However you plan to feed your baby, one thing’s for certain: you’ll be spending a lot of time doing it! Whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle-feeding – or even some combination of both – feeding your baby will take up many hours so you’ll want to ensure that you’re both as comfortable as can be during those times. That’s where a nursing pillow comes in. Designed to offer support to you and you baby when you’re feeding, nursing pillows come in a variety of different shapes and sizes.
Ultimately, all nursing pillows do the same thing. They offer support for you and your baby, helping to position your baby at the right height for comfortable feeding sessions, without you having to slouch or strain.
Your body shape plays a part in determining which nursing pillow will suit you best – if you’re petite, go for a compact nursing pillow that won’t swamp you and if you’re tall, choose one with enough bulk to it to ensure your baby will be raised to the right height for comfortable feeding. To choose which nursing pillow is right for you, think about where you’re likely to feed your baby. The perfect nursing pillow for a breastfeeding mum who splashed out on a rocking nursing chair for her baby’s room won’t necessarily be the best option for a bottle-feeding mum whose favourite place to feed is snuggled up on the sofa.
We think the Ergobaby Breastfeeding Pillow is the best nursing pillow you can buy. We love that it has an integrated handle so you can easily take it with you from room to room whilst holding your baby, and the fact that the cover is machine washable is a bonus.
Developed in consultation with nursing mums and lactation experts, the Natural Curve Nursing Pillow is designed to help you position your baby in the correct tummy-to-tummy alignment when nursing. It contours to your body to help support your baby’s latch during feeds. This breastfeeding pillow also helps place your baby at the optimum height to ensure both you and your baby are comfortable, helping to reduce back pain from slouching. We like that the pillow cover is easy to remove and machine washable, so there’s no need to worry about leaky nappies or spillages.
This innovative nursing pillow consists of a series of layered ‘petals’ which enable you to create the perfect angle for feeding throughout every stage of your baby’s development. We love this because what works well as a nursing pillow for a tiny newborn won’t necessarily serve you so well when you’re feeding a bigger baby, so this represents great value for money as you’ll be able to use it consistently as your baby grows. It’s also neat and compact so it’s a good choice for travelling. This one is also a good choice for mums recovering from c-sections. It’s machine washable, too.
The thing about breastfeeding pillows is that they can be bulky, which isn’t ideal if you’re taking a trip with your baby to visit friends or relatives. But this breastfeeding pillow solves that problem – it’s cleverly designed to be really compact and highly portable. We love that it’s small enough to travel with, and the fact you can use it for various different hold methods. We also think it’s brilliant for mums who’ve had a c-section and want to avoid putting pressure on their stomach when feeding their baby. It’s also a handy support for friends and relative to use when holding the baby.
The Dreamgenii pregnancy support feeding pillow is a back and bump support cushion with a ‘tail’ that rests between your legs when you’re in bed at night, helping to align your hips and ease the symptoms of conditions such as pelvic girdle pain. As well as supporting your bump, back and knees, the pillow also makes it easier to lie on your left side – the optimum position for encouraging maximum blood flow between mother and baby. The pillow is designed to prevent you from rolling onto your back at night, aiding restful sleep. And when your baby is born, it doubles as a feeding pillow.
Unlike crescent-shaped nursing pillows, My Brest Friend is innovatively designed to ensure it stays securely in place during feeding. It wraps around your body, which prevents it from shifting off to the side, and helps mother and baby achieve the ideal position for feeding at the same time as preventing back and neck pain. We like the arm and elbow rests, which prevent stress on your shoulders, and we love the pocket for stashing a drink and your nipple cream. The cushion is firm and the strap helps eliminate any gap between you and your baby, making for comfort during feeds.
