Breastfeeding pillows can be an obstacle to baby

Experts warn they also cause mums pain

BREASTFEEDING pillows can make it harder for mothers to feed their babies and may even leave lactating mums in pain, experts warn.

The pillows, which cost up to €63, are placed on the mother’s lap with her baby nestled on top to feed.

They are meant to help support the baby and make it more comfortable for both mother and child.

However, they often leave infants too far from the breast to feed properly.

If the mother is tall there is a danger that she will end up hunching over, causing back problems.

Petite women who have to lift their breast towards the baby may unwittingly block their milk ducts which can cause mastitis, an inflammation of a blocked duct.

In the worst case, a baby in the wrong position may not latch on properly – the main reason women give for quitting breastfeeding within two weeks.

Emma Pickett, from the UK’s Association of Breastfeeding Mothers, said that almost every breastfeeding woman she sees uses a pillow and nearly half suffer complications.

Mrs Pickett, who works as a lactation consultant, told the conference: ‘Sometimes a mum comes to a group, she is ten days or 14 days in, and the baby has never attached. It turns out she was just holding the baby too far away.’

She said ‘squidgy beanbag-style’ pillows were the worst culprits. ‘The baby sinks down as it feeds and is not in the right position, so the nipple is rubbing against the roof of its mouth,’ she said. ‘This can be extremely painful for women, many of whom say breastfeeding is worse than childbirth.’

Many specialists now recommend feeding in a laid-back position – rather than sitting upright. In this case a pillow is not necessary as the baby is supported by the mother’s body instead.

Liz Halliday, of the UK’s Private Midwives firm, said: ‘While breastfeeding pillows can be a wonderful aid, they can also cause problems.

‘Pillows that do not properly support the mother can be a cause of back, shoulder and neck pain.’

Claire Livingstone, an adviser to the Royal College of Midwives in Britain, said: ‘We want to encourage women to breastfeed, preferably exclusively for the first six months, because of the lifelong benefits.

‘Breastfeeding pillows will work for some mums and not for others, so it is a matter of common sense.’