Should You Use a Pregnancy Pillow During Maternity?

Pregnancy pillows come in many forms, shapes, and sizes, but all have the same benefit:  to make life easier for you and allow you to have a more comfortable pregnancy, however possible.  Here are just a few of the ways that pregnancy pillows can make your life just a little bit better while waiting for baby:

They relieve pressure on your body

If you’re past 20 weeks, the time when most women start using pregnancy pillows, you probably already feel uncomfortable.  The maternity pillow can be used in a variety of places to relieve the pressure on your body, including in between your legs, behind your back, or on your side- and relieves pressure on your body due to the initial weight of the baby and the way you’re holding yourself differently.   It also greatly reduces sciatic nerve discomfort.

They improve alignment and reduce snoring

Pregnancy pillows make sure that your body is aligned optimally, which reduces any pain you may have after waking up the next morning   They can also teach your body how to position itself to alleviate snoring, which is a bonus effect that can last long after baby is born.

They can improve circulation

According to The Sleep Advisor, a maternity pillow allows you to get blood flow and circulation to the places that really matter during your pregnancy.  And if you need to elevate your legs, for example, you’ll be able to use the pregnancy pillow for that reason, as well.

They provide a safe sleeping environment for you and for baby

One of the better and more important benefits of the pregnancy pillow is that they reduce risks of you causing injury to yourself or to baby by the way or position you’re sleeping in.  Throughout pregnancy, as you grow, you should sleep on your left side to get optimal blow flood to baby.   You definitely shouldn’t sleep on your stomach, which a pregnancy pillow will not allow you to do, and you should watch the position of your spine and sciatic nerve always.  Even if you’re not in discomfort, you should still use the pregnancy pillow to ensure that you’re sleeping correctly.   After baby is born, you can continue to use the pregnancy pillow to make sure baby does not roll over or fall off of the bed, if you’re co-sleeping.

They allow you to treat yourself

This can be one of the most stressful periods of your life with the anxiety and uncertainty of what’s to come, but it’s also one of the most beautiful.  You are experiencing the joys of motherhood and you deserve to treat yourself.  A maternity pillow is a purchase that can be costly, depending on what brand or style you get, but it’s definitely something that’s worth it.  You deserve to be as comfortable as possible while your body is going through these changes.

They make it easier to sleep no matter where you end up

A friend of mine joked that she slept in more places when she was pregnant than she did when she was in college, and although it might not necessarily have been true it was really funny to me because she definitely kept a solid rotation of going from the bed, to the guest bed, to the couch, to the bean bag chair.  Towards the end of her pregnancy she lived in the armchair on a reclining position.  No matter what surface you end up finding the most comfort in, your pregnancy pillow is portable so it can join you wherever you need to sleep.

They are extremely useful on trips

Because it’s portable it’s also extremely useful on trips.  If you’re used to your pregnancy pillow and the way it contours around you it will be much easier to sleep in a hotel bed or relative’s bed while getting in those few last trips before baby arrives.  With your scent added to it and the way it’s broken in, you may find it useful for sleeping in strange places long after baby arrives.  And as baby grows he might even find it useful at summer camp or on his first trip without you— so save that pillow.

They provide a better night’s sleep

Most importantly, pregnancy pillows allow you to sleep better than you would if you didn’t have them.  And let’s face it, you won’t be getting much sleep when baby arrives, so it’s important to get as much now as you can.  

When you purchase a pregnancy pillow, some factors you should keep in mind are material, shape, size, and cost.  You’ll want to decide if you’re going to be using the pillow after pregnancy, or if this is your only child—  you can also buy a pregnancy pillow cover to make your pillow last longer and be easily wiped off or washable.   Whatever you choose, I’m sure that you’ll love the choice you made to buy a pregnancy pillow in the first place.