To say that the later months of pregnancy are pretty uncomfortable would be quite an understatement. It’s difficult to walk, get dressed, eat, and yes- even sleep. While it may be easy to shrug and say “I’m huge! There’s nothing I can do about that!” you should know that not only can you do something about it, but you really should.
You see, sleep during your pregnancy is incredibly important and we explored comfortable sleeping positions in our dedicated article. Your body is hard at work right now! If sleep is essential for healthy functioning in a regular body, just imagine how crucial it is for a body that’s growing a baby! Lack of sleep during pregnancy has been tied to a number of complications, including Preeclampsia. The amount of sleep you get while you're pregnant not only affects your health and your baby’s growth and development, but could impact your labor and delivery as well. If you are sleeping with a full body pregnancy pillow you won’t need to have these worries! You’ll sleep easily and deeply with the peace of mind that you’re being as healthy as possible.
What is a pregnancy pillow?
As your body grows, sleep becomes a little harder to come by, especially in the third trimester. It’s difficult to get comfortable. It’s harder to move around and shift positions in bed. The best position to sleep in when you are later in your pregnancy is on your left side. Sleeping on your side promotes blood circulation, something that’s extremely important for pregnant women. Improved blood flow means more nutrients flowing to your baby and less swelling for you. If you’ve been a stomach or back sleeper, it can be hard to adjust to sleeping on your side. Even if you’re used to sleeping on your side, it can become uncomfortable with your growing belly. This is where a pillow for pregnant women helps.
By definition, a pregnancy pillow is exactly what it sounds like. A pregnancy pillow is specifically designed to support the changing curves of your body throughout your pregnancy, and it offers support for various safe sleeping positions.
Benefits of a pregnancy pillow
As briefly mentioned above, your body really, really needs at least eight hours of sleep a night during your pregnancy. The main benefit of the best pregnancy pillows is that they allow you to be comfortable enough to actually sleep well. As your body weight increases during your pregnancy (sorry to say it!) it puts a lot of pressure on your legs, hips, and back. These body parts need to be rested after supporting you all day, but this is hard to do if you can’t sleep well.
The best pregnancy body pillow will provide specific support and comfort to your aching body all night long. This means you sleep better and feel more rested the next day. A pregnancy pillow will give you more cushioning to contour to your rapidly changing body.
When should you start using a pregnancy pillow?
There’s no set time when you need to begin sleeping with a pregnancy pillow. Essentially, you should start using one whenever you start finding it difficult to fall asleep or change positions at night. For many women, your belly really starts to expand around week 20. This expansion is more than just awkward or uncomfortable; it can cause pain in your ligaments as they stretch out, so this is an ideal time to use extra support at night.
Types of pregnancy pillows
Here at City Mattress, we sell a few different options for pregnancy pillows, including a U shaped pregnancy pillow and a C shaped pregnancy pillow. One of our favorites is the Malouf Wrap Around Pillow. This C shaped pregnancy pillow fits the natural contours of your body to provide support and relieve sleep pain. It's ergonomically designed to wrap around your body and support your head, neck, back, hips, and belly. Are you getting hot at night? The breathable Tencel™ cover aids in obtaining the perfect sleeping temperature. Also by Malouf, the Horseshoe Body Pillow is another fantastic option. This is a U shaped pregnancy pillow which wraps both sides of the body to offer support. It is filled with a soft down alternative that is hypoallergenic and won't shift or clump.
The Avana Uno Adjustable Memory Foam Snuggle Pillow isn’t necessarily a pregnancy pillow, but it could certainly be used as one. It delivers superior support through a uniquely curved silhouette. Wrapping over the shoulder, this therapeutic pillow is made to encourage side sleeping. It perfectly cradles the head and neck, minimizing upper-body stress and delivering proper spinal alignment.
Heartburn, stretching ligaments, Restless Legs Syndrome, and a big basketball where your stomach used to be can make sleep feel impossible. With the best pregnancy pillow, it is not! It is essential that you prioritize sleep, as it’s one of the healthiest things you can do for your body, your baby, and your soon-to-happen delivery. In a research study, pregnant women who slept less than six hours at night late in pregnancy had longer labors and were more likely to have cesarean deliveries.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, we highly encourage you to visit your nearest City Mattress and discuss your options for a better sleep system with one of our Sleep Experts. You may need a more supportive mattress, cooler bed sheets, or more. You can also order a pregnancy pillow online, directly through our website!