Alexandra Ramirez
Much like the way memory foam mattresses are meant to contour to your body’s natural shape, pregnancy pillows are meant to adjust the surface on which you sleep in a way that is meant to not only provide a higher degree of comfort for the time being, but to keep you healthy through reducing the strain you might otherwise experience on your spine, neck and shoulders. Such pillows can be bought in different shapes and sizes, with each serving its own unique purpose. Need a sheet set? Checkout our bed sheet review here.
1. Leacho Snoogle
Best Overall Pregnancy Pillow
5/5 Product Rating
The Leacho Snoogle comes in the shape of the letter C. It also covers a lot of area. This allows you to stretch the pillow out or condense it as you see fit. While this may add a bit of a learning curve in terms of getting just the level of comfort and support you need, it can certainly pay off after a couple nights of finding out what works for you. Even then, it will still offer a large degree of comfort from the start.
– Linda Krantz
2. Leacho Back ‘N Belly
Best Overall Pregnancy Pillow – Runner Up
4.9/5 Product Rating
Perhaps where the Leacho Back ‘N Belly most sets itself apart from other pillows is through its softness. While its outer cover is very soft, it pales in comparison to the actual inside materials used in the pillow’s make. If you find you have a great degree of appreciation for soft memory foam mattresses, you’ll likely find this particular pillow to be extremely comfortable. Its level of softness also changes throughout the pillow in a way that gives you great head support while still being comfortable throughout. Due to its shape, you won’t have to worry about some of the health issues which may be caused by soft mattresses. Despite its high level of softness, you’ll still get a great degree of support throughout.
– Linda Krantz
3. PharMeDoc
Best Budget Pregnancy Pillow
4.7/5 Product Rating
The pillow in question is made in America and, much like the Snoogle, comes highly recommended by nearly all of its past customers. If you take a look at its Amazon page (which has been linked to above), you’ll notice an extremely high average rating offered by previous and current users of the pillow left on the product’s listing. Men and pregnant women alike often praise the PharMeDoc simply for its high degree of comfort. This is seen through its excellent amount of cushioning, as well as its very soft cover; a feature not seen too often in pillows of any sort.
– Linda Krantz
Pregnancy Pillow Buying Guide
What is a Pregnancy Pillow?
Of course, while the three above pillows are certainly great in terms of their level of quality, you needn’t feel as if they are your only viable options. Being that you may have a drastically different taste from those who find themselves enjoying these three pillows, you may even find it beneficial to branch out from the above list and do some shopping for yourself. While I may not be able to recommend a specific pillow in this case, I can certainly help you along the way. When shopping for your next pregnancy pillow, keep some of the following considerations in mind.
Pillow names can be deceiving
In the above list of pillows, one product was mentioned which receives great feedback not only from pregnant women, but even from men who simply want a more comfortable sleep at night. As it turns out, the opposite can happen as well. Just because a pillow isn’t marketed toward pregnant women, definitely does not mean that it won’t work. If you have your sights set on a particular product, take a moment to go online and see what others in your situation have to say about the product in question. Of course, it’s important to ensure the pillow won’t be ineffective or even harmful.
How much support do you need?
There are several different types of pregnancy pillows (which we’ll touch base on in a moment), each of which offers its own level of support. The pillows we covered above are full body pillows, giving you an extremely high degree of support and acting as more of a mattress extension than a pillow. On the other hand, specialized pregnancy pillows can be had which aren’t much bigger or smaller than a standard pillow.
How much are you willing to clean?
Believe it or not, a pregnancy pillow isn’t guaranteed to come with an outer cover. Of course, much like a normal pillow sheet, having an outer layer can mean the difference between cleaning your entire pillow and waiting all night for it to dry, or simply throwing the outer cover in with your next load of laundry. An outer cover makes owning a pregnancy pillow a much more convenient ordeal.
What type of mattress do you like?
While pregnancy pillows and mattresses are obviously two different things, your tastes for one may carry over to your tastes for the other. Being that so much of your body will be supported by such a pillow, you may want to keep things consistent. For example, if you like memory foam mattresses, get a memory foam pillow. There are a wide variety of options to choose from, such as memory foam, beads and traditional pillow fillings like wool and feathers.
Different Shapes of Pregnancy Pillows
Typically, pregnancy pillows come in three common types. Do you know which type will best suit your preferences and needs?
- Full Body Pregnancy Pillows – The three pillows we previously covered fit into this category. Generally speaking, these pillows will offer the widest range of support. On the other hand, if you know you’re not going to use all of said support in the first place, such a pillow may feel rather clunky and inconvenient.
- Straight Pregnancy Pillows – To the untrained eye, a straight pregnancy pillow may simply resemble a normal pillow which is very long. Such models are meant to be laid alongside yourself as you sleep. It can give you head support while acting as a wedge in between your legs to reduce discomfort.
- Wedge Pregnancy Pillows – Wedge pillows take on the shape of wooden doorstoppers. These are meant to be placed in between the legs or under the back. While they won’t offer you nearly as much support as the above pillows, they’re perfect if you only need a little bit of support in the first place and would rather not contend with a model larger in size.
Common Pregnancy Pillows Features
Up until this point, the usefulness of most of the features we’ve covered is quite subjective in nature. While one person may love a full body pillow, you may prefer a wedge, etc. There are; however, a few features that can only do good in a pregnancy pillow. When shopping, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye out for pillows which exhibit the below characteristics.
- An Outer Cover – We’ve already briefly touched base on this feature. Simply put, it just doesn’t make sense to not get a pillow with an outer cover. Unlike standard pillows, which tend to be compatible with your average pillow case, pregnancy pillows are a specialty product. As such, finding a proper cover will be tough. Make sure the manufacturer includes one to make things easier for you.
- A Dense Inner Layer – In this particular context, “dense” does not have to be synonymous with “firm.” Rather, a pillow’s inner materials should be pushing out against the outer layer holding everything together. You really don’t want to see a lot of slack in your outer layer. While the inner material can be soft if you’d like, there should be a whole lot of it.
- Hypoallergenic Materials – The last thing you need when dealing with a pregnancy is the exacerbation of health issues that might already be popping up out of nowhere. Getting a pillow which doesn’t collect dust, pollens and other microscopic materials in the air is always a great idea. At best, it will save you a large degree of comfort. At worst, it won’t do anything at all.
Conclusion
The three pillows we’ve covered above are said to be of the utmost quality. However, if you’re not a fan of full body pillows, you have a whole other world of options at your disposal. By knowing what you need before deciding on purchases, as well as keeping some of the above common features in mind, you can walk away with the perfect pillow with ease.
