February 2013 Moms
ATLdesi
member
"Addicted" to BF pillow?
ATLdesi
member
Hi all hoping for some advice or ideas here on a BF issue. I inherited a MyBrestFriend pillow from a friend, and despite it's stupid name, I confess that I absolutely adore everything about it, and it has probably been the single baby item that I've used the most. The problem is, I feel like I'm kind of "addicted" to it. I normally nurse DS crosslegged on the couch, bed or futon, with this pillow in my lap and laying him on it in crosscradle position. I generally hold my boob with the Chold too I have pretty large breasts and I find that if I I don't do that, then between gravity and DS still being young/not that coordinated, he doesn't always stay latched.
dread the day that DS is too big for the pillow and its fast approaching! His legs already hang off the edge, LOL :
When we're in public, or anywhere that I don't have access to the pillow, nursing is so awkward and uncomfortable. I feel like my arms aren't strong enough to hold him up and support his weight for very long, and/or I just get tension in my shoulders and back, and DS subsequently gets held all wonky and doesn't feed as long. While out and about, whenever possible I find a way to sit on the floor, and lean against a wall so that I bring my knees up like in situp position and that DS can sort of lay in that nook and have his weight supported that works okay. But if I have to sit in a chair, it's difficult. I try crossing my legs and having the upper leg help me, but it's never that comfortable. Add on the need to wrangle a nursing cover, and it's just a disaster.
Any advice? Any positions you would suggest that are easy to handle out in public, and help me support DS's weight? He's almost 13 weeks and doesn't have head control yet, so I need to support him thoroughly. I'd love to hire a LC to work on this, but unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover it, and I've already had two LC visits that I paid for out of pocket, to the tune of 600. Hoping for some voices of experience to give me ideas.....Thanks in advance :
dread the day that DS is too big for the pillow and its fast approaching! His legs already hang off the edge, LOL :
When we're in public, or anywhere that I don't have access to the pillow, nursing is so awkward and uncomfortable. I feel like my arms aren't strong enough to hold him up and support his weight for very long, and/or I just get tension in my shoulders and back, and DS subsequently gets held all wonky and doesn't feed as long. While out and about, whenever possible I find a way to sit on the floor, and lean against a wall so that I bring my knees up like in situp position and that DS can sort of lay in that nook and have his weight supported that works okay. But if I have to sit in a chair, it's difficult. I try crossing my legs and having the upper leg help me, but it's never that comfortable. Add on the need to wrangle a nursing cover, and it's just a disaster.
Any advice? Any positions you would suggest that are easy to handle out in public, and help me support DS's weight? He's almost 13 weeks and doesn't have head control yet, so I need to support him thoroughly. I'd love to hire a LC to work on this, but unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover it, and I've already had two LC visits that I paid for out of pocket, to the tune of 600. Hoping for some voices of experience to give me ideas.....Thanks in advance :
DS born February 5, 2013
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Re: "Addicted" to BF pillow?
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With DS1, I totally took a travel pillow with me! They sell (or you could make) little toddler/travel pillows. I just stuffed it in the bottom of the stroller or hooked it to the diaper bag. Crazy, but comfortable. Now, I always sit somewhere where I can prop up a foot/leg on something so I can balance the kid better. And I ditched the cover with DS1 pretty quickly and haven't even tried one this time. Too much trouble. I always have a burp cloth I can cover with if needed. At home, I turn my brestfriend sideways and use a football hold so that I can be hands-free. My K cup breasts make regular cradle holds hard too. You can roll up a cloth under your breast too for support.
I'm in the exact same boat - nursing without my Brest Friend pillow is sooo hard, especially when I can't put my feet/knees up.
PP - What travel pillow do you use? I'd love to have some solutions to this issue as well.
Same here. I use whatever I have with me to boost up his head a bit, blankets, diaper bag, sometimes my sweater or fleece. We don't use a cover so I don't have to juggle that piece.
DS1: Quinn - 10.22.10 and DS2: Cole - 01.18.13
BFing in public is so intimidating to me because its hard to support his head in the right position to stay latched and my boob at the same time!
There is no such thing as outgrowing that pillow IMO. I nursed DD using it until she was 17 months old and about 28lbs. The legs can hang off the end no problem, and it takes a really long time before their hips are off it, which is really all that matters.
BF without a pillow gets much easier around the time they can sit by themselves (6 months..ish) as their core stability is good enough to support themselves while feeding in almost any position.
So, don't stress out and keep doing what you are doing and don't feel you need to ditch the pillow so early.
Derek - February 2013 Caelyn April 2011
I became addicted to my Boppy, then I started using the side-lying position (and now, if I'm home, I'm doing that.)
I have anxieties about BFing in public because I don't have my Boppy or my bed. But the anxiety has dropped ever since BFing stopped hurting, (which was very recently.) I'm still awkward, but I'm getting better with practice.
Secondly, glad I'm not the only one with a pillow addiction!
Two updates about this issue: I had my first flight yesterday with LO, and while it wasn't the smoothest thing ever, I managed to nurse him a few times throughout our trip, at the airport, in the plane, etc. using some of your advice about the rolledup burp cloth under the boob. I definitely also propped up LO on the diaper bag and/or folded receiving blankets at various times. Thanks for those ideas!
But also, I confess I was puttering around online after my initial post the other day, and discovered that MyBrestFriend makes an inflatable version of their pillow for travel. I broke down and ordered it Amazon Prime and had it delivered to my destination and to my sheer delight, it is awesome! It feels almost EXACTLY like the real pillow, but it's inflatable/collapsible and will pack great for several trips I have this summer. Yea!!! I think it's great to have tips/tricks for nursing on the go in general, but nice to have a more comfortable option for extended periods away from home :
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