3 Breastfeeding Gadgets an IBCLC Recommends Avoiding (and What to Use Instead)

Walk through the breastfeeding section of any baby store—or spend five minutes watching breastfeeding videos online—and you'll find a gadget promising to make breastfeeding easier.

Some are useful. Some are unnecessary. And some can create an entirely new problem while you're trying to solve the first one.

As an IBCLC, I'm not anti-breastfeeding gadget. I'm anti-using a tool without understanding what it's doing or whether it's actually appropriate for the problem you're trying to solve.

So if you're building your breastfeeding registry, here are three popular products I would skip—and what I'd choose instead.

1. Nipple Shields? NO to the "flow view" shields, YES to the Cherry Shaped Nipple Shield

Not all nipple shields are designed to do the same thing. A traditional nipple shield is a thin silicone barrier placed over the nipple that can sometimes be useful as a temporary tool when we're working through a specific breastfeeding challenge.

The newer "flow view" shields are different. They "show you" if your baby is getting milk or not to reduce anxiety... but really they just paint a contextless picture, increasing the opportunity for misunderstandings about feeding.

Why I'd avoid it:

If you see milk flowing, it can make a feed appear more successful while the underlying problem is still sitting there.

What I'd use instead:

If a nipple shield is actually appropriate, I prefer a traditional thin, cherry-shaped silicone shield—and I want it used intentionally.

When you might need one:

Nipple shields can be incredibly useful in certain situations. But they're a tool, not a universal solution for painful or difficult latching.

If someone hands you a shield because breastfeeding hurts, the next question shouldn't just be, “Did the shield help?”

It should also be: Why did breastfeeding hurt in the first place?

2. NO: A Wearable Breast Pump as Your Default Pump; YES: A spectra electric pump and/or manual hand pump

I understand why wearable pumps are appealing. No cords. No bottles hanging off your chest. You can put one in your bra and keep moving.

Convenience matters.

But if you're buying one pump to depend on, especially during the early weeks of establishing milk production, a wearable would not be my first choice.

Why I'd avoid it as your default:

Pumping isn't just about collecting milk. Sometimes we're using a pump because milk removal has become part of protecting or establishing your supply.

If baby isn't transferring milk effectively, you're exclusively pumping, or you're trying to increase milk production, I want a pump I can rely on for effective milk removal.

That doesn't mean wearable pumps are inherently bad. It means convenient and appropriate aren't always the same thing.

What I'd use instead:

A traditional electric pump like a Spectra as your primary pump, with properly fitted flanges.

I'd also happily put an inexpensive manual pump on your registry. They're simple, portable and surprisingly useful when you need to remove milk without setting up your entire electric pump.

When a wearable can make sense:

Once breastfeeding and milk production are established, a wearable can be a fantastic secondary pump for convenience.

Going back to work? Pumping in the car? Need something occasionally while you're out?

Great. I just wouldn't make it the only pump standing between you and your milk supply if feeding isn't going well.

3. NO: A Traditional Haakaa Suction Pump; YES: Haakaa Lady Bug Collector

This one might be controversial because the traditional Haakaa has been treated like a breastfeeding registry essential for years.

I don't routinely recommend it.

The traditional Haakaa doesn't simply sit there catching milk that's already leaking. When you squeeze it and attach it to the breast, you're creating suction.

Why I'd avoid it:

Using suction on the opposite breast during feeds can remove additional milk and stimulate the breast beyond what your baby is doing.

For some moms, that's exactly what they want.

If you're attaching it at every feeding because someone told you to “catch your letdown,” you may be adding milk removal you didn't actually need.

And more milk removal tells your body to make more milk. That isn't automatically a good thing.

The constant suction can also cause nipple damage.

What I'd use instead: If your goal is simply to catch milk leaking from the opposite breast, I'd choose a Haakaa Ladybug or another passive milk collector.

It sits inside your bra and collects leakage without turning every nursing session into an additional pumping session.

The Most Important Breastfeeding Tool Isn't Something You Can Add to Your Cart

Here's the bigger problem I have with breastfeeding gadgets:

A product can help you do something without helping you understand why you're doing it.

A nipple shield might help baby stay latched.

A pump might remove milk.

A suction collector might fill with several ounces.

But none of those things tell you whether baby is transferring milk effectively, whether your milk production needs protecting, why breastfeeding hurts, or what you should do if your feeding plan suddenly changes.

And that's where breastfeeding preparation tends to fall apart.

Because when something happens at 2 AM, you don't just need another gadget.

You need to know: What problem am I actually trying to solve?

Sometimes you need to accomplish two things at once—like making sure baby gets enough milk while also protecting your milk production.

Sometimes the tool that gets you through today's feeding isn't actually fixing the reason feeding became difficult.

And sometimes the right answer is to do absolutely nothing except keep breastfeeding your baby.

Don't Just Prepare Your Breastfeeding Supplies. Prepare Your Response.

That's exactly what I teach inside the Breastfeeding MAPP Workshop.

MAPP stands for: Master the basics. Advocate for yourself. Pivot to Protect.

Instead of trying to prepare for breastfeeding by buying every product that promises to make it easier, you'll learn how breastfeeding actually works, what deserves your attention, and how to respond when feeding doesn't go according to plan.

Because the goal isn't to own the perfect breastfeeding gadget.

It's to be able to look at a breastfeeding problem and think:

Okay. I know what we're protecting, I know what questions to ask, and I know what I can do next.

Join me for the Breastfeeding MAPP Workshop and prepare for breastfeeding beyond the registry.

Quick note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them—at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely use, trust, or would recommend to my own clients.