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Pregnancy

Breastfeeding pillow - are they worth it?!

15 replies

MrsRose2018 · 07/05/2020 17:20

Hi ladies

I’ve come across a few adverts for breastfeeding pillows and wondered if they are worth the investment?

I have a pregnancy pillow and the shorter end is supposed to work as a breastfeeding support but I’m just wondering whether it is worth investing in a proper one?

Any thoughts or recommendations? Or are they a gimmick/waste of money and a regular pillow or cushion will do?

The one I have my eye on is the butterfly pillow but it’s £50 butterflypillow.co/

TIA xx

OP posts:

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crazychemist · 07/05/2020 19:20

Depends how many pillows/cushions you have at home. I used normal cushions, but had 4 to 5 of them around me so I could arrange them however I wanted for best support.

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MichelleOR84 · 07/05/2020 19:26

So I didn’t buy a nursing pillow . I thought it was a complete waste .

Well on day 4 of mama-hood I had a home visit from the lactation consultant and she let me test out her “breast friend” nursing pillow . I LOVED IT !!! I’ve heard that pillow isn’t right for everyone in particular but for me it was a perfect match. I was able to get a great latch and I was comfortable. I bought one ASAP and it was pricey but soooooooo worth it for me .

Maybe see how you get on ? Or speak to your midwife as I know my local children’s centre also has various brands of nursing pillows to try out .

Thanks

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SnuggyBuggy · 07/05/2020 19:27

I ended up using an emoji pillow that someone had bought me the year before

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BendingSpoons · 07/05/2020 19:31

I just used a normal full pillow in the early days and a cushion under my arm later on. I also did a lot of lying down feeding. However I have never tried a proper pillow to compare. That one does look pretty cool!

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peachesancream · 07/05/2020 19:34

I loved my feeling pillow although think I spent about £20 on mine, perfect shape to fit round your stomach rather than square normal cushions so helps you keep baby close. I often used it to prop him up for tummy time and as he was a bit older he'd lie on his back propped up or put it round him when he was starting to learn to sit.

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EstellaHanclay · 07/05/2020 19:34

It really depends on how it fits your body. So the usefulness of them is that they support your elbow, forearm and baby's body meaning that you don't have to hold baby's head up constantly and can relax your arm whilst feeding iyswim

For me, I have a longish torso so the breastfeeding pillows I tried were never really thick enough and I was hunched over. What I did instead was stuff a pillowcase with three pillows so it was really firm then used it on its side.

Maybe try that with a Teddy bear for practice and see how you get on. Lol

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Mylittlepony374 · 07/05/2020 19:35

With my first baby it would have definitely been worth it. I found it really difficult to latch her on and support her without a pillow and keep myself comfortable. She used to cluster feed for around 5 hours in the evening for a period there and I wouldn't have managed without a pillow.
2nd baby never used one. Not sure if I was more experienced or he was just easier. He didn't seem to cluster feed as much either so maybe that helped.

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peachesancream · 07/05/2020 19:35

Sorry OP just seen the style of yours, mine was a crescent moon shaped one so can't comment on your butterfly style one

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CurlyEndive · 07/05/2020 20:00

I'm not one to spend on unnecessary items but I really liked my breastfeeding pillow. It's less squishy than a normal pillow or cushion so supports the baby better.

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ChelseaCat · 07/05/2020 20:03

I love mine - I have a V shaped pillow and I snuggle it in against my tummy when I’m feeding. So comfortable for both of us

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sel2223 · 07/05/2020 20:16

Following as I've been wondering the same.

When people say different pillows work best for different people, is there a guide somewhere?
I am tall and quite well endowed. No idea where to start.

Thanks

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smeerf · 07/05/2020 20:17

My Theraline is amazing. I honestly don't know how I'd sleep without it.

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AlwaysDancing1234 · 07/05/2020 20:20

I think you need to try out a few in a shop or a baby show type thing (difficult at the moment I know!) to find the right fit as I loved my V shaped pillow but others in my baby group used all different things and types of pillow.

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MrsRose2018 · 07/05/2020 20:48

Thanks so much for your responses!!

So it looks like the answer is yes for a pillow! Just need to find the right kind now!

I'm not tall - 5ft 3 - short torso and tig ole bitties so this may take some research!

This will be interesting in lockdown...

OP posts:

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DappledThings · 07/05/2020 21:13

I had a pregnancy pillow that was meant to be a nursing pillow too. I never used any kind of pillow for feeding in the end. I never really got what they were for.