How to Choose the Best Nursing Pillow for Breastfeeding: 7 Things New Moms Should Look For

If you're preparing for a new baby, a nursing pillow may seem like one of the simpler items on your registry. But once you're feeding a newborn multiple times a day—and often multiple times a night—you may quickly realize that the right nursing pillow can make a meaningful difference in comfort, positioning, and support.

Not all nursing pillows are designed the same way. Shape, firmness, height, size, and stability can all affect how well a pillow supports both you and your baby.

Whether you plan to breastfeed, bottle-feed, pump, or use a combination of feeding methods, here are 7 things to consider when choosing a nursing pillow.

1. Look for a Nursing Pillow That Brings Baby Up to You

One of the most important jobs of a nursing pillow is simple: support baby at a comfortable feeding height.

When a pillow sits too low or compresses significantly under baby's weight, you may find yourself leaning or rounding forward during a feeding.

Instead, look for a nursing pillow that provides enough height and support to help bring baby toward your body.

This becomes especially important when you consider how often a newborn feeds. A position that feels only slightly uncomfortable at first can become much more noticeable when repeated throughout the day and night.

A helpful rule to remember: Bring baby to you rather than bringing your body down to baby.

2. Consider Your Own Back, Neck, Shoulders and Arms

When shopping for baby products, it's natural to focus almost entirely on baby.

But feeding involves two people.

Your nursing pillow should support you, too.

During feeding, many moms unintentionally tense their shoulders, lean forward, or use their arms to support much of baby's weight. Over time, that can become tiring and uncomfortable.

A supportive nursing pillow can help create a more comfortable foundation for feeding and reduce how much work your arms and upper body have to do.

This is one reason we believe nursing pillows should be viewed as more than a cute nursery accessory.

They're a tool for feeding support.

3. Pay Attention to the Shape of the Nursing Pillow

This is one of the biggest differences between nursing pillows.

Many traditional nursing pillows have a curved or C-shaped design that wraps closely around the body.

The Luna Lullaby Nursing Pillow is intentionally different.

Luna's signature V-shaped design creates a large, supportive feeding surface without requiring the pillow to wrap tightly around your waist.

The shape allows moms to adjust the pillow and baby for different feeding positions while providing plenty of room for support.

It can also be especially helpful for moms who don't want pressure around the abdomen, including during postpartum and C-section recovery.

There isn't one feeding position that works for every mom and every baby. That's why we believe a nursing pillow should help you find your comfortable position rather than force your body into one specific position.

4. Look for Support That Doesn't Easily Collapse

Softness feels wonderful—but when it comes to a nursing pillow, soft doesn't have to mean unsupportive.

A pillow that compresses too much under baby's weight may lose the height you need during feeding.

Look for a nursing pillow that provides a balance of comfort and support.

The Luna Lullaby Nursing Pillow was designed with a generous filling and a large surface area to provide comfortable, stable support during feeding.

The goal isn't to make a pillow hard or rigid.

The goal is to create soft support that actually supports.

5. Choose a Pillow With Enough Surface Area

Newborns don't stay newborn-sized for very long!

A larger nursing pillow provides more room to position baby comfortably and gives you greater flexibility as your baby grows.

This can also be helpful for:

• Breastfeeding

• Bottle-feeding

• Different nursing positions

• Feeding assessments with professionals

• Supporting twins

• Adjusting positioning as baby grows

A generous surface gives you room to work with rather than making you feel confined to one small area.

6. Make Sure It's Practical for Real Life

Feeding babies can be messy.

Milk happens. Spit-up happens. Life happens.

Before choosing a nursing pillow, look at the practical details:

Can the cover be removed? Is it washable? Are additional covers available?

Having a removable, washable cover—and ideally an extra cover ready to go—can make life considerably easier during the newborn months.

You may also want to consider whether you'll need feeding support away from home.

A full-size nursing pillow can be wonderful at home, while a smaller travel nursing pillow can provide support in the car, at grandparents' homes, while traveling, or anywhere else feeding happens.

Because babies rarely limit feeding time to the living room!

7. Look Beyond the Pretty Fabric

Of course you want something beautiful.

Baby products become part of your home, nursery, photographs, and memories of those early months.

But underneath the fabric, ask yourself:

Why was this pillow designed this way?

At Luna Lullaby, that's a question that matters deeply to us.

The Luna Lullaby Nursing Pillow was created with feeding support in mind and designed by a speech-language pathologist and feeding specialist.

Its distinctive V-shape, generous size, supportive fill, and flexible positioning weren't chosen simply to make Luna look different.

They were created to help support the feeding experience.

Today, Luna Lullaby Nursing Pillows are used not only by moms and families, but also by lactation and feeding professionals who use nursing pillows as part of their work supporting and educating families.

What Is the Best Nursing Pillow for Breastfeeding?

The best nursing pillow is ultimately the one that helps you and your baby feed comfortably and confidently.

When comparing your options, don't choose based on appearance alone.

Look at:

Height. Support. Shape. Stability. Size. Washability. Flexibility.

And most importantly, think about how the pillow will support both people involved in the feeding experience.

Because feeding isn't just about supporting baby.

Mom deserves support, too.

Why Luna Lullaby Was Designed Differently

Luna Lullaby has been supporting moms and babies since 2010.

Our nursing pillows are Made in the USA and designed around a simple belief:

Better support can help create a more comfortable feeding experience.

We're proud that Luna isn't simply another baby product lining every big-box store shelf. Our community continues to grow organically—from mom to mom and through lactation professionals, feeding specialists, parenting professionals, and families who share Luna with one another.

Our goal isn't simply to sell nursing pillows.

We want to help moms feel supported, educated, and encouraged as they learn what works for themselves and their babies.

Celebrate National Breastfeeding Month With Luna

August is National Breastfeeding Month, and we're celebrating the moms, babies, professionals, partners, and families who make up the feeding-support community.

For the remainder of August, enjoy 15% off Luna Lullaby Nursing Pillows and Travel Nursing Pillows with code NOURISH15.

Use code NOURISH15 through August 31.

Whether you're preparing for your own baby, building your registry, or choosing a thoughtful gift for a new mom, we'd be honored to be part of your feeding journey.

Support baby. Support mom. Nourish together.