Do I Really Need a Pregnancy Pillow? And do they really work?

The question most mums ask

At some point, nearly every pregnant woman asks the same thing: do I actually need one of these, or is it another thing I'm being told to buy?

Fair question. The list is already long, and a giant pillow taking up half the bed doesn't sound essential.

For some mums, a couple of ordinary pillows do the job perfectly well. For others, particularly once the bump gets bigger and the hips and lower back start to complain, having something designed to support the whole body makes a noticeable difference.

So is it worth it? Depends entirely on how you're sleeping now.

 

Why does sleep get so much harder during pregnancy?

Pregnancy changes a lot more than the size of your bump.

Your centre of gravity shifts, the way you stand and move changes, and your growing baby adds weight and pressure. Hormones make your ligaments more flexible, while your hips, pelvis and lower back adapt to all of it.

Then there's the actual sleeping.

Later in pregnancy you're generally advised to settle to sleep on your side. Either side is fine, so there's no need to lie awake worrying you've picked the wrong one.

The trouble is that side sleeping isn't always comfortable. If you've spent your whole life on your back or your stomach, hours on your side leave your hips, knees, back, and bump wanting something to rest against.

That's the gap a pregnancy pillow fills.

 

What does a pregnancy pillow actually do?

It isn't magic, and it won't solve every sleep problem pregnancy throws at you.

What it can do, depending on the style, is:

  • Support your growing bump
  • Might help with the pressure on your hips and lower back
  • Keep your knees and hips sitting more comfortably
  • Give your back something to lean against while you're on your side
  • Make it easier to find a position and stay in it

That last one is the bit most mums mention. Instead of balancing three or four pillows around yourself and rebuilding the arrangement every time you turn over, you settle in once.

Sometimes that's all you want.

 

When should you start using one?

There's no particular week where you suddenly need one.

Some women start in the first trimester because they like the extra support. Plenty don't think about it until the bump grows or sleep starts falling apart.

The second trimester is when most find it becomes useful. Your bump is growing, your sleeping position is probably changing, and you may be noticing more pressure through the hips and lower back.

By the third trimester, getting comfortable can be a nightly project.

If you're sleeping well right now, there's no rush. If you're waking with discomfort, shuffling pillows at 2 am, or finding side sleeping hard going, it's worth trying one.

 

Is a regular pillow enough?

Honestly, it can be.

An ordinary pillow between your knees, one under your bump, and one behind your back works perfectly well for a lot of women.

The catch is that they wander. They slide out of place through the night, and you end up with an impressive collection of pillows taking over the bed. That's the main reason the purpose-built ones are popular: one shape covering several areas at once.

 

Who's most likely to benefit?

A pregnancy pillow may be particularly helpful if you:

  • Wake up with tension in hips and lower back
  • Find side sleeping uncomfortable
  • Keep waking to rearrange your pillows
  • Struggle to support your bump
  • Can't stay comfortable for more than a couple of hours
  • Want support between your knees and behind your back at once

It can also help if you're finding your hips or pelvis uncomfortable, though a pillow isn't a treatment for pelvic girdle discomfort or any other condition. If something is really bothering you, speak to your midwife, GP or a women's health physio.

 

Can it help with side sleeping?

It can make side sleeping more comfortable, which is the useful distinction.

A pillow between your knees keeps your legs supported, and support under your bump takes away the feeling that your belly is pulling you forward. Some designs support your back as well.

What it won't do is physically stop you from moving, and it isn't meant to. It's there to make the position you want more comfortable, not to hold you in place.

And if you wake up on your back, don't panic. Just settle back onto your side and go back to sleep.

 

Can you use it after your baby arrives?

This gets overlooked when people are working out whether it's worth the money.

A good pregnancy pillow doesn't have to be packed away the week the baby comes. Depending on the shape, you can keep using it for:

Worth noting separately: pillows and soft bedding don't belong in your baby's sleep space. Red Nose guidance is clear that babies sleep safest on their back on a firm, flat surface with nothing else in the cot. The pillow is for you.

Pregnancy is the reason you buy it. It doesn't have to be where it stops being useful.

 

So, do you really need one?

The honest answer is no.

Pregnancy pillows aren't a medical necessity, and plenty of women have perfectly comfortable pregnancies without ever owning one.

That doesn't mean they aren't useful. If you're struggling to get comfortable, waking with uncomfortable hips, constantly rearranging pillows, or finding side sleeping difficult, one is a practical way to give your body more to rest against.

And if you're sleeping fine with your normal pillows? Keep doing exactly that. There's no prize for buying every pregnancy product you're told you need.

 

Final Thoughts

Our pillow is 140cm by 80cm, in six colours with a removable cover. The U-shape means support at your front, your back, and between your knees without arranging anything, and the same shape works propped up for feeding later on.

It is a big pillow. That's the trade-off with a U-shape, so measure your bed if space is tight.

Free shipping and a 30-day money-back guarantee if it doesn't suit.

 

This information is general in nature and not medical advice. Speak to your midwife or GP about sleep, comfort, or anything else that's concerning you during pregnancy.

Back to blog