Boppy Bare Naked Pillow

The Boppy Bare Naked Pillow is an absolute must-have item if you are planning to nurse your baby.  It offers incredible support that you cannot get in other types of pillows.  This pillow is also great for baby to lounge on after eating, supporting him while holding his own bottle, and eventually to help support him when he's learning to sit on his own. 

The Boppy was a real life saver when I brought home my newborn.  We were having a lot of trouble nursing - she wouldn't latch correctly, could never find a comfortable position (I had an emergency C-section and was in a great deal of pain) -  but when I engaged the help of the Boppy, things became so much easier.  My daughter was able to rest her head and nurse at the same time and I could prop her up off of my incision.  It really helped us get into a "nursing groove"!  Also, when my daughter refused to sleep in her crib for longer than a couple of hours at night, the Boppy could be placed in our bed so we could all get some sleep.  While many people are against this sort of arrangement, it is much safer than just placing baby on the mattress between you.  This way she was on top of all the blankets and could not possibly get squished between us. 

As my daughter grew, she loved lounging around on her Boppy.  She would lay on it while I folded laundry on the bed or read her stories.  She eventually would learn to enjoy tummy time with the Boppy's support.  This enabled her to learn to lift her head and eventually not scream bloody murder when placed on her tummy on the ground. 

I would highly recommend the Bare Naked Boppy so that you can switch out the "pillowcases" on a regular basis without having to wash the whole pillow all the time.  The covers that are available are adorable and fairly inexpensive ($10 each) so if they get stained, it's easy to just go out and get a new one without having to buy a whole new pillow. 

This pillow can grow with your child - from a nursing newborn to a seated five month old and a lounging 8 month old!  It's a great purchase and I think every new mom should own one.  These also make great gifts because more than one could always come in handy - one for the living room and one for the nursery for instance.