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The way the body changes during pregnancy affects almost everything you do on a daily basis, from walking and sitting, to eating and completing to-dos. In what seems like a twisted turn of fate for pregnant people, each day that passes you tend to find yourself a little more tired and a little less able to find a restful night of sleep. That’s why, along with stocking up on maternity clothes, it’s smart to invest in a pregnancy pillow. Anti Snore Pillow
Here, we’re rounding up the best pregnancy pillows, of all shapes and sizes, that will help you get the comfortable, nourishing sleep you need in the final months of pregnancy.
This traditional J-shaped pregnancy pillow is a perennial favorite for a number of reasons. It’s large enough to provide support for the belly and between the legs, yet not so big that it takes over your entire bed. You can use it beneath your head if you like, or easily continue sleeping on your existing pillow (if yours is in need of a replacement, check out our guide to the best pillows). Finally, for a full body pillow, you simply can’t beat the price.
For a low-profile, supportive and inexpensive pillow, this one can’t be beat.
“I genuinely loved this thing! I kept the same one through both pregnancies and even used it postpartum to help with nursing,” says mom-of-two, Nicole Scott. “As a belly sleeper, I had trouble sleeping on my side or back but the pillow was so supportive I didn’t even mind it. My one complaint is that the cover isn’t super easy to put back on after washing.”
If you’re looking for cocoon-like, all-around support, this is the giant pillow for you.
“I used this Pharmedoc pregnancy pillow and absolutely loved it,” shares mom Kristina Eberhardt. “The size was perfect—large enough to contour around my entire body and snuggle up on like a cozy cloud! I was a big fan of the light-weight jersey fabric and the fact that the cover could be easily removed, washed, and put back on.”
A cozy, supportive, and budget-friendly pick if you want a C-shaped pillow.
If you don’t want to commit to a particular shaped pillow, this long, moldable option from bbhugme will be perfect. Recommended by doula and lactation consultant, Brandi Jordan, IBCLC, a member of the breastfeeding platform Swehl’s advisory panel Motherboard, the pillow is filled with micro-beads instead of polyester that allow you to mold it to your body with confidence that it won’t lose its shape during the night.
The perfect pillow if you want to adjust the shape on any given night.
I am currently in the third trimester of my second pregnancy and this is the pillow I use. I’m a hybrid sleeper, often falling asleep on my side or stomach and waking up on my back, and I’m sleeping much more soundly knowing that this pillow will catch me if I roll over. I love that I can face the long side if I want a large pillow to snuggle around or face the small side if I want to lean back a bit and still have support for my belly. I also really like how the stuffing is sectioned out, so I can curve the lower part of the pillow up between my legs or keep it longer if I want to stretch out a little. This pillow truly supports every sleeping position.
Perfect for hybrid sleepers, this pillow successfully supports every sleeping position.
There are loads of benefits to a wedge pillow. It supports your belly while taking up virtually no space in your bed, eliminating pressure on your lower back. If you’re usually a stomach sleeper, it will keep you from rolling too far forward, causing discomfort. While many people use a wedge pillow under their belly, it’s also perfect for tucking between your knees or behind your back, depending on what you need. This pick is also budget-friendly and available from Amazon (which made our list of one of the best places to buy pillows), so the stakes are low if you’ve never tried a wedge pillow before.
Small, soft and supportive, it’s the ideal wedge pillow.
This unique pillow is expertly designed for both back sleepers and people experiencing back pain. Unlike the large, full body pillows on this list, it features two foam-filled wedge pillows, one shaped to support the belly and the other shaped to support the back, that you secure using Velcro along a belt at the exact positions you need to keep you comfortably on your side and prevent you from rolling onto your back.
A unique and effective pillow designed specifically for back support.
There’s more to a good pillow than just size. Here’s what else to think about before you make your purchase:
When you’re not pregnant, are you a side, back, stomach, or combination sleeper? If you’re already a side sleeper, you may only need a small or moderately supportive pillow to help you balance on your side. If you’re a back sleeper, you likely want a pillow that will keep you from rolling off your side and onto your back in the middle of the night. If you’re a stomach sleeper, you might need a wedge to support your belly and counteract your tendency to roll forward. If you sleep in a variety of positions, you are going to want a pillow that can accommodate that.
From back pain and joint pain, to round ligament pain, the right pregnancy pillow can help counteract these aches and allow you to get much-needed, restful sleep. Where your pain resides will determine whether you look for a pillow with more back support, belly support, or leg and hip support.
Some pregnancy pillows, especially U-shaped pillows, can get pretty huge. If you get claustrophobic, have a smaller bed, or even a large dog that sleeps with you, your mattress could get crowded pretty fast once you add a pregnancy pillow to the mix. That’s why it’s key to take both your bed size and pillow size into account when making your pick. Likewise, consider whether you want to continue using your regular pillow or if you’re ok with resting your head on the pregnancy pillow. If you get a larger one, you’ll likely be doing the latter.
To choose the best pregnancy pillows, I used my own experience with pregnancy and pregnancy pillows to narrow down the best options. I also talked to other moms (just like I did to find the best travel strollers) to find out what pillows they used during their pregnancies and what they loved about them, as well as sought advice from pregnancy experts. I then compiled all of this input into a final list of the best pregnancy pillows.
The best way to sleep with a pregnancy pillow is the way that you feel most comfortable and that allows you to get the most restful sleep. Most pregnant people are looking for support for their back, under their belly or between their legs. Depending on the size and shape of the pillow you choose, one pillow can deliver support at all of these places. If you don’t need support in specific areas (say you’re not a back sleeper, so you don’t need a pillow behind you to prevent you from rolling over), you can sleep with the pillow only delivering support where you need it.
“Most pregnant people will start to consider a pregnancy pillow when they begin having discomfort while sleeping or lying down. For many pregnant folks that will be after their 20-week mark,” Jordan says. Especially if it’s your first pregnancy, you might want to wait until then to make your pick. “I suggest getting pillows at this point and not in the beginning as you'll have a better grasp of what you are feeling and what will be more helpful to getting you more comfortable rest time,” Jordan adds.
While the best pillow is the one that you find most comfortable and the one that helps you sleep best, Jordan is partial to the C-shaped pillows for a few reasons. “I think it provides more back, neck, and shoulder support and gives more of a cuddle feeling than the U-shaped design which I find feels cumbersome and oddly shaped when you are already not as agile as your pre-pregnancy state,” she says. “They are also enormous! Every pregnant person knows the feeling of finally getting into a comfortable position only to have to go to the bathroom ten minutes later. The last thing you need is to have to untangle yourself from the elephant sized U-shaped pillow design on top of that!”
There are a few reasons having a pillow between your legs is helpful when you’re pregnant. First, because your belly is pulling your center of gravity toward the front of your body, it can create a pulling/pressure sensation on your top leg when you’re lying on your side that a pillow can alleviate. “It can take much-needed pressure off your tired joints and improve circulation,” adds Jordan, “so not only will you sleep better, but you also feel more rested when you wake up.”
Simply look at the letters and you will see the difference. With a U-shaped pregnancy pillow, you would sleep inside the U and have part of the pillow on either side of your body. With a J-shaped pillow, you will only have the pillow on one side.
“Most physicians will state that pregnant mothers begin side lying from 28 weeks,” Jordan says. “Sleeping on your back can lead to a reduction of oxygenated blood and circulation that could lead to poor transfer of needed oxygen and blood to the placenta which keeps the baby healthy and safe.” Sleeping on your back late in your pregnancy can compress the vena cava, a major blood vessel that runs down the back. This can affect the baby’s oxygen supply and even potentially lead to complications.
The best pregnancy sleeping position is technically on your left side, says Jordan. “This is to create more circulation and nutrient-packed oxygenated blood to your placenta and baby. It also prevents less pressure on your liver as your body grows with a baby.” That said, if you can only get comfortable on your right side, that is still preferable to sleeping on your back.
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