My Breast Friend nursing pillow.

Ok, I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that we have this one as well. Oh yes, and in full disclosure, we even have the inflatable version of it... (Remember there was that logic about air travel?)

So when my short-lived friendship with the Boppy came to a screeching halt and my shoulder ache was at its worst, we came across My Breast Friend at a reputable baby & kid's store. They only carried this nursing pillow and since they only sell the best of the best, I thought this pillow would solve my shoulder problems and do what it claimed to do. And it actually did a pretty good job in the nursing department. It worked much better for me than the Boppy, partly because it is height adjustable with a belt and I didn't have to slump over to position our ferociously hungry baby - or use my legs in all sorts of configurations to have him high and close enough. The fact that the pillow has a flat surface may also have contributed to its success with me, because it made our baby stay in position better and not roll into me (or away from me), as opposed to the sloping inside of the Boppy. My Breast Friend just felt less wobbly, like there was much less room for error. Makes nursing sound a bit technical, doesn't it?

This nursing pillow is the #1 choice of Lactation Consultants so if you need a nursing pillow, this is probably the way to go. Of course, you can't use it for much else, like baby's play/lounging and tummy time etc. But I don't think this is a big deal as most people have little bouncy chairs for babies to sit and lounge in, and at least for us a blanket on the floor worked fine for tummy time. 

I would only get the inflatable My Breast Friend pillow if there is frequent travel involved when the baby is little. We never used ours. I think we brought it with us when we flew overseas with our son when he was 2 months old, but I don't recall ever using it. 

When baby #2 arrived I didn't use the Boppy, nor My Breast Friend. All she got was a good old pillow and her mommy's arms, and it worked very well for both of us.


So, in my humble opinion...


Pros:

- In the world of nursing pillows, this is the more "serious" one out there.
- Height adjustable belt feature helps position the baby and keep baby in place.
- Back rest helps mom maintain a good posture.
- The even surface makes it structurally more stable (there are no gaps between baby and mom for baby to roll into).
- It's practical and well thought through (it's meant for nursing and nursing only).

Cons:

- It's not as "cute and comfy" as the Boppy.
- Is meant for nursing and nursing only so if baby is bottle-fed you do not need this pillow (if you still want a pillow, the Boppy is probably a better match).
- When you are done nursing, you are done with this nursing pillow too, and the $50 you spent on it. (It's probably worth it though, especially if you are a first-time mother trying to master the fine art of nursing). 


www.mybreastfriend.com