If you’ve ever wondered, yes, pregnant women do need more sleep. Growing a human is hard for the body, and it needs as much rest as possible. Unfortunately, the one thing you need most seems to be the most elusive during pregnancy.
Your body is changing, belly is growing, and you can’t seem to get a comfortable sleeping position. This is where a pregnancy pillow becomes an essential sleep companion.
Why a Pregnancy Pillow is So Essential?
Towards the middle or end of the second trimester, your growing bump begins to put pressure on your back and hips. You will also be advised to only sleep on your side, which is unnatural for many people and causes the body to twist. As a result, most pregnant women suffer back pain, hip pain, and overall discomfort, making sleeping difficult.
A pregnancy pillow comes to support the baby bump and the back, so you don’t feel the pressure. It makes sleeping on your side much more comfortable and helps align the body, alleviating any pain. In other words, a pregnancy pillow helps you sleep better because you find a comfortable sleeping position.
Ideally, you should start using a pregnancy pillow in the second trimester, when the belly is visibly big. Get one immediately you start feeling the pull on your back and struggling to find comfort in bed.
Which Pregnancy Pillow is Best for Sleeping?
The best pregnancy pillow can be a wedge or a full-body pillow, so the shape doesn’t really matter. What you want is sufficient support, breathability, coolness, and overall comfort. When picking the best pregnancy pillows, we also considered the fabric quality, versatility and cost.
1. Best Overall – PharMeDoc Pregnancy Pillow
When it comes to full-body pillows, nothing comes close to the PharMeDoc u-shape pregnancy pillow. Its shape and length support you everywhere you need it and ease any discomfort associated with pregnancy so you can sleep better.
This beautiful pillow comes with a detachable extension that you can take off if you want something to support a specific part of the body without dragging along the entire pillow. The whole of it is also machine washable though you can just take off the cover to wash when needed.
2. Best Full-Body Pillow- Meiz Pregnancy Pillow
While the PharMeDoc is awesome, it doesn’t cater to the tall population because it’s not too long. The Meiz full-body pregnancy pillow is better if you are taller or you simply want a pillow that covers you from head to toe, even without bending your knees.
This pillow is also extra soft and adjustable, so you can manipulate it however you want until you get the most comfortable position. We also love that it has a soft cooling cover that wicks away body heat from you so you can be cool and dry all night.
3. Best for Hip Support- Frida Mom Adjustable Keep-Cool Pregnancy Pillow
But if versatility is what you need most, you can’t go wrong with the Frida Mom Adjustable pillow. It is a j-shape pillow that you can twist, bend or squish to comfort, and it fits exactly where you want it to. This may not be a full-body pillow like the others, but it’s light and compact enough that you can turn with it in your sleep. The pillow also has a cooling fabric and doesn’t take over your bed.
Final Thoughts
Granted, a pregnancy pillow is not a basic need, and many have survived without one. However, it makes sleeping more comfortable and lessens the chances of you getting back and hip pains. Sure you can support yourself with regular pillows, but that will mean having to position 4 or 5 pillows around you every time you want to turn. Not only does a pregnancy pillow support your entire body, but it also snuggles you like a bear, which makes you sleep faster and better.
