Breastfeeding Pillow
For many women, breastfeeding is a skill that is often extremely difficult to master. Having problems nursing can be devastating for a new mom who has the desire to nurse and provide essential nutrients for her baby during this developmentally important stage in the baby's life. Women who struggle with the breastfeeding process become overwhelmed by self-doubt and feelings of disappointment, not to mention physical discomfort. With all of these worries it can be hard to find the right breastfeeding pillow. Some of the things you want to look for in a breastfeeding pillow are how supportive and secure it is for you and your baby, is it comfortable and/or flexible, what type of fabric is it made out of, and how is the firmness. All of these are qualities that you want to look for in a breastfeeding pillow.
You want to make sure that it is supportive and secure enough for you and your baby. The breastfeeding pillow should be secure enough that it helps you maintain proper positioning and latch-on. You want the pillow to be comfortable and flexible. The pillow should give you extra support and make you feel relaxed while you breastfeed. It needs to be flexible so that you can maneuver it if your baby falls asleep. Also, if it is adjustable you can make the pillow fit to where you are comfortable and most supported. The type of fabric that is on the pillow is also important. You want to make sure that it has a nice feel to it. Also, it is good to look to see what type of material it is made out of, this way, if your baby has any allergies you will know before you buy the breastfeeding pillow. You would also want the pillow to be free of any PBDEs, PVC, DEHP and Phthalate.
The last thing you want to look at is the shape and firmness of the pillow. You want the pillow to be firm enough so that the baby is comfortable, but not so soft that the baby falls asleep. It is equally important that the body of the pillow be flat and not round. If the portion of the pillow that the baby lays on is rounded, then the baby tends to roll in or away during feeding, which makes it difficult for successful breastfeeding.
These are just a few key qualities that you should look for in a breastfeeding pillow; however, when looking for a product, it is always good to do some research. Talk to your doctors, lactation consultants, as well as moms, and ask them for their opinions. In the end, you want to make sure that the breastfeeding pillow you pick is comfortable for you and your baby and will give you the greatest chance for successful breastfeeding.