You don't know exactly how feeding will go until the baby is here — supply, latch, reflux, preferences all reveal themselves in the first weeks. So buy a small starter set, keep receipts, and add more once you know what you're actually doing.
If you're breastfeeding or chestfeeding
- A few nursing bras and tanks — soft, wireless, easy to open one-handed
- Nursing pads — washable or disposable; leaking is common early on
- Nipple balm (lanolin or a plant-based equivalent) — one tube
- A nursing pillow for positioning
- A water bottle you can open one-handed — you will be thirsty every single feed
- The number for a lactation consultant saved before the baby arrives — the single most useful thing on this list if latch is hard
If you're pumping
- A pump — check whether your US insurance plan covers one before you buy
- Extra flanges in a couple of sizes — the size that comes in the box often isn't right
- A few sets of bottles or bags for storing milk, plus a marker for dates
- A hands-free pumping bra if you'll pump regularly
- A small cooler bag if you'll pump away from home
If you're bottle feeding (formula or expressed milk)
- 4 to 6 bottles in the smallest size to start — don't commit to a full set of one brand until the baby takes to it
- Slow-flow / newborn nipples
- A bottle brush and a drying rack
- Formula — one container of a standard cow's-milk-based formula to start, unless your pediatrician advises otherwise
- A kettle or a way to prepare bottles to the temperature your formula instructions specify
Useful whichever way you feed
- Burp cloths — a dozen. They double as everything.
- Bibs — a few small ones for dribble and spit-up
- A comfortable chair with arm support in the space where you'll feed at night
- A small nightlight so night feeds don't require the overhead light
What can wait
- Bottle sterilisers and warmers — hot soapy water or a dishwasher, and a jug of warm water, cover it for most families
- Bottle-prep machines — convenient later, unnecessary at first
- A full set of one bottle brand — until the baby has voted
- Formula dispensers, drying trees, fancy racks — nice, not needed
Combination feeding — some at the breast, some by bottle — is extremely common, and plans change in week one for all sorts of ordinary reasons. Buying light and keeping receipts is not pessimism; it's how you avoid a cupboard of things that didn't fit your baby.
Nuga's in-app registry links feeding items to retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. Some are affiliate links — if you buy through one, Nuga may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Nuga tracks the feeds, not just the gear
Log breast, bottle, or pump sessions — by tap or by voice — keep a milk stash count, and see the day's rhythm when everything blurs together.
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