Pregnancy Pillows

What a pregnancy pillow is

A pregnancy pillow is a body pillow with a job title. The pillow is long, usually shaped, and filled with fiber, foam or a mix. What makes it a pregnancy pillow is that the maker sells it as one: "pregnancy pillow", "maternity pillow", sometimes "postpartum" in the same breath.

That's the rule for this page, too. A pillow lands in the list below only when its maker sells it for pregnancy or maternity. The shape comes from the maker's description or drawing. Any words about pregnancy in the table are the maker's words, shown as the maker states them. We don't add our own.

So read this page the way I read a linen order. What is the thing, how big is it, what's inside, and how do you wash it? The pregnancy part is between you and your doctor or midwife.

How to read the table

The table shows a field only when the maker or listing states it. A dash means nobody said. The safety field is the exception: it always shows, and when the maker is silent it says "Not stated by the maker".

Shape decides almost everything

Shape is the first column worth reading. You'll see U, C, J or L, V, straight, wedge and convertible. We take the shape from the maker's name for the product or its drawing, not from a store category. A U-shaped pillow, for example, is sometimes filed under "semicircular" in listing data. That tells you nothing useful, so we don't use it.

Length and dimensions tell you about your bed

Length is in inches, as the maker states it. For a straight or J pillow, length is most of the story. For a U or C, look at the full dimensions too, because width is what eats the mattress. Write down your side of the bed in inches before you compare. Housekeeping rule: measure first, then shop.

Fill: fiber, foam or a mix

Fill is what's inside. Most long pillows use polyester fiber, which some makers call "down alternative". Others use shredded memory foam or a blend. Wedges are usually solid foam. The table shows fill as the maker names it. If a listing says "plush" or gives a number where the fill should be, we leave the field empty rather than guess.

Shredded fill can often be added or removed through a zipper. If that matters to you, check that the maker says the inner zipper exists. Not every shredded pillow has one.

Firmness, only as stated

Firmness shows only when the maker uses a firmness word. "Soft", "medium" and "firm" aren't measured the same way by every maker. Read them as each maker's own scale.

Cover, closure and whether a cover comes with it

A removable cover with a zipper is the most practical cover. Some pillows come with one. Some are sold as an insert only. When the cover isn't included, you'll need a separate one, and our page on body pillow covers explains how those sizes are labeled. Cover fabric (cotton, jersey, velvet, polyester) shows as the maker names it. OEKO-TEX shows only when the maker states it for that pillow; it's a textile testing label, not a pregnancy claim.

Pregnancy wording (maker)

This field quotes how the maker describes pregnancy, postpartum or nursing use, in the maker's words. It is there so you can see exactly what the maker says. It isn't advice, and we don't rate it.

Infant safety warning (maker)

This field always appears. When the maker prints a warning, for example that the pillow is not for infant sleep, the table shows it. When the maker doesn't, the table says "Not stated by the maker". We don't write a safety promise for anyone's product.

Care

The care field gives the maker's washing instructions when stated: cover only, insert too, cold or warm, dryer or air dry.

Shapes and when each one fits

Every shape below is a description of geometry, not a recommendation for a body. How you sleep during pregnancy is a question for your doctor or midwife.

U-shaped pillows

A U runs down both sides of you with a curve at the top for your head. You lie in the middle. It's the largest common shape, and it usually needs the most mattress width. Turning over means rolling inside the U rather than moving the pillow. If you share a bed, check that the U still leaves your partner their side. Our U-shaped body pillow page covers the shape in more detail.

C-shaped pillows

A C wraps around one side and curls over the top and bottom. It's open on one side, so it usually takes less width than a U. Some makers show it used along the back, others along the front. Check the drawing in the listing to see which way the maker intends.

J and L shapes

A J or L is a long straight pillow with one curved end, often used under the head with the long part along the body. It's narrower than a U or C. It's a reasonable middle ground for a full or a shared queen.

Wedges

A pregnancy wedge is a small foam triangle, usually much smaller than a bed wedge. The maker states where it's meant to go. It takes very little room and packs easily. Height and angle show only when the maker states them. A wedge sold for the bed's head end is a different product; that's on our wedge pillow page.

Straight and convertible pillows

A straight pregnancy pillow is a long body pillow with pregnancy wording on the label. A convertible pillow comes in sections that zip or clip into different shapes. Convertible means more parts, so check that the maker lists how each shape is made and what's in the box.

Fit it to your bed and your room

Here's the rule I'd use: buy for your bed first. A shape that leaves you no room on a full mattress is the wrong shape for that bed, whatever the photo looks like. The width and length fields are the check.

• Twin or full. Narrow shapes first: straight, J or a wedge. Measure before you look at a U.
• Queen, sleeping alone. Any shape can fit. Compare the stated width with half the mattress if you'll ever share.
• Queen or king, shared. C, J or straight usually leaves more room for the other person.
• Storage. A full U doesn't fold small. If it'll live in a closet afterward, check the dimensions against the shelf.
• Pillowcases. Shaped pillows need shaped covers. Plan to keep the cover that came with it, or buy one sized for that exact pillow.

My hotel years taught me one plain thing about big pillows: they need somewhere to go during the day. A U-shaped pillow on a made bed covers most of it. That's fine. Just know it before it arrives.

If you're buying for someone else, ask two questions first: how wide is the bed, and does someone else sleep in it? Those two answers rule out more shapes than any photo will. A gift that doesn't fit the bed usually ends up in a closet.

After the baby arrives

A pregnancy pillow is not a baby product. Keep it out of any space where a baby sleeps.

The American Academy of Pediatrics advises placing babies on their backs for all naps and at night, on a firm, flat surface with a fitted sheet only, and keeping pillows and soft objects out of the sleep area. The CPSC says infant support cushions should never be used for infant sleep or naps, and that a baby who falls asleep should be moved to a crib, play yard or bassinet.

Some pillows are sold as both pregnancy and nursing pillows. Nursing pillows have their own federal safety standard from the CPSC, with tests and a required warning label. If you plan to use a pillow for nursing, choose one the maker sells and labels as a nursing pillow, and follow its warning. That's why the infant safety warning field is on this page at all.

Care: covers, inserts and the washer

Read the care tag before the price tag. With a pregnancy pillow, it tells you two things: whether the cover comes off, and whether the insert can go in a home washer.

• Removable cover. Wash it as the tag says. Zip it closed first so the teeth don't catch.
• Insert. Some fiber inserts are machine washable; some say spot clean only. Foam usually doesn't go in the washer at all.
• Size. A long insert is bulky. If the tag mentions a front-loading or large-capacity machine, take that seriously.
• Drying. Follow the stated heat. Fiber clumps if it goes away damp; dry it all the way through.
• Spare cover. If you'd like one cover on while the other is in the wash, check that the maker sells covers in that exact shape.

Our guide to washing pillows walks through the general steps. The tag on your pillow wins over any guide, ours included.

Who can skip a pregnancy pillow

Not everyone needs one, and not every bed has room for one.

• You already have long pillows. A straight body pillow and a knee pillow may already cover what you want. Our body pillow page covers the plain versions.
• Your bed is small. On a twin or a shared full, a big U may leave nobody comfortable. A wedge or a straight pillow takes less room.
• You want a nursing pillow. That's a different product with its own safety standard. Buy one that the maker labels for nursing.
• You want advice about pregnancy sleep. This page can't give it. Your doctor or midwife can.

Related pages

• Pillows: every pillow type we cover, by fill, shape and sleep position
• Best pregnancy pillows: a shorter list with its own stated pick rule
• Gifts for pregnant women: if you're shopping for someone else
• Body pillows: straight and shaped long pillows, pregnancy or not
• U-shaped body pillows: the full wraparound shape
• Body pillow covers: covers sold on their own, by pillow size
• Knee pillows and wedge pillows: smaller support pillows
• How to wash pillows: general steps; your care tag comes first