Pregnancy pillow: What is it? How to use it and are they worth it?

Pregnancy pillows are specially designed cushions shaped to support your changing body as your pregnancy progresses. They come in a range of shapes, sizes and materials, so you should be able to find one that suits you.

Do I need a pregnancy pillow?

If you think about the shape of your body now compared to pre-pregnancy, it’s easy to see why you might be getting a lot of aches and pains. Your growing baby (plus amniotic fluid, plus placenta) is putting a lot of pressure on your back. During the day, this will impact the way you stand, walk and sit.

At night, as you lay on your side, the weight of your bump can cause discomfort in your back, hips and legs. Pregnancy pillows are designed to be comfortable and supportive, cushioning your bump and your back. They can make a world of difference to how well you sleep and give you the energy you need to get through the next day.

That being said, a pregnancy pillow is not an essential. You can achieve a similar effect by arranging ordinary pillows to support your back and bump – though you might find they don’t stay in place all night long.

Are pregnancy pillows worth it?

Our HiPP mums report different degrees of usefulness from the pregnancy pillows, with some saying they couldn’t have managed without, while others didn’t get on with them. Clearly, it’s a personal preference and there is no universal answer on which pillow is best, or which will guarantee you good value for money. For this reason, it’s a good idea to ask among friends or relatives if anyone has a pregnancy pillow you could borrow – at least in the first instance. This gives you the opportunity to try before you buy.

If you do find the pregnancy pillow helpful, however, it’s certainly a worthwhile investment to see you through many months of discomfort. Getting a good night’s sleep is an important part of preparing yourself to give birth and care for a baby, not to mention to help get you through all the days before that. Some even suggest that by helping you find a comfortable position to sleep in through your third trimester, pregnancy pillows help the baby get themselves into a good position for labour.

Pregnancy pillows come in different shapes and sizes. Consider:

Wedge pillows

Wedge pillows are the smallest type of pregnancy pillow, taking up the least amount of room in your bed. Shaped like a triangle, you put the narrowest end underneath your bump to support you while you sleep. Wedge pregnancy pillows are a good option for smaller beds and for those who don’t move around a lot while they sleep.

Another option for those liable to toss and turn through the night is wearable sleep support. HiPP family, Ian and Faye, recommend the Babymoov Dream Belt, which you attach around your bump for comfortable support through the night. ‘I used it in combination with a U-shaped pregnancy pillow – essential as I had pelvic girdle pain,’ says Faye.

HiPP dad Scott describes his partner’s pregnancy pillow as a ‘large, snake-like thing’. Scott is likely describing a C-shaped body pillow, designed to provide full-body support.

Body pillows also come in a U-shape design, enabling you to rest your neck, back and bump, and pop a bit of the pillow between your knees for additional support. While the C-shape design is more one-sided – giving your partner some room in the bed – the U-shape body pillows provide equal coverage on both sides, making it easier to switch from your left side to your right side and vice versa, without having to rearrange the pillow.

HiPP mum Gen recommends ‘the total U shaped one, not the half U-shaped one,’ adding: ‘It’s also really helpful to use after the baby’s born, as a breastfeeding pillow, and as a donut cushion after the birth if you are too sore to sit comfortably’.

Full-length body pillows are straight – like a regular pillow but much longer.

If you find yourself getting hot and sweaty at night, it’s also important to think about what fabric your pregnancy pillow is made from. Organic cotton is more likely to help you stay cool than synthetic materials. Bamboo is a good alternative. In either case, make sure the pillowcase comes off (easily!), as you don’t want to harbour any nasty bacteria in your bed. All pregnancy pillows should be machine washable but check the label for manufacturer’s instructions.

Of course, the amount you are willing to pay for comfort will depend on your personal circumstances. If money is no object, or you are planning to use the pillow through more than one pregnancy, it might be worth spending more to get one that suits you best. If your budget is tight, however, you could save money by combining a few, cheaper pillows and arranging them in the way that best fits your body.

We recommend taking a look at BellaMoon, who are one of our BabyClub Partners . BellaMoon is a pregnancy, breastfeeding and attachment parenting brand, specialising in pregnancy pillows, nursing and rest systems. Plus, if you join our free BabyClub you can get an exclusive discount to use on BellaMoon’s website!

Buying second hand

As you’ll notice from online reviews, many people buy pregnancy pillows that they don’t get on with. That means that there are nearly-new pregnancy pillows available to buy second hand. Obviously, you have to be comfortable with this, and it is advisable to wash the full pillow and not just the cover should you buy a used pregnancy pillow.

However, you might find your local nearly new sale is a great way of finding the right pillow for you at a price you can afford – not to mention giving you the opportunity to stock up on other things you need for your new arrival.

U- and C-shaped pregnancy pillows are flexible enough to use as you like. Pull the pillow around you in the way that feels most comfortable, remembering to support under your bump and between your knees to give your back a break. Pregnancy pillows are designed for side sleeping, which is the recommended sleeping position throughout the third trimester.

Side sleeping is simply sleeping on your side. You can sleep on your left or right side during pregnancy, though left is sometimes thought to help with digestion and may ease symptoms like heartburn and indigestion.

NHS advice is to sleep on your side from the end of your second trimester – either left or right – because it is safer for your baby. As your bump gets bigger, you will likely find it the most comfortable position, since that hefty weight on your tummy is squashing all your internal organs if you lie on your back. Stomach sleeping often stops being comfortable quite early on in your pregnancy.

Side sleeping allows good blood flow through the major artery that runs down your spine, which supplies oxygen to the placenta. This is the biggest reason why side sleeping is recommended. On your back, the weight of the womb presses down on the artery, which might restrict blood flow and is associated with a risk of still birth.

Research has shown that the position you fall asleep in is the one you stay in for the longest, so falling asleep on your side is important. If you wake up on your back, don’t worry. Just roll back on to your side to go back to sleep.

Pregnancy pillows help you sleep on your side by providing a comfortable ‘nest’ to fall asleep in. When you’re sleeping comfortably, you’re less likely to move around. And if you use a U-shaped pillow, you will likely find the pillow at your back prevents you from rolling onto your back in the night.