There are so many products available that are touted as being vital for breastfeeding. While it’s not necessarily critical for all breastfeeding mothers, I’m going to talk about a favorite of mine: the breastfeeding pillow!
What is a breastfeeding pillow and how is it different from a regular pillow?
A breastfeeding pillow, also known as a nursing pillow or feeding pillow, is a specially designed pillow that provides support and comfort to both the mother and the baby during breastfeeding sessions. These pillows typically have a curved or C-shaped/U-shaped design that fits around the mother's waist, allowing her to comfortably cradle her baby while nursing. Regular bed or couch pillows can surely be used for nursing but they don’t tend to be as convenient or as helpful!
What’s so great about breastfeeding pillows?
Because of its unique shape, using a breastfeeding pillow can offer several benefits for both you and your baby. Here are a few of my favorite reasons:
Support/Stability: Breastfeeding pillows are designed to be stable and supportive, which can be particularly helpful if you're recovering from childbirth or if your baby is wriggly or fussy during feedings. The firmness of the pillow provides a stable surface for your baby to lie on while feeding which helps prevent your baby from rolling or sliding off, ensuring a secure and safe feeding position. They can provide support when sitting on a chair, couch, bed, etc.
Comfort: Because babies nurse around the clock and can feed for long periods of time, it is imperative that both mama and baby are comfortable. A breastfeeding pillow provides support for mama’s arms, back, and neck, reducing strain and promoting better posture while nursing.
Proper Alignment/Positioning: A good breastfeeding pillow helps align your baby's body with yours, promoting a more comfortable and effective latch. This can reduce the risk of nipple pain and discomfort for you, as well as ensure that your baby is able to feed efficiently.
Hands-Free Feeding: With the support of a breastfeeding pillow, you may find it easier to utilize or maintain a hands-free or single-hand supported position during feeding. This allows you to use your hands for other tasks such as adjusting your baby's position, drinking water, etc.
Versatility: Many breastfeeding pillows are designed to be versatile and can be used for other purposes besides breastfeeding. For example, you can use them for propping up your baby during tummy time or for providing support while your baby learns to sit (though these uses should never be done unattended, of course!).
Bonding: Using a breastfeeding pillow can help create a cozy and comfortable environment for you and your baby during nursing sessions. You can spend less time arranging and rearranging and more time promoting bonding and closeness.
Easy to clean: Anyone who has experience with babies knows that things can get messy! Whether it’s spit up or a dirty diaper, you can count on doing a lot of laundry, especially in a baby’s first days (and weeks and months). Most breastfeeding pillows come with washable covers which make this process a bit easier. The pillows themselves are also typically machine washable.
My personal experience with nursing pillows
Here’s a fun fact! All THREE of my babies referred (and baby #3 still does!) to their nursing time as “doing boppy” even when the boppy pillow wasn’t/isn’t used. I didn’t teach this intentionally but because I found the use of the pillows to be most comfortable for nursing, my babies just must have heard the word “boppy” so often that they consistently associated it with breastfeeding. (To further prove this point, the timing of my nursing relationships was spread out so the younger kids never heard the older kids refer to it as such… they each made the connection on their own!)
At any given time, I possessed several breastfeeding pillows and kept one in the baby’s room, one in the living room/downstairs, and even one in the car! I traveled with mine to lactation classes, family gatherings, and even doctor’s appointments. Having this many nursing pillows may not be necessary for everyone, but I loved always having an easily accessible pillow for anytime the baby was ready to feed!
Are there different kinds of breastfeeding pillows?
Yes! As I discussed above, the “Boppy” pillow is my family’s most utilized brand. I have always used the Boppy original pillow and got a variety of covers to go over it. There are lots to choose from such as these gender-neutral Boppy covers. Here's an organic Boppy pillow and cover too!. I also love the nursing pillow liner to help cut down on some of the laundry (it serves a similar role to a mattress cover). Some Boppy pillows also have straps like this one. I personally found great success with the Boppy pillow for slightly older babies through toddlerhood. Additionally, my husband also found uses for this pillow while bottle feeding and for just hanging out. It also worked great for supporting the baby when big brothers wanted to hold their baby brother!
For right after birth, I preferred the My Best Friend nursing pillow. It is a bit more firm, buckles in the back, and offers a little more sturdiness for a tiny baby who has less control. The straps can be tightened to make it fit a little more snugly. It also has a small pocket on its side that can be helpful for holding small items (think snacks, burp cloths). As my babies got older, however, I found this particular pillow to be a bit restrictive. It also offers less versatility as it can’t be used as easily for other purposes.
There are also plenty of other brands out there such as Dr. Brown's Breastfeeding Pillow with Removable Cover or Frida Mom Nursing Pillow Back + Belly Warmers or Momcozy nursing pillow. I encourage mamas out there to do some searching and also to talk to your friends and lactation professionals for information about which one might be best for you!
Can you breastfeed without one?
Of course!! Breastfeeding pillows are not essential for every breastfeeding mother. Some mamas find that they prefer different nursing positions that don’t work well with a nursing pillow or they want to save money or want to have one less “thing” around the house. Breastfeeding pillows are just an option that many find to be helpful for making the breastfeeding experience more comfortable and enjoyable for both mother and baby.
Check out my favorites mentioned in this blog:
(select on a product image to open a separate tab to view full details and purchase)
I’d love to hear any other mamas’ opinions about nursing pillows! Please share below!
At Latch on to Language, I specialize in working with moms, moms-to-be, and babies. I offer in-home services to clients in Cecil County, MD, and nearby towns/cities in MD, PA, and DE. Additional travel fees apply to locations beyond this area. Virtual sessions are also effective and can be provided to address many lactation concerns.
If you're struggling with a nursing strike or any other lactation issue or you’d simply like more information, please reach out to see if Latch on to Language may be a good fit! I look forward to working with you! 🌟
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