A pregnant woman with a round belly needs a pregnancy pillow for comfort and support.

What Is the Best Pregnancy Pillow for Expecting Moms?

One of the biggest problems that pregnant women encounter is navigating their daily lives as their tummies grow. Movement is restricted, but what’s worse is the fact that sleeping positions become limited as well. With the available technology today, innovations like the pregnancy pillow easily solves problems like this.

Pregnancy is a momentous and rewarding experience for a woman. However, before you reach the end of this beautiful journey, you will undergo various challenges that will test you both physically and emotionally. The changes in your body will be physically taxing enough; you will also have to consider the emotional side of being a pregnant woman.

Aside from monitoring your health, comfort should be your topmost priority. Pregnant women experience things like morning sickness, fatigue, sore back muscles, swelling feet, and so much more. The discomfort of pregnancy comes from the physical transformation that happens to an expecting mom’s body.

A pregnancy pillow is a particular type of pillow explicitly designed with the physiology and needs of a pregnant woman in mind. The main feature of pregnancy pillows is extra support for the tummy as well as comfort for aching muscles. Pregnancy pillows have now become an essential accessory for pregnant women. It ensures a smoother and more restful sleep for them. After all, getting a good night’s sleep is vital not only for a mother’s health but also for her developing baby.

Pregnancy pillows come in assorted shapes and sizes. There are numerous options available in the market, but don’t worry if you’re not sure what kind of pregnancy pillow to get. We’re here to help. Here are the five best pregnancy pillows with high ratings and stellar reviews on Amazon.

1. Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow

C-shaped pillows are the most common pregnancy pillows out there. A C-shaped pregnancy pillow is your best bet if you’re unsure of what to purchase at first. Leachco’s Snoogle Total Body Pillow will not let you down with its promise to deliver maximum support without compromising your comfort as well.

Your body is secure with ample neck, stomach, hips, and back support this pillow provides. Its C shape naturally fits around different body positions, which is ideal not just for pregnant women. Due to its shape, there is always room for your body, especially for a growing belly. “During pregnancy, women should not be sleeping flat on their backs after six months,” Adeeti Gupta, MD points out. She explains that “This can decrease the blood flow to the uterus and have adverse effects on the pregnancy.”

Breathable polyester, a material that is ideal against bouts of heat strokes and night sweats, is the primary material for this pillow. The cover is also removable, so it’s possible to wash it.

The downside of this pregnancy pillow is that it does not have a memory foam, which a lot of moms out there prefer. Aside from that, the cover is difficult to remove because there are no zippers.

2. Today’s Mom Cozy Comfort Pregnancy Pillow

Being pregnant often causes a lot of discomfort to a lot of expecting moms out there. Aside from the physical strain of a growing tummy, fatigue is also prevalent during pregnancy. Today’s Mom offers top-of-the-line comfort with its Comfort Pregnancy Pillow. 

Say goodbye to any discomfort with this pillow, as its U shape provides all-around support for your aching muscles. This pillow has excellent lumbar support, wrapping around you on both sides. Aches and creaking joints will no longer be a problem. Another problem that this solves is uneven weight distribution, which is an unfortunate side effect of a growing tummy. According to assistant professor Abbe Wain, M.D., “When there’s a lot of pressure in the [pelvic] area as the belly gets bigger, having your legs rested together sometimes isn’t as comfortable as having something between them.”

The best part of this pillow is the rectangular resting area for the head. Some pregnancy pillows concentrate on offering support for the back and the tummy. However, these pillows often forget to factor in the luxury of a good head and neck support.

Be aware that this pillow is bulky. Make sure that there is room for this U-shaped pregnancy pillow on your bed because it will take up a lot of space. Check-in with your partner as well if they are amenable to this.

3. Hiccapop Pregnancy Pillow

If you’re not enthusiastic about wraparound pregnancy pillows, Hiccapop’s wedge-shaped pregnancy pillow is perfect for you. This pillow is more compact than C-shaped or U-shaped pillows but competes well against those two in terms of delivering the same comfort and support. 

Despite its smaller size, this wedge pregnancy pillow offers proper belly support just as much as its bulkier competitors. It also relieves back tension and reduces swelling in the limbs. Its small size is an advantage when you want to concentrate on a particular area. You can place this pillow under your belly or in between your knees, depending on your needs.

You can bring this when you’re traveling because of its compact size. The material for the cover is plush velboa, which feels soft and even luxurious. The best and most unique feature of this pillow is its dual support design. On one side, you have a deluxe memory foam that sinks just right; on the other side, a firmer foam offers sturdier but no less pleasant relief.

The downside of using a wedge pregnancy pillow is the lack of support that full-body pillows offer. If you have a particularly sensitive pregnancy, the bulkier body pillows are still more preferable in terms of overall relaxation.

4. Leachco Back ‘N Belly Contoured Body Pillow

If you want a full-body pillow yet you’re still unsatisfied with the U-shaped pillows in the market, worry not! Leachco offers an even better option: a contoured body pillow. Leachco’s Back ‘N Belly Contoured Body Pillow is a crowd favorite for expecting mothers. 

Because of its unique contoured shape, any position remains comfortable and secure for pregnant women who use it. It is especially advantageous for women who get restless in their sleep. The inner contours of this U-shaped pillow place your body into positions that can improve your posture. That is a crucial tidbit because a growing tummy significantly affects an expecting mom’s posture.

A common disadvantage of Leachco’s products is the lack of zippers. While the cover is removable, it is difficult to do so because of this lacking feature. It does not have memory foam, which is a preferred material for most pregnant women because of its luxurious feel. It is also gigantic, which makes it less ideal for smaller sleeping spaces.

5. Boppy’s Side Sleeper Pregnancy Pillow

For pregnant mommies who do not have the luxury of a large bed, this pregnancy pillow is the perfect compromise for you. Boppy’s Side Sleeper Pregnancy Pillow is the more practical sibling of the gigantic body pillows that we’ve recommended above. Some couples might not fit in one bed together with the addition of pregnancy pillows, so this is the perfect alternative for them. 

This pillow offers proper support for women who sleep on their side. It keeps pregnant moms from rolling over during the night.
Candace McGregor, M.D. says that “Side sleeping is universally considered the best position for sleeping in pregnancy.” The stretchable panel in the middle allows for flexible adjustments and makes it suitable even as you progress with your pregnancy. Another plus side of this pillow is its machine washable cover with zippers for easy removal. 

Like wedge-shaped pillows, Boppy’s side sleeper pillow is not ideal if you prefer full-body support and relaxation.

The market for pregnancy pillows is vast, and the choices are diverse. Many of these products will promise various things, and it’s easy to get confused by all the available options. Take your time and read this guide when you’re in doubt so that you can get the best pregnancy pillow that suits your needs the most.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should you start using a pregnancy pillow?
20 weeks is a good time to start using a pregnancy pillow. At this stage, the belly begins to grow exponentially which may begin to cause pain in multiple parts of the body.

What is the best pillow for pregnancy?
The best pregnancy pillows provide support for the belly and the back while sleeping to help alleviate the discomfort brought about by the growing belly. There are different types of pillows with different shapes and sizes. The best pillows for pregnancy include Hiccapop Pregnancy Pillow Wedge, Boppy Side Sleeper Pregnancy Pillow, Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow, Queen Rose Full Pregnancy Body Pillow, and Restorology 60-Inch Full Body Pregnancy Pillow.

Do pregnancy pillows really help?
Yes, because it provides support for both the back and the belly when sleeping. From the second trimester, when the belly begins to increase in size, it becomes more uncomfortable sleeping in a normal position. Not to mention, doctors also advise against doing so. With a pregnancy pillow, pregnant women can sleep on their side more comfortably.

Can you sleep on your back when pregnant first trimester?
Since the belly has not yet grown in size during the first trimester, pregnant women can still comfortably sleep on their backs during this time. For a smooth pregnancy, always sleep in a position that is best for you and the baby.

Is it OK to sleep on the right side while pregnant?
Sleeping on the right side is fine, but experts recommend sleeping on the left side. Leaning on the left is said to take the pressure off the aorta and the vena cava.

Do babies cry while in the womb?
Yes, babies cry even while still in the womb. A study says that a fetus may show displeasure through crying silently in the womb and can happen in the 28th week of pregnancy.

Why shouldn’t you lay on your back while pregnant?
Doctors advise against sleeping on the back because it puts all the weight of the growing baby plus your weight on your spine, vena cava, and your intestines. The pressure caused by the weight may affect digestion, cause backaches, and hemorrhoids.

Why shouldn’t you lay on your stomach pregnant?
Lying on your stomach during pregnancy means that you are putting much weight on the baby. This amount of pressure may cause damage to your baby.

Kathy Urbanski

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