I’ve tried nearly two dozen pillows over my five pregnancies, and recently, I rigorously tested 10 of the best pregnancy pillows in order to finally find the one. The clear winner, which remains in my bed and might even head to the hospital with me, is the Queen Rose U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow. It features a velvety soft cover that doesn’t retain heat, plus it’s extra long, for head-to-toe comfort, and holds up night after night as the most supportive option.
I also recommend the Leachco Snoogle pregnancy pillow as exceptionally supportive and with less of a footprint, given its J-shape versus the Queen Rose’s U-shape, which is just too big for some. Finally, for those who prefer an extra small pregnancy pillow or just need less full-body support, the Belly Bandit S.O.S. Side Sleeper Pregnancy Wedge Pillow is tiny in comparison to the other picks but still provides excellent support and comfort. It has a unique back and belly support design and adjustable features.
Anyone who has endured the 9-plus months of creating life likely recalls the sleepless nights, tossing and turning to get comfortable, not to mention the insomnia, reflux and other nighttime dilemmas. Then there’s the advice: Sleep now, before the baby comes. (Uh-huh, sure.) The one saving grace for pregnant people’s sleeptime woes often comes in a size extra large pregnancy pillow.
An Extra Long Pillow To Optimize Full-Body Support
The Queen Rose was the clear best pregnancy pillow after testing, because it led to significant pain relief and improved my sleep even with third-trimester hip and back pain, knee and leg pain and some slight heartburn. It miraculously attacks all of these issues at once, partially because it is truly a head-to-toe pillow, allowing for ergonomically correct alignment all the way down to your feet. Though I’ve long followed Dr. Amir Marashi, an OB-GYN and founder of Cerē, advice to have a pillow between my knees, I’ve found that having one that extends down to my feet as well keeps my hips well aligned. The U-shaped pregnancy pillow in general is the obvious winner of the rollability test, as there’s support available on either side, no matter how you roll. “I like a U-shaped pillow because you don’t have to move it from side to side when you toss and turn,” adds Carson Meyer, a birth doula and founder of C & The Moon skincare line, who has worked with celebrity moms, “and you can try it upside down with additional pillows for your head or right side up on its own.”
A Shockingly Cozy Velvet Cover
Before testing, I’d have said not to come anywhere near me with the word “velvet,” as I’ve endured many sweaty pregnancy nights thanks to hormones. But this one aced my cooling test, proving that it extracts heat quickly rather than absorbing it. Plus, the velvet is extra cozy on your face, arms, legs and even feet, making getting into bed feel more like a luxury. For those who aren’t fans of velvet, you can choose a cotton cover instead.
When it comes to the filling material, Katie Elks, director of design and product development at Brooklinen, says to look for polyester filling, such as with the Queen Rose. “For interiors, wool-filled items can help regulate temperature. Alternatively, down or down-alternative items (such as a polyester fill) are breathable, too, as there is a lot of air captured in the pillow,” she says. For me, the filling provided the perfect level of support, not becoming lumpy like some other options after a few nights of use.
The Perfect Firmness
Testing pregnancy pillows felt like a case of Goldilocks—too big, too small, too squishy, too firm. But the Queen Rose pregnancy pillow is just right. At first feel, it seems almost too firm, but you realize after just a few minutes of lying on it that it adapts to your body, supporting all the joints that need it the most in pregnancy.
Some of the most helpful support areas include the knees to feet section, which didn’t taper off too early for my 5-foot-9 frame (I tested the 65-inch pillow) and kept my hips and legs supported at the same level, parallel to each other. The elevated head and neck area meant that I didn’t have to stack an additional pillow on top to combat reflux, which as much as 45% of pregnant women experience. Finally, the belly section of the pillow is the perfect height to support but not over-support the belly at all stages of pregnancy.
Shop now：https://www.queenrose.com/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/best-pregnancy-pillows/?sh=680051647be4