Advice for feeding lying down?

[Noodleeoodledoodles]

EBFing DS (19 weeks) and he has his nighttime feeds in our bed, us both lying down. He settles so well like this and it's great, except that my neck and shoulders are getting so painful. I feel like I'm hunched over all the time.

Anyone got any advice on pillows/positions/stretches etc to help please?

Which position are you sleeping in Noodle?

We're both on our sides, facing each other. I have one arm resting on the mattress, sort of going over the top of his head and the other over his body, hugging him IYSWIM

I remember getting a sore neck from feeding like this too. The best solution I found was using a thick enough pillow under my head so my neck was straight, then putting a pillow or cushion behind DD/DS to keep them close to me. Then tried to straighten so I wasn't hunched over.

Any of these any good?
www.babycentre.co.uk/a8784/good-positions-for-breastfeeding

Thank you, I'll try a thicker pillow. Probably need to make a more conscious effort to straighten up too!

I bough a feeding pillow from Jojomamanbebe which is perfect for using as a normal pillow when lying down to feed as it's chunkier than a regular pillow and seems to sit better under my head and neck. I tend to have it so the C shape is facing upwards away from my shoulders (if that makes any sense?!)

Thanks PlaySoft, am sort of doing the first one currently but maybe need to look at the sitting ones if I can't find a neck-friendly way of doing it!

moana, I've got a nursing pillow and haven't even thought about using it in bed. Great idea, thank you. So you use it completely in place of a regular pillow?

I haven’t tried C shape but have a V shaped pillow it is quite good for BF lying down on my back, means you can lean back into the v and have your arms and head supported- example here m.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-v-shaped-maternity-and-nursing-pillow/p604310

I feed laying down and make sure my head is propped up with two or three normal pillows. Takes pressure off that top arm. No need for special pillows I find

I never used a special pillow either.

PlaySoft love the idea of the v pillow and feeding lying on my back, will definitely look into it thank you.
Oly5 seems like propping up more is the key then, it's good to hear people are managing pain-free lying down feeding. Thanks, gives me hope!

Agreed- I only got the v shaped pillow because it was quite well stuffed. all our pillows are ancient and knackered and too soft and thin for what I needed.

Noodle good luck with it, hope it works for you. I find that the lying back position can also help a bit with avoiding swallowing air/wind as the baby seems to have a bit more control over the speed of their feeding and swallowing that way. (so long as they are old enough to have a bit of head control.)

PlaySoft

Sorry, the was for the thin pillow comment, not the lying back one! Thanks very much, sounds great to me.

Ha I realised something had to give when I found myself taking sofa cushions to bed with me!

I developed chronic upper back issues possibly relating to this but also due to other things.

A physio taught me a very good way of helping to ease things.

Roll up a towel and put it on the floor. Lay a thin pillow over the top part a bit like a T. Lie on it with your head on the pillow on your back so the towel stretched out your upper back muscles. Towel should end around bra strap but I move it about. Try different thicknesses of towel. Lie for at least 10 mins and do a could of times a day.

I recommend another pillow between your knees to help keep your spine aligned

I have constant shoulder pain and back pain through doing this for the last 14months I've tried all sorts of pillows and positions but nothings ever worked but my DD loves going to sleep like this so I still do it but I need to wean her off night feeds as she's 14 months now and should stop feeding through the night now.

Ekphrasis oh my goodness, that trick with the towel was great, thanks! I'll be doing that whenever I get a few spare minutes.

Mamma definitely trying this tonight, thank you.

Unlnown you have my sympathy, hope you lose the pain when the night feeds stop.

I'm pregnant again and hoping to do express feeds for night time as I'm really struggling to get my dd of boob she still wakes 5/6 times and its so tiring. I hope you find a solution 🙂

I lie on my side. Pillow in between my legs to take pressure off knees. Pillow against/half under my back, supporting it. Got a good memory foam pillow which has helped neck a bit.

I remember getting stiffness from this too. I just started actively moving positions during the night when I wasn’t feeding (and didn’t drop off mid feed). Made sure DCs were safe in the bed/moved back to Moses basket and turned away from them to give my side a break. Got easier as the got older and didn’t feed so much. Also I think your back/ribs/pelvis is still in recovery from pregnancy and birth so this could account for some of the discomfort. FWIW my back still hurts everyday and mine are 3.5 and 20m from lifting/cosleeping/bending etc