tell me the must haves

 that every breatfeeding mother should have. Thanks in advance

I attend births so I see alot of moms and their difficulties. 

a good double breast pump for engorgement and saving milk up.

milk bags or safe plastic bottles for saving milk

mothers milk tea.  take day #1 of birth till your boobs feel full. milk will typically come in on day 2 vs day 4 with 1st baby then.

 Kathleen Huggins book, a Nursing Mother Companion.  best book.

and a boppy for propping baby in every position imaginable.

flat cloth diapers for burp rags.  not the store bought cause they absorb NOTHING.  and boobs leak!! try www.greenmountaindiapers.com

save your money & forgo the nursing rocker- nurse in your bed lying down or on the comfy couch,

no nursing shawl (use a light receiving blanket)

do not buy formula,

only get 1-2 breastfeeding friendly bottles. 

make sure mother in laws and non breastfeeding friendly people are not around the 1st few days when you are so vulnerable to giving up.  they will tell you your baby is starving and they need water. 

and remember, take one day at a time.  by 2 weeks, its awesome

Boobs and most importantly nipples

hahaha!!

My list: boppy, nipple shields (for use in the beginning), and cloth diapers for burp rags.  That's all I need 99% of the time.  I think you should also have a pump and probably some breastmilk storage bags.  Occasionally I've used the lanolin cream as well.  I think that's about it!

Blessed_with_Children:

Boobs and most importantly nipples

That's what I love about breastfeeding! You really don't need STUFF. I can dash out the door and all I have to do is grab my baby and the diaper bag, and I have everything she needs while we're out right there under my shirt.

In the beginning I found it helpful to have nursing pads (to stop leaking), Lansinoh, and a nursing pillow. We have these wonderful "muslin squares" that an English friend sent me that are like burp cloths but bigger and more absorbent. I've never seen them in the USA though. I never had nursing bras with my boys (I just pulled up my regular soft cup bra), but I bought a few this time and I like them. I have a pump, but I almost never used it until I recently started pumping once a day to donate to a sick baby. If you're home with the baby full time I wouldn't say a pump is a "must have". There is lots of stuff marketed to breastfeeding moms. Some of it is nice to have, but none of it is really essential. The companies try to make you believe it is, because otherwise nobody makes any money off you nursing your baby!

Andrea to be honest the one thing I want and cannot find is long sleep breastfeeding clothes. I bought an undershirt for breastfeeding but it has no sleeves and it is freezing to wear that. Any ideas on where I could find any long sleeve/winter breastfeeding clothes? Also what nursing pillow do you all have?You all mentioned it. Thank again

Maria, take a look here for sleepwear: http://www.motherwear.com/cat.cfm/cid/15

I have a couple of nursing nightgowns, but mostly what I do is wear regular long sleeve pajamas and just lift the shirt to nurse. I find that to be easier when I'm half asleep than fumbling with a nursing opening, and it lets me use the pajamas I already have and like rather than spending money on something just for breastfeeding.

I have the "My brest friend" nursing pillow (terrible name, but a good product!) I know a lot of people like the Boppy,  but I am short-waisted and it was too high for me. I only used the nursing pillow for the first couple of weeks, so if you are doing well with positioning without one, I wouldn't buy one at this point. You're better off not needing it if you can get a comfortable nursing position without it.

USA 98:

Andrea to be honest the one thing I want and cannot find is long sleep breastfeeding clothes. I bought an undershirt for breastfeeding but it has no sleeves and it is freezing to wear that. Any ideas on where I could find any long sleeve/winter breastfeeding clothes? Also what nursing pillow do you all have?You all mentioned it. Thank again

I had the boppy pillow but you only use that at the beginning when baby is small and you get a heck of BF. After a month or so you can BF anywhere and in any position more or less. I did not have the BF cloths. I simply raised my tshirt and fed him. If you want long sleeves buy a pyjama that buttons in front that makes things easier. I had a sleeping bra and tons of pads. I had a pump but did not pump that much and storage bags. Not much else really. this time I have the coverage that I paid only shipping for.

Thanks ladies, I pretty much have everything most of you have beside the pillow and since I am at home for the most part I don't think there is any need for it at this point. 

I love the boppy! You can use it to prop the baby up later on, too. I need nursing pads even now, because I often have oversupply issues and leak a lot, but I hated the thought of spending $ on them, so I made my own out of old cloth prefold diapers.