Clever Products for Breastfeeding Moms

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Breastfeeding is tough, pumping is tough, and feeding a baby is tough, period — so parents need all the help they can get from handy tools and gadgets. With that in mind, today we’re rounding up our favorite nursing and pumping products with this list of clever products for breastfeeding moms.

Readers, what were/are your favorites? What did you find to be duds? (Did you find other weird-but-useful products for breastfeeding moms that we haven’t included?) Shout them out in the comments!

Don’t forget to check out all of our nursing/pumping clothing recs from over the years!

{related: combination feeding tips: how to feed your baby both breastmilk and formula}

Clever Products for Breastfeeding Moms

Breast Milk Chiller: Ceres Chill

This breast milk chiller is the perfect tool for the pumping working mom.

With this chiller, no fridge, no problem! You can pump straight into the container and then store 24 oz. of your milk for 20 hours. It’s great for moms with long commutes, road warriors, or anyone who doesn’t have ready access to a fridge while pumping.

If you pump at night, no need to make a midnight journey to your kitchen and back — just pump into this container and go back to sleep. I especially love that it looks like a fancy travel mug, without an overt “mommy” theme.

Note that the outer portion is hand wash, while the other parts are dishwasher safe.

Ceres Chill’s OG Breast Milk Chiller is $68.98 and comes in 11 colors!

{related: a reader’s review of the Spectra pump}

Reusable Nursing Pads: Lansinoh

For nursing and pumping moms, nursing pads like these are indispensable. (And for some first-time moms, they may also be something you didn’t anticipate needing!)

Of course, disposable nursing pads are available (and they’re handy if you can’t stand to wash one. more. thing.), but you can also use reusable ones like these from nursing favorite Lansinoh.

These nursing pads are super soft and absorbent (there’s a waterproof layer and a core made from natural plant fibers), and they fit comfortably in your nursing bra. The set even comes with a mesh bag for machine washing. That said, it’s best to get a couple of sets so you’re not constantly laundering them.

A pack of four is $11.99 at Target.

{related: a reader’s review of the Sonata pump}

Reusable Nursing Pads: KeaBabies

Want a bit more color in your nursing life — and a larger pack of nursing pads? Here’s a colorful 14-pack of washable ones you can reuse again and again. There are enough to last until laundry day!

The pads have three plush layers to ensure maximum absorbency and comfort, while a fourth waterproof one keeps you (and your clothes) dry. They even come with a wet bag for switching them on the go, plus a laundry bag for machine washing.

KeaBabies nursing pads are available at Amazon for under $20. This set includes a range of pastel and neutral colors, and they also come in other color combos.

{related: how to feel like yourself after having a baby}

Breast Milk Collector: Milk-Saver

The term “liquid gold” has almost become a cliche, but it definitely feels accurate when you’re breastfeeding and you spill or otherwise lose a bit! Nooooo.

Here’s something to protect that precious substance: a “milk saver” to use when you’re nursing your baby (or pumping when you pump on only one side) that keeps you from losing any milk from the other breast. It fits in your bra and collects up to 2 oz. of milk that you can then transfer to a bottle or storage bag.

This milk saver is dishwasher-safe and free of BPA and phthalates, and it has a lid to keep milk from spilling out.

The Milk-Saver Breast Milk Collector is under $30 at Amazon. The price doesn’t seem so steep when you think about how many times you’ll end up using it — and how much angst it can save you!

{related: daycare tips from fellow working moms}

Milk Collection Cups: Freemie

Readers recommended these handy collection cups in a discussion on the best clothes for pumping at work. These cups replace the bottles and flanges on your (compatible) pump and allow you to discreetly pump “unplugged” and hands-free while fully clothed.

They’re made from food-safe, medical-grade, BPA-free polypropylene and hold up to 8 oz. each. Once you’re finished pumping, the cups, which are leak-free when closed, make it easy to transfer your breast milk to storage.

Freemie Breast Milk Collection Cups are under $70 at Amazon for two cups with 25 mm and 28 mm flanges.

{related: the best bras for nursing and pumping}

Steam Sterilizer Bags: Dr. Brown’s

Dr. Brown’s bottles work well for many babies, but some parents aren’t huge fans because of their many pesky parts. Cleaning them can be pretty tedious. The Dr. Brown’s microwave sterilizer is a potential solution, but it takes up valuable kitchen real estate as just one more thing to store on the counter.

These steam sterilizer bags are a welcome option. Just throw all the pieces in there, along with pump parts. Microwaving takes as little as 90 seconds, and you can use each bag multiple times. They’re self-standing for convenience.

Dr. Brown’s Microwave Steam Sterilizer Bags are available at Amazon in a pack of five for under $10.

{related: the best nursing camisoles for working moms}

Shirt Clip / Nursing Bracelet: NursElet

“Wait. Which breast did my baby nurse from last time?!” is a common question sleep-deprived breastfeeding moms ask themselves. Another pesky issue: keeping your shirt off your baby’s face. The NursElet addresses both of those problems.

Clip this adjustable bracelet onto your shirt for hands-free nursing while it keeps your clothes from falling on baby, and away you go! It also reminds you of which side it’s time to nurse on.

The NursElet bracelet is under $15 at Amazon and also comes in an organic version.

{related: 5 great books for working moms}

Nursing Cover: Milk Snob

Here’s a nursing cover that does double-duty! Besides helping you nurse discreetly (in case that’s a concern for you), the soft, stretchy fabric also fits over any car seat for post-nursing naps. It would be a great addition to your registry list.

The Milk Snob Nursing Cover is $36.99 at Nordstrom, where it’s available in solid gray and two prints. It’s hand washable.

P.S. Why do so many breastfeeding-centered companies have odd brand names?! Milk Snob, Boob Design, Ripe Maternity (ew).

{related: how to find balance as a working mom}

Tiny Refrigerator: Frigidaire

If you’re a pumping mom and don’t use the office fridge to refrigerate your pump parts or your breast milk, a small fridge like this can be a great option — and they’re pretty inexpensive. They’re also handy for storing drinks and snacks, especially if coworkers tend to “borrow” things from the communal work fridge.

Some of these fridges are really tiny and only fit about six cans of soda, and they use very little energy. (Check out our Corporette post on buying a mini fridge for your office for specific details on energy use.)

The pictured fridge is a bestseller for under $40, but Amazon has many more options to choose from; you can also find similar ones at Target and Walmart. 

Best Unusual Use for Breast Milk: Mama’s Liquid Love

I can see this being a controversial pick, and to be honest I’m not 100% sure how I feel about it myself. This is a company that makes jewelry out of your breast milk (and other personal items), and honestly, I was weirded out when I heard there’s a market for it.

That evolved into curiosity, which then turned to intrigue, and now I think I see the appeal. It didn’t hurt that a mom in my Facebook moms group posted a photo of her beautiful breast milk ring.

The more I think back about my own experience with breastfeeding, I have a lot of mixed emotions, but when I am feeling most generous with myself, I feel proud that I did it and proud that I knew when to quit.

So maybe this jewelry serves as some sort of adult version of a merit badge and a physical reminder of the time you and your baby spent learning something together?

The pictured cubic zirconia Crowned Beauty Ring starts at $285. (Note that you can alternately celebrate a memory with jewelry by incorporating ash, placenta, umbilical cord, hair, or dead flowers/leaves.)

Bottle Warmer: Tommee Tippee

Unfortunately, one of my sons would only finish bottles if the formula was warmed up. This posed a problem when we were out and about for the day. I spent so much time researching travel bottle warmers, and this is the one that worked best for us.

Basically, this is a big plastic cup that screws onto a thermos. We would either boil water or use very hot water from the tap to fill the thermos part before leaving for the day. Then when baby’s hungry, unscrew the plastic cup, pour the hot water from the thermos into it, and float the bottle of formula in it until heated.

You could also reuse the water for a second round because the thermos keeps it very hot.

Tommee Tippee Travel Bottle and Food Warmer is under $20 at Amazon.

Cooling Nipple Pads: Soothies

Like many of my friends and acquaintances, I could probably write an essay about my breastfeeding “journey.” Even though I read a lot about it before having my first son, I still underestimated how much it could sometimes just plain HURT. Even though I passed these by on my first shopping go-round, I remembered them postpartum and ordered them, and they helped so much!

A big thank you to the internet stranger who recommended that I put them in the fridge in between uses. These not only cool and soothe but also provide a barrier between your skin and your bra/shirt/anything that touches your skin that now feels like sandpaper on your poor boobs.

A set of two Soothies Gel Nursing Pads is under $10 at Amazon.

Privacy Sign: Etsy

This cute-but-not-cutesy “pumping in progress” wooden door hanger could be great for the office — it’s straightforward, easy to read, and will definitely be noticed on your office door. Plus, it’s a lot more attractive than the handwritten or printed-out “PUMPING IN PROGRESS” signs I’ve always seen taped on doors.

This sign is from the Etsy shop MadeByRoxanneCo, which has a lot of other cute products, including personalized ones. About 3.5″ x 9″, it’s made from wood and acrylic; the acrylic portion offers 10 color options.

The door hanger is only $11.50 at Etsy.

Slow Flow Bottle: Comotomo

I never needed slow flow bottles, just because the boys didn’t drink from bottles enough that acid reflux was something we needed to think about (or maybe they just didn’t have a problem with it). But I know that moms can go though a million bottles trying to find the ones you like for your kids.

These bottles from Comotomo certainly are stylish and have a natural look about them, and they’ve gotten really good reviews. So if you’re looking for something to try because your baby is not taking a bottle, or if you definitely need a slow flow bottle, do check these out.

Nordstrom has the 5-oz. size (two for $22.99) and Amazon has the 8-oz. size for about the same price.

Other Helpful Products for Breastfeeding Moms

Our Latest Favorite Nursing Bras

Our Latest Favorite Nursing Camisoles

Stock photo via Deposit Photos / cavan.