Benefits of Using a Pregnancy Pillow

The changes your body goes through during pregnancy can take you by surprise. When it comes to your sleep, it’s better if you know what’s coming so you can prepare.

The biggest change is the weight of your growing belly. It can make it difficult to find a comfortable position at night. You may find yourself waking up with pain in your lower back or experiencing trouble with digestion or breathing.

The main benefit of a pregnancy pillow is that it supports your body during sleep. It’ll help you find and remain in a healthy sleeping position, to help you avoid the common sleep-related issues. Through a better posture, most pregnancy pillows will:

• Improve sleep posture and align your body in the healthiest way possible , to reduce hip and back pain.
• Maintain a safer sleeping position for you and your baby, especially in the later stages of pregnancy when left side sleeping correlates with better birth outcomes.
• Supports the weight of your stomach to reduce the additional pressure on your lower back.
• Better sleep posture has also been found to improve overall circulation, blood flow, and even digestion.

In this post, we’ll explore the main benefits of pregnancy pillows of various types, and help direct you towards the best option for you.

Each type of pregnancy pillow has unique benefits and drawbacks that you need to be aware of, especially if you’re still deciding on the right pillow for you.

Straight pregnancy pillows like the WildBird Maternity Pillow offer the most customization and versatility. They’re tubular, and can be curved or folded to support sleep in different ways. They offer the robust belly support and posture alignment your body needs, although you may want to use one in conjunction with s regular pillow.

The main benefits of this type of pregnancy pillow is that it’s not massive or cumbersome. It makes it easier to share a bed with a partner or to get in and out of bed at night.

U-shaped pregnancy pillows are large and impressive to look at. They’re like a full body hug, since they’re shaped with two thick, long arms connected on one end.

This is the type of pillow that’ll stop you from tossing and turning. It’s an excellent option for stability and support in whatever sleep position you choose, and especially side-sleeping.

The main issue with U-shaped pillows is that they can take up a lot of space, and aren’t great in smaller beds. They can totally block your exit path from the bed, which can be an issue as your pregnancy progresses. You’ll need to visit the bathroom in the middle of the night (potentially several times a night), so you don’t want to struggle getting in and out of bed.

C-shaped pillows are a nice mid-point between straight and U-shaped pillows. They tend to be very large, but they’re slightly more adjustable. Unlike U-shaped pillows, they can be positioned to have a side opening, which allows for a little more flexibility with getting in or out of bed or touching a partner.

Wedge shaped pillows are very small, as they’re designed to support the belly exclusively. They help with back pain and side-sleeping. However, most pregnant people will need additional support or alignment during sleep, especially for their hips and legs. It’s a good option if you're happy to use multiple pillows or if you don’t have the space in bed for one large body pillow.

J-shaped pillows are very similar to U-shaped pillows and largely offer the same benefits. The main difference is that they usually have one shorter arm which gives slightly more room to maneuver. They’re still quite large, though.

There are no right or wrong choices when it comes to reputable, well-made pregnancy pillows - it’s all about finding the right pillow for you. Ask yourself these questions when trying to decide:

• Where does your body need support? Choose a pillow that’ll align and support the specific areas where you need it most. Larger pillows tend to provide all-over support to everything from the neck and back to the hips, stomach, and legs but they can also be more constricting.
• What firmness level will feel best? U-shaped and J-shaped pillows tend to be quite firm as they’re often filled with memory foam. Tube and C-shaped pillows are a little softer to better contour around your body’s curves. Take into account which sensation you prefer, and how much support you need.
• How big should your pillow be? From tiny wedge pillows to massive U-shaped pillows, your dream pregnancy pillow can take up a lot or a little. Larger pillows tend to provide more support, but at the cost of ease of use. Consider your bed size, your partner’s space needs, and whether you have mobility requirements that a large pillow could obstruct. Straight and tube pillows often strike the best balance between size and support.
• How will you keep it clean? Always check the cleaning instructions, and whether your body pillow comes with covers or if it’s machine washable. C and U-shaped body pillows are often made of difficult-to-clean materials. Our WildBird Pregnancy Pillow can be washed in the washing machine. We also offer a selection of premium linen pillow covers that’ll make it a breeze to keep your pillow clean.

A pregnancy pillow is basically a specialized body pillow, and a good one will have plenty of uses even once you’re no longer pregnant!

• Post-pregnancy sleep support: Good sleep posture is still important even after you give birth. You don’t need to stop using your body pillow, especially if you still experience pain or discomfort.
• Breastfeeding: Some pregnancy pillows (including our WildBird Maternity Pillow) can also be used as breastfeeding pillows. They can help prevent pain and fatigue by improving your nursing posture, supporting your elbows, taking on some of your baby’s weight, and elevating your baby so they can more easily feed.
• Sitting up to read or watch TV: You can use your maternity pillow to prop you up in bed or in a chair, for added comfort when you read, watch TV, or just want to relax while sitting up.
• Tummy time for baby: Your baby can use the body pillow as a prop during supervised tummy time, to help them climb and develop their mobility.

If you want to enjoy all of the benefits of pregnancy pillows without any of the common drawbacks, pick up the WildBird Pregnancy Pillow. Spend just one night with our ultra-comfy body pillow and you’ll understand just how magical having a pregnancy pillow can be.

The straight tube design is adjustable and easy to move, so you can get into whatever sleeping position you want without any hassle. It’s meticulously crafted with a pearl filling that’ll adjust to the contours of your body, and keep you as comfortable as possible throughout your pregnancy and beyond.