Battle of the Nursing Pillows

Hannah was labelled a 'lazy nurser' very early on. She'd fall asleep at the breast unless I actively kept her awake during feedings. Combine that with the fact that she wasn't a dainty baby - nearly 9 and a half pounds at birth - and I was recovering from a c section, I quickly found that a nursing pillow was a necessary tool while we both learned how to breastfeed.

I used a boppy pillow because it's what I had and what others had recommended. Nowadays, there are a lot of alternatives on the market, and I think it's worth a look at your options.

Boppy Nursing Pillow with Slipcover 

$40

The Boppy pillow is consistently hailed as one of the best baby products to own.  Not only can you use it as a nursing & feeding pillow, but it can also be used as a lounger, a prop for tummy time, and as a support while baby is learning to sit up.  Some complaints against it as a nursing pillow is that it might not fit well around your stomach if you're larger, and it might not provide enough support.  As a 6' tall woman with a long torso, my main complaint was that it did not raise Hannah high enough off my lap to properly latch onto the breast, and I still had to do most of the heavy lifting during those extended nursing sessions.  While this pillow is useful over the course of the first year, I'm not sold on using it again for my nursing pillow.

**

Boppy Travel Pillow

$45

Boppy has a new option for the mom on the go.  When unzipped the pillow is very similar to the original Boppy, but this pillow folds in half and comes complete with a shoulder strap which is great if you regularly feed baby outside the home.  

**

My Breast Friend Original Pillow

$42

The Breast Friend pillow comes highly recommended by many lactation consultants.  The built in back support helps you to maintain proper posture, and the belt assures a secure fit.  The pillow is firm, which supports the baby while nursing, and the built in pocket is good for keeping shields, lanolin, or burp rags close by.  There are also many slip cover options available, so you're sure to find one that fits your taste.

**

Balboa Baby Nursing Pillow

$50

This pillow is obviously taller than the others featured in this post, which is something I'm looking for as a long waisted mother.  However, one review noted that while the outer edge is nearly 6", the inner edge is significantly shorts at about 3.5".  This will aid the baby in rolling towards the breast, but probably won't provide the type of support I'm looking for.

**

Kushies Nursing Pillow

$30

This pillow features a contoured shape to fit around mom's tummy, and a firm flat platform for baby to lay on.  It is nice and tall, which is what I'm looking for, and at $30, is one of the more affordable options on the market.  It is currently available in pink, blue or cream polka dot pattern.

**

JJ Cole Paisley Feeding and Nursing Pillow

$30

Because Hannah was a 'lazy nurser' I often fed her in the football position so that I could rock her head up and down to keep her awake.  For that reason, I like the 'paisley' shape of this pillow as it would fit nicely along the side of your body, but could still be used along your tummy for a cradle hold.  It features a contoured top to help roll the baby towards the breast, and an overall higher pillow height than some other options.

**

Dr. Brown's Gia Nursing Pillow

$35

Similar to the JJ Cole pillow, the Gia pillow would work for both football and cradle holds with it's 'paisley' shape.  A unique feature is that the pillow goes from thick to thin, so that the baby nurses at an angle.  This could be useful for babies prone to acid reflux or spitting up.  

___

After comparing these pillows, I think I'm leaning towards the JJ Cole pillow because of my preference for the football hold.  I would also consider the Dr. Brown and Kushies pillows.

Amazon Links to the products mentioned in this post:

This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.com but is not a sponsored post.