A nursing pillow is placed under your arms while breastfeeding. The nursing pillow is used by lying it snugly against or on you, under your arms, while you hold and breastfeed the baby in your arms. This way, the pillow supports and relieves you.
You can certainly breastfeed without a nursing pillow, but a relaxed mother usually finds it easier to breastfeed, especially when the baby is just newborn and requires feeding about every half hour. Here, the nursing pillow helps you maintain a comfortable and relaxed position, which your baby can also sense, as you are less tense. Especially for mothers with twins, the nursing pillow is beneficial because there are twice as many to breastfeed, and therefore twice as much pressure on your body.
After the first 2-3 days, the nursing pillow becomes a good support for your arms, neck, shoulders, and back when breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding starts early – be ready with the nursing pillow
Breastfeeding starts from day 1 with the little one – and it can therefore be nice to have invested in a nursing pillow already before the birth. Newborns, as previously mentioned, need someone to breastfeed them very often, and since mothers are often tired right after giving birth, a nursing pillow can be a great help in providing a comfortable and relaxed breastfeeding time right from the start.
The Health Authority recommends breastfeeding your baby for the first 6 months, and then partially until the baby is 12+ months. This adds up to a lot of breastfeeding time, so you might as well make it comfortable for yourself.
If you need tips for easier breastfeeding, you can watch this video: [the video from youtube is embedded, it is already on mammashop under nursing pillows]
A multitude of shapes and colors in nursing pillows
There are quite a few different types of nursing pillows. They all function as nursing pillows, but the U-shaped types can also be used as inserts in a stroller or as back support for the mother while she breastfeeds or just sits. Large nursing pillows can usually serve multiple functions but are often a bit more cumbersome because they take up more space.
The boomerang-shaped or many of the large types can also be used as body pillows, which can be nice and relieving to lie with during pregnancy. Smaller types are often easier to transport if breastfeeding needs to be relaxed on the go or during vacations.
Filling in the nursing pillow – which filling should you choose?
It is also important to choose a nursing pillow with the right filling. In our nursing pillows, we have 4 different types of filling:
Pillows with PU foam are the firmest. They undoubtedly hold their shape, which can be a problem with other types, and are much easier to store because, due to their firm shape, they can be tucked away under the sofa or placed in a closet without spilling out.
Nursing pillows with polyester are about in the middle of the firmness scale. They are wonderfully soft but still relatively firm, so the filling holds its shape.
Fossflakes is a specific filling that is produced from Fossflakes, but can also be found in many other nursing pillows. It also lies in the middle of the firmness scale but is a little softer than polyester pillows. The consistency is inspired by down and feathers, which can be felt if you press on the pillows with Fossflakes inside.
The softest of the pillow fillings are EPS beads. They are very similar to the small beads found in bean bags, just smaller. The smaller size of the beads also means that you cannot feel them shifting around inside the pillow.
Remember that the firmness of the nursing pillow not only depends on the filling but also on the type of fabric used, how much filling is in the pillow, and the size of the pillow. Larger pillows are usually a bit softer.
It's always great to save a little money and help the environment by buying fewer items that serve multiple functions, so consider what you need in relation to the rest of your baby gear and choose the nursing pillow that fits your needs.
