Finding a comfortable sleeping position that supports your bump and keeps you on your side as much as possible during pregnancy can be challenging. You might wake up in the night feeling uncomfortable or even struggle to find a position to sleep. Many pregnant women find they benefit from the extra support and comfort a pregnancy pillow brings. In this article, we take a look in more detail at the benefits of using a pregnancy pillow.

Deeper sleep 

Getting a good night’s sleep is vital in pregnancy; your body is working so hard to grow your baby and also keep you healthy, and sleep becomes paramount. A night of good deep sleep helps your baby grow and develop and will allow you to wake up feeling rested and refreshed. If you’re finding yourself waking up frequently in the night and struggling to get comfortable, try sleeping with a pregnancy pillow. A pregnancy pillow can help you get a deeper sleep as it helps you stay asleep. The added comfort it provides prevents you from waking up frequently to move positions to try and get back to sleep. 

Relieve pressure 

As your baby is growing, there will be extra pressure on your spine, back and hips. The weight of the baby and this extra pressure can result in pain in these areas. A pregnancy pillow is designed to help with your alignment and to minimise back, spine, and hip pain. When things are positioned correctly and your bump is supported at night, you may find you have fewer aches and pains in these areas during the day. Reducing aches and pains is important as it will help you enjoy your pregnancy more and continue with your daily activities. A pregnancy pillow is designed to help with your alignment and to minimise back, spine, and hip pain. 

Added comfort 

When you climb into bed at the end of a hard day, you’ll crave comfort and relaxation. A good pregnancy pillow can provide you with the comfort you need to find the right position and fall asleep quickly. Your bump will change quickly during your pregnancy; you might find in the first trimester that you don’t need any extra support and can sleep in any position as you’re extra tired. During the second and third trimesters, your bump will grow quickly, and you may need more support to feel comfortable when you’re in your bed. A comfortable pregnancy pillow is often key to getting a good night’s sleep later in your pregnancy.

Keeping you on your side

Research shows that the safest position to sleep when you’re pregnant is on your side; this is particularly important during your third trimester. Many women find a pregnancy pillow that surrounds their body also helps to keep them in the safest position for sleep. The support and pillow behind them stop them from rolling onto their back as frequently during the night. It can also stop you from rolling onto your stomach during sleep which can be very uncomfortable. If you’re struggling with sleeping on your side or often find yourself waking up on your back, try a fully supportive pregnancy pillow, as this may help to keep you in the safest position possible for your baby. 

It can be used for breastfeeding

Many pregnancy pillows have a dual purpose; when your baby arrives, you can use them as support for when you’re breastfeeding. Finding a comfortable position for you and your baby is vital when breastfeeding. This will make things much easier and will help your baby gain a good latched position. In addition, it will stop your arms from becoming tired, allowing you to breastfeed your baby for longer. Look out for pregnancy pillows that also work as breastfeeding support. 

For pregnant women, a good supportive pregnancy pillow can make all the difference between a good deep sleep and a poor night’s sleep. There are many different shapes and sizes of pregnancy pillows, and different people find comfort and support using various types of pillows. You may need to try out several different pregnancy pillows before finding one that works for you. Reviews from other women can also help you when you’re making your choice; take your time and read all of the information about each pillow before making your purchase.