Hippychick Feeding Pillow at a glance
The Hippychick pillow is lightweight and a great on-the-go feeding pillow that will support your newborn baby in the correct position thanks to the ties allowing baby to attach properly to the nipple, it also helps to reduce pain and tension of the breast. Having the right position also prevents babies from stopping feeding ahead of time. The 100 per cent cotton pillowcase is also washable.
We spoke to these real parent testers to get their review...
Related: Pregnancy pillow
How did this product make your life easier?
Stacey: The tie option makes this breastfeeding pillow a great option when travelling out of the house with my baby. The zip removable cover is perfect so the case can easily be removed and washed after any milk spills. It would be even better if the cover was waterproof so that any spills don’t soak through to the actual pillow.
Emily: I thought the pillow was really useful in the early days when establishing breastfeeding. I had major abdominal surgery at the time of the caesarian so this pillow enabled me to breastfeed and keep the baby away from my tender stomach. The fact that you can tie it up around your tummy means you can stand up and walk around and reposition without dropping or needing to hold onto the pillow.
Sophie: It really helped make breastfeeding more comfortable. I wasn’t sure how it would be different to a normal pillow but it really helped with the way it fit and the shape allowed lots of different support positions. Breastfeeding can for many (definitely for me) be a very difficult journey so anything to help is welcomed to make this easier.
Would you recommend this to other parents?
Abigail: I’d recommend this feeding pillow to my new mummy friends, especially the ones who like to get out and about in those early days of breastfeeding. It’s really handy to pop over the pushchair handlebar and take out with you. It’s very useful to store breastfeeding essentials in the inside pocket. It feels very supportive and sturdy but cushiony and comfortable to rest on. The shape of the cushion and length of the ties make it suitable for a variety of body shapes and sizes. Being able to easily remove the cover and wash it in the machine is great, no new mum wants extra washing complications. The fabric is nice as it’s cotton so it doesn’t get itchy or sweaty and uncomfortable. I also enjoyed having the pillow as support on my lower back. I had terrible backache for a while after the birth and it is super comfortable.
Frances: Yes! I hadn't thought about getting an additional feeding pillow to my twin pillow but testing this product has made me realise how much easier it is to feed in public. You can easily transport it on the pram, it is light with the added bonus if it gets dirty while out and about you can just wash it.
Emily: Yes I would recommend this. You can tie it to yourself and walk around/not drop it which is better especially when you have a toddler too. You can also tie it onto the buggy when out and about. It's very ready to take the cover off and wash it too. And it washed up well. And it's not too big so easy to store too.
Would you choose this product above all others on the market?
Fiona: For a nursing pillow it was really good to get a good position to free up the hands to really get baby in the right position. It’s soft but nice and firm to be able to get baby to lie well on it and trust they won’t be sinking with time and moving position. It worked better for this than a pregnancy pillow I have that ‘doubles’ as a nursing pillow. So if positioning a baby for a feed is a struggle, it definitely would help with that over some. It’s harder to wash than some as it doesn’t have an easy removable cover to quickly wash or dab clean.
Emily: I think this product is better than the bog-standard feeding pillow I used for my first child. It's easier to take out of the house with you, easy to clean and not too bulky to store either. I think the tie around the back is really clever and makes it more suitable and you aren't always dropping it or it slipping or of position whilst feeding.
Melanie: I thought the Hippychick breastfeeding pillow was well designed and extremely useful to breastfeeding mothers. The features I liked were the washable cover and storage bag. It made breastfeeding much more comfortable. Additionally, I think that it is fantastic that it can be used during pregnancy/tummy time/support for babysitting and not only a breastfeeding pillow. It just adds to the versatility of the product and means separate things do not have to be purchased.
What changes would you make to this product?
Frances: It would be great to develop a twin feeding pillow with a similar concept. At the moment I can feed my twins with this pillow alone at 4 months but as they get slightly bigger it may become more tricky. Also maybe if you could develop a popper so you can fold your pillow and pop the sides together to hold in place to make it slightly smaller to transport.
Bridget: If you were able to put it on with one hand so that you don't have to put the baby down to tie it on, but I am not sure how this could be done. I think the quality is good and the fact that it can be washed are useful features. I think it would be nice to be able to buy this product with designs on it for the baby to look at if using it for tummy time.
Fiona: Addition of a quick release somehow. The tie allows a great snug secure fit, but if you need to remove it super speedy (e.g. major nappy explosion or milky vomit), it’s not the easiest. Fabric, while feeling hardwearing and good quality, picks up a lot of dust and is not the easiest to sponge clean (that milk vomit again).