As pregnancy progresses, you will find (or may have already found) that it becomes increasingly difficult to find a comfortable position when lying in bed. Your body is now top-and-middle heavy, and getting comfortable seems to be a huge undertaking. A maternity pillow can help! This type of pillow is specially designed to allow the pregnant woman to find the best sleeping or resting position – and is sometimes referred to as a pregnancy pillow. The maternity pillow makes a great shower gift; baby showers are usually held in the last few months of a woman’s pregnancy – and mom-to-be will no doubt appreciate the gesture.
Health Benefits
The average pregnant woman will gain from twenty-five to fifty-five pounds of weight during her pregnancy, and much of this is centered on the abdominal area of course – which can totally interfere with the traditional sleeping posture that the woman is accustomed to. A maternity pillow can provide some great health benefits during pregnancy, including:
Alleviation of back pain –
Weight gain can cause back pain as the pregnant woman deals with having extra weight centered on her abdomen. Many pregnant women find that sleeping on their sides is the most comfortable position, but this puts stress on the pelvic area and hips due to the weight of the baby. The special maternity pillow can be positioned to support these areas during sleep so that mom is more comfortable. The pillow can also be used outside the bedroom, such as on the sofa while watching TV or reading.
Bladder support –
Many pregnant women find that getting up and down during the night to use the bathroom disrupts their sleep and then they have difficulty going back to sleep. Sleeping in the right position using a maternity pillow can mean fewer “kicks” and less pressure on the weakened bladder – and fewer trips to the bathroom during the night.
Encourages side sleeping –
Because of the structure of the pregnant body, side sleeping is ideal. By using a maternity pillow to encourage side sleeping, the pregnant woman will be able to avoid the urge to roll over onto her back – which can cause pain and cause her to wake prematurely.
Sounder, more restorative sleep. Being pregnant is certainly no small task for the body, and a pregnant woman needs her sleep! By using a maternity pillow, the pregnant woman will be able to sleep more soundly and achieve a more rejuvenating sleep than without this specialized positioning pillow. Getting enough sleep reduces the stress that the body undergoes, and thus makes pregnancy a bit more bearable. This is especially important for pregnant mothers who have been experiencing elevated blood pressure issues.
While pregnant moms often have trouble sleeping due to the aches and pains associated with pregnancy, using a maternity pillow can alleviate those pains and help moms get a good night’s sleep. Pregnant moms’ changing bodies often make it hard to find a comfortable position to sleep and they often resort to piling regular pillows around themselves, behind their backs, between their knees, and everywhere imaginable to support their bodies.
Maternity pillows are designed to support the mom’s body while allowing her to sleep in the most comfortable position for her whether on either side or her back. There are a variety of best body pillow for pregnancy which moms can use that support the body and ease sleep. The U, C, and J-shaped pillows are designed for pregnant moms with different preferences for sleeping positions to still get the rest they need during pregnancy.
U-Shaped
The U-shaped maternity pillow, like the Leachco Back N Belly Body Pillow, is designed with two long sides which completely encircle the sleeping mom, providing support on both sides at the same time. With support on both sides, pregnant moms don’t have to adjust the pillow when switching sides and the pillow provides back support as well as support for the legs, tummy, arms, and neck. The U-shaped pillow is the best option for moms who tend to switch sides often at night because they don’t have to move and readjust the pillow.
The Leachco Back N Belly Body Pillow and the Comfort-U Body Pillow both provide the U-shape with long arms which provide support no matter which way mom is sleeping, left, right, or on her back.
C-Shaped
C-shaped maternity pillows wrap around the back and provide neck, back, leg, and hip support in a much more open feeling way than the U-shaped pillow does. Where the U-shaped pillow entirely encircles the mom, the C-shaped one, like the Leachco Snoggle Total Body Pillow, curls around her back providing support while also giving a loose natural feel to sleeping. The C-shape fits snugly to the mom’s back while leaving the mom openness on the front.
The Leachco Snoggle Total Body Pillow is a C-shaped pillow that provides back and neck support while also allowing for temperature control as it doesn’t block the front of the body, and the Boppy Total Body Pillow is slightly shorter than other body pillows to make it easy to switch sides during the night without struggling with the pillow.
J-Shaped
The J-shaped maternity pillow has a long arm like the U-shaped pillow with a short hook. The J-shaped pillow, like the Leachco All Nighter Total Body Pillow, is designed to support the neck and back just like the U- and C-shaped pillows, but provide much more flexibility in the positioning of the pillow. Many J-shaped pillows can be bent into the U- and C-shapes to best meet mom’s needs while still being smaller than the traditional U-shaped pillow.
The Leachco All Nighter Total Body Pillow can bend and provide all the flexibility mom’s need while providing neck and back support as well as help to alleviate heartburn and indigestion.
A great way to determine which style of mattress will ultimately be best for you is to read Maternity Pillow Reviews. Usually by reading feedback and reviews from other Moms you will be read something that relates to your sleeping preferences and that will help you to make a decision.
