Every mom needs a feeding cart! Those 3 tier rolling carts with all you need, dragging from room to room. In the beginning stages we use it as a breastfeeding cart, pumping station or general baby bottle feeding cart. As all moms know, and dads too, when you're feeding baby you're likely stuck for a couple hours at a time as they drift to sleep.
Here's my list of must haves for that faithful feeding cart, along with repurposing ideas when baby's older.
Snacks
Postpartum hangry is just different. We're already hormonally emotional, it's best not to add to that. I've always found that when I'm stressed, sad or mad that's when I need to take care of myself and my needs the most.
Have whatever little snacks you like and some water bottles handy in your cart. If stinky breath annoys you, have some mints in there. The point to have whatever would really pester you to not have when you're stuck feeding baby.
Electronics
Once baby falls fast asleep, if this is your first baby, you will be there for a while. Anytime I put my baby down she would wake up, so there I stayed and I needed something to do. A portable charger & cord along with an iPad, phone or kindle will help you not mind the nap traps.
For those who have another little one or are not able to be nap trapped, it's still an easy place to stash all your portable electronics in one place.
On a side note, if there's a big book you want to read, stick it in there. You might actually finish that book in the early stages postpartum when baby is sleeping the most.
Lactation Items
For those who are pumping, breastfeeding or both there's a never ending amount of lactation support items. This ranges from milk encouraging cookies and drinks, massagers, warmers or coolers, balms, nipple shields, milk catchers, manual pumps and more.
To be very honest, I did not want to spend hundreds on all this stuff. My advice is to wait until you're actually breastfeeding after baby is born before assuming what you will use. You'll be fine for a couple days without that item. The only thing I bought pre-baby was bra pads because the leaking is inevitable.
The hospital gave me a nipple shield and I bought milk catchers, a manual pump and nipple balm. I ended up not using them. If your milk is very little I do recommend milk catchers for every drop. If you're over producing you can keep the leaking milk, but for me that was an added thing to do that wasn't necessary. Sorry moms, but I let it all leak into a pad and tossed it.
What I actually used was both reusable and disposable pads, cooling pad for soreness and a balm to massage out clogs as needed. Coconut or olive oil works perfect to massage, put some in a little container in your cart. I'll link these below.
Click each item to see what they are or to purchase in your Amazon cart.
Pumping Accessories
4 words! Hands free pumping bra! I don't know why it took me so long to buy one, but it was the best thing I had in my cart! You can always return it if pumping doesn't work out, but buy this pre-baby. I only bought one, having two would be more handy for wash days.
There's also a hack with a regular nursing bra where you circle the hook around the pump. That just didn't work as well for me.
In this list is also a variety of flange inserts to find your perfect fit. The best way is to just use measuring tape. I have two reckless dogs so I also bought spare pumping tubes. If they chewed one or both I wouldn't last the two day shipping for a new set and pump parts are hard to find in stores.
Comes with a nursing bra. I chose this one because the Velcro is so easy, it's the same one I used.
Baby Necessities
This list is whatever you may need to grab in a jiffy with your baby. Since your feeding cart can follow you anywhere you can avoid having diapers, clothes and burp cloths all over the house by just placing them in your cart.
A portable changing pad, diapers, wipes, a toy or distraction items, a baby blanket and burp cloths are all handy. My cart went with me from the office to my room to the living room all the time and having baby stuff in there was so convenient.
Organizing your 3 tier cart
Top tier place your pump, its accessories and lactation items. That's what the thing is for, after all. These are things you'll use the most. *If you want to use a milk collector have a bottle with a lid or other container to pour it into.
Second tier place your baby stuff like bibs, a couple receiving blankets or burp cloths, a couple diapers and wipes. Teethers or a distraction toy are good too. Just remember to rotate them every week or so if you don't use them so they don't have dust when you do need them!
since newborn items are small, the other half of this basket can carry your charger and a book or electronic (mine was my iPad).
Third tier snacks and water bottles. Some less used things like spare pump parts can go her too.
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