Pillows for pregnant women: which one to choose, how to use, which filler is better

Main selection criteria

When choosing bedding for pregnancy, pay attention to their shape, functionality (whether the cover is removable), size, and quality of the filling. The first selection criterion is shape. Pillows can be U-shaped, G-shaped, C-shaped, L-shaped, I-shaped, bagel or transformable. Also ask the seller about the type of filling - they are usually filled with holofiber and polystyrene foam balls. The size of the product purchased is also important. Think about which pillow is right for you, taking into account your body shape, height and sleeping area.

What types of pillows are there for pregnant women?

Maternity pillows come in different shapes. The most popular is the U-shaped product. It allows you to take the most comfortable position while sleeping. Ottomans in the shape of the letters C, G, G, I are also popular. Each woman chooses one according to her preferences and body parameters.

Important! To choose the type of pillow, you can contact your treating gynecologist - the doctor will tell you which shape is suitable for a particular girl.

U-shaped or horseshoe

“Horseshoe” has earned the special love of pregnant women. It ideally supports the body from all sides, does not allow the stomach to sag, and, most importantly, ensures a calm, healthy sleep. During the manufacture of the product, symmetry is maintained, so in your sleep you can twist and turn in all directions without fear of losing your state of comfort.

Advantages:

• relieves stress from intervertebral discs;
• supports the entire body throughout the night;
• supports the stomach even in late stages;
• gives rest to a sore back;
• provides comfort to feet tired during the day;
• evenly distributes the load on the back muscles;
• does not require turning the product over.

The only negative of the product is the size. It takes up quite a lot of space on the bed.

The most popular ottoman model

Bagel

The bagel is also quite convenient to use by pregnant women. It perfectly relaxes the muscles of the back and legs not only at night, but also during the daytime rest. It’s nice to watch TV, read or listen to an audiobook, or take a nap with him. Pros of the bagel:

1. Takes up little space on the bed/sofa.
2. Supports all areas of the body, maximizing the load on the spinal discs.
3. It has a special recess for a protruding tummy, which is very convenient when resting at night.

The bagel has one drawback - when turning it over to the other side, you have to turn the pillow over too.

G-shaped or snail

“Snail” appeared on the markets recently. Its main advantages:

• compact, does not take up much space on the bed;
• allows you to sleep alone with your spouse;
• perfectly supports the back, head, stomach, legs during sleep.

The downside of the “snail”, like the bagel, is that when turning it over to the other side, the pillow must also be turned over.

C-shaped or banana

Pregnant girls call this shape a banana or crescent. She performs well during a night's rest, especially women with large bellies who are carrying babies in late stages love her.

C-shaped ottoman

Advantages:

• does not take up a large area on the bed;
• convenient to take on trips;
• You can easily turn it over to the other side thanks to its convenient shape and lightness.

This form is in demand due to its compactness and comfortable body position when resting.

Big

A big hug pillow is a godsend for girls expecting a baby. It is made in the shape of a hook or a figure seven, one end is shorter than the other. Similar to a U-shaped product, but saves much more space on the bed. Excellently relaxes the back muscles, especially the spinal and cervical regions, which suffer more than others during pregnancy.

Normalizes blood flow, gives complete rest to a tired body and sound sleep. The product is used not only in its original form - it can be twisted/rolled for a reclining, lying or sitting position. A pillow is indispensable if a woman feels tired or has pain in her limbs, wants to take a nap or lie down during a headache.

L-shaped

The “Hug” in the form of the letter “G” is identical to the big type. They have similar design and characteristics. The G-shaped pillow is quite compact, suitable for small or narrow beds/sofas, as it has medium parameters and one rounded end.

L-shaped ottoman

The product is comfortable to wrap around your legs, which gives them invaluable rest and restores blood flow, preventing the occurrence of varicose veins. The disadvantage is that when turning over, the “hug” also needs to be transferred to the other side.

I-shape or roller

The shape, called a roller, is in great demand among expectant mothers. They love it for its simple shape, compactness, and lightness. It is easy to turn it over in your sleep if you want to lie on the other side. The ottoman can be hugged with your arms or placed between your legs to relieve them of the load accumulated during the day.

Subsequently, it can be used as a support for feeding a baby or as bumpers for a crib. The ottoman has one drawback - it needs to be turned over behind you when changing body position to the other side.

Pillow shapes

There are a wide variety of pillows designed to help pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, so do your research on each one thoroughly.

U-shaped

Presented in the form of an elongated horseshoe. Supports the body both from the abdomen and from the back. Allows you to easily roll over to the other side without dragging the pillow behind you. While sleeping, throw your arms and legs over her and hug her. The U-shaped model is convenient not only during sleep. While reading a book, watching TV, doing handicrafts, place the device around you: this will relieve fatigue and relax the body. When choosing this form, consider its dimensions. If you're over 160cm tall and your bed is small, a U-shaped model probably won't work.

"Bagel"

The name describes the appearance of the accessory. You can simultaneously put your head on the pillow and throw your limbs on it. The model will support the abdominal or back muscles during sleep. While sitting, place it under your lower back: this will relieve fatigue. Suitable for both tall and short women and will fit on a small bed. The disadvantage is that you cannot turn on your side without moving the pillow.

G-shaped

Reminds me of a bagel shape. One side of the model is twisted, the other is bent at a right angle. Place your head on the accessory and hug it in your sleep. While sitting, place it under your lower back or stomach to relieve muscle tension. Some G-shaped women complain that the tip of the pillow puts pressure on their stomach.

C-shaped

It is good to hug the model with your arms and legs while sleeping. Place it near your stomach and back, relieving tension from the muscles. Excellent relaxation if used in half-sitting and half-lying positions. Presented in a relatively small size, you can take it with you on a trip.

L-shaped

The shape resembles the Russian letter "G". Hug her while sleeping from the front, put her under her back. Due to its small dimensions, the model will not interfere even in a single bed. The disadvantage is that when turning, you will have to shift the pillow too.

I-shape

The model has the form of a roller. Thanks to its compact size, use it anywhere: put it under your stomach, back, hug, throw your leg or arm.

Transformable pillow

The pillow accommodates several described models at once. Consists of two separate straight and one curved roller. There are ribbons for tying on each side of the modules. Tie straight lines to the rounded roller on each side to create a U-shape. By attaching a rounded roller on one side to a straight roller and a straight one at a right angle on the other, you will get a G-shaped model. If you want an I-shaped one, tie two straight rollers. Variants of forms depend on imagination. The downside is that it is overpriced compared to other models.

What is the difference between pregnancy pillows and nursing pillows?

The pillows that expectant mothers used during pregnancy will serve well after childbirth. Almost any “letter” can be adapted for comfortable feeding of the baby, but the horseshoe-shaped U and C are the best in this regard. Often there are ribbons at the ends of the pillow that allow you to tie the pillow around your waist, placing it on your lap when the mother is sitting. The baby, lying in an elastic nest, will be located exactly under the breast. In this position, you can feed or communicate with the baby for a long time, while mother’s hands will not get tired.

If the pillow is large and long enough, you can use it to make a “nest” for two: the mother places the pillow under her back, placing the child on one of the bars. This way you can eat and sleep - without fear of crushing the baby in your sleep (this is one of the most common fears of young mothers).

This pillow can also be used instead of a chaise longue for a baby. Of course, he is still small enough to independently change the position of his head and body, and under his mother’s constant supervision. Due to the loose elastic filler, your favorite child can be placed not strictly horizontally, but in a position where the head is higher than the legs - this will help avoid regurgitation. When the child grows up and begins to sit up, the baby will like to rest in his mother’s pillow in a semi-sitting position. Just don’t force things and don’t imprison him before he’s ready.

Dimensions

Not only the shape, but also the size of the accessory is important. Please ensure that the size of the model you choose matches your height, build and bed dimensions.

Table of pillow shapes and sizes.

DIY pregnancy pillow

You can make a universal product for an expectant mother with your own hands; no special sewing skills are required; even an amateur can handle the job.

To do this you will need:

1. Fabric – it is recommended to use fabrics such as linen, satin, calico. Natural fabrics do not cause allergies and are pleasant to the body. 2. Scissors for cutting fabric, threads to match the color of the product, sewing machine. 3. Paper where a preliminary drawing of the pattern will be made. 4. Filler.

We start by drawing the pillow pattern on paper.

1. Then we apply the pattern to the fabric, which is folded with the wrong side out, trace the pattern along the contour and cut it out.

2. We sew the two resulting pieces of fabric together, leaving a hole at the top for the filler. We stuff the pillow, sew up the hole - the pillow is ready.

3. For the product cover, trace the pattern with an allowance of 1 centimeter, cut it out, sew it together, leaving a hole. Then we sew a zipper into the left hole - the cover is also ready.

Fillers

Stores sell pillows filled with several types of artificial materials. More often these are holofiber and polystyrene foam balls, less often artificial bamboo and silk fibers, synthetic swan down, and comforter.

Holofiber

Lightweight non-woven material resembling padding polyester. Positive properties:

• springs, retains its original appearance;
• hypoallergenic;
• does not absorb moisture;
• not colonized by fungi and bacteria.

Expanded polystyrene

Expanded polystyrene are small balls filled with a special gas that do not change their shape.

Positive properties:

• “adjust” to the shape of the body;
• environmentally friendly;
• do not absorb moisture and dirt;
• durable.

Sometimes bedding is filled with comforter, a lightweight synthetic material made from polyester fibers. In addition to the advantages of artificial materials, such as hypoallergenicity, shape restoration, durability, comforter has another advantage - fire resistance (polyester fibers do not support combustion).

Purpose and benefits of pregnancy pillows

In fact, the main and only purpose of a pregnancy pillow is to provide a comfortable body position. This is necessary in order to relieve fatigue as much as possible, especially in the lumbar region and the entire spine, since this area bears the heaviest load. Also, this large pillow allows you to place your legs so that they are slightly higher than the level of the rest of the body, which helps to quickly relieve pain.

According to doctors, a specially designed pillow allows a pregnant woman to rest not only in a comfortable position, but also in a medically correct position, which is extremely important for both the woman herself and the fetus.

Among the main advantages of special pillows for pregnant women are the following:

1. Comfortable and correct position of the body and, in particular, the abdomen; the ability to completely remove the load from the spine.
2. The ability to rest your legs comfortably so that they can rest as much as possible and recover faster.
3. Ease of care and use: removable lightweight covers that are very easy to care for; presence of pockets so that the necessary little things are always at hand.
4. The possibility of using the pillow even after the birth of the child - during feeding, the woman will be able to be in a comfortable position, while practically not getting tired.

Surely many women who have already become mothers get so used to this pillow that they use it even after the feeding period, since thanks to its invention the body really rests fully, and there is no trace of fatigue left.

Review of the best pillow manufacturers

Accessory manufacturers offer a wide selection of products designed for pregnant women. Let's take a closer look at some of them.

Theraline

Theraline maternity and nursing pillows are manufactured in Germany. The material used is distinguished by its quality and safety. The accessory is filled with polystyrene foam balls, the size of which does not exceed 0.5 cm. Thanks to the technology of cleaning the balls in 3 stages and preserving their shape, the pillow is practically not deformed. A removable case is included. Theraline offers C- or L-shaped pillows (M7). C-shaped is available in sizes 170 or 190 cm, L-shaped - 150 cm. Additionally, a replaceable cover or a children's neck pillow is supplied. The price of the product varies depending on the size and design and ranges from 2600 to 6100 rubles.

Farla

The pillows of this company are made in Russia. Farla produces a variety of products designed for expectant mothers and newborns, including maternity and nursing pillows. Sleeping accessories are presented in a wide range. Choose a pillow of any shape and size with one of the proposed fillings - comforter, holofiber, polystyrene, double (polystyrene balls + synthetic material). The cost of products depends on the shape and filler. For Farla accessories you will pay from 920 to 5900 rubles.

BioSon

The company's production is located in Russia. You will see different shapes of pillows: U-, G-, C-, I- and L-shaped. In this case, you choose the filler yourself - holofiber, polystyrene balls or artificial swan's down. An advantage of purchasing a pillow from BioSna is the possibility of individual tailoring, both according to the required size and filling density. You will spend from 980 to 3400 rubles on a product.

Restful sleep

Another Russian company producing sleep accessories. The “Quiet Sleep” assortment mainly includes U-shaped pillows, but there are also G-, C-, and I-shaped ones. The manufacturer has 5 types of filling to choose from - holofiber, expanded polystyrene, artificial swan down, synthetic bamboo and silk fibers. The covers of the products have a hidden zipper sewn into them, thanks to which the size and density of the pillow can be adjusted to suit you. Purchasing the product will cost from 950 to 3800 rubles.

Red Castle

Only the C-shaped model of the French brand Red Castle - Big Flopsy - is presented on the Russian market. The length of the product is 170 cm, the filling is polypropylene foam balls, the cover is easily removed using a sewn-in zipper. Buying a pillow will cost about 5,000 rubles.

Filler material and composition

Each pillow comes with a pillowcase or cover. The quality of the material from which both the cover and the pillow itself are made is no less important. Most manufacturers use natural materials. It can be cotton in the form of calico, satin or poplin, linen or bamboo . Sometimes natural silk is used, but it is difficult to care for and not very practical.

The classic option is cotton . Inexpensive material that is pleasant to the touch, washes well, and does not cause allergies. Bamboo performs well in use. This is a beautiful canvas with antibacterial properties. Linen fabric is valuable because it has a beneficial effect on human skin. But she has one drawback - she wrinkles.

An important element of a pillow is the filler, which should ensure safety and a feeling of comfort while sleeping. What filling is best for pillows? The most commonly used materials are:

• holofiber - inexpensive, practical. Consists of spiral-shaped fibers with a springy structure. Thanks to this property, when compressed, holofiber instantly restores its shape. It is easy to wash, has hypoallergenic properties, and is not affected by fungi and mites. The disadvantage of the material is its fragility;
• comfort . A type of holofiber in the form of fibers twisted into balls about 7 mm in diameter. The material does not absorb odors, retains its shape well, does not roll or fall off, and is resistant to microorganisms. The comforter is easy to wash. This is a good filler for a comfortable sleep;
• polystyrene foam balls . A common filler consisting of very small balls. It retains its shape well and partially absorbs moisture. The price of this filler is slightly higher than that of holofiber. Maternity pillows with polystyrene foam balls have two significant disadvantages. It is not washable (only the cover is washable) and should not be used by people with trouble sleeping - the balls rustle. There is evidence that expanded polystyrene can cause allergies. Balls that scatter if used incorrectly can be accidentally inhaled, which is hazardous to health;
• Thinsulate , otherwise known as artificial swan down, the finest siliconized fibers. Light, almost weightless filler with special softness. Its qualities are not inferior to comforter;
• natural fillers . These include cotton wool, feathers, buckwheat husks, grass, sheep's wool, and real swan's down. Although natural materials are beneficial for mother and baby, they are undesirable as a filler - they have one serious drawback. They cause allergies and are a haven for mites, fungi and microorganisms. Some manufacturers claim that their natural filler is safe. This may be the case if it is treated with chemicals. But then the environmental friendliness of the product is questionable.

Find out in advance which diapers are best for newborns and read about these hygiene products. Is it harmful to use them? After childbirth, the risk of uterine prolapse increases - find out about the symptoms and treatment of this problem in advance so that you can be prepared and consult a doctor in time.

How to use a pregnancy pillow correctly

When purchasing an unusual accessory, the abundance of shapes and sizes can be confusing. But immediately after purchasing the product, doubts disappear, because there are no strict instructions for using such accessories; their use is chosen independently. In general, experts offer the following options:

1. Lying on your side, place your head in the center of a U-shaped pillow or on the edge of a C-, G-, I- or L-shaped pillow, and hug the long edge with your arms and legs. Your sleeping position will relax your abdominal muscles and other parts of your body. The U-shaped will additionally support the spine, ensuring a restful night's sleep and daytime rest.
2. Lie on your back with a U-shaped pillow with the edges toward your head, your elbows at your sides, like on the arms of a chair, and your feet in the center of the pillow. The pose will relieve swelling from the legs and the body will relax.
3. Lie on your stomach, placing it in a looped pillow and placing your head or chest on the edge. This position will help you find the long-awaited resting position on your stomach and will give you a rest for your abdominal and lower back muscles.
4. Roll the pillow into a ring and sit in the depression formed. The position will support the spine and relax the legs.
5. Lean your back against the center of the pillow and cross the ends in front of your stomach. It’s so convenient to read, work on a laptop, relaxing your arm muscles.

Also, rest accessories for expectant mothers are used when feeding a newborn in several ways:

1. Wrap the pillow around your waist, center forward, and cross the ends behind your back for support. Place your baby on the pillow in front of you. The position will help you relax your lower back and take the strain off your arms.
2. Place the central part of the pillow behind your head in a sitting position, and place the ends as the armrests of a chair. In this position it will be cozy and comfortable for both the baby and his mother.
3. Place the central side of the pillow towards the hand on which the baby is lying, and bend the sides around you. The position will help your baby reach your breast without much effort.

Think of many more ways to use a pregnancy pillow, for example, create a cocoon for your baby to sleep in or create a border for playing together. It all depends on your imagination.

What are maternity pillows made from?

It is best if the pillow is made of natural dense material - linen or cotton - which holds the filler well and prevents allergic reactions. It is also important that the pillow has a removable pillowcase. You will have to wash it often, as often as you change your bed linen. However, the pillowcase may not necessarily be made of calico or chintz. There are pillows with pillowcases made of plush and fleece, velvet and even faux fur. The colors are also very different - from calm pastel tones, modest flowers and children's drawings to bright tartan and unusual prints. The choice depends solely on the tastes and preferences of the expectant mother.

It is important that the removable pillowcase has fasteners. Ideally - a zipper, you can also find Velcro and ties.

The size of L-shaped pillows is adjusted to the height of the expectant mother. Usually it is 160-170 cm, although there are also models up to two meters long. The manufacturer is required to indicate the length from edge to edge of the pillow, excluding the length of the ties (if any).

It is important to properly care for the pillow so that it does not lose its valuable properties. The pillow you sleep on all night should be clean, so don't let your pet cat bask in it. Do not leave the pillow in bright sunlight to prevent the fabric from fading. Do not use bleaching agents when washing. It is also better to wash a pillow or pillowcase not with ordinary powder, but with baby powder - and rinse thoroughly. Be sure to iron the pillowcase on both sides.