ingredients to provide worry-free, effective products that support and empower every mom at every stage of her motherhood journey.
Enter The Giveaway!
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Get your full guide on what to pack, just click the image above!
Hi
Just at the beginning of my breastfeeding journey thanks for all this help full tips like I say still being at the beginning
I like the idea of the wet bags did not really think about it to use it as a storage bag for breastfeeding supplies and I like it I think it could be super useful on the go
For me as a tip I plan to have my instand heating pads ( that I used for labor back pain ) in my to go bag to lose any hard breast tissues to avoid breastmilk clogging
Also if you are on the go and it’s cold outside with the stroller you can use it to warm your baby
Amazon
Hot to Go Reusable Heat Packs
There are also other brands
Love this tip! Thank you Claudia for sharing!
I love your tips to repurpose breast feeding supplies. I am in love with the wet bag trick. I am cloth diapering and currently pregnant with baby #2. I’ve been preparing to breast feed again doing research on reusable breast pads and came across your blog.
Oh that’s fantastic. So glad you stopped by my blog to enter. Congrats on baby number 2!
You are very knowledgeable. My lactation consultant was an even as knowledgeable as you. Thank you for all the tips.
Sari
Sari, that’s like the sweetest thing I’ve been told. Thank you kindly!
We’re at the very beginning of our breastfeeding journey but I had literally never heard of latchpal until this!!! Definitely checking it out!! Also love the ideas for repurposing the boppy!
Oh, that’s awesome, thank you for entering!
Pregnant with my first and due in 3 weeks! Planning on exclusively breastfeeding. As a minimalist in development I love all these suggestions!
Repurposing the breast milk bags & wet-dry bags is something I will definitely be doing.
Ohhh I love that, I’m working towards being a little minimalistic myself. Congratulations on the new baby coming.
Congratulations Mar, you have won the giveaway! I’ll email you shortly. You have 48 hours to claim your prize! Thank you