Good Nursing Pillow

Updated on September 12, 2008
K.G. asks from Trumbull, CT
45 answers

Hi Ladies---Wondering if anyone can recommend a favorite nursing pillow out there? I've heard of the Boppy, but I'm wondering if there are some better than others, i.e. different benefits, etc.? Let me know!! Thanks in advance! K.

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H.G.

answers from New York on

My best friend swears by her "My Breast Friend," but I absolutely love my Boppy. I think both are probably about the same!

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M.D.

answers from New York on

I have the boppy and like it, but don't LOVE it. I tried the My Breastfriend pillow and it was too cumbersome. I suggest trying them both to see what works best for you. Best wishes with breastfeeding, you're doing a wondertful thing! :)

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D.Z.

answers from Binghamton on

Hi K.,

I cannot live without my Boppy. Have never tried any other, but I would think they are all about the same. The one thing I noticed is that the newer Boppy pillows can be really fat...I like my thinner one and borrowed a large one once and it was a little bit cumbersome...but other than that...I completely love them.

D.

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D.

answers from New York on

I loved my boppy. I could not have survived without it. I nursed 2 babies this way. My hubby even used it when he would bottle feed and he's a big guy. The other thing that is great about the boppy is that when the baby is learning to sit up you can use it for support. I use to put it on the floor behind my kids, not touching them but just behind them. This way if they fell backwards or sideways they landed on the pillow rather then the floor. I LOVED my boppy.

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N.L.

answers from New York on

"My Breast Friend"

Definitely definitely helpful. Moreover, so is the nursing stool.

Good luck.

FYI DON'T USE the Boppy pillow, not good for posture, etc

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S.T.

answers from Albany on

Someone gave me a Boppy and it was a great gift and didn't know about them that they were a great gift! It helped alot with nursing and just feeding from the bottle. If you have one or getting one, great and it'll be so great. I loved it when I had it and still do have it and not in use right now but I have used one for the last two boys and it was great too because I had my husband try it when he was bottle feeding our second one and it helped to keep his arms from getting tired holding that baby up. If you know someone who has one, a good friend of yours, ask if you can try it at her house and see if you like it and if you do, then you know you need to get one. Any other kinds, I don't know anything about. But this was a great experience for me. If you want one to carry your baby around and nurse, try the sling and see if that may be the option for you and talk to other mothers about it and my third one was just too long. He was 22 1/2 inches long when he was born and by the time I got one he was just too long for it. Oh well if I have another child, maybe I'll get the use out of it and you can buy the cloth at Wal-Marts, but make sure you get the right material for it for your baby too with being able to breathe. Let us know how you made out and I'll pray for you and your child, and congrats!!

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M.G.

answers from Rochester on

If you're interested in it the My Brest Friend is spelled without the "a" - it will make internet searches a lot easier if you know that.

I was given both a Boppy and My Brest Friend nursing pillows before my daughter was born and took the Boppy to the hospital. When we left she weighed 6 lbs 1 oz so she was on the tiny side and My Brest Friend was AWESOME! When I used the Boppy she would roll down between me and the pillow and it made me a little nervous. The Brest Friend is much flatter by design so this wasn't a problem (my grilfreind who gave it to me had also had a smaller baby so she already knew what I was learning). It also has lower back support and a little pocket to hold a bottle of water or anything else you may need to keep nearby.

Good luck,
M.

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N.B.

answers from New York on

"My Breast Friend", it is the absolute best invention for nursing Mom's. Boppy's are nice but just pillows really. "My Breast Friend" is the way to go. I lent mine to a friend after she had her 2nd baby, she was thrilled and wished she had known about it for her 1st. You won't want to live without it until after you stop nursing. I was given this at my baby shower and was told by the Mom who gave it to me: "trust me you won't want to live without it". I didn't know what she meant then, but I know now. It's really a back saver, reduces alot of that annoying back strain when leaning over to much to nurse. They usually have a nice selection at Baby's R's Us.
Best Wishes,
N.

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A.A.

answers from New York on

honestly, I used my bobby for only like a month for each of my kids. After that I just used the closest pillow. Save yourself $40. All you need to breastfeed are breasts and a willing baby. :)

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J.H.

answers from Syracuse on

It's called My Breast Friend...it's great...I'm all done nursing - I can sell you mine! LOL

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L.P.

answers from New York on

Right now with my 9 month old I am still using the boppy most of the time (I have one downstairs and one up in her room)... When she was about a month old I got the breast friend pillow.. that is harder and defintiely more supportive when they are small..It definitely helped me get a better latch..
Good luck!

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E.G.

answers from New York on

The boppy is good for propping up the little one for pictures and when he is older to help him sit up but for you I suggest the breast friend pillow. It is much more comfotable for a mom to be able to adjust it to fit just right and has back support. Trust me, I have both.

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L.C.

answers from New York on

my brest friend is better than the boppy, b/c it's adjustable and also you can put the baby on it and walk around the room. for what it's worth, it's also the one lactation consultants recommend.
Good luck

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R.B.

answers from New York on

Hi K.,
The Luna Lullaby is the best! You can get it online: http://www.treecitydiapers.com/store/product/14496/Luna-L...
Its larger and V-shaped and very soft. It fits the baby very well and is very comfy. I tried the Boppy which was terrible, but useful when teaching the baby to sit up later! And I also used the "my breast friend" which was better but I found awkward to put on and a little stiff for me and my son. Hope that helps! Good luck

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E.B.

answers from New York on

Hi K.,

I used the Boppy for all 3 of mine and loved it. Probably doesn't matter what the brand name is, as long as it's MACHINE WASHABLE.

Enjoy!

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S.A.

answers from New York on

My breastfriend pillow have been using it EVERY day for 11 months - swear by it!!

My cousin had given me the boppy and I used it for tummy time with my son and when he needed help sitting I propped him up with it.

But for nursing DEF my brest friend!!

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E.T.

answers from New York on

Congrats on your new baby boy! I have a 6 month old boy and I just can't believe how in love I am. I am sure you know what I mean. Anyway, I used a pillow called My Breast Friend. Funny name I know but it was great. It has a strap that wraps around your waist so it adjusts as you get back to your prepregnancy weight (or try to as we all do). It is a flatter shape(but still soft enough) with a little pillow on each side for his head as he nurses. I really liked it and found it very comfortable. Of course now that my son is 6months old and trying to sit up, I borrowed a Boppy from a friend to help him. So I might suggest getting both. Good luck!

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L.C.

answers from New York on

My Breast Friend is absolutely the BREAST!!
Enjoy ~

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T.T.

answers from New York on

I am nursing my three month son. I have been using a nursing pillow called my Brest Friend. It is very supportive. I was given a Boppy, but I returned it, too soft. The Brest Friend has a pocket you can store fresh nursing pads. I do suggest buying an extra cover. I hope that this helpful.

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S.S.

answers from Rochester on

I swear by the My Brest Friend Pillow...it straps around your waist, just below your bust and stays there. You can actually walk around the room with the baby resting on the pillow. I had a c-section with my first and this kept the baby up high and alleviated the pressure from the delicate stomach area. It's great! Good luck!

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S.G.

answers from Rochester on

Boppy hands down. I own three of them. One for downstairs, upstairs and the car. I cannot seem to go anywhere without it :)

I did use the "My Brest Friend" at the hospital and I HATED it. Then again, my sister in law hates the boppy.

I don't know if it is breast size specific, but I am very large breasted, and she is not. She said she could never get it to work, so she doesn't use any type of pillow. I'd assume that my brest friend would work for her as you can move it up higher towards your breasts. I can't nurse without my boppy. A pillow works in emergencies, but the boppy wins. Oh, and I do not like the ones with the "miracle middle". These, I think, are the newer ones. I personally didn't like them. I'm also a large frame, and I liked the hug of the normal ones, and the miracle middle boppy seemed too loose around me.

And, like others said, it is GREAT for using with photos ... and propping the baby up :)

And one other thing to mention is that my boyfriend LOVES the boppy as well. When they are cuddling, he uses that a lot....and as an aside, they work great wrapped around behind you to give you support when sitting on the bed reading or whatever :)

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C.T.

answers from New York on

I too have to echo the cheers for the Breastfriend pillow. I LOVED IT!!

It was like a little portable shelf/table. It was stiffer than a boppy and was able to support her in a comfortable position, for both of us, for nursing all the way through to 10 or 11 months old (when she finally got too wiggley and had her own preference for positioning - LOL).

I really liked the back support it provided with the adjustable buckle since as I lost the baby wieght I could tighten it.

Like someone else said, you could move around and do other things too. I would support her with one arm and the tightly belted on pillow and cook dinner with the other arm. It meant I wasn't strapped down to one place while we nursed or were just together - she loved being held.

I got mine at valley hospital in Ridgewood, nj when I delivered. I personnally think this "hospital" grade one was stiffer then I've seen in babies-r-us, but I am sure the benefits of the style are the same.

~C.

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R.W.

answers from New York on

On the advice of a friend who had a baby 6 months before I had my daughter- I got the "my breast friend" i think it was fantastic and totally made my breast feeding experience much more comfortable-
R.

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N.P.

answers from New York on

Hi K.,
I had my second daughter in May and have nursed both my girls. When I nursed my first I used the Boppy but also went and got the Breast Friend. It is much more sturdy and supportive and connects around your back as well. I liked it when she was very small because it helped position her and had little built in pillows for her head. This time however, in the hospital I started using just a regular pillow and now that is what my second daughter prefers. It is also easier because I can always grab one anywhere to use. I use the Boppy sometimes too but find she sometimes has a hard time getting comfortable.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

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A.P.

answers from New York on

I used the boppy and didn't really like it. It doesn't keep it's shape well and is always moving around on me. I've heard a lot of good things about "My Breast friend". It's a nursing pillow that has a strap that goes around you. I don't think I've heard anything negative about it, except that it use to have a velcro strap that would wake the sleeping baby, but I've seen ones with clips. Good luck on your search.

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A.L.

answers from New York on

Hey K.,
I nursed for only a short time and found the Boppy awkward. I have friends who have raved about the "my Breast Friend" nursing pillow, available at Babies R Us.
Hope this helps
A.

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Z.C.

answers from New York on

I used the Boppy at first but hated it. My lactation consultant recommended "my breast friend" and I bought it and Loved it! It made a huge difference. Those first few months when the baby can't really hold herself up at all, it is a lifesaver!

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M.L.

answers from New York on

Hi! I used a Boppy till I discovered a pillow called "My Breast Friend"- it's similar to a boppy but it's a little larger and firmer and you can actually fasten it around your waist... I liked it a lot. Good luck!

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K.K.

answers from New York on

I still nurse my 6 month old with My Breast Friend pillow - I don't use the velcro part that is supposed to go around your waist but he is so comfortable on it (as opposed to the boppy which is too soft in the middle)that it I still grab for it! I think successful nursing really does have a lot to do with good positioning (for the new teeny ones at least!)so you have to be comfortable. Well worth the $$$.

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J.G.

answers from New York on

Just another vote for "My Brest Friend." I nursed for over a year and could not have lived without it!!

I think it may depend on the mother's build. I am on the tall side, and smaller breasted. I found that the baby was too low with the Boppy.

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A.D.

answers from New York on

Hi K., My daughter used the Boppy and love it. Grandma Mary

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Y.B.

answers from New York on

I absolutely love the breast friend! It has a beltlike thing that snaps around your back so it has a lot of back support and stays in place even if you move or had to get up while nursing. I've even walked across my apt with my daughter still latched. I have major back problems so this was perfect!

Good luck!

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A.G.

answers from New York on

People swear by "my breast friend." I used a pillow/ boppy combo casue i had a c cection and the mt breast friend was uncomfortable on my belly, but it's great for your back and nice and supportive.

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K.M.

answers from Albany on

When I had twins I used the EZ 2 Nurse pillow. It is a HUGE, foam pillow that is flat on one side for bottle feeding and angled on the other side for nursing. I wished I had one when my son was born! The only disadvantage over the Boppy (a classic favorite) is that I couldn't walk around or stand up with it.
See it here - http://www.doubleblessings.com/servlet/Detail?no=271 and don't buy the inflatable one, the foam is much better. Good luck!

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L.S.

answers from New York on

I liked the Brest Friend - much sturdier, and easier to keep her at my level.

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S.L.

answers from New York on

I love my Boppy! A pregnant friend asked recently what my number one baby item was and the answer was the Boppy. My daughter is still nursing at 20 months old and I am still using it. When she was a newborn and was very small I would sometimes put a pillow underneath the boppy to raise her up higher and have less weight to hold on my own for the MANY feedings. We used it for tummy time and then as a a helper when she learned to sit up. I read recently that they have improved it with a better middle that can expand or contract to suit your body shape. If we ever have another baby I think I will treat myself to a new Boppy!

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M.L.

answers from New York on

Hands down it would be the My Brest Friend nursing pillow (the name is silly, I know). The Boppy pillow does not even come close to this one when it comes to comfort, support, proper positioning of the baby, etc. I would never have nursed my kids successfully without it.

Seriously... the single best thing I had. The Boppy was cumbersome, never stayed around my waist and was too rounded--my daughter almost rolled off several times and would have hit the floor had I not had a tight grasp on her.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2596228

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J.L.

answers from Rochester on

I still think the boppy is the best, however depending on the size of your child (mine was 6.13 lbs) i found that I would have to prop the bobby under another pillow. However on that note it is great to prop a baby up to take pictures and works great when my son got a little heavier and larger.
Good luck

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L.D.

answers from Albany on

Personally I used the Boppy and loved it!

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A.S.

answers from New York on

I agree with others who recommend My Brest Friend over the Boppy -- it is MUCH better! A flat surface for better positioning, lower back support, adjustable fit around the waist, all of which makes breastfeeding much easier. I got My Brest Friend when my first baby was about a week old, and I wish I had had it from the start.

http://www.mybrestfriend.com/

One additional tip: take the cover off and wrap the foam with plastic wrap before you start using it - that way if your baby spits up or has a diaper leak, it won't seep into the pillow.

Good luck!
A.

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K.N.

answers from New York on

Hi K., I started using the Bobby to nurse but found it to be too cumbersome. I am rather large breasted, and it felt like I was fighting with the pillow, trying to position the baby and then fighting with my boobs :) - so I started using regular pillows. I would use one under the baby, another under that arm, another around the back - it was a good thing I had purchased so many pillows during my pregnancy!

I do use the Boppy to position my LO for sitting and laying. She's 6 months and we still use it regularly - she sits up part of the way on her own and it stabilizes her so she doesn't flop over. It's also good when she's napping on my bed and I don't want her to flip over.

Try using regular pillows as opposed to the fancy nursing ones - my lactation consultant said there's no real difference in them anyway - it's marketing. The Boppy wasn't even originally intended as a nursing pillow - the mom who invented it needed a pillow to help her newborn "sit". Use whatever works - especially since they can be so expensive!

I hope you find a good solution that works for you!

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J.M.

answers from New York on

Hi K.,
I'm also a huge fan of the My Brest Friend! The way that it fits around the body is supportive and very comfey. I love the way that you can swivel it around to suit various nursing positions (and support a long baby's body). The only negative that I've found....the foam insert is pretty flimsy, so it's better not to have to remove the cloth cover for washings too often. I've found that putting a hand-towel between the baby and the pillow catches a lot of spit up and diaper leaks, particularly when they're really young!

J.

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L.W.

answers from New York on

If you don't already have one, I really wouldn't bother with a special nursing pillow. I found it was most important to support my back and under the elbow of the arm the baby was laying on - I use my arms to support the baby and any old pillow to support me. I gave my Boppy away within the first couple of months because it was in the way and I never used it.

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R.D.

answers from New York on

Breastfriend was the best for me. I used it to carry my son around while I fed him and I was able to do other things (like pee!). Single Mom so this was very important for me. Good luck!

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W.W.

answers from New York on

My brest friend is the best. Boppy is horrible compared to it. They sell them at Babies r Us. So worth the money

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