The Boppy pillow is a popular brand of nursing pillow. It is a c-shaped nursing pillow that helps to provide support when nursing your baby. It has a few other uses, too.
The Boppy pillow fits around the mother’s belly, giving her support while she is nursing. Mothers can use it as a positioner, making it easier for the mother to get her baby into the right position when feeding.
While Boppy pillows can be very useful and safe when used as they are intended, when people use them in other ways, they can be a hazard to babies. There have been documented infant deaths that have been attributed to the incorrect use of these pillows.
What are the Benefits of Using a Boppy Pillow?
Using a Boppy pillow helps to alleviate the impact of nursing on the shoulders, neck, and back. It is also useful when you are tired, as when it is on your lap it helps you lift your infant higher up, closer to your breast. This prevents you having to slouch over to breastfeed.
Boppy pillows can also be used for help with sitting and “tummy time” for your baby. Remember that babies must always be supervised when around or on any kind of cushion.
Leaving an infant unsupervised in such a situation puts the child’s life at risk, as suffocation can occur. Infants should never be allowed to sleep in close proximity to a nursing pillow, no matter what the circumstances.
We must always remember that babies are at risk of suffocation when they are on or near soft and/or voluminous objects. Infants have great difficulty moving their heads if they find themselves positioned in a way that will not allow them to breathe.
- VERSATILE AWAKE-TIME SUPPORT: Feeding (0+ months), propping (3+ months), tummy time (6+ months) and sitting (9+ months). For baby’s awake time only. Not for sleep.
- CREATED FOR COMFORT: Designed by a mom, the Boppy Pillow provides to your arms and back by lifting your baby to a more ergonomic position when breastfeeding or bottle feeding
- YOU HAVE OPTIONS: Works for multiple feeding styles—cradle, cross cradle, football hold, bottle feeding
- REMOVABLE SLIPCOVER: Comes dressed in a removable pillow cover with an easy-on covered zipper design
- EASY CARE, MACHINE WASHABLE: The Boppy Pillow and slipcover are machine washable because messes happen
How to Use a Boppy Pillow While Breastfeeding
To use a Boppy pillow while breastfeeding, sit down in a place where your back is properly supported and you feel comfortable. Put the Boppy pillow on your lap, around your waist.
Position your baby on the pillow. Baby must be facing your body, resting on his or her side. Make sure your baby’s mouth is on an even level with the breast you will feed from.
If you need to, use your arm to cradle the infant’s upper torso and head, and allow your own arm to rest on the pillow. Don’t lower the breast or your torso. If the infant isn’t high enough, you can add another pillow underneath the Boppy. You can also lift your baby with your arms.
Using a Boppy when Bottle Feeding
To use a Boppy pillow while bottle feeding, first sit in a spot where your back is well-supported and you are comfortable. Put the Boppy pillow in your lap and around your waist.
Rest your baby on its back, on the Boppy pillow. Use your arm to cradle your infant’s upper torso and head, with your arm resting on the pillow. Use your free hand to feed the baby.
Using a Boppy for Supervised “Tummy Time”
Put a blanket on the floor, and position the Boppy on top of it. Place your baby so that his or her upper body is on top of the pillow, with legs resting down into the C curve of the pillow.
Let your baby have supervised tummy time in this position for about five to twenty minutes. Stop if your baby starts crying, fussing, or is not able to hold his or her head up.
If your baby’s arms and shoulders fall from the top of the pillow, make sure to immediately reposition them.
- VERSATILE AWAKE-TIME SUPPORT: Feeding (0+ months), propping (3+ months), tummy time (6+ months) and sitting (9+ months). For baby’s awake time only. Not for sleep.
- CREATED FOR COMFORT: Designed by a mom, the Boppy Pillow provides relief to your arms and back by lifting your baby to a more ergonomic position when breastfeeding or bottle feeding
- YOU HAVE OPTIONS: Works for multiple feeding styles—cradle, cross cradle, football hold, bottle feeding
- REMOVABLE SLIPCOVER: Comes dressed in a removable pillow cover with an easy-on covered zipper design
- EASY CARE, MACHINE WASHABLE: The Boppy Pillow and slipcover are machine washable because messes happen
Other Uses for the Boppy Pillow
When your baby is ready to begin sitting up you can use your nursing pillow to help your baby get and stay in position. The pillow helps to compensate for an infant’s lack of core strength.
To use the Boppy pillow for this purpose, first put the pillow on the floor. Never do this on an elevated surface like a chair or couch, as this can be dangerous. Place your infant in a sitting position in the center of the pillow’s “C” curve.
Ensure that your infant’s back rests against the pillow’s curve. Their legs should be positioned so they point in the direction of the opening. Cradle the infant on both sides by adjusting the pillow ends in towards each other.
Your baby must be supervised at all times when doing this. You must reposition or remove your baby immediately if he or she starts to fall over.
Conclusion
While the Boppy pillow can be an amazing tool, it is crucial that you use it in a safe manner and be aware of the dangers that can arise if it is used improperly.
In 2015, a coroner in Pennsylvania announced his finding that three infants had died as result of incorrect use of nursing pillows. The babies died from posture asphyxiation while sleeping on or near a nursing pillow.
Ensure that your baby is always properly supervised when they are on or near a Boppy pillow. Leaving your baby even for a very short period of time can have tragic consequences.
