TWIN BREASTFEEDING PILLOWS:
Hey there! I am Becky Bernstein, I am a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, IBCLC and mom of 4 (last 2 were twins!). I have been breastfeeding my twins for the past 2.5 years and sharing the journey on Instagram as we go along because it has been quite the ride as you could imagine!
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is “What breastfeeding pillow is the best for nursing twins?”.
There are 2 main twin breastfeeding pillows on the market: My Brest Friend Deluxe Twin Pillow and the Twin Z Pillow. This is the question that I get asked the most: “Twin Z or My Brest Friend?”
There is no getting around it, no matter what twin pillow you use, twin breastfeeding pillows are HUGE and it just is what it is, but to me it is necessary to breastfeed twins. You can get away with nursing a singleton without a pillow, in fact, many people prefer not to use one.
With twins, especially in the beginning when they are small and you are just learning, it is an incredibly valuable tool. Having both babies in double football hold is usually the easiest way to nurse both twins at the same time and both of these pillows allow for this hold. But of course, everyone finds whatever way they are the most comfortable.
I will break down each pillow for ya. (Also i am not affiliated with either company, I got these as gifts for my baby shower and have used both and am just spreading the word here!!)
My Brest Friend Deluxe Twin Pillow – $75
This is one large pillow that has an adjustable clip that goes around the waist and fits most sizes. It is VERY STURDY which is important. Even when babies start to grow, gain weight, and get bigger, it can support their weight well. The design also has a lip at the edge so the babies tend to slant towards you when you are nursing them which is an advantage.
I love the clip because you can secure it tightly and you can bring it right below your breasts so the babies can be close to your breasts which is beneficial because you don’t have to hunch over. You can also put another pillow (any kind of pillow) underneath the Nursing pillow to raise it up a little when they are newborns so you aren’t hunching over). There is a removable back support piece, also.
Once you get the hang of latching the twins, you can really be hands free. If you have other kids at home, this can be really helpful, too (or you can scroll the internet and relax as much as you can!). It also provides a great surface to burp them afterwards as well. Speaking of burping (and spit up!) there is a removable, machine-wash cover. There is also a pocket on the cover, you can throw a remote, water bottle, or your phone in there which is handy.
It is so sturdy and secure that I used the My Brest Friend Twin Pillow until the twins were 17 months. After that, it was easiest to not use a pillow and nurse them in a cradle/football style hold where one is in the other’s lap (I essentially use a baby as a pillow LOL).
The downside of this pillow is that it really only is for nursing. The Twin Z pillow (which I will go over) is more versatile and has some other uses (but does come at a higher price). However, I have used mine to prop the twins in, and it can work, or you can always put them in a chair, boppy, the FLOOR, or whatever else you have!
Twin Z Pillow – $110
If you’ve ever heard of or used a boppy for a singleton, this pillow is what that reminds me of, like 2 boppies melded together. When using it for nursing, the center part folds back as a back rest and then you can clip the pillow together in the front.
This pillow is definitely more versatile and can be used for bottle feeding, lounging, tummy time.
The pillows obviously have different shapes that offer different benefits. Because the My Brest Friend is more sturdy, it has more prominent edges, so it doesn’t work for tummy time and it doesn’t work for lounging but it is AWESOME for nursing. The Twin Z has softer edges and slopes down more like a traditional boppy which is great for lounging and propping up but in my opinion, it’s more difficult to nurse because the babies are down so low and I feel like they are always sliding off and away from me and I never felt comfortable nursing with the Twin Z as I felt it wasn’t as sturdy supporting the twins. I also don’t like the back support, I felt it very uncomfortable and it can’t be removed (like the My Brest Friend back support).
I also pumped A LOT with the twins, I’m still pumping now 2.5 years later when I’m at work but in those first 2 years, it was like a second job. So the twins got lots of bottles (along with tandem feeding). I found using the Twin Z Pillow myself for feeding was quite uncomfortable because I had to hunch over so much and I would usually pump while I was nursing, so I really didn’t like using it for that. I preferred using the Table for Two (we got this as a hand me down, it’s quite expensive, and you can use other contraptions like chairs to feed them).
So how do you choose?
It really comes down to what you need and what you are going to use it for.
If you ask my opinion, I would DEFINITELY say the My Brest Friend if you’re going to be tandem nursing. I would not have gotten the Twin Z but I had no idea what I was doing and this is why I am writing this for you LOL. If you’re going to be bottle feeding, the Twin Z is convenient, but honestly, it’s uncomfortable to feed them using the Twin Z, but it is possible but it can work.
You could use a lot of things in place of the Twin Z, like 2 boppies, or other chairs. We were given the Table for Two as a hand me down and that thing was pretty sweet for bottle feeding and pumping at the same time and just for the twins sitting around as well. The sturdiness, shape, and the fact that the My Brest Friend can be tightened so it’s close to your body makes it win in terms of nursing, but again, it’s not as versatile (however, you can use other things if you’ll be bottle feeding too!). See how high up and secure this is to my body here?
Look, having twins can be hard, breastfeeding twins is definitely a feat! If you are pregnant with twins and are interested in breastfeeding, I offer an online twin breastfeeding course which you can check out here. I also offer one-on-one lactation consultations and parent coaching sessions which you can check out. I have been through the weeds and I am here to help!
Also, to download my FREE Twin breastfeeding checklist and Pro Tips Guide, click here.