Which is The Best Nursing Pillow? My Brest Friend vs Boppy

Choosing the best nursing pillow for you can help you get off to a great start breastfeeding. Many moms debate the two most popular pillows, My Brest Friend vs Boppy.

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In those early days you literally spend hours breastfeeding every day and trying to hold your baby in just the right position that whole time without any support is only going to make it even tougher. Having a great, supportive pillow will take the load off your arms and back so you can focus on getting a good latch and bonding with your baby.

Your nursing pillow can be a lifesaver or a source of frustration so many moms have surprisingly strong feelings about their preferred pillow. 

Jo and I were both Boppy moms. When we recommended the Boppy in our breastfeeding essentials post we received lots of feedback from My Brest Friend moms about it’s superiority.

So after using the Boppy for my first two babies, I got My Brest Friend for my third so that I could compare the two pillows directly.

My Brest Friend vs Boppy… I had to know, which is better?

Obviously, which pillow is best comes down to personal preference and which works best for you. My favorite may not be your favorite, so I’ve tried to really compare the pros and cons of each so that you can figure out for yourself which nursing pillow will meet your needs.

The Boppy Original

This Boppy nursing pillow is a bestseller and top registry pick for new moms. 

It is a large, U-shaped pillow worn around your stomach for your baby to rest on while feeding them. 

Though the pillow can be purchased “naked” there are tons of pillow covers available in adorable prints. 

Why Pick Boppy?

• Boppy is comfortable to use and gets baby at the right height for nursing for most moms.
• It is easy to get on and off quickly and one handed. Also, the pillow can easily be shifted around to add more support to one side or the other.
• The pillow covers and the whole pillow itself are all machine washable. I am of the opinion that all baby items should be able to go through the washer and dryer for that inevitable massive spit up or enormous blow out.
• The Boppy is more versatile. Besides being used for breastfeeding, many people use it for bottle feeding too. It can also be used as a prop for baby to lean against as they learn to sit as well as for tummy time. Honestly, I’ve slept on mine before as well and it was pretty darn comfy. It is important to note that it is not supposed to be used for infant sleep.

Why Not Pick Boppy?

• Since it is so soft and squishy, it may not provide enough support.
• The top (and bottom) are rounded which some moms don’t like. Since it is not flat, baby may roll either backward or forward. It also creates a gap between the pillow and mom’s tummy. (Side Note: I shove a small blanket or burp cloth in this gap to keep my newborns from slipping in it.)
• The pillow can shift out of place more easily.

My Brest Friend

The My Brest Friend is a foam pillow that wraps completely around the waist creating a shelf for baby to rest on while feeding.

The pillow cover has an adjustable strap that clips to hold the pillow in place. Pillow covers are also available in multiple fun patterns. 

Why Pick My Brest Friend?

• The wrap around foam provides firm support for your baby as well as back support.
• The slipcovers are machine washable. (But they should not go in the dryer, so this is sort of a con as well)
• The pillow clips very securely. Seriously, you can stand up and walk around with this pillow staying in place. The snug fit means there’s no gap for baby to slip between you and the pillow.
• The pillow cover has a small pocket perfect for stashing nipple cream or snacks.

Why Not Pick My Brest Friend?

• The pillow is harder to get it around yourself and clipped, especially while holding a baby.
• The foam pillow is not machine washable and can be spot cleaned only. Personally, I find this to be a bit concerning if poop and spit up absorb into the foam. You can get a waterproof slipcover, but I’ve been covering it with a blanket in the hopes of catching fluids before they can soak in.
• The top of the pillow has two small bumps presumably to position baby’s head, but they can be more awkward than helpful.
• May not fit plus size moms well.

**For c-section moms, there are mixed reviews on this pillow and I don’t have personal experience with this situation. Some moms appreciate that the pillow can be secured above their incision site, but others find the snug pressure uncomfortable.

Which Nursing Pillow is Best?

So in the battle between My Brest Friend vs Boppy – who won?

Despite previously being devoted to my Boppy, I was pleasantly surprised by the My Brest Friend nursing pillow. Though I find the name silly (WHY misspell breast?), the pillow provides great support I didn’t even know I was missing. 

There are some really great aspects of the My Brest Friend pillow, particularly the firm flat top and the strap that make it easier to keep my baby in place while nursing. 

That said, I am not completely ready to ditch my Boppy just yet either. It is more convenient in some ways. In particular, My Brest Friend is more challenging to get in place while holding a crying baby and doesn’t clean as well.

I cover the My Brest Friend pillow with another blanket in the hopes that I can keep poop and spit up from soaking into the foam. Additionally, the fabric for the My Brest Friend slipcover is not nearly as soft as the covers for the Boppy.

My Boppy has already been well used for nursing two babies, spit ups, blow outs, and has held up incredibly well. It has been through the wash many times and always comes out looking as good as new. I also love the ease of use and versatility of the Boppy especially as babies grow.

The My Brest Friend seems better for newborns, where the Boppy works well for older infants and has more versatility.

The true winner for me is two nursing pillows!

Admittedly, this is a “first-world” problem, but if you have two levels in your house, two nursing pillows is the way to go.

For my first two babies, I dragged or threw the Boppy up and down the stairs every day. Having a pillow on each floor saves you from trying to juggle your baby and pillow on the steps and I honestly wish I had bought a second pillow the first time around.

Which nursing pillow is your favorite?