What do you need for breastfeeding?

You've decided to breastfeed and may be wondering what you need to be prepared. Many nursing mums will say you need to buy nothing - that's the joy of breastfeeding, it's far cheaper and simpler than bottle feeding. But there are things that will make it easier. We've suggested some must haves and some nice to haves:

Must haves:

• 2 to 3 comfortable nursing bras that give you good support, with drop down cups. When breastfeeding, particularly in the early days, you won't be thinking about co-ordinated, sexy lingerie. You'll be thinking comfort, comfort, comfort. Trust us!
• a sleep bra. When you're sleeping (those few rare hours!) your breasts can leak. A sleep bra makes it easy to hold breastpads in place, gives you support and is comfortable to lie down in with no hooks and eyes to dig in.
• a nipple cream. Mums swear by well known brands like Lansinoh and Kamillosan or you could try all natural creams like  Aaah Soothing Balm from MamaBabyBliss.
• Breastpads. Some people are lucky enough to get away without needing them but most feeding mums will need them. So stock up!
• Muslins. These simple squares of fabric are brilliant for putting over your shoulder while you're winding your baby and help avoid having a posset covered back. They're also great for covering up if you're out and about and to mop up after milk sprays when your baby decides to pop off the breast and have a good look around. Years later you'll find they make greater dusters too.

Nice to haves:

• A support pillow. You can buy specially shaped ones but a regular pillow works too
• A breastfeeding chair. Again, nice to have a proper chair to sit in when feeding but as long as you have a comfortable chair and ideally something to raise your feet, you can get away without having to buy one
• Feeding tops. These make feeding when you're out and about much easier. But if you are cash strapped, you can get away with just some regular vest tops that are loose enough for you to pull down and have an unbuttoned shirt over the top for more coverage. The vest helps keep your tummy covered, which just after giving birth, you won't really want to flash to the world.
• A breast pump. If you're trying to get your baby onto a schedule, rather than feeding on demand, or if you want your partner to have a turn at feeding, you might want to use a breast pump. If you do this, you'll also need bottles and a steriliser.

Little extras

• A large insulated mug for tea so that it stays warm while you're feeding.
• A water bottle - again, you will get thirsty while feeding and it's great to have on hand nearby without having to try reach forward for a glass
• Snacks - healthy snacks to give you the energy you need
• Face cloths - heat them up with hot water (or make very cool with ice water) and apply them to your breasts when they're engorged. It helps relieve some of the pressure, particularly in the middle of the night.

Happy feeding! And if you have any suggestions of must haves or nice to haves, please share them in the comments section.