People always say things like, "sleep now while you can, before the baby comes”. Great advice, but what is often left out is the fact that the pregnancy itself seems determined to ruin sleep months before the delivery. During the first trimester, you may feel very exhausted and might have to go to the toilet very often. The second trimester might offer some relief before the third trimester starts with its own challenges: heartburn, shortness of breath, back pain, hip discomfort, restless legs, and the simple physical reality of carrying a lot of weight that needs the right kind of positioning and support while you sleep.
There are some special sleep position tips for expecting mothers that make the simple act of rest even harder. After about 20 weeks of pregnancy, healthcare providers recommend side sleeping because back sleeping can put pressure on major blood vessels, which could end up lowering the blood flow to both you and your baby. Multiple studies have found that sleeping on your back in the third trimester increases the risk of stillbirth (source).
The verdict? While many doctors advise sleeping on your side, even that position while you are pregnant requires you to be properly supported. If you do not get the right kind of support, you might wake up with aching hips, strained back muscles, and a belly that feels like it's been unsupported for hours. Regular pillows might help with some of the discomfort, but they move, flatten, and require constant repositioning throughout the night. This is why pregnancy pillows are not just another luxury item. They are practical solutions for a genuine medical recommendation.
What Are Pregnancy Pillows, and What Do They Do
Your body needs support in multiple places at the same time when you are pregnant. Your belly needs something underneath to prevent pulling strain, your back needs support to keep your spine correctly aligned, your knees need cushioning to ease the pressure on your hips, and your head and neck need proper elevation. While regular pillows can technically do this, you'd just need about six of them strategically placed, but even those tend to migrate across the bed by midnight anyway.
A pregnancy pillow provides comprehensive support that stays put while you sleep, addressing multiple pressure points with one design.
What Are The Different Shapes of Pregnancy Pillows?
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U-Shaped Pillows:These pillows support your head, neck, back, belly, and legs all at once by wrapping around your whole body. They provide full-body support which means you don't need to reposition when changing sides during the night, both sides of the pillow offer equal support. The downside? They're huge. If you're sharing a bed, your partner might end up with about two feet of sleeping space. But for all-around support and frequent position changers, they deliver the best kind of support.
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C-Shaped Pillows:They are similar to the U-shaped pillows but take up less space. Their curve follows your body's natural shape, providing targeted support for head, back, belly, and knees. More compact than U-shaped options, making them better for smaller beds or shared sleeping spaces. The problem with these? You'll need to reposition the pillow if you switch from left to right side sleeping.
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Full-Length Body Pillows:These run parallel to your body, offering support along one side. SleepyCat’s Cuddle Pillow is one such option. At 50 inches long and filled with virgin microfiber, it moulds to support your posture while being covered in luxe modal fabric. Simple, effective, and doesn't dominate the entire bed.
- Wedge Pillows: Small, triangular pillows that slide under your belly, behind your back, or between your knees for targeted support. Highly portable and budget-friendly, though you might need multiple wedges or additional pillows for complete support. Looking for a good wedge pillow recommendation? Try SleepyCat’s Wedge Pillow for the ergoverse range. It is a light-weight portable pillow that provides the optimum incline for relaxed support.
What is the Best Pillow for Supporting Your Sleep Style?
Here are our recommendations for the best pillow match based on your sleeping positions:
1. Side Sleepers: Full-length like SleepyCat’s Cuddle Pillow or C-shaped pillows work particularly well with this position. They accommodate the natural curve of your body while preventing you from rolling onto your back during sleep.
2. Combination Sleepers: U-shaped pillows eliminate repositioning when you shift sides. Both sides offer immediate support without needing to wake up and adjust.
3. Space-Conscious Sleepers: Wedge pillows or full-length options like the Cuddle Pillow provide substantial support without requiring their own zip code in your bed.
What to Look For When Picking a Pregnancy Pillow?
- Filling Inside the Pillow: Memory foam holds shape but can retain heat. Microfiber offers softer, more adjustable support with better breathability; it is particularly valuable in the Indian climate, where overheating becomes a genuine concern.
- Cover Fabric: Removable, washable covers aren't optional; they're essential. Modal or bamboo fabrics offer better temperature regulation than synthetic materials.
- Size Considerations: Measure your bed. Seriously. That U-shaped pillow might look perfect online but could render half your mattress inaccessible.
4: Firmness: Some pregnancy pillows come overstuffed with adjustable fills. Too soft and they won't provide adequate support; too firm and they create pressure points. Look for options that allow firmness customization.
When to Start Using A Pregnancy Pillow
Most women find pregnancy pillows most useful during the second and third trimesters when the belly becomes substantial enough to affect sleeping positions. However, if you're experiencing early discomfort or already struggle with side sleeping, starting earlier helps establish comfortable sleep patterns before they become medically necessary. And don’t worry, you can keep using these pillows even after your delivery. Many of these pillows work excellently as nursing pillows, providing comfortable positioning for feeding sessions. Later, they can support babies learning to sit up, or become reading pillows for older children.
The length of the SleepyCat Cuddle Pillow and its moldable design make it particularly versatile. It is useful for side sleeping during recovery, comfortable positioning while nursing, or simply as supportive seating for anyone recovering from surgery or dealing with back pain. And it even works for people who love to cuddle when they go to sleep.
Why Buy a Pregnancy Pillow?
Poor sleep during pregnancy affects more than just how tired you feel. It impacts mood, immune function, pregnancy complications, and your ability to handle the physical demands of carrying a baby. A pregnancy pillow that genuinely improves sleep quality isn't a luxury; it's actually a practical tool for managing one of pregnancy's most common challenges. Your body is doing remarkable, exhausting work growing another human. The least you can do is give it comfortable support for the eight hours it's supposed to be resting.
