Watching your body expand and grow during your nine months of pregnancy can be a joyous experience. You may marvel at the miraculous changes your body undergoes as your baby gets bigger. However, your growing baby and belly can cause you to experience discomfort when you are trying to lie down at night to sleep.
Pregnancy brings with it a host of aches, pains, and twinges for which no remedy can be found by propping yourself up with regular bed pillows. When you want to sleep well at night and stay comfortable for longer, you may do well to invest in a pregnancy pillow.
Pregnancy pillows are designed to give your body and growing stomach support and protection. You may well know that you cannot roll over onto your stomach at sleep as you may be unable to sleep on your back because of your stomach weight. You may have to sleep on one of your sides, which itself can be an unconformable position because of how heavy your stomach is. As your stomach droops to the bed’s surface, dragging your ribs and lungs with it, you find that you are unable to breath deeply.
Fortunately, pillows designed or expectant moms give your stomach the support it needs to ease your muscle strain and allow you to breathe better. It also takes the weight of your stomach off your back and sides so you find relief from the muscle strain and fatigue that comes with pregnancy. Many of these pillows are additionally designed to support other parts of your body, like your knees, neck and head. You can tuck one of these pillows alongside or behind you and find a comfortable position to sleep in for the night. You will breathe better a night without having to toss and turn to find a more comfortable position.
Types of Pregnancy Pillows
The pregnancy pillows can be categorized into various types based on their specific shapes, sizes and other characteristics. Most pregnant women find that the full-body pregnancy pillow is the most comfortable option since it provides optimal support for their backs, bellies, and other areas of their bodies. Full body pregnancy pillow can be further classified in to two categories depending on their shape.
C-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow
The C shaped pillow are custom designed to support your whole body. Its lower end comes in between your legs to provide them assistance, while the middle end goes around your back to help the vertebrae. This relieves pressure from your spine, which usually aches due to the baby weight you hold on the belly. The top end of the pillow can be placed under your head to help your neck and shoulders. There is a wide variety of C Shaped pillows available from different manufacturers. One of the good examples is The CeeCee Pillow by PharMeDoc Pregnancy pillow for C shaped pillows.
U Shaped Pregnancy Pillows
The U-shaped pregnancy pillow is curved on both sides, which means that you can get complete balance for your body from both the front and the rear side. These pillows are also extra-large and provide head-to-toe support, which is particularly useful in the second and third trimesters. The U shaped pregnancy pillow can be used to support the back, neck, and head, and can also be wrapped around the body to provide support for the stomach and hips.
U-shaped body pillow is an excellent choice for both pregnant women and anyone who have trouble falling or staying asleep. Because of its expansive design, the U-shaped pregnancy pillow is often the most costly option available to expectant mothers.
Best U Shaped Pregnancy Pillows in UK
PharMeDoc U-Shape Pregnancy Pillow
The PharMeDoc U-shaped pregnancy pillow is also great for people who are suffering from back pain. This is because it can help to take the pressure off of your back and spine. This Full Body pregnancy pillow is a U-shaped pillow filled with polyester fiberfill and comes with either a cotton or cotton jersey cover. This pillow can be wrapped around a pregnant woman to provide support for her head, neck, back, hip, and bump all at the same time while also assisting with keeping the knees straight.
Pros
- Versatile and can be moved to support multiple areas
- Sufficient support to growing belly and aching back
- Upper and lower body can be elevated
- Can be used during pregnancy and postpartum
- 2 easy to remove cover options that are washable and dryable
Cons
- Pillow is little firm
- Expensive
Kolbray U Shape Pregnancy Pillow
If you are looking for a versatile pregnancy pillow that can be used in multiple ways, the Kolbray U Shape Pregnancy Pillow is a great option. The pillow features a zipper-removable cover with an invisible zip that is machine-washable and dryable for easy cleaning. The pillow also has a detachable extension that can be used as its own full body pillow, or attached to the main body pillow. The material of the pillow is a breathable soft-knit jersey cover that is cool to the touch. The pillow can be used for support, comfort or pain relief during pregnancy.
Pros
- Breathable Soft-knit Jersey cover
- Machine washable and zipper-removable cover
- Shape and firmness relieves joint and body strain
- Dimensions: 130 x 75 x 20 cm
Cons
- The “legs” on the pillow are not contoured, and as a result, they are prone to shifting or falling off during the night.
AS AWESLING U Shape Pregnancy Pillow
This is another excellent U shaped pregnancy pillow catering to every moms-to-be’s concern, which is scoring a restful sleep. Say goodbye to hard edges that cause discomfort to your shoulders because the Cozy Comfort has a curved shape giving shoulder support. It also gives lumbar support, carrying mommy’s growing weight as she sleeps.
You may also use it as a post-surgery pillow to provide cushioning where you need it. This pregnancy pillow is suited for adults of all ages and sizes, so expectant mothers of all ages and sizes can benefit from our comfy cushion. This cushion will be beneficial to you whether you’ve had surgery on your spine or shoulders, knees or hips, or even both.
Velvet is used as the material for the outside cover, and it provides long-lasting toughness and durability. You will appreciate the opulent luxury of this pregnancy pillow thanks to its 3D PP Cotton stuffing, which maintains the cushion firm and prevents it from easily transforming shape.
Pros
- Ergonomic designed U shaped pillow to provide support for your head, neck, belly, back, hips and knees
- Cushions the mommy’s back and keeps the baby’s head supported when used during nursing
- High quality velvet material for outer cover
- 7D PP Cotton filling
- Removable and machine washable cover
Cons
- Size is smaller for tall person
PinkFroggie 55in U Shape Full Body Maternity Pillow
The material of this full body pillow constitutes a high density as well as an extra-soft texture. The pregnancy body pillow will give comfort for side sleeping and will maintain its loft for improved functionality and extended use. Cover is made of an easy-to-clean, hypoallergenic material that is also breathable and can be washed in the machine.
The fiber balls of the filling perfectly adapt to the shape of the body and avoid pressure points. There are other fillings to choose from. The cover is ergonomically quilted and extremely easy to care for, as it can even be washed at 60°C. Perfect against tension in the neck or back muscles.
Pros
- Prime belly support, allowing you to rest your tummy and make your baby feel comfortable too
- Serves as a cradle for the entire body
- Soft and high density velour fabric
- Good option for back sleeper and side sleeper
- Removable and machine washable cover
Cons
- Zip does not have a fabric cover which may hurt your arm
Byre U-Shape Pregnancy Pillow
Byre U shaped pregnancy pillow is designed to bring the hips, neck, shoulders, and back into proper alignment. The user won’t be able to turn and toss as a result of the pain, which is another benefit. It gives the user the ability to sleep on their side, which improves blood circulation, reduces the risk of developing swollen legs, and eliminates back discomfort.
This total body pillow is made to improve air circulation in order to keep the person using it cool throughout the night. The pillow case is made from organic materials, is hypoallergenic, has no smell, and is resistant to dust mites. It is stuffed with fusion fibre, which not only lets air circulate freely but also keeps the body pillow in its solid shape. Byre pregnancy pillow cover can be washed in the machine.
Pros
- Full body and bump support
- An inner contour that accommodates the shape of your body, making sure that it doesn’t slip off you
- It allows elevation and alignment, providing neutral support from head to toe
- Hypoallergenic memory foam material
Cons
- Pillow is firm
What to look for when choosing a pregnancy pillow
Material
Pay attention to the material used in pregnancy pillow. Cotton makes up the majority of covers, which explains why they are so comfortable. Some of the models have been examined for the presence of potentially hazardous compounds; after all, both you and your infant should avoid coming into touch with potentially hazardous substances.
Machine washable cover
Look for the pregnancy pillow that has removable and machine washable cover. It is extremely convenient to have removable pillow cases that can be washed in the machine and then can be dried in a dryer.
Size
Pregnancy pillows for pregnant women are significantly larger than normal pillows. This is due to the fact that pregnant pillows are designed to support not only the head but the entire body as well. However, you need pay careful attention to the correct size; the length should be at least 130 centimetres. The larger the size of pregnancy pillow, the more comfortable. However, the pregnancy pillow should not be too big, after all, your partner may also needs space.
When Should You Start Using a Pregnancy Pillow?
Even though there is no “right” answer (you are not even need to be pregnant in order to use one! ). However, there are specific weeks during which you may find that utilising a pregnant pillow is more advantageous. We’ll let you know when you’ll REALLY want to start thinking about grabbing a pregnancy pillow in order to offer some support to your aching back and developing tummy.
Ideally, you should start using a pregnancy pillow as soon as you start to experience any discomfort in your back or belly. This is usually around the second trimester, but it can vary from woman to woman. When the pregnancy reaches around 20 weeks, the womb begins to enlarge itself to make room for the expanding baby. This can cause discomfort in the round ligament as well as other aches and pains. So from 20 weeks on wards is where using a pregnancy pillow will give you the most comfort.
If you wait too long to start using a pregnancy pillow, you may find it difficult to get comfortable at night. So if you’re starting to experience any discomfort, don’t wait – grab a pregnancy pillow and start using it!
Conclusion
Being pregnant and carrying a human inside a woman’s tummy is not an easy job. This experience is heavy and painful especially to the back area. Pregnancy body pillow is designed to bring comfort and relief to pregnant woman who suffers backache. Back discomfort happens normally during bedtime, making it impossible to sleep at night.
It’s not enough for a pregnant woman to use only head pillow during sleep. It is recommendable that the whole body especially the back area is well-rounded with great comfort with the pillow. This can ease the pain and bring a lot of comfortable benefits for mothers ahead.