Getting pregnant was one of the most exciting times in my life; however, the process of being pregnant was easily the most restless period of my life, until I got a pregnancy pillow that helped.
I breezed through my first trimester of pregnancy with no lost sleep and very few aches and pains. My second trimester was different; I endured round ligament pain, lower-back pain, and several restless nights until I got the products I needed to ease the discomfort, including a full body maternity pillow.
- During the day time, I managed with distractions and a maternity belt.
- During the night hours, I cuddled up with my favorite pillow.
In this post, I’ll be sharing the top-rated pregnancy pillows but before you purchase the first pregnancy pillow you see, there are some things you should know.
- Not all pregnancy pillows are created equal.
- There is no ‘best’ pregnancy pillow, only a pregnancy pillow that works best for you.
- More expensive doesn’t always equate to better quality.
- There are different types of pregnancy pillows. Duh. If we have dozens of types of tissue, why wouldn’t we have several types of pillows?
3 POPULAR TYPES OF MATERNITY PILLOWS
- U-SHAPED PILLOWS
- C-SHAPED PILLOWS
- WEDGE PILLOWS
TOP-RATED U-SHAPE PREGNANCY PILLOWS
These are the top-rated pillows for pregnant women. Because we haven’t purchased each of these pillows, we provide a positive and negative review (via Amazon). We want you to find what works for you. Be diligent and thoughtful when investing in any product.
*Ratings data is current at the time of this post – August 2020.
Leachco Snoogle
Type: U-Shaped
Ratings on Amazon: 80% of reviewers give a 4 or 5-star rating
“This pillow is a slam dunk. I am 19 weeks pregnant and just love it. I am a back sleeper and this pillow really helped me transition to being a side sleeper because it gives really great back support and hugs me while i sleep on my side. I love that it comes with instructions for different types of configurations that really are handy for example you can turn it into an elevated pillow if you’re watching TV or a back rest. It’s just amazing. The regular white pillow cover is just a bit rough though so I had to order the Jersey cover separately. That’s probably the only downside because the cover (pillowcase) is an additional 65$ on top of the price of the snoogle.” – Amazon 5-star reviewer
Let’s not pretend everyone loves the product.
“I couldn’t sleep at all. My neck ached. I am move a lot at night and it was hard to move this thing around under sheets. Not convenient for a queen-sized bed.” Amazon 1-star reviewer
Decide for yourself.
PharMeDoc Full Body U-Shape Maternity Pillow
Type: U-Shaped
Rating on Amazon: 80% of reviewers give a 4 or 5-star rating
“My wife is 7 months pregnant and has been having trouble sleeping and is using numerous standard pillows to unsuccessfully help her sleeping positions. Throughout the night, both her and some of her pillows will migrate to my side of the bed making it tough for her to keep her pillow situation around her and for me to have space on the bed. The included picture is the PharMeDoc Pregnancy Pillow on our queen bed. When she’s in it at night it keeps her in the same area and she is able to easily flip over in the dark and not lose her smaller loose pillows in the process. She has had it for about a week now and has slept more soundly. A bonus is ample space for me. My 5 year old daughter loves it as well. It zips easy for washing and is well made. The filling isn’t cheap styrofoam beads or hard packed material, it is soft and also keeps its form. A great investment. Do yourself a favor and maybe even your partner as well.” – Amazon 5-star reviewer.
Let’s not pretend everyone loves the product.
“I am not sure what pillow these 5 stars were sent but I didn’t get the same one! This pillow is literally half of the size of my normal pillow and no where near as comfortable. I was so excited for this pillow due to all my back pain and literally wanted to cry when I opened it. These reviews led me to believe I MAY actually get a little sleep. NOPE! The pictures for this pillow are NOT what was sent as you can see. If you try to fluff it and spread the stuffing it makes holes in the pillow. My knees were literally rating on each other because there was NO support. False advertising!” – Amazon a 1-star reviewer
Decide for yourself.
TOP-RATED C-SHAPE MATERNITY PILLOWS
PharMeDoc Full Body C-Shape Maternity Pillow
Type: C-shape
Rating on Amazon: 88% of reviewers give a 4 or 5-star rating
“Absolutely love this thing! I bought a used one for my first pregnancy and it got ruined in our move so I chose to splurge and I’m so thankful. I’m only a few months in but my belly has expanded already because I’m 4’11 and this pillow changed my life last night… It wraps perfectly around me so I’m able to essentially cuddle with it with one side between my legs and the other supporting my neck and head. It’s wonderful.” – Amazon 5-star reviewer
Let’s not pretend everyone loves this product.
“It’s so FLAT! The pillow came in a compressed space saver type bag, so after opening it and seeing how squished and flat it was I thought I’d let it lie on the bed all day to hopefully puff back up. Nope. It’s been hours and this pillow is pathetic. I’m so disappointed.” -Amazon 1-star reveiwer
Decide for yourself.
INSEN C-Shaped Pregnancy Body Pillow
Type: C-Shaped
Rating on Amazon: 86% of reviewers give a 4 or 5-star rating
“I wish that I bought one of these pillows sooner. I sleep on my side, but have to have back support, also. I used to line the bed with pillows— behind my back, between my legs, under my head, and in front of me, as an arm rest! Since this arrived, I literally have done away with my mass of pillows, as this provides me with the support I need, everywhere. One of my favorite purchases, and I only regret not buying one sooner!” – Amazon 5-star reviewer
Let’s not pretend everyone loves the product.
“I love pregnancy pillows. They are great for a person who deals with back pain and tosses and turns throughout the night. This one unfortunately is NOT a good one. It looks nothing like the big fluffy one shown im the picture. This is a pillow that flattens out and is a floppy mess. Keep looking. There are some fantastic ones out there.”
Decide for yourself.
TOP-RATED WEDGE MATERNITY PILLOWS
Hiccapop Wedge Pillow
Type: Wedge
Rating on Amazon: 89% of reviewers give a 4 or 5-star rating
“This pillow is saving my life! I’m currently 7.5 months pregnant and wasn’t able to get comfortable after 5.5 months. It felt like the weight of my belly was pulling the entire front of my body into the mattress, to the point where even my skin hurt from being stretched. But now that my bump is supported, I don’t have that discomfort anymore.
In theory, I like that the pillow has a firm vs. soft side, but the firm side is way too hard. I also wish that the sides were labeled, instead of having to remember whether I want the logo to be face up or face down to get to the soft side. It’s way too much to try to remember when suffering through pregnancy brain. But the cover is lovely and soft, and, unlike my enormous belly, the pillow is lightweight enough that I can easily move it around while trying to get settled.” – Amazon 5-star reviewer
Let’s not pretend everyone loves this product.
“I was really hoping to like this pillow but I feel it was so uncomfortable. I made me feel like it was pushing my belly way too high….didn’t provide the support I was hoping for.” -Amazon 1-star teviewer
Decide for yourself.
Boppy Pregnancy Wedge Pillow
Type: Wedge
Rating on Amazon: 87% of reviewers give a 4 or 5-star rating
“I actually use this pillow every single night to support my pregnant belly/breasts. (Honestly, mostly under my breasts bc, huge) It might seem a bit small when you get it but it’s actually perfect. I even took it with me in my carry-on when I travelled. The case washes well. The pillow has not become squashed in anyway yet. I’m not giving it 5 stars because I wish the zipper was covered, but it really doesn’t get in the way or scratch. I look forward to using it for tummy time when baby arrives.” – Amazon 5-star reviewer
Let’s not pretend everyone loves this product.
“Very firm…basically rock hard! I thought this would be perfect since I didn’t want one of the giant pregnancy pillows that goes around your whole body, but this pillow is super small and uncomfortable.” – Amazon 1 -star reviewer
Decide for yourself.
As you can see, even when a product has hundreds of positive reviews, there are still people who don’t find it helpful. That’s why no matter what list of best pregnancy pillows you find, it is necessary to do your own research. Some women even find that a few extra standard pillows is all that is needed.
MY PERSONAL MATERNITY PILLOW RECOMMENDATION
I was gifted the Snoogle pillow and I liked how it fit around all my curves and gave me additional support around my belly and between my knees. The cover is removable for washing but putting it back on the pillow is a pain. Now, that I’m not currently pregnant, my toddler uses the pillow in her bed. Based on my experience, I would happily gift or recommend this pillow to other moms. My husband bought mine from Bed Bath and Beyond. If you have BBB near you, check them out online or in-store. They usually have a 20% coupon in circulation.
What pregnancy pillow are you considering? If this isn’t your first pregnancy, what pillow did you find most helpful?