Recommendations for Good Upright Pillow for New Mother

I've had two C-sections. She doesn't need a pillow. Laying flat is the best thing for her to heal. If I didn't have help getting out of for the first 4 or 5 days, I would roll out of bed. Just roll out and let yoru feet hit first and then push up to stand up. After a few days or so she needs to start sitting up herself though so she will heal properly. If she stays hunched over to walk or to sleep, she won't be stretching her muscles out good. As far as a gift that is a pillow....The boppy pillow is great for breastfeeding, reading in bed and later for the baby's tummy time or sitting up. Very mulit functionional pillow! Oh and keeping a pillow under her knees with her knees up will help her sleep if she is a back sleeper. Sleeping on her left side is good for healing and easier to get up every 2 hrs to feed the baby.

I had three c sections. I didn't need anything special after the first. After the second I slept in a recliner for a few weeks before being able to lay down comfortably. After the third I slept in a recliner for a week and then on the couch after that. Four months later I still sleep on the couch as my back hurts horribly if I lay in bed for more than a few minutes. I guess it totally depends after each surgery.

I have had 2 c-sections.
I slept fine.... and I breastfed, using a "Boppy Pillow."
It is GREAT.
It is also great for using it to prop up magazines or books on your lap to read. It is very useful, beyond just for breastfeeding.

I nursed, not lying down, but in a comfy sofa type chair/loveseat.

One thing is, you cannot avoid getting up or down, or from using your ab muscles when you have a c-section.
BUT... for myself, I used a cane... to help me get up.
And I liked using it, for that reason.

Per pillows for her and beyond what I mentioned, any comfy pillow, can be used. Or, try those long "body pillows" that even Costco has, and it is not expensive there.
The thing is, it is very hard, to know what is comfortable or useful... for a woman who had a c-section... UNLESS she tries it our herself personally or, has chosen it for herself... or said, she needs a pillow like that.
Personally, I never actually "needed" an "upright pillow" for myself, though I have had c-sections.
I found that using my leg muscles or upper body, in lieu of directly using my abs, helped to somewhat avoid that ab pain from surgery. But I really loved, using a cane to help me get up or to get around.

I've also had 2 c sections and I used my husband or my mom to get up. I slept in my bed with a lot of king size pillows. This worked great because I could move them around, but then they sometimes moved on their own. I don't know, maybe one of those pregnancy pillows that wrap around you so that you can sleep on it. I know that I had to use a pillow to support my tummy/abs because I am on the larger side and gravity was too much for me.

The second time I had a hospital bed. The doctor told the insurance company that it was necessary for my recovery from major surgery because that's what a c section is. It was prety great! I put it in the living room and since it went up and down, I could adjust where I wanted to be so easy. And, its just so hard to find the comfy spot.

I hope she heals quickly, and you are a very thoughtful sis.

Looks like you got a lot of answers already, but a husband pillow is awesome. Something like this: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=18548526
I had a c-section after twins and used the pillow all the time, still use it to read/work on my bed, and my girls play on/with the pillow all the other time. A small pillow to press on the incision site when getting up (or laughing) or to put under the boppy for added support, could also help. Good luck!

I don't know about a special pillow (sorry!) but tell her to put one under her knees for sleeping on her back. That will help. If she is a side sleeper, one between her knees will take some of the pressure off too.

Hope you find what you're looking for!

Dawn