Pregnancy Pillows - How do they help & are they worth it?

A pregnancy pillow helps to keep your body in a neutral position, reducing the strain on your muscles and joints. It can be placed in different positions to provide targeted support to areas like the back, hips and belly, alleviating common pregnancy discomforts and ensuring you feel more rested.

The main considerations for choosing your pillow include:

• Size & Shape - You’ll likely be advised to sleep on your side from 28 weeks, so choosing a c-shaped, u-shaped or wedge pillow would be best as you can wedge these between your knees and pelvis to provide support. Read more about the best shapes below.
• Filling & Firmness - Consider how soft you like your usual pillow. You’ll likely need and want more support from your pregnancy pillow, so choosing something firmer will likely be better.
• Cover - Choose a pillow which has a hypoallergenic cover and is removable for easy washing, especially if you’re planning on using it postpartum.

A pregnancy pillow is larger in size and also tends to be firmer. The larger size and different shape provides more comprehensive, targeted support for pressure points and side sleeping when compared to a standard pillow, which is softer & made to support the head and neck.

When choosing a pregnancy pillow, you should think about the areas where you have the most discomfort as each shape will support your body slightly differently. The right shape can make all the difference in improving the quality and quantity of your sleep.  

The most popular styles of pregnancy pillows are long and straight or C shaped because they support most problem areas and aren’t as bulky as a U-shaped pillow. You can also get smaller styles, such as a simple wedge, however they don’t offer as much support. Let’s take a look at the shapes:

• Long, straight (or sausage shape) pillow: Ideal for side, belly and knee support, can be easily shaped to suit the areas where you need to relieve pressure.
• C Shaped pillow: Similar to a long, straight pillow, supports the belly, knees, head.
• J Shaped: These are best at supporting either the head and belly or back or the knees and belly or back. They are slightly more compact than a c-shape or sausage shaped pillow, but still offer good support.
• U shaped: The bulkiest of pregnancy pillows, the U-shape supports all areas - the back, belly, knees and hips, however you may feel like you have an extra person in the bed!  
• Wedge Shaped:  These are the most basic style of pregnancy pillow and most compact, but they really only support the belly.

A U-shaped pillow is the best option for back, hip & pelvic pain as they curve around the whole body. These pillows can be positioned between the knees and then you can “cuddle” them to support your bump. They can then continue to provide support to your head and neck and then run down your back for additional back support.

A C-shaped or straight pillow is the best shape for supporting the back. If using a C-shape, place one end between your knees and along your back, with the other end under your head and neck. A straight pillow can also be used along your back to prevent you from rolling onto your back during the night, which is important from 28 weeks gestation.

Where you place the pillow will depend on where you’re uncomfortable and the type of pillow you have. You’ll likely need to experiment a little to find the most comfortable position and this will likely change as you get closer to your due date and as your areas of discomfort change.  

To start, try placing the pillow under your stomach to support your belly and hips, then bring it through to your knees which will also help to stabilise the pelvis. If you’re worried about rolling onto your back while sleeping, try placing a pillow behind your back to prevent you sleeping flat on your back. It’s all about experimentation, especially when the areas that need support are likely to change as your bump grows.

Most expectant mothers will start using a pregnancy pillow from the second trimester, around 20 weeks, when their bump starts to get bigger. However, there’s no hard and fast rule and it will most likely be determined by how much discomfort you’re facing and how disrupted your sleep is.

Once your baby is born, you can continue to use your pregnancy pillow. It can be useful to support your postpartum recovery and breastfeeding journey.

To use the pillow as a breastfeeding aid, wrap the pillow around your front and sides to bring your baby higher on your body and closer to the breast, using a football or cradle hold. This helps relieve pressure on your back and can make tandem feeding twins easier.