Breast Feeding Pillow Baby Gear Lab
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Top 11 Product Ratings
Displaying 1 - 5 of 11
| Blessed Nest Organic Nesting | Nook Niche Organic | Ergobaby Natural Curve | Humble-Bee Nurse-Sling | Boppy Best Latch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | |  |  | |
| Price | $98 List $98.00 at Amazon | $120 List | $55 List | $65 List $64.98 at Amazon | $45 List $44.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score | |||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Entirely organic, mold-able, easy to clean, portable | Very comfortable, natural core materials, easy to use | Excellent support, quality construction, ergonomic shape | Portable, easy to use, multipurpose | Fits close to the body, lots of support, plush, very easy to clean |
| Cons | Expensive, heavy | Cover snags, expensive | Less versatile, no back strap, small size range | Not for squirmy babies, less supportive | Short sides may be a problem for taller women, smaller buckles |
| Bottom Line | Easy to use, high quality option for straightforward breastfeeding | A comfortable and high-quality pillow that supports mom and baby with natural materials | Highly supportive pillow perfect for prioritizing good posture | Small and packable sling cushion that simplifies nursing on the go | A favorite nursing pillow thanks to its structure, support and comfort |
| Rating Categories | Blessed Nest Organi... | Nook Niche Organic | Ergobaby Natural Curve | Humble-Bee Nurse-Sling | Boppy Best Latch |
| Nursing Comfort (35%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (35%) | |||||
| Material (15%) | |||||
| Ease of Cleaning (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Blessed Nest Organi... | Nook Niche Organic | Ergobaby Natural Curve | Humble-Bee Nurse-Sling | Boppy Best Latch |
| Dimensions | 26"L x 16 W x 5"H | 20"L x 21"W x 6.5"H | 25"L x 13"W x 8"H | 20.5"L x 6"W x 4.5"H | 23" L x 9.5" W x 7.5" H |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs | 2.5 lbs | 2.3 lbs | .9 lbs | 4 lbs |
| Belt | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Free of Flame Retardants | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Materials | Core: Organic Buckwheat Hulls Cover: Organic Cotton Canvas | Core: Organic kapok or GOTS-cotton Cover: Organic Cotton, Organic Eucalyptus, Organic Cotton/Non-Toxic Poly Blend | Core: Polyurethane Foam Cover: Polyester Velour and Cotton Poplin | Core: Polyester Fiber Cover: Cotton, Spandex, and Polyester | Core: Polyester pile, Cotton, Polyurethane Cover: Polyester with Polypropylene coating |
| Removable Cover | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Machine-Washable | Cover Only | Cover Only | Cover Only | Yes | Yes |
| Firmness | Average | Average | Very Firm | Very Soft | Soft/Firm |
Best Overall Nursing Pillow
Nook Niche Organic
REASONS TO BUY
Majority natural materials
Easy to position
Versatile
REASONS TO AVOID
Delicate cover
Expensive
The Nook Niche Organic is a u-shaped nursing pillow made mostly of natural materials. The core is 100% organic kapok, which is typically lighter than cotton, compression resistant, hypoallergenic, and has a natural wax coating that inhibits moisture absorption. The cover is a blend of organic cotton, organic eucalyptus, and polyester fibers. This pillow offers more firm support than many other polyfill pillows we tested. The pillow's arms extend back far enough to offer somewhere to rest your elbows, and the outer fabric is grippy enough that the pillow does not slide away from the body. Because the U-shape is pretty narrow, it fits easily into an armchair, and the pillow is flexible enough to bend around most body shapes. We tested the Niche with moms of various sizes, and they all found it to be one of the most comfortable pillows in the group. This pillow excels in baby comfort and provides a resting surface that is long and wide enough to support your child's entire body while nursing. The shape also lends itself well to tummy time, support for babies learning to sit independently, and as a toddler pillow.
Our chief complaint is the durability of the cover. The material is a soft and comforting jersey knit. However, the pebbled texture easily snags and pills when washed. This is something we would not expect from a product of this price. According to Nook, you can reduce the wear on the cover by turning it inside out and zipping it up before washing. The pillow's core is not machine washable, so you will have to be more careful. We feel these are minor flaws in an otherwise fantastic pillow. The Nook Niche is one of our favorite nursing accessories, and if it fits your budget, we think it is a worthwhile purchase.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Best 100% Organic Pillow
Blessed Nest Organic Nesting
REASONS TO BUY
Organic, great quality
Adjustable
Versatile
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Heavy
We love the Blessed Nest Organic Nesting pillow. This pillow stands out among the competition because its filling is organic buckwheat hulls instead of foam. The buckwheat offers mold-ability that forms to your body and your growing baby. This superior, somewhat customizable support means no awkward hunching or additional pillows to get your baby's head at the right height for feeding. We appreciate the versatility of the Blessed Nest because it also makes a great pregnancy support pillow. This pillow with high-quality materials is sure to last. The GOTS certified outer organic cover is easy to remove for washing, and you'll feel good about your baby's sensitive skin against the material. It does an adequate job absorbing spit-up before it reaches the inner pillow, and you can toss the pillow body in the dryer to help keep things sanitary and free from dust mites. We appreciate the organic material in this pillow, so your baby isn't inhaling potentially toxic fumes 5-8 hours a day.
The buckwheat makes this pillow heavy. At approximately 5 1/2 lbs, it can feel like a lot when you add the baby's weight on top, especially if you've had a c-section. We recommend using the "football" hold until you heal to help avoid discomfort. This product is also one of the most expensive pillows in this review, but the higher price gives you organic, high-quality materials, so you can justify the cost if your budget allows.
Read review: Blessed Nest Organic Nesting
My Blessed Nest has great height and can be adjusted to the side you need more support.
Credit: BabyGearLab Staff
Budget-friendly Posture Pillow
Ergobaby Natural Curve
REASONS TO BUY
Reduces slouching
Ergonomic
Machine-washable cover
REASONS TO AVOID
No belt strap
Very firm
Not multi-functional
The Ergobaby Natural Curve is an ergonomically shaped polyurethane foam nursing pillow. It is firm, free from flame retardants, and has a removable cover that is washing machine-friendly. The pillow's thoughtfully designed shape allows for belly-to-belly breastfeeding and keeps the baby's head above the stomach. In addition, the firmness of the material does not lose shape over time. Ergobaby claims that the extra support will help to prevent slouching and back strain while breastfeeding.
This pillow has a more purpose-specific design and may not be as versatile as others. The qualities that make it an excellent nursing pillow prevent it from being useful in other capacities. For example, it is not soft enough to be a comfortable backrest for mom, and it is a bit too structured to use as a support pillow for baby. There is no belt strap on the Natural Curve, and some moms found it challenging to keep the pillow positioned properly without it. However, we found very few flaws with this pillow overall. If you are okay with purchasing a single-function product and would like something to help support good posture, the Ergobaby is a good choice.
Read review: Ergobaby Natural Curve
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Best for the Tight Budget
My Brest Friend Deluxe
REASONS TO BUY
Offers good back support
Stays in place
REASONS TO AVOID
Velcro strap
Foam degrades over time
Difficult to put on
My Brest Friend Deluxe is a unique, wrap-around pillow. The thick band that wraps around your back provides support to help with any nursing strain, and the wrap-around style keeps the pillow in place so your baby can stay latched. Traditional C-shaped pillows tend to shift and need regular adjusting while nursing. Constant adjustment is not the case with the Brest Friend. Once it is secure, you'll have a firm but soft surface for nursing. We also appreciate the pocket feature. It is a convenient place to keep everything from burp cloths to nipple cream or your phone. When purchasing the Deluxe version of the pillow, you will get a soft and snuggly slipcover, perfect for babies with sensitive skin.
While we love many things about this option, the foam's quality is disappointing, and there is no base cover for added protection. Some users note that the foam can fall apart when removing the slipcover for cleaning. Also, the wrap-around style can be a bit of a pain to put on. Connecting the straps around your body can be challenging while holding a baby, and we suspect some moms will stop using the belt over time. The wrap also utilizes Velcro. While removing it with the silent release straps (whew!), the Velcro sticking to other materials can be annoying. Overall, we think the pluses outweigh the negatives, making this an option we highly recommend.
Read review: My Brest Friend Deluxe
Credit: Baby Gearlab Staff
Best for Travel
Humble-Bee Nurse-Sling
Machine Washable: Yes | Belt: Yes
REASONS TO BUY
Packable
Versatile
Hands-free nursing
REASONS TO AVOID
Minimal support
Difficult to position correctly
Extra-long strap
The Humble-Bee Nurse-Sling is an innovative breastfeeding accessory that makes nursing on the go simpler. The sling-style cushion hangs on the mom's shoulder and creates a soft and supportive place for the baby's head to rest. The strap is easy to adjust while wearing, and thanks to the minimal design, mom and baby are less likely to overheat during feedings than with a traditional pillow. Once you get the hang of positioning your baby, the Nurse-Sling can provide a hands-free feeding time. The sling fits into a carry case that is small enough to stuff in a diaper bag or the basket of a stroller. The cotton cover and polyester core are both machine washable. A pocket on the outside offers a convenient space to keep essentials such as nipple cream and a burp cloth. After the breastfeeding days are over, you can remove the pillow core and use the case as a sling bag.
We like that the minimal design makes the Humble-Bee so portable. However, it offers less support for mom and baby, and the mom's neck and shoulder end up bearing most of the weight. During extra-long feeding sessions, this can get uncomfortable. It can also be challenging to keep a squirmy baby correctly positioned, as the pillow only supports the back of the head and neck. We suspect that the light polyester fiber filling will condense over time and be less cushiony. However, if you use this exclusively as a travel accessory and have a traditional pillow you use at home, we believe it will hold up well. If you like to pack light for your daily outings but still want a more comfortable nursing experience, the Humble-Bee Nurse-Sling is for you.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Compare Products
Each product in our review was purchased and hands-on tested to evaluate multiple factors, including comfort and support.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Why You Should Trust Us
To find the best nursing pillows, our founder, Dr. Juliet Spurrier, a board-certified pediatrician and mother of two, helps select the competitors from the top-ranked options on the market using her personal experience and client feedback on nursing problems or concerns. This roundup also includes Senior Review Editors, Wendy Schmitz (mom of 2) and Abriah Wofford. Having nursed both children for over a year, Wendy brings her personal nursing experience to the table when analyzing each product and the information provided by hands-on testers. With over ten years of combined experience, either using or testing pillows for nursing, the team brings a level of expertise not found in competing pillow reviews.
We spent months evaluating, researching, and using the nursing pillows. All of the pillows aim to bring the baby closer to breast level, but they don't all do it in the same way or with the same level of success. There are several factors to consider when finding a nursing pillow right for you and your baby, including ease of use, materials, and ease of cleaning. These 11 pillows were used by real nursing moms who provided feedback on each pillow's critical metrics, testing them side-by-side for a great comparison experience.
Analysis and Test Results
Choosing to breastfeed your baby can be gratifying but challenging. With nearly 75% of mothers attempting to nurse, the number of breastfeeding products like nursing pillows is rising. A nursing pillow can support and reduce your effort to focus on successful nursing and your little one. This review breaks down the differences between top contenders to help you choose the best pillow for you and your baby.
Value
When it comes to finding an excellent pillow for nursing, we encourage you to think about how often you'll use it. Since you'll be using the pillow multiple times every day, a more expensive option will quickly break down to pennies-per-use and offer a greater value over the product's lifetime. Also, most pillows will last through multiple babies, making it gear you can use for years. Pillows can also be used for comfort, propping up older babies, and for dad's helping with feeding. The Ergobaby Natural Curve and My Brest Friend Deluxe are budget-conscious choices that rank high overall in our tests. Despite the higher list price, the Blessed Nest Organic Nesting is also a good value. It provides organic and natural materials for sensitive moms or babies and a versatile shape. Even if you only use it for the first year, it will be one of the least expensive items in your nursery, and it will make your life easier, and it is hard to put a price on that.
The Nook Niche is one of the most intuitive and comfortable products to use.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Nursing Comfort
Nursing comfort is the metric we consider the most important. If a nursing pillow doesn't increase your overall comfort, then it's missing the point. We considered you and your baby's comfort and combined them to one score for overall nursing comfort.
Our favorite options have a semi-firm filling that can support a young infant while being soft enough to mold to the shape of both bodies (mom and baby). We prefer pillows that wrap around your waist and allow you to rest your elbows and prevent slouching. A few options, like the Frida Mom and the My Brest Friend Deluxe have belt straps with built-in lumbar support that is much appreciated during longer feeding sessions.
While not as cushy as some other options, the Humble-Bee Nurse-Sling balances comfort with on-the-go convenience.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The most comfortable pillows we tested are the Blessed Nest and the Nook Niche. They both have a wider than average surface for the baby to rest on, and the Blessed Nest is easily customizable to fit your height and shape preferences. Both of them stay put and require minimal adjusting mid-feed. The lowest-scoring for comfort is the Luna Lullaby Travel Pillow with a 3 of 10. This pillow is soft and not very supportive, lacking in height and sturdiness, which results in constant pad adjustment during feeding.
The Ergobaby Natural Curve helps to position mom and baby for a comfortable breastfeeding experience.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Use
An excellent pillow for nursing should be easy to use without being something a new mother needs to master. Since a baby's hunger typically dictates the time and the place, a mom often finds herself breastfeeding in various locations. A great pillow is easy to carry and store to accommodate this best. Extra features that make a mom's job easier, such as pockets for items like burp cloths and nipple salves, are nice. The ease of positioning and removing a pillow is also important. Straps can be a double-edged sword, keeping the pillow stationary and secure during feeding, but they require more setup than plain pillows.
We find buckles like on the Boppy Best Latch can make positioning more challenging and cumbersome, especially during nighttime feedings. Last, we consider how each pillow fits during different postpartum experience stages and for women with various body shapes. The Ergobaby Natural Curve performs well despite its simple design and lack of additional features. It is portable in size and weight, easy to position with one hand, and fits many women well. The Ergobaby, Blessed Nest Organic Nesting, and Nook Niche Organic earned an 8 of 10 each for ease of use. The most challenging option to use is the Luna Lullaby with a score of 4. The Luna slips away from mom's body easily, and the thinness impacts how you can position your little one for a good latch.
The Humble-bee packs up into a small carry case that can easily be taken along wherever you need to nurse.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Portability
Having an easily portable nursing pillow in the car, like the Humble-Bee Nurse-Sling or the Luna Lullaby Travel Pillow can make a huge difference when nursing away from home.
The Nook Niche uses 100% organic kapok for its core filling.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Materials
Cushion and cover materials can impact the pillow's overall quality, feel, and user experience. Our review includes 100% synthetic, 100% cotton, synthetic-cotton blend, and foam products.
Two choices, the Blessed Nest Organic Nesting and the Nook Niche have natural materials like buckwheat hulls and organic cotton. Each material has pros and cons, and it often comes down to personal preference and lifestyle to determine which is right for you. However, when possible, we prefer to lean toward natural products and make an effort to avoid pillows that can potentially off-gas.
The Nesting Pillow features an organic cover as well as pillow filled with organic, pesticide-free buckwheat hulls.
Credit: Megan Benedik
For instance, the Blessed Nest Organic Nesting is an all-natural pillow featuring a 100% organic cotton cover and an interior filling of organic, pesticide-free buckwheat hulls. Although this pillow costs double the price of some competition, some parents may feel the additional expense is acceptable for the all-natural materials. However, the Blessed Nest cover doesn't compare to the snuggly softness of polyester covers, like the one found on the Luna Lullaby.
Shape Retention
In theory, a nursing pillow should last through at least six months of nursing before your baby can fully support him or herself. Ideally, you can use it for multiple children over the years. We analyzed shape retention based on the materials inside each pillow and how well they hold up to washing and cover removal. Some contenders look brand new after months of use, while others grow lumpy, compressed, or misshapen.
Many nursing pillows provide the firm support necessary in early infancy by utilizing internal foam. The My Brest Friend Deluxe and Ergobaby Natural Curve have a polyurethane foam core. This material is more likely to hold its shape well over time without compressing. However, the foam has other concerns, such as the potential for off-gassing. Fortunately, none of the pillows in our review use flame retardant chemicals in their foam (woohoo!).
Putting the Luna Lullaby pillow back together after cleaning is trickier than it appears because the pillow changes shape easily.
Credit: Megan Benedik
Ease of Cleaning
Trust us, spills and spit-ups are inevitable. So, you'll need to clean your pillow or cover regularly. But, not all products are equal when it comes to the necessary time and effort to get them clean and back in action. With the number of times you need to use your pillow each day, you don't want your pillow out of commission for very long.
The best options to clean have covers and pillows that are machine washable and dryer safe, like the Boppy Bare Naked. This design is a huge time-saver. The Humble-Bee Nurse-Sling earned the top score for ease of cleaning with a 9 and machine washable and dryable cover and cushion. Unfortunately, some pillows have foam inserts that can only be spot cleaned and laid flat to dry (total time suck). While testing, we timed how long it took to put the cover back on each pillow after washing. Although this task should be simple, it took us over ten minutes to put some pillows back together. Liquid repelling covers such as the one on the Luna Lullaby also offer quick clean-up. Still, it earned the lowest score for cleaning in the group because the pillow is not machine washable, and when you remove the cover to clean it, the pad changes shape when it is replaced.
The Luna Lullaby Lil Something is a great value and is a comfortable spot for baby even when you are not nursing.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Conclusion
Motherhood is an emotion-filled ride full of learning and trial and error. Whether you choose to breastfeed or bottle-feed, babies often eat for longer than you ever thought possible. With some feeding sessions lasting upwards of 40 minutes, we think you'll appreciate having an appropriately supportive accessory. For this purpose, a nursing pillow can be essential, providing the physical support needed to feed your baby. Let us guide you through the details and specifics so you are equipped to make the right choice for you and your brand new little one.
Source: https://www.babygearlab.com/topics/nursing-feeding/best-nursing-pillow
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