Blog | Why you Need a Mastectomy Chest Pillow

I am asked, from time to time, do I need a mastectomy chest pillow? I answer with all my strength YES!!!!!! But why should I buy this type of pillow, and not a heart pillow, or even no pillow at all? Doesn’t the hospital send me home with what I need? Even if the hospital sends you home with a small square pillow, you need more. Let me explain why.

There are other options out there, like a little heart shaped pillow, a free hospital pillow, or a little cushion for your seatbelt. These options are a lot less expensive, but do they help you after a mastectomy? It is true they can help in some very small, limited way. Like a heart pillow for instance, it is designed to fit under your arm and relive some of the pain from that area after surgery. The issue I have with those pillows, is that they provide no support to your chest area, the most important place to protect after your surgery.   They fall out constantly, and they are actually a little too bulky for what is best after mastectomy.  And they don’t actually protect your chest!    I won’t waste any of your time talking about any other small pillow, like a seatbelt cover style, because the value is minimal. 

So now lets get into the Mastectomy Chest Pillow, and all of its benefits. The first area and most important, is what I call the Shield. This is the front/center of the pillow. It is stuffed with just the right amount of filling so that it is not too firm. It says soft and playable so that it curves around any surgery area bandaging or drains. It protects your chest from the seatbelt on the ride home. It also protects your surgery area from any accidental bumps during the healing process. Young children could accidentally bump you, or small animals could try to jump up on you like they usually do, not realizing this will hurt! Using the pillow will eliminate that issue for you. 

The Wings are the next section of the chest pillow I would like to explain in detail. Not only do they keep your pillow in place, they also will help keep you sleeping on your back. It is designed to help you not roll over in your sleep. They also keep your arms slightly elevated. This is a great help if you have lympodemia. It is also a benefit to keep your arms from bumping your drain site. 

The U shapes are designed to help with that dreaded underarm pain. Even if you don’t have lymph nodes removed, after a breast surgery like a mastectomy the underarm pain can be a little shocking. Its pretty bad. The soft pressure of the Mastectomy Chest Pillow eases that pain quite a bit. 

Once you get your pillow in place after surgery, you will fully understand the benefits of it. Here is what a few women have said about their pillow…

"Leslie, My friend texted me an immediate post op pic of herself with her pillow; a pic the next day in bed; a pic with the pillow under her seat belt; and finally, today at our visit, she told me that it's the best thing ever! She said that it is the first thing she reaches for, and the last thing she hands to someone as she gets out of the chair! She loves it!!! It makes me so very happy to have found your shop! The pillow was the absolute perfect gift; useful, beautiful, comforting, and made with caring!”

“Hi Leslie! I was finally able to give my mom her pillow today and she was in tears, well she actually had us all in tears! She hadn’t been able to sleep or get comfortable for the last couple of days (after her procedure) and as soon as she started using her pillow she couldn’t believe what a difference it made and said it was God sent and perfect in every way! We can not thank you enough!!”

“Hey Leslie, it's been 10 weeks since my surgery and I'm feeling better everyday thank God. I can't tell you how much your pillow has helped me. I still use it to go out and stay warm some days. I also just placed an order for my cousin's friend who will be having surgery soon. I believe every woman going through mastectomy surgery deserves one of your pillows.”