The Best Pregnancy Pillows for a Wonderful Night’s Sleep

Does this scene sound familiar to you? You’re worn out and eager to get into bed, but when you do, your ever-expanding bump is there, blocking your path to a restful night’s sleep. While you may have thought that a pregnant cushion was superfluous (after all, you already have lots of pillows! ), a quality maternity pillow is actually designed to reduce pregnancy-related discomfort and ease you to sleep.

The three primary categories are shown below, along with usage advice:

U-shaped pregnancy body pillow

This pregnancy pillow fits your size and is formed like a contoured U, as the name suggests (with you nestled in the center). This kind of pillow supports your head, neck, back, hips, legs, and pregnancy belly.

If you like to sleep on your back, you can use it to support yourself, or if you prefer to sleep on your side in the second trimester, you can sandwich your front and back with the edge of the pregnancy pillow tucked between your legs. You can rest your head directly on top of the pillow while slipping your arm underneath.

C-shaped pregnancy body pillow

This is a different kind of sizable pregnancy body cushion, however, it has a C shape rather than a U shape. While other C-shaped pregnancy pillows merely contour your front, some contour your complete body to support your back and growing belly. Use the top of the pillow to lay your head, the side to support your bump (and potentially your back), and the bottom of the C to tuck between your legs if you prefer to sleep on your side.

Pregnancy wedge pillow

In comparison to other pregnancy pillows, a wedge is smaller and less expensive, and it’s made to support a specific area—usually your back or bump. Use the wedge to reduce the weight of your growing belly, or tuck it behind you to prevent rolling over onto your back while you sleep.