The arrival of a new baby is usually filled with happiness, excitement, and nervousness. New mothers, proud, happy, and exhausted after delivery, will be expected to start breastfeeding soon. The first milk secreted at the time of birth, called colostrum, is extremely good for the baby’s health.
There are many items that help mothers with the feeding of their newborn baby. Some of them are well known and widely used, such as the breast pump. However, not many moms are aware of the benefits of using a simple and inexpensive device, the nursing pillow (also known as breastfeeding pillow). The nursing pillow is important because the position in which you hold the baby and how you sit are critical to attain a proper latch.
There are many benefits of using a nursing pillow:
During pregnancy:
Backaches and other discomforts while sleeping are common problems among pregnant women. This worsens in the last trimester when your baby bump is large. You can use the nursing pillow for supporting your back; it can also be kept between your legs to provide comfort and under your belly when you are sleeping on your side.
During breastfeeding:
1. It helps the baby latch properly: Your body position while holding the baby is very important for a good latch. This can be attained easily using a nursing pillow. Both you and your baby will be comfortable while breastfeeding, especially if you delivered via C-section.
2. It provides relief from reflux: Most babies suffer from colic and get very cranky from it. Holding up the baby’s head while feeding will give him or her some comfort from reflux. When you use a nursing pillow, the baby’s head will be in the right position to reduce the discomforts from reflux.
3. It aids while bottle-feeding: Your baby’s head will be nicely supported when you use the nursing pillow and this will help feed him or her with a bottle comfortably.
4. It can be used by older babies: After the initial weeks, breastfeeding will become easier for you and your baby and you may not need the nursing pillow any longer. However, it can still come in handy. Once the baby has started moving around, the nursing pillow can be used as a support for baby’s tummy time and for sitting up.
Breastfeeding can be challenging, especially for first-time moms, as noted in a recent publication. You and your baby will need to learn together the best techniques for breastfeeding. This may or may not go smoothly. A nursing pillow can be very helpful at this stage. You can purchase a nursing pillow quite inexpensively from any of the top 10 best pregnancy pillows retailers. They can all be easily found online.
