The National Sleep Foundation reports that 78% of pregnant women have disturbed sleep patterns. What then should a mom who is in pain do?
We found that using a pregnancy pillow was one of the best solutions to this problem. These pillows saved our lives, or at the very least saved us to sleep. They not only improved our sleep quality while we were expecting, but they also got rid of some typical pregnancy aches and pains.
In order for you to finally wake up feeling rested, we’ll explain the variations in pregnancy pillow designs and how to sleep with one.
Why Pregnancy Makes Sleep Difficult
Hormones
Your sleep patterns are affected by hormones, as they are with most pregnancy problems. The hormone progesterone can make you sleepy during the day, while other hormones can make your dreams vivid and strange. Some hormones cause your muscles to contract, which causes discomfort and snoring at night.
Heartburn
Heartburn, a distressing burning in the chest and esophagus, is another side effect of hormones. Expectant mothers often have trouble sleeping due to heartburn.
Heartburn can also be brought on later in pregnancy by the pressure your expanding baby puts on your stomach, which causes digestive acids to rise into your esophagus.
Stress
If you’re anything like us, you might find it difficult to block out anxious feelings and worrying thoughts about the impending birth of your child. How will childbirth feel? If something goes wrong, what then? Do I have everything I need? These thoughts can keep a mother up for hours, as we have all experienced.
A regular sleep schedule is essential for both your health and the health of your developing child. Even if it seems impossible, making time for sleep must be a top priority.
What is a Pregnancy Pillow and What Are the Types?
Pregnancy pillows are body support pillows that enable comfortable positioning and better comfort, which enhances sleep. Because they are known to ease common pregnancy aches and pains, particularly low back and hip pain, pregnancy pillows can be useful. Although there are many different styles of pregnancy pillows, C-shaped and U-shaped pillows are the most common. The smaller pillow wedges, which typically fit just behind the back or beneath the belly, are also available.
It doesn’t matter what kind of pillow you select as long as it is positioned to support neutral spinal alignment, which is the position in which the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar curves of the spine are in line with one another. This enables the muscles that surround the hips and pelvis to relax. The suggestion is that it be positioned between the thighs and knees, supporting those sore muscles and joints from the hips to the knees whether you’re using a regular standard pillow, a U-shaped pillow, or a rolled-up towel.
When Should You Start Sleeping With a Pregnancy Pillow?
Sleeping with a pregnancy pillow is not at all necessary. However, most pregnant women find that they have increased difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position or are unable to roll over without a struggle for around 20 weeks. Instead of trying to create a cozy sleeping area using all the throw pillows stolen from your living room, now might be a good time to try a supportive pregnancy pillow.
How to Sleep With a Pregnancy Pillow
U Shaped Pregnancy Pillow
You can use U-shaped pillows to support your entire body, including your head, neck, back, belly, knees, and even ankles. Since you don’t need to flip the shape with you or adjust the headrest portion, it’s best for women who are most accustomed to sleeping on their backs at night or women who find themselves tossing and turning frequently at night.
Because of this, a U-shaped body pillow is a great choice for both pregnant and picky sleepers. Due to its size, the U-shaped pregnancy pillow is usually the priciest option. You might want to consider the other choices on this list if you and your partner share a full or possibly even queen-size bed so that it doesn’t occupy the entire mattress.
To use a U-shaped pregnancy pillow, you flip it so that the “U” is upside down. Your feet should remain in between the opening of the pillow while your head should rest on the bottom of the “U.”
C Shaped Pregnancy Pillow
The head, neck, back, and pelvic region are supported and comfortably supported by C-shaped pillows. They are fantastic at releasing any pelvic tension and lowering water retention in the ankles and legs.
Because you will need to adjust the pillow with you when you change sides, these pillows aren’t the best choice for combo sleepers who like to switch positions or toss and turn frequently throughout the night. The open-sided design of the C-shaped pillow makes it one of the best options for plus-sized women because it allows for a variety of uses and shapes.
Most women use a C-shaped pillow by allowing the curved part to cradle their back, with the opening of the “C” near their belly.
J Shaped Pregnancy Pillow
You could also call this one a pillow in the form of a candy cane. Support for the head, neck, and back is excellent. In terms of how it’s used, the J-shape pregnancy pillow is similar to the U-shape, but it’s smaller and lacks the extra side. This makes it a better choice for smaller beds or for cuddly couples.
If you intended to use this pillow while sitting, you might want to choose the U-shaped body pillow instead because the missing side makes it less adaptable for that purpose.
There are a few ways to arrange your J-shaped pillow when it’s time for bed. You can choose whether you want the long side to rest against your belly or your back and whether you want the curved part to rest between your legs or underneath your head.
Wedge Shaped Pregnancy Pillow
The wedge-shaped pillow can be used under a pregnant belly or to raise your torso while you are sitting or sleeping. Because you can put a heating pad or cooling pack between yourself and the wedge, these are nice for people who experience extremes of heat or cold while they sleep. Heartburn sufferers, whether or not they are pregnant, can also benefit from sleeping on their sides.
Pillows in a wedge shape are also compact and convenient to carry. When sleeping on your side during pregnancy, simply prop one of them underneath your belly.
Body Pillow Shape
These are essentially regular pillows or body pillows in the U shape, but longer. Although they don’t offer much back or hip support, they are wonderful to cuddle with. For those who don’t actually need to be pregnant but prefer to use pillows to make their sleep more comfortable, body pillows are more popular. They are frequently the least expensive kind of pregnancy pillow as well.
A body pillow can be used in any way you choose, whether you want to hug it while you sleep, position it to support your stomach, or wedge it in between your legs.
Remember that these pregnancy pillows aren’t just for expectant mothers. You might want to give one of these pregnancy pillows a try if you have trouble sleeping because of knee or back pain. They can be used while standing, lying in bed, or even driving for extended periods of time.
Inflatable Pillows
In the latter stages of pregnancy, especially, it is nearly impossible to sleep on your stomach. However, women who typically sleep on their stomachs can find some relief from inflatable pillows.
When you sleep on your stomach, the pressure on your stomach is lessened by using these air-filled pillows as an additional layer on top of your mattress. A donut-shaped hole in the middle of inflatable pillows fits your stomach and keeps you from putting your weight on it by preventing you from lying on it.
But, especially during your second and third trimesters, we would not advise using an inflatable pillow. Instead, consider training yourself to side sleep using a C-shaped or U-shaped pillow.
Your belly should fit into the donut hole provided if you sleep on your stomach.
To Sum Up: Essential to Health
This article should have provided you with some tips on how to use a pregnancy pillow. Having the right support during pregnancy can be essential to your health and the health of your unborn child. Pregnancy can be stressful.
Regardless of the kind of pregnancy pillow you select, we wish you the utmost comfort (also look at the best mattresses). We appreciate you taking the time to read, and we wish you a restful sleep tonight!
FAQ
How Much Sleep Do You Need While Pregnant?
identical to an average adult, roughly 8 hours. However, expecting mothers should pay particular attention to following the full recommendation because of the demanding nature of pregnancy on the body.
What Pillow is Better in Pregnancy, U Shape Or C Shape?
A U-shaped pregnancy pillow is an option if you want one that will support your entire body. If you want additional support, these pillows are worth the extra room they take up on the bed. A C-shaped pillow is preferable if you don’t require full-body support and want to conserve space.
What is the Best Sleeping Position During Pregnancy?
Experts advise lying on your left side to facilitate your baby’s movements. Blood can more easily travel from your heart to the placenta in this position. It aids in preventing your liver from being overworked due to your increasing body weight. Although either side is acceptable, the left side is still the preferred choice.
Should You Sleep on Your Back During Pregnancy?
It is advised to put a pillow between your back and the bed while sleeping on your back. It offers a slight tilt, which offers support and makes it comfortable to lie on one’s back. In contrast, side sleeping during pregnancy promotes better blood flow.