When did you stop needing a nursing pillow?

[Beauchamp]

Just wondering because we usually only nurse laying down (with me propped up on elbows, because DD tends to unlatch if I actually lay down) or in the chair with the Boppy or MBF pillow. She's just over 10 months old, and she's really tall and ~20.5 lbs.

When we travel, I am always at a loss because I feel the need to cart the Boppy everywhere, and it's a pain. She doesn't seem to like just being in my arms. She's heavy, and it's hard for me to hold her up. Hunching hurts my back. So what do all you mamas do? I don't see women everywhere carrying Boppies, so I must be missing something.

?

[SilverFish]

i stopped using a pillow about 3-4 weeks ago, and my baby is 2 months. we nurse in all different positions... side-lying, me sitting up straight with her across me horizontally in cradle hold (when we're out usually and it's not going to be a marathon nursing session), more reclined with her resting on my opposite leg and diagonal across my body. i find that she never needs more than one arm supporting her head/back. she also likes sitting straight up, facing my breast with her legs straddling my thigh... she needs her head held for this, but your girl will be old enough to sit up on her own, and if she doesn't like being held, it might work for you.

[KristyDi]

I still find my boppy useful with my 25 month old dd when she nurses to sleep. But we stopped needing it before 10 months.

I cross my legs, putting one ankle on the opposite knee and use my bent knee to support dd's head and her body rests along my lower leg. I made this video to demo how we NIP, but it shows how I nurse w/o a pillow too. DD was around 10 months when we made this. I think this will only work if your boobs are kinda big though.

[MsVyky]

I think I only used one for the first month or two. My baby isn't at all heavy and it's so easy just to let her be kind of diagonal, with her bum resting on the opposite leg from the breast she is nursing from.

[e(Lisa)beth]

My DD is 10 months old, and we still use the Brest Friend pillow every day. However, we don't use it every time; sometimes we use a bed pillow, a throw pillow or nothing at all. Depends on where we are and what type of chair we are sitting in. I haven't taken the Brest Friend with us when we left the house in at least six months.

[LindsC]

We stopped using the boppy pillow when DD was a couple of months old. It just seemed like it was getting in the way more than it was supporting her since she loves to move around while she is nursing. I usually just lay her across my lap with her bum against my leg so that she is reclined and she turns her head towards the breast. When she is tired, she likes to be cuddled more though.

[staceychev]

I don't think I even remembered I had my Boppy until DD2 was 3 weeks old. She's 2 days shy of 6 weeks, and we've used it twice. I guess I don't really get the nursing pillow thing. (Maybe because I'm a 36D?)

[noobmom]

I always use a nursing pillow at home (except in bed at night) and never use when I'm nursing out of the house. I just can't be bothered to carry it around. It is less comfortable when we're out and about, but we just make do. Today I nursed DD on a city bench sans pillow and she's 3 mo.

[ClaudiaTh]

My daugher is 4 months old and we are still using the nursing pillow

[Peony]

I've never used a nursing pillow besides the first week with my 1st child. I discovered the bent leg position like another poster mentioned and used just that from the beginning with the next two children.

[kirstenb]

I use the Boppy at home unless we are sleeping, then I nurse lying down. I have never brought it out in public though, we just make do without it.

[penstamon]

We used the MBF until maybe 6 weeks. We both became very adept at nursing in all different positions depending on the situation, but usually DS just sits in my lap.

[WindyCityMom]

I NEED mine because I'm an A cup. She's 4 months old. When we NIP I prop her up on the diaper bag

[averlee]

I had the my brest friend, and used it a few times in the first 3 months, when I gave it away. I love that mother nature gave me everything I need to feed my baby, just like women have done for millions of years, with no stuff to cart around.

[BreakfastyMichele]

I used (and loved) My Brest Friend when it was convenient until my daughter weaned herself at ~20 months.

But I didn't actually *need* MBF or any pillow once she had good neck control at a couple months old. I certainly never carted it around with me, but when we were home and I wanted to do something else while nursing--read or surf the web or the like--I used the pillow.

[stealthmode]

I packed the My Brest Friend away at about 10 weeks. The Boppy is still out but it has never seen much action. As soon as DD got good head control, I started experimenting with cradle positions for feedings (we had always used cross cradle until that point).

I guess I just like the freedom of not using the pillow. We can snuggle in whatever position seems comfy at the time.

[coldandsleepy]

I'm a little late to this thread, but wanted to add a suggestion to you.

My son has reflux issues, so to help him, the local lactation consultants advised me to start feeding him in an upright position all the time. Once he learned to sit up on his own/had the trunk strength, I started sitting him on my knee and feeding him like that. He just straddles one leg, facing me, and eats like that.

It's great for me because I can sit upright and have good posture, and he's really holding up the majority of his weight. It's great for him because he likes to bounce up and down while he eats.

Anyway, just thought it might be something for you to try since your little one is older!

[Beauchamp]

Thanks. I have tried her sitting up, and in the Ergo and sling. She pushes her face down into me when she nurses upright, though, and it completely covers her nose. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, or my body is the wrong shape. I wish I could nurse her sitting up. I am feeling pretty inept at this. I can't figure out how to keep her nose clear. She seems to want to push her face in.

[SilverFish]

don't worry so much! she will help herself to air when she wants some, especially at 10 months old!! even a baby a few weeks old is capable of moving their head back to breathe while eating.

[cristeen]

Just to make you feel a little better, in the sea of responses from mamas who don't rely on their Boppy... unless we're side-lying (rare and extremely complicated for us), we're using the Boppy. There've been a few times at LLL meetings or the ped where I've had to punt, but it's very difficult.

Now, at 7 1/2 mos, he's starting to latch on his own from various positions... from hand and knees with me on my side, or with him straddling my knee on the couch. But that's just been the last week. To actually nurse, we still use the Boppy.