As a pregnant woman, you might have heard about pregnancy pillows. For many pregnant women, falling asleep and staying asleep at night is a constant challenge during pregnancy. The main reason for this problem is the changes that your body experiences during this time.
Such changes include excessive weight gain in certain areas and a different physical appearance as the pregnancy progresses.
Of course, there are tricks to fall asleep more quickly, most of which are related to lifestyle changes. But maybe using pregnancy pillows during the following months will help you to get better quality sleep with a simple twist of your sleep routine. Pregnancy pillows available in the market come in different shapes, sizes, and types.
As a future mom-to-be, you can choose one of these pillows according to your needs and sleep pattern to enjoy a more comfortable sleep and a deeper one. In addition, you can use this pillow after giving birth to your baby, too. Please read this guide to choose the best pregnancy pillow and learn how to use it.
What Is A Pregnancy Pillow + Models
Pregnancy pillows differ from regular ones: they come in various shapes and sizes. They have different application methods and price tags. Using them allows you to have a more relaxed sleep, fewer aches and pain in some parts of the body, and find your optimum sleep position.
Usually, during pregnancy, the sleep quality of pregnant moms decreases for various reasons. For example, you may experience more stress during pregnancy because you naturally think more.
Some thoughts that might keep you awake or sleepless at night are: how will things come out at your due date? Or what type of delivery you might have? How to raise your baby? And generally, everything related to changes in your life after your baby arrives and the like of it.
Another explanation for poor sleep quality during pregnancy is that as your belly gets bigger and your baby grows inside, more pressure is put on your stomach. So you will experience heartburn, which may keep you up at night.
Also, in the early months of pregnancy, fatigue and lack of energy increase your need for sleep. Still, the imbalance of hormones and the need to empty your bladder may cause you skip your sleep frequently.
How to Choose Best Pregnancy Pillows
You need to find ways to adjust the conditions. So, setting up the physical environment is necessary to make your bedroom cozier for sleeping. Pregnancy pillows are designed for the same purpose. Let's take a look at different types of these pillows and how to use pregnancy pillows:
U Shaped Pillows
They are among the best and most popular types of pillows during pregnancy, although with a heavier price tag. Due to their particular shape, these pillows take up more space. They are therefore suitable for use with a spacious bed.
Also, if you are looking for support for your head and neck, belly, knees, and ankles, U-shaped pillows are designed to support these areas. In terms of sleeping patterns, these pillows are suitable for moms who sleep on their backs and toss and turn a lot at night.
C Shaped Pillows
C-shaped pillows are among the best pillows for conceived women who are plus size or have a medium-sized beds. Using a C-shaped pillow supports your head, neck, pelvis, and lower back area.
In addition, their price is lower than the U-shaped type. But one of the points that you should consider when using them is that they have an asymmetrical shape, and when you turn to the other side, you have to adjust the pillow again.
J-shaped pillows are very similar to C-shaped pillows in terms of functionality; the only difference is their smaller size and no extra side.
Full Length Pillows or Pregnancy Body Pillow
These types of pillows, also called I-shaped pillows, run along the length of your body. They are actually like regular pillows, but longer. The good thing about them is that you can wrap your arms and legs around them.
At the same time, remember that a total body pillow does not provide extra support for your back or neck. It is because they have a simpler shape, unlike the previous models introduced.
Wedge Pillow
This type of pregnancy pillow is smaller and cheaper than other types. In general, you can use it to create the necessary support for certain body parts, such as your belly or back. These pillows are available in circular and triangular shapes.
You can use this pillow to support your belly when sleeping on your side. Of course, U-shaped and I-shaped pillows are also suitable for this purpose. Also, due to the small size of these pillows, you can get one of them and use it on a trip. Or combine it with your regular pillow and use it to sleep more comfortably.
Inflatable Pillow
The fifth type of pregnancy pillows is inflatable, which is especially suitable for mothers in the third trimester of pregnancy. Maybe you are one of the few pregnant women who used to sleep on their bellies. Or you might like to adjust your support level while sleeping. In any case, this pillow will suit you.
Of course, you need to use it for a while to become proficient in preparing it. For this purpose, these pregnancy pillows usually have a pump to inflate the pillow to the right level. Then lie down in such a way that your baby bump falls exactly inside the pillow hole.
How to Sleep with A Pregnancy Pillow
When buying a pregnancy pillow, it is good to know that every pillow model can be used in several ways. For example, you can place some of these pillows between your legs and arms to reduce the tension in your knees and ankle joints.
Or what about wrapping a pillow around your back? Like C, J, or U shaped pregnancy pillows. You can also place a part of the pillow between your legs to provide sufficient support for areas such as the upper and lower back.
When using a wedge pillow, you can apply it to get the support you need for your body's lower back, head, and neck parts and control problems like acid reflux.
In addition, you should have information about the material used in making the pregnancy pillow you want to buy. Be sure to get information about whether the pillow is water or smell-resistant. Or ask what materials it is filled with. It is better if these materials have hollow fiber filling or polystyrene foam, which are hypoallergenic.
The durability of the material of the pillows is important so that they can be washed many times and still not lose their shape over time.
When choosing a pregnancy pillow, other points such as price and size are also important; you should go for a pillow that can support your weight, especially if you've gained extra weight after getting pregnant or are a plus-size person. There are also lightweight pillows in the market that are filled with Styrofoam and are cheaper.
Conclusion
Insomnia and the inability to fall asleep are problems that affect many pregnant women. Using suitable pregnancy pillows is one of the simple solutions available so that you can sleep more easily.
In general, there are different pregnancy pillows in different sizes and shapes, like body pregnancy pillow or U-shaped pregnancy pillows. They are different in terms of size and application. Therefore, you need to know how to sleep with a pregnancy pillow.
These pillows help you to find the most optimal sleeping position. The support they provide for different areas of the body, such as the neck, back, and pelvis, makes you feel less pain in these areas.