A nursing pillow is, as the name suggests, a pillow used for nursing. With this guide, we aim to provide you with an introduction to nursing pillows and help you decide which one to buy.
Why a nursing pillow?
The image above shows an example of a nursing pillow from Domo. As you can see, the pillow can support your arms while nursing, allowing you to relax your shoulders and arms – which can be quite comfortable when nursing for shorter or longer periods.
Large or small nursing pillow?
Some brands offer both large and small nursing pillows. Depending on your height, you can determine whether you want a small or a large pillow.
If you're in doubt, we always recommend a large nursing pillow – it's easier to use less of the pillow than to magically make a nursing pillow larger.
Can you change the cover?
Since the nursing pillow is used for nursing, there is a risk of (no, it is actually 100% certain it will happen) milk, drool, and spit-up getting on the nursing pillow.
A nursing pillow that can be washed and has a removable cover is therefore always preferred for hygiene reasons.
Can you sleep with it?
Some nursing pillows are designed so that you can use them as support pillows/sleeping pillows.
They are characterized by being long and often have the option to “wrap” the pillow around your body.
The large nursing pillows are smart because they can be used both as a sleeping pillow and as a sitting or support pillow. This means it is a pillow you can use all day long.
At night, the pillow can support your belly and lie between your knees, reducing strain on your body. During the day, you can sit with it in your back and simultaneously use it to support the baby while nursing.
Fossflake Comfort U – a large pillow that can support the whole body.
Is the nursing pillow ergonomically correct?
All nursing pillows made as nursing pillows are built with ergonomic correctness as a goal. However, it is often difficult to assess how ergonomically correct they are for you – as a person. It can often be a good idea to test a friend's nursing pillow or try to create a collection of pillows that resemble a nursing pillow you wish to buy.
Is a nursing pillow necessary?
No, it is not strictly necessary – BUT!
You will spend many hours nursing, and it is important that nursing feels pleasant for you. If the nursing position is not comfortable, it will affect your ability to nurse the baby correctly, and in the worst case, you could unnecessarily strain your body.
Therefore, we always recommend either a dedicated nursing pillow or looking into a solution that provides the same support while you nurse.
Can you sew a nursing pillow yourself?
Yes, if you are good with a sewing machine, you can easily sew a nursing pillow yourself. It is not difficult if you have the right skills.
The nursing pillow just needs to be shaped as you wish and filled with insulating beads/ball filler or another type of material that can move and provide support at the same time.
Buy a nursing pillow
If you want to buy a nursing pillow, we at MammaShop have a large selection of nursing pillows from well-known brands like Doomoo, Fossflakes, Sebra and BabyDan.
Click here to see the selection
