“Get all the sleep you can before your baby is born.” This is the advice most practiced moms ruefully give to pregnant women as they lament how they’ve not slept well since the birth of their own children.
If you’re among the many pregnant women who find a night of blissful rest more elusive now than it was in your first trimester, you may want to consider getting a pregnancy pillow.
It may seem like an awful lot to spend money on because you won’t use it for long – just a few months actually – but like a pair of comfy maternity pants, a good pregnancy pillow is indispensable.
As you come into your second trimester or towards the third, your growing belly begins to strain your back and joints, so you tend to feel more exhausted.
What’s worse is the wedge that your ever-growing bump creates between you and a peaceful night’s sleep.
For plus size women, a truly comfortable pregnancy pillow that’ll accommodate every nook and curve of your body is a godsend.
However, finding the best one to support your neck, tummy, back, legs, and extra weight may be a daunting task.
We did the legwork and found some great pregnancy pillow options for plus size women that will take out the hassle of aligning 15 pillows just to cradle you off to dreamland.
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Before we get to that, let’s look at the types of pregnancy pillows available and the factors you need to consider when finding a good pregnancy pillow for your size.
Types Of Pregnancy Pillows And How To Pick One
A pregnancy pillow is engineered to cradle your pregnant body while offering support in different areas to reduce pressure points and prevent muscle strain.
The ultimate goal is to facilitate better comfort and sleep.
Carrying a baby to term puts a lot of strain and stress on your body, not just the midsection.
Regardless of the sleeping position, it’s still possible to feel the incredible discomfort it brings, which makes it hard to sleep.
Furthermore, you’re limited in sleep positions because you can’t sleep on your back or on your belly, owing to the potential problems these may come with.
Some of the major sources of discomfort include lower back pain, hip and pelvic joint pain, shortness of breath because of the pressure the growing baby adds to your diaphragm, heartburn, and inability to move as you want.
There are different types of pregnancy pillows designed to care for your body during pregnancy and give you the much-needed comfort while you rest. These include:
- Full length pillows (total body pillows), which support your belly and knees. They come in a C-shape, and are as long as your body, allowing you to wrap it around yourself. You won’t need any more pillows and it’ll hold its place as you sleep, but it takes lots of space in the bed. They’re considered the best for plus sized women.
- Wedge pillows are used to support your belly and back to ease tension. They don’t take up much space, are portable, and affordable too. However, they don’t support your whole body.
Basic wedge pillows aren’t great for back sleepers, though. However, the triangular or round ones are designed for back and side sleepers.
The round wedge is thicker at the top and mimics the shape of a crescent moon, with a downward angled position to keep your head and upper body higher than the lower part.
The triangular wedge has straight edges but it has the same design as the round pillow, though more pregnant moms prefer the rounded one.
You can test them out and determine which one works best for you to offer spinal and overall body support as you lie on your back.
- Bean-shaped pillows, which you can place at the stomach and back to ensure you get the support you need.
- Boppy Petite Trellis pillow, which is a lightweight, compact and portable pillow that cushions your belly and back.
- U-shaped pillows, which come in the shape of a ‘U’ to offer full support for your body while you sleep. They’re perfect for pregnant moms looking for plus size pillow options, and its ergonomic design helps you especially if you suffer from painful joints, swollen legs, and hip and lower back discomfort. It’s also versatile for different sleeping positions.
Before you go out and pick one of these pregnancy pillows, there are some factors you need to consider. Let’s have a look at some of the main considerations.
Material
Just like picking a normal sleeping pillow, you need to pick the right material in a pregnancy pillow. What you need to look for is comfort and fullness, plus firm and abundant material.
A pillow with empty spots won’t offer you the support you need.
Some of the fills you’ll find in pillows include regular fluff/fill, Styrofoam beads, shredded or memory foam, and micro-beads.
All these have different qualities to offer, for example regular fill is cheap but compresses with time, while memory foam maintains its shape but can be hot.
Microbeads are quiet but unlike a regular pillow, they don’t rebound, while Styrofoam beads make noise as they shift even though they’re affordable.
Choose the fill that’s not only comfortable, but offers the right support and meets your needs.
Support
This is probably what you’re looking for the most. A pregnancy pillow should ideally offer you full-body support, especially on your belly and back areas, and your knees too.
Pregnancy pillows aren’t equal, so find the one that offers maximum support where you feel the most pain or muscle tension.
Ease of cleaning
A pregnancy pillow should be easy to clean because it’ll absorb a lot of sweat, and cleaning them should be an easy task. Ideally, the pillow’s fabric should be easy to wash as well.
Dimensions and Bed size
Find a pillow that can fit your body size and height, so the length, width, and height are worth considering before purchasing one.
Most come in regular sizes that can fit standard beds, but for queen size and king size beds, you can find the best-fit pillow that also won’t affect your partner while you rest.
Sleeping position
Whether you’re a side, stomach, or back sleeper, you’ll have challenges trying to get comfortable, so finding a pillow that’s right for you will ensure you get a much-needed good night’s sleep.
Best Pregnancy Pillows For Plus Size Women
Here are our top picks for the best pregnancy pillows for plus size women to help you sleep more comfortably during pregnancy.
1. Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow
It’s patent design was created by a registered nurse and mom, but Leachco company manufactures the C-shaped contoured pregnancy pillow.
It supports your back, tucks between your knees, cradles your tummy, and props your head on its horseshoe shaped head pillow.
This way, you can prevent sciatica, lower back pain, and heartburn among other pregnancy issues.
The Snoogle eliminates the need for multiple pillows and is designed to follow your body’s natural contour and shape, so you can enjoy support and cuddle comfort without the extra body heat.
It also has a removable cover that you can machine-wash, though it can be a struggle to replace it.
The pillow is ideal for all types of sleepers, but moms who like switching sides while sleeping can be inconvenienced as they have to keep readjusting it.
It’s also a little pricey, but worth the money.
2. Queen Rose Pregnancy Body Pillow
If your legs tend to swell especially when you sit over long periods of time, this unique cushion pillow reduces leg sores.
It also improves your blood circulation for better sleep positioning during pregnancy, and its wider surface performance at the top helps support your head.
Plus size women can enjoy the exceptional comfort this body pillow provides, which results in quality rest.
Plus, it’s quiet and flexible too so you can change it in various positions like when reading or watching TV.
After the baby is born, you can also use it as a nursing pillow and take advantage of the convenience it brings while supporting multiple parts of your body.
If you’re tall, this pillow will also help your long torso as it’s over five feet in length on either side.
It is filled with high-density Bionic Polyethylene that’s hypoallergenic so you won’t have issues with scents, and it has a soft filler, which means it’s quiet so it won’t disturb you at night.
The downside is it’s not portable because of its bulky weight and size, and it’s not designed to be washed, but there’s a removable cover that can be washed.
3. PharMeDoc Pregnancy Pillow
It supports your spinal alignment so you can enjoy overall body comfort.
The pillow is fully adjustable, versatile enough to use during and after pregnancy for support.
Its unique symmetrical design allows you to fold it, plus the wider loft lets you experience a ‘nest-like’ sleeping experience for both back and belly support.
Its design is great for any pregnant woman looking for nighttime support for their hips and back.
It also has a jersey knit cotton machine-washable cover, super soft polyfill blend for soft comfort, and plush density that accommodates any weight applied to it.
Unlike other pillows that start ripping at the seams, this pregnancy pillow corrects this problem with its double-stitch seams all the way around, for extra durability.
If you’re tired of using separate pillows to support your head, neck, back, and legs, or you need more support, this pillow will offer the relief and support you need.
4. Boppy Prenatal Sleep Wedge
It’s portable and compact, so you can travel with it even when away from home during pregnancy.
Boppy is synonymous with quality products that make life affordable and comfy, and you can find its products in various retailer shops.
They’re simple and easy to find and use, and incredibly versatile.
It supports your belly while sleeping, but also helps with lumbar support as you sit, plus, you can rest it on your knees as you lie on a sofa or couch.
The jersey cover is soft and easily removable so you can wash it.
At just four inches tall, the wedge, which is filled with tapered foam takes on your weight to remove the strain and stress placed on your hips and back as you sleep.
Your soft tissues will also relax properly, blood flow will be better, and your spine will be properly aligned.
You can also lie against it on your back or any other position for supportive contouring comfort as it fills in the arches of your back and your natural curves.
You don’t have to worry about bulkiness like that of full body pillows because of its small size.
You can machine wash its ultra-soft jersey removable slipcover for easy care.
The downside with this wedge pillow is you can only use it for one spot at a time, so you have to keep readjusting it as you turn.
The cover is also not very comfy or breathable, but it’s durable nonetheless.
5. Pregnancy Pillow
Its unique construction and shape allow for shaping as you lay or wrap yourself around it through the night.
The cover offers you two choices of either soft mink or a cotton blend material that you can unzip and wash easily.
It also comes in various colors to match your décor choice, and you can use it during or after pregnancy as a nursing or resting pillow.
It also has poly fiber filling with a plush density for better support, and its shape makes it easier to fold and store away as it’ll bend well to tuck away after using it despite its bulky nature.
If you want a pillow that’ll work for you, this one is worth considering.
It’s long enough for you to stretch out, with equal support for your whole body.
Plus, it’ll align your entire back and hips for neutral joint positioning, thus relieving the pain and discomforts during pregnancy, gastric reflux, and more.
The downside is it may get hot, or it may be too soft, and it lacks dual belly and back support.
6. AngQi U-Shaped Full Pregnancy Body Pillow
The multi-function boxy pillow offers three specially designed shapes that are contoured to work as a unit so as to support, elevate, and offer comfort where it’s needed most, for soft sleep.
Pregnant moms will find its voluminous padding comfortable, especially when resting, and it helps relieve sleep problems due to pains, aches, stiffness, or late-pregnancy discomforts.
The fill is polyester fiber for durability and long-lasting resilience, plus its length is perfect for tucking between the knees to prevent back and hip strain.
It’ll also keep your spine aligned better and keeps the cool air flowing too.
After your baby is born, you can use it to elevate the baby during nursing, for more comfort, and you can machine wash its jersey cover to remove any sweat or other food or stains after nursing.
Final Thoughts
There you have it! Our list of the best plus size pregnancy pillows.
As with many pillows, the major factor you need to consider is personal comfort, what with the dynamic nature of pregnancy as you progress through the different trimesters.
Picking from the different styles and shapes available can be difficult, which is why we added extra detail to each of our picks so you can find the best one for your needs that may help with your overall sleep comfort.
As you narrow down your choices, consider your personal preferences and natural sleeping position so as to find what works best for you.
Plus, consider the signs your body is communicating about the pressure points, and strain or stress on your hips and back so you can know which areas need the most support.
Unlike having a few extra pillows wedged underneath your tummy, between your knees, or behind your back, getting a pregnancy pillow can help you alleviate pregnancy discomforts.
Their unique designs let you get maximum comfort and support while replacing the arsenal of pillows you’ve been using to achieve the same comfort.
After all, there’s no price tag on comfort, right?
Diana Paul is a certified nutritionist who writes for leading health blogs. She is a master herbalist, yoga teacher, forager, and wild-crafting writer She is focused on helping people transform life blocks to opportunities. Based in NYC, she often holds health seminars and lectures.