February 2013 Moms

Boppy or no Boppy?

I am thoroughly confused on whether or not to order a Boppy.  In my breastfeeding class, our teacher said not to get one because it encourages the baby to position himself more on his back than on his side, which prevents a good latch, leading to all those awful symptoms of breastfeeding.  Then I was reading some articles on breastfeeding on FitPregnancy.com last night and it said one of the best ways to combat back pain postpartum was to use a breastfeeding pillow so that you don't arch over to feed the baby and to position him at the correct height.  I'm already dealing with previous back injuries and I really don't want to exacerbate them more than they already are, but I also don't want to create more problems with breastfeeding than I need to.  I'm also thinking that, if I have some discomfort from labor (something that I worry about more and more every day I am overdue), it might be nice to have to sit on.

Has anyone used a Boppy or breastfeeding pillow, and would you recommend it or not?  What has worked best for you?

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Re: Boppy or no Boppy?

  • I have a boppy and I rarely used it. I had a small baby and she is still a tiny toddler. I was fine with sitting in my glider and propping my elbow up on the arm of the chair and holding her. (I didn't sit in front of the tv, we had a routine to nurse in her room and I read aloud [my novels] to her every time). Or, I'd shove a blanket under her. Also, if I left the boppy alone I'd come back to it with a cat curled up in it every time.

     

  • I used mine to breastfeed my son with no issues (in all fairness, I haven't tried anything else). Even if you don't use it for breastfeeding, it's still good to have around for holding the baby or lying the baby in when you need five baby-free minutes.

    If you don't get a Boppy, I'd get some sort of support for breastfeeding, especially if you're already dealing with back issues. HTH! 

     

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  • I love my Boppy.  Never had latch issues with my babies or noticed that they were positioned incorrectly with it.
        
  • Love my Boppy for BFing, propping (when supervised), sitting (when older), etc... DD still likes to play with it and sit in it.

    I have a Breast Friend, by DD always fell asleep on it, I think she got too warm.

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  • I had a Boppy and used it every time I nursed at home until DD was close to 9 months I think.  It worked for us really well and I never noticed positioning or latch issues due to it.  

     Definitely get some kind of breastfeeding support pillow like PPs suggested or even see if you can borrow one from someone to decide.   

    ETA:  I already have mine washed up and packed for the hospital! 

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  • I love the boppy when I am nursing in the glider. He is always able to lay on his side too. I don't think it helps enough when it bed them, but I have a special neck support pillow I use, and that works great.
  • I may be in the minority but I really like nursing with the boppy, and it's worked well for both DS1 and DS2 now.  Both of them are able to nurse on their side, tummy to my tummy, which is works best for us.

    I haven't tried my breast friend, so not sure how it compares.  

          DS1: Quinn - 10.22.10 and DS2: Cole - 01.18.13

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  • I love my Boppy.  It can be tricky when BFing because LO can roll if you're not sitting upright and pulling LO snug, tummy to tummy.  Sometimes I just position the Boppy sideways instead of directly over my abdomen just to give my arm something to rest on. 

    I use it for the football hold and cross cradling.  I wouldn't really say that the Boppy, in itself, helps with back pain.  What I've found that helps is piling up firm pillows behind me for lumbar support, turning the heating pad on, and resting my back on that.  The Boppy, to me, is best used to hold my arm up and to keep it from getting tired while cradling LOs body and head.

     ETA: I do sit in a pretzel type position to lift the Boppy up so LO is at the right height.  Maybe that's the issue pps are talking about?

    DD: 6/30/09. Mild pre-e DS: 9/5/10. Normal pregnancy Diagnosed 6/4/12 with dermatomyositis. Currently on Prednisone and IVIG therapy. 9/11/12: Normal a/s for DS2. No side effects from my medication, yay! DS2: 1/28/13. Thankful for healthy children! Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker image
  • I have both the Boppy and the My Breast Friend pillows. I like the Boppy for propping him up but not for breast feeding. The My Best Friend is so much more firm and there is a strap that keeps it secure. I would definitely recommend getting one!
  • I loved the boppy! It helped with support for me. Used it almost everytime up until like 6-7 months. I really missed it when I was out and about. I would recommend it. I know everybody is different but it really worked for me and my son. I just laid him on top of it.
  • I got "my brest friend" for my baby shower, it's similar to the Boppy but its more firm and stable which I think is better for the baby. I love it, it's more expensive than the Boppy but I think it's worth it to have that extra support
  • I am all for the boppy. It makes it easier and much more comfortable to position her, especially after having a c-section. I wish I had brought it to the hospital. I only have experience with this pillow, so I can't attest to the others.
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  • imagewells2010:
    I wish I had brought it to the hospital.

    Good idea, I'll try to remember to bring mine. Thanks! 

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  • I was given a boppy and could never really make it work. After seeing a LC and using the my breast friend I was immediately sold. It's more solid so it's better for positioning especially with my small 6lb baby and the back support on it is amazing!

    Married to DH 10.29.11

    DD born 1.26.13
    DS born 6.12.14
    #3 due 12.6.16

  • I love, love, love my boppy. I have back issues, and it has been a life saver. Even when I'm not nursing and we are just cuddling in bed, I use it to prop my arm up so it doesn't get exhausted. I tried using a couple of pillows at first and it was nothing compared to the boppy. I would absolutely recommend it!
    K & C | 9.17.10
    "With You By My Side, I Will Never Be Lost"
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  • Whether its a boppy or a breastfriend, I can't imagine not having something to allow me to get baby up high enough that I can have my hands free. The boppy worked fine for me but I'm heard good things about the breastfriend, too. I would have lost my mind with DD1 if I didn't have something, though.
  • Get a Boppy! I can totally BF my son on his side with NO problem.

    I brought my Boppy to the hospital but the nurses and the lactation consultant always propped me up with pillows instead and never "let" me use my Boppy. They were obsessed with building a little freaking fort around me every single time my son wanted some food. It's SO much easier to just grab the Boppy and go to town!

    Is the Boppy perfect? No. But you'll be able to make it work. It only takes an IQ of about 3 to prop up some blankets under the Boppy in order to make it a better height, or to slide your hand under your LO's head to get him higher, or lower your legs so he sits lower... it's just such an easier way to go. 

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