Pregnancy Pillows: What Are They & Do They Work?

There’s no better way to end a night or start a morning than with some good ol’ quality sleep – and I’d like to place a strong emphasis on the word ‘quality,’ especially for all you soon-to-be mothers out there. 

Without quality sleep each and every night, your body won’t have an opportunity to refresh, revitalize, restore, replenish, and rejuvenate itself after a long day – which isn’t healthy for you or the incoming baby. 

So, why is quality sleep so hard to obtain during pregnancy? 

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Well, as most of us know, the female body undergoes a series of profound transformations to support the growing life within. While these changes are a vital aspect of the circle of life, they do have a downside.

Hormonal imbalances, back pain, leg cramps, frequent urination, stress, anxiety, and difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position all converge to make good, quality, restful sleep seem like a distant dream.

So, what can pregnant women do to counter this?  

Everyone is unique and will respond differently to different things, but most mothers agree that pregnancy pillows are a lifesaver come nighttime – and that’s especially true during your second and third trimesters. 

For those of you who are new to the pregnancy pillow craze, don’t worry – we’re going to detail everything you need to know about what they are, why you should invest in one, and how to choose the right one. 

What Are Pregnancy Pillows? 

Imagine a night of sleep where every turn is supported, every ache is cushioned, and all sheep have been counted. A night of sleep that allows you to drift into a dreamy state with little-to-no help whatsoever. 

That’s where a pregnancy pillow comes into play. 

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Pregnancy pillows are large body pillows specially designed to support the changing contours and needs of a pregnant woman’s body – providing targeted relief to the back, neck, stomach, knees, legs, and hips.

It’s everything you’ve been wanting out of a cuddle buddy. 

They come in various shapes and sizes and can be filled with different materials to enhance comfort, but we’ll get into all of that a little bit later. Right now, let’s examine the many benefits of a pregnancy pillow.

Benefits of Using a Pregnancy Pillow

This is often the first question pregnant women ask when they come across a pregnancy pillow for the first time – does it work, and is it necessary? At least that’s what our online community asked recently.

“Do pregnancy pillows work? How? Is U-shaped good? Help, please,” one of our anonymous readers wrote in our Answers by Mamas Uncut forum – where mothers come together to help one another thrive.

To answer the first question, yes – pregnancy pillows do, in fact, work, and they do so in various ways. 

They help support the added weight and alleviate the added strain that comes with life’s greatest 40-week journey. They also provide comfort, stability, and security – which we can all use a little more of at night.

Let’s take a look at some of the incredible benefits of sleeping with a pregnancy pillow. 

5. Improves Blood Circulation

Sleeping on your back is fine in the early stages of pregnancy, but it becomes more uncomfortable – and even dangerous – in the second and third trimesters. By then, the weight of the belly can cause problems.

According to Dr. Andrea Braden, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist in Atlanta, Georgia, the ‘growing pregnant uterus can compress major blood vessels in the body when you lay on your back.’ 

This, of course, could compromise blood circulation and blood flow. 

“Sleeping on your left side shifts the uterus off of these major vessels and is therefore considered the most optimal position for circulation,” she said in an interview with NBC Select back in September 2023. 

Since pregnancy pillows encourage side-sleeping, they can, in turn, help improve blood circulation.

4. Reduces Tossing & Movement

Do you find yourself tossing and turning at night? Are you constantly waking up on your back in the middle of the night? Do you have a hard time getting into and staying in a comfortable sleeping position?

Don’t worry – you’re not alone, and a pregnancy pillow can help! 

Since pregnancy pillows help encourage stability and security, they can help keep pregnant women still while they sleep – which means less tossing, turning, interruptions, and distractions throughout the night.

And that, of course, results in more quality and restful sleeping habits. 

“Ultimately, people sleep in all sorts of positions throughout their pregnancy – what’s most important is that they do sleep and that they sleep well!” says physical therapist Celeste Compton, PT, DT of Origin. 

3. Alleviates Pain & Body Aches

A pregnancy without body aches would be a dream come true. Unfortunately, body aches are a normal part of any pregnancy and are a direct result of the many different changes happening all over the body. 

While a pregnancy pillow can’t eliminate these aches, it can alleviate them. 

By supporting the belly and back, these pillows help maintain a neutral spine position – which reduces stress on the spine and relieves back pain. They can also realign the hips and reduce pelvic pain.

As you can imagine, this results in a more comfortable, relaxing, and pain-free night. 

“Using a pillow that promotes proper spine and hip alignment and supports a growing belly can help mitigate factors like pain and discomfort that contribute to poor sleep during pregnancy,” says Dr. Stephanie Weyrauch, a physical therapist who specializes in pre- and postnatal care at MovementX.

2. Improves Quality of Sleep

Most of us measure sleep quality by how we feel the following morning. If we feel refreshed and revitalized, then we had a good night’s rest. If we feel groggy or moody, then we likely slept poorly.

But that’s a basic way to look at it. 

Sleep quality can be defined by four elements: how long it takes you to fall asleep, how often you wake up at night, how hard it is to fall back asleep, and how long you actually spend sleeping vs. lying in bed. 

A pregnancy pillow can help with all four elements. 

You’ll suddenly find yourself falling asleep faster, waking up less (maybe to use the bathroom), falling back asleep faster, and spending more time asleep – as opposed to just sitting there counting sheep.

1. Offers Postpartum Relief, Too!

We might call them pregnancy pillows, but that doesn’t mean they’re only useful during pregnancy. In fact, pigeonholing a pregnancy pillow to those 40 weeks would be like pigeonholing a potato to french fries. 

Potatoes are good for so much more than that – and so are pregnancy pillows!

I mean, let’s be honest – pregnancy pillows are nothing more than body pillows. While they’re designed to be used by pregnant women and are marketed as such, they can be used by anyone, anytime, anywhere!

Different Types of Pregnancy Pillows

One of the things we love the most about pregnancy pillows is how versatile they are. Soon-to-be mothers have several different types to choose from, each featuring its own unique advantages and benefits. 

This was evident in our online forum, where mothers shared their different preferences with one another. 

“I used a straight one and just having the support under my belly and I between my legs helped so much!” said one mother, while another one wrote, “The S shape was the best for me. Couldn’t sleep without it.”

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“I hated the u shape. I had one that was an S shape. The u just held in so much extra body heat for me and I was pregnant February through October and slept right in front of a window ac unit,” wrote another.

If you’re considering joining the pregnancy pillow hype train, the first step is figuring out what type you need. There certainly are plenty of options available, so let’s figure out which one is best-suited for you. 

5. Wedge Pregnancy Pillow

A wedge pregnancy pillow is usually your smallest option and is designed to target specific areas of the body. Its compact size and shape make it highly versatile, and make it a good option when traveling. 

Most wedge pillows are shaped like a triangle or crescent.

The best ways to use a wedge pillow are by placing it under the belly to support your bump, behind your back to prevent rolling forward, under the knees to realign the spine, or under the head for elevation. 

4. C-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow

As the name suggests, the C-shaped pregnancy pillow is shaped like a giant ‘C.’ It’s a specific type of full-length pillow that allows for support and relief in multiple areas at once – unlike the wedge pillow. 

It’s basically an all-in-one type of pregnancy pillow. 

The top of the ‘C’ curves around to support the head and neck, while the C’s curve can be positioned along your back to prevent you from rolling over. The bottom of the ‘C’ supports your belly and knees.

3. U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow

It should come as no surprise that the U-shaped pregnancy pillow is shaped like a ‘U.’ It’s another specific type of full-length pillow that can be used in a variety of ways and can target multiple areas all at once. 

The opening in the ‘U’ can be placed by your head or between your legs. 

One of the biggest benefits of a U-shaped pillow is that you don’t have to flip it over everytime you change your sleeping position – unlike the ‘C,’ the ‘U’ shape allows for a full-length pillow on both sides of you. 

2. J-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow

That brings us to the J-shaped pregnancy pillow, which resembles the letter ‘J.’ You can use the curve of the ‘J’ as a pillow for your head, or place it between your legs to help realign the hips and spinal cord. 

It’s similar to a C-shaped pillow, but has a straight edge instead of a curved edge. 

The straight edge can either be placed along your back to prevent yourself from rolling over – which encourages side-sleeping – or along your front to support your belly and give you something to cuddle. 

1. Full-Length Body Pregnancy Pillow

If you don’t like the curves that come with the C-, U-, or J-shaped pregnancy pillows, then you can always opt for a regular-old, full-length body pillow. We like to call these the OG’s of the pregnancy pillow craze. 

No curves, no bends, no breaks – just your typical oversized pillow. 

Keep in mind that these aren’t always specifically designed for pregnant women, so make sure you read the label to understand its strengths and weaknesses. They’re a little more basic, but still highly useful.  

How to Choose the Right Pregnancy Pillow

Trying to find the right pregnancy pillow can feel a lot like a glass slipper search. You know the perfect fit is out there somewhere, but it takes a bit of trial and error to narrow your options and find the right match. 

But don’t worry – it’s well worth the wait, and we’re going to help you get there!

The truth is there are a number of factors to consider when shopping for a pregnancy pillow – and the type (as described above) is just one of those factors. Let’s take a look at some of the others: 

5. Material

First up is the material and/or fabric used on the outer cover of the pregnancy pillow. Is it breathable? Is it fluffy and soft to the touch? Do you like how it feels against your skin? Is it cool enough or warm enough? 

These are the questions you have to ask yourself when looking for a new pregnancy pillow. 

Some of the most common fabrics used for the outer cover include cotton, Jersey fabric, Velour, microfiber, and bamboo. You can also find extra covers to protect or alter the outer cover’s fabric. 

4. Filling

The material on the inside is just as important as the material on the outside. It not only determines how firm or soft the pregnancy pillow is, but it can also determine how noisy and how durable the pillow is. 

Of course, some filling materials are more expensive than others. 

Some of the most common options include wool, memory foam, polyester fiberfill, microbeads, styrofoam balls, buckwheat hulls, gel fiber, latex, and even air. Each one comes with its own unique set of benefits.

3. Size

As we discussed above with the different types, pregnancy pillows are available in a wide range of sizes. Some are smaller and designed for targeted relief, while others are large – allowing for a variety of uses. 

For the most part, wedges are small, and full-length pillows are large. 

While larger pillows allow for greater versatility, they take up a lot of space and can be hard to get out of when you need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. But they’re also a lot more comfortable. 

2. Cleanliness

Pregnancy pillows usually get a lot of play. Whether you use it when you’re sleeping or lying down watching television or reading a book – if you’re in relax mode, your pillow is right by your side. 

With that said, keeping your pregnancy pillow clean is both necessary and sensible. 

The problem is not all pillows are easy to clean – especially larger ones that don’t fit in the washer. The cleanest ones are always the ones with removable covers – but you can buy one if it doesn’t have one.

1. Durability

And last but not least, we have durability – after all, you want your pregnancy pillow to last longer than a few weeks. Ideally, it would last far beyond your 40-week journey and be used daily for years to come. 

Since most quality pregnancy pillows cost between $50 and $100, durability is important. 

Buying a new one every year (or even for every child you have) can be expensive – those $50 bills add up quickly. The good news is you can increase the durability by taking good care of it while in-use. 

Pregnancy Pillows – Don’t Knock It ‘Til You Try It!

Quality sleep is something you can’t really bargain with during a pregnancy. Since your body is nurturing a growing life, it requires more rest than ever to support the physical and hormonal changes occurring. 

That said, anything that can potentially improve the quality of your sleep should be considered – and that includes pregnancy pillows. Even if you’ve tried it in the past and didn’t like it – it’s worth trying again.  

At least that was the case with one of our readers: 

“I never needed one with my 1st. I didn’t get big until like 35 weeks and had her at 38 weeks,” one of our readers wrote in our Answers by Mamas Uncut forum. “I’m carrying my 2nd child now and I am 27 weeks. I’m 2x bigger now. I started using a regular pregnancy pillow and it’s the only way I sleep good now.”

Then again, pregnancy pillows aren’t for everyone: 

“I’d like to throw mine off a bridge. The u/s shape it’s a weird shaped one. The purchase I regret,” said another one of our readers. “Good to sit up in. Maybe too bulky and uncomfortable to rest the belly on. I don’t know, I can live without it. I know I’m one in a million, most ladies love it. I just can’t sleep with it.”

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Of course, there’s only one way to find out if pregnancy pillows are right for you – and that’s by trying it. That’s why our single greatest advice to any pregnant mother out there is – don’t knock it ‘til you try it!