Boppy Bare Naked Pillow — Boy, Are My Arms No Longer Tired

Breastfeeding can be a very tiring experience. Of course what would I know about the magical wonders of breastfeeding? I’m on the outside watching the action, albeit I do have the only ticket for the show. My wife is an advocate of breastfeeding and wants to make sure that our son is comfortable when it’s time for him to eat. Let me correct that that: she wants to make sure that they are both comfortable when it’s feeding time. This is where the Boppy comes into play, and I’m glad that we have one.

The Boppy Bare Naked Pillow is something that we put on the registry list at Babies “R” Us. My wife did a lot of research onto the product and felt it would be a necessary tool in her quest to breastfeed our child. Upon receiving it as a gift, she proceeded to try it out to see how it worked. She didn’t like it. It felt awkward for her to use and was resigned to chalking it up as another over-hyped product. Oh well, at least I can use it as a neck brace.

Fast forward to three months later. Mini Visdo is 14 weeks old, 25-inches long and 18 pounds. The boy is not a lightweight by any means. Carrying him all around is definitely giving me a workout. Who needs a gym when little Hercules is making us sweat? With that said, my wife is having a harder time holding him in place when breastfeeding him. Not only is he big and heavy, he is also long. Using pillows to prop him up isn’t working anymore. All of a sudden the Boppy becomes my wife’s best friend.

What exactly is the Boppy? It’s a cushion used to support a mother when breastfeeding a baby. Its shaped like a horseshoe and fits around a person’s waist. The baby is placed horizontally on the pillow as the mother proceeds to breastfeed. The extra support from the Boppy is ideal considering it helps the mother rest her arms while feeding especially if your little bruiser is as big as ours.

Because he’s a big boy, having the Boppy alleviates his weight when he’s placed on it. All of a sudden his long frame fits nicely on the pillow and my wife uses it every time she feeds him. It’s no longer awkward for either him or her. I notice how the Boppy conforms to the person’s waist for that extra comfort. In a sense, one size fits all.

But guess what? I also use it as well. This isn’t only meant for mothers to use. I’ll admit that even I get tired from carrying the boy especially when I’m trying to put him to sleep. There are times I will sit in the rocking chair, place the Boppy around my waist and rest Baby Visdo on it while cradling him to sleep. It is so much easier to do it this way as I can rest my arms on the pillow for support without getting tired. I also get jealous watching him because he looks extremely comfortable. Someone needs to make an adult-sized version just so I can lay myself on it.

Sometimes after feeding, we prop him up in the Boppy as he rests against it. It also helps reduce reflux. I like how his head is completely supported and elevated so he can see things. Plus, if he decides to roll from side-to-side, he can’t go very far. But if he keeps growing at this fast rate, I think the Boppy isn't going to hold him tight anymore.

Besides sitting, we also try place him on his stomach for some tummy time. Baby Visdo is still getting used to being on his tummy and is still learning how to lift his head when in this position. But I love watching him try. The boy is a little Hercules so I know it’s going to happen very soon when he’s going to be doing push-ups with me on his back. He’s already learned how to headbutt me and punch me in the face. Might as well go all the way and complete his arsenal of baby tricks.

Because we received the bare Boppy, we decided to buy a slipcover for it. That way, if he decides to spit up all over, we can wash the slipcover but still have the Boppy available for use. The pillow itself will take some hits and eventually wear down through its usage after the first year.

The Boppy has become quite a useful tool in our household. It is never out of my wife’s reach since Mr. Mister eats whenever he feels like it (that translates to quite frequently). It may raise a few eyebrows with the lovely $25.00 tag to its name, but trust me this is well worth the price. I love how we can take it out with us if we know we are going to someone else’s house. It’s portable, very practical and easy to maintain to keep it clean. I just can’t wait until Baby Visdo outgrows the Boppy so I can reclaim it for myself. As you can see, I have a problem with sharing things. I’m so bad.