Your Comprehensive Guide to Pregnancy Pillows
Sleep is essential during your pregnancy but for many millions of women, it is also elusive during those nine months. Many of the reasons for this are due to the changes your body will undergo during your pregnancy. While these changes can’t be prevented, there are a few things you can do to ease the aches and pains so you can get a sound night’s sleep. One of the things you can do is invest in a good quality pregnancy or maternity pillow. These pillows come in a range of different sizes, shapes, and designs, all aimed at helping you to fall asleep and stay asleep. Unlike a bed pillow, think the Elite Rest Memory Foam Pillow, a pregnancy pillow has been designed to create comfort and support your growing bump which improves your comfort levels while you sleep.
Finding the right pillow can take some time, so to help you with this we have found some of the best pregnancy pillows available.
The Benefits of a Pregnancy Pillow
Your body undergoes a lot of changes during pregnancy, none more obvious than your growing belly and with this comes the need for additional support.
These are just a few of the benefits of using a pregnancy pillow.
- A pregnancy pillow is designed to improve your comfort levels.
- They help to improve blood circulation. Side sleeping is recommended for pregnant women as it helps with the circulation of blood, but many women find this uncomfortable. Adding a pregnancy pillow makes it easier to sleep on your side.
- Your aches and pains will be relieved or even prevented. When you curl around a full-body pregnancy pillow it cushions your neck, back, hips and legs and in doing so relieves some of the pressure your expanding belly places on your body.
- You will sleep for longer. When your body is able to relax, you are able to fall asleep. Pregnancy pillows allow your body to really relax because it is being properly supported, this means you will be able to fall asleep and sleep restfully.
The Different Types of Pregnancy Pillows
Pregnancy pillows come in different styles namely;
Wedges
These pillows look like a wedge of cheese and are often a popular choice because they can be used well after pregnancy. Wedge pillows can be placed under your belly, between your legs or behind your back – basically you can use them wherever you feel you need support.
Total Body Pillows
These are pillows that support your entire body and come as either u-shaped or c-shaped pillows. They wrap around your body, supporting your entire body from your neck to your legs. This is the most common and the most popular type of pregnancy pillow, but keep in mind they can be very big and so can take up space on your bed.
Full-length Pillows
These are long, traditional body pillows that look like extended bed pillows. They can be placed along the front of your body, under your belly and between your knees to align your body. Full-length pillows are straight pillows that are designed for support and comfort. These pillows can also be used after pregnancy.
Inflatable Pillows
These unique pillows can help to meet the needs of pregnant women and offer them the opportunity to rest on their stomachs without placing pressure on their belly. The design of this pillow includes an open circle centre that fits under your belly. The advantage of these pillows is they can be transported easily, allowing pregnant moms to travel easily with them. Because they are inflatable you can also decide how big or small you want the pillow, allowing you to customise the support you receive from the pillow.
Four Comfortable Pregnancy Pillows
The type of pregnancy pillow you decide to sleep on will depend on how you sleep, the amount of space you have and the type of support you want while you sleep. Each one of these pillows will help you to sleep better during your pregnancy.
The C-Shaped Pillow: Leachco Snoogle Pregnancy Pillow
If you are struggling with back pain then you might want to consider this c-shaped pregnancy pillow. It is a soft pillow that provides your entire body with the right amount of support. You will find that sleeping on your side is comfortable with this pillow because it wraps around your body, sitting under your belly and between your legs, ensuring your body is aligned so that you don’t toss and turn through the night.
The Full-Body Pillow: Queen Rose Full-length Pillow
The best part about this pillow is that you are able to stretch out or curl up and wrap your whole body around the pillow. Either way your back and belly will be supported, allowing you to get the quality of sleep you deserve and need. You can also use this pillow to get comfortable while you read or watch TV – it has been designed for your comfort.
The U-Shaped Pillow: Meiz U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow
Typical feather pillows have fillings of mixed down and feathers. Feathers are heavy, so they are supportive, but they have quills and tend to wear down faster.
Additionally, feather quills tend to poke through the pillow. This may be a good sign to some, but losing feathers only means the pillow also lose support. Likewise, feather pillows tend to get flattened over time.
The U-Shaped Pillow: Meiz U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow
Tossing and turning will be a thing of the past with this pregnancy pillow. Not only will you no longer toss and turn but this pillow offers support for both side sleepers and those who want to sleep on their back. The design of the pillow means you are able to wrap your body around it while you side sleep or you can “fall” into the middle of the pillow and sleep on your back.
The Inflatable Pillow: Cozy Bump Pregnancy Pillow
The biggest advantage of the Cozy Bump Pregnancy pillow is that it can be used as a stomach pillow for those expectant moms who want to rest on their stomach for a while, it comfortably fits moms belly bump. But that is not the only thing this pillow does for you as a pregnant woman, it will also relieve back pain and improve the quality of sleep you are getting both during and after your pregnancy. You will also be able to easily deflate this pillow and take it with you if you need to travel. This pillow is designed to create comfort and relieve pain.
You do not have to struggle through a lack of sleep while pregnant, there is a lot you can do to ease the aches and pains you will experience. Investing in one of the pregnancy pillows above is a great way to do this. Don’t forget to also get new bed pillows, like the Elite Rest Memory Foam Pillow, that will provide your neck with support in the first few months of your pregnancy.