buying guides
The best pregnancy pillows for your bump (and back!)
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Sleep can be hard to come by in pregnancy, and the more your bump grows, the more elusive a good night’s shut-eye becomes.
The size of your belly makes it difficult to get comfortable – and near enough impossible to roll over – and backache and heartburn can also contribute to sleep problems.
If aches and pains are causing broken nights, a special pregnancy pillow that offers support where your body most needs it can help you to feel more rested.
1. QUEEN ROSE Full Body Pregnancy Pillow
* Available in either velvet or jersey fabric
*Comes in four different sizes to suit
*Perfect for side sleeping when pregnant
This full body maternity pillow with replaceable and washable cover is available for just over the £40 mark, and it will support you throughout your pregnancy stages.
2. Orthopaedic V-shaped Support Pillow
*Comes in 20 different colours
*V-shaped for added comfort
*100% hollowfibre non-allergenic filling
This pillow is available in many different colours, and it's affordably priced at only £12.99.
It's filled with hypoallergenic fibres and is 20" long, making it the perfect size.
3. Orthopedic Cushion
*Gives great support if you have a desk job
*The cover is machine washable at 60°C
*Has a circular opening in the centre, which relieves pain in the sacral region
This pillow is made from high quality memory foam, has a cooling gel side and a washable velour cover, and is ideal for working mums who sit at a desk for extended amounts of time both during and after pregnancy.
What should I spend on a pregnancy pillow?
As with most maternity and baby products, pregnancy sleep aids range in price from bargain basement to high-end luxury.
If you’re looking for something simple that will just give you a bit of back support in bed, it’s possible to pick up a V-shaped cushion for as little as a fiver.
Stretch the budget, however, and you’ll be looking at full-body pillows that will cocoon all the parts that most need support: bump, back, hips, pelvis and more.
Expect to pay up to around £50 for one of these ultra-comfortable models.
What are the key features I should look for in a maternity pillow?
The most important attribute of your maternity pillow is that it provides support where you want it.
There’s a variety of different types to choose from depending on your needs.
V-shaped cushions are designed to go behind your back so you can sleep in a more propped-up position, which is helpful if you’re suffering from back pain or heartburn.
Wedge cushions can be tucked under your bump in bed when you’re lying on your side, supporting your abdomen and relieving back pain.
You can also use them to support your back when you’re sitting on a normal chair.
Doughnut-shaped cushions can be used in several different positions: behind your back, between your knees while you’re lying on your side to prevent hip and pelvis pain, or under your bump to support your baby’s weight.
Full-body pillows are generally shaped with a long section on one side, to support your front, and a shorter section on the other side for back support.
These aim to relieve pressure on all the key areas – bump, back, hips and knees – at the same time, and also improve the blood flow to your baby.
Some pregnancy pillows can also be used after the birth as a breastfeeding cushion, a support to help your baby sit up, and even as a baby nest where your newborn can nap and play.
It’s also worth considering whether you’d like a cushion with a removable cover.
This is a useful feature if you’re in the hot and sweaty stage of pregnancy, or if you’re planning to use it as a nursing aid, when it’s liable to get milky dribble on it.
Generally speaking, you get what you pay for with pregnancy pillows.
If you just want a bit of support for a specific part of your body, you may be okay with a cheap V-shaped or wedge pillow, but the pricier full-body pillows are better for all-over comfort, especially in late pregnancy.
The materials tend to get better as the price rises, too, with some of the more expensive pillows filled with micro-beads that mould to your shape, whereas the cheaper ones use wadding.
Other things you need to know about pregnancy pillows
If you’re looking for a pregnancy pillow that can still be used after you’ve given birth, make sure you take a close look at the product description. While some maternity cushions are designed to be safe for babies to lie on, and even sleep in, others could pose safety risks.
Checklist
- Pregnancy pillows come in a variety of different shapes to cushion different areas of the body, so think about where you most need the support.
- Pillows filled with micro-beads tend to be the most comfortable, moulding to fit your growing bump.
- Some pillows multi-task as breastfeeding cushions and baby nests.
- A washable cover is always a useful feature.