How To Use A Pregnancy Pillow

Don’t believe the myths! The key to sleeping well while pregnant is a pregnancy pillow. If sleep was already difficult, you now have to deal with hot flushes, restless leg syndrome, and an increased sensitivity to light and sound. Sleeping while pregnant can be especially challenging during those hot summer months you’re probably looking forward to at this point in your pregnancy. Even if you’d be fine with just lying in bed awake all night long, the tossing and turning usually makes it impossible to stay asleep! It’s very much worth the investment to invest in a quality pregnancy pillow. In addition to helping you sleep more comfortably, it will make your experience more comfortable throughout the entire day. This is a gentle support that can help relieve pain in ways that you simply can’t get elsewhere.

How to sleep when pregnant

Side sleeping is recommended while pregnant because it relieves the pressure on a pregnant woman’s liver, helping the blood flow freely throughout her body. It allows for more room for future organs to grow, such as the baby’s heart, as well as her kidneys. By laying on your side, you will also have less back pain because there is enough room for your spine to stretch and arch while you rest. Additionally, by sleeping on your left side, you are giving yourself the best circulation possible because your heart will be facing the right direction – pumping blood into the right ventricle and then out of your body.

Everyone knows that pregnant women can experience changes to their body temperature and sleepless nights, leading many to toss and turn while they are trying to get some sleep. It’s no wonder then that you might feel restless when you have to sleep on the same side all night, every night. But don’t worry — you can still find ways to get comfortable when sleeping on your side during pregnancy. Pregnant or postpartum and need help sleeping because of increased body temperature and night sweats? We have the best mattresses for hot flashes, night sweats, and menopause in our list that may help you sleep better.

What is a pregnancy pillow

Pregnancy pillows are great for relieving aches and pains that come along with pregnancy. However, they are great for providing support all over your body, not just your neck or backIf you are interested in learning more about the different pregnancy pillows to determine which one best suits your needs, simply follow the guide below and all of your questions will be answered in no time. Ultimately, it’s important to do as much research as possible regarding pregnancy pillows before making a final decision so that you know exactly what you’re paying for. Be sure to choose a pillow that will provide both sleep and support throughout your pregnancy, especially if you plan on using it the entire time from start to finish. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that each body is different, and as such, it may take some trial and error before you find the best fit for you.

How to use a pregnancy pillow

U-Shape

U-shaped pillows are great to use to support your whole body, meaning head, neck, back, belly, knees, and even ankles. It’s best for women who are most used to sleeping on their backs at night, or women who find themselves tossing and turning a lot at night since you don’t need to flip the shape with you or readjust the headrest part. The U shaped pregnancy pillow is a gift from above to pregnant women. It’s scientifically proven that U shaped pregnancy pillows can improve sleep quality during the last trimester. This is also a great option for those who don’t want to sleep alone and share a bed with their partner.

While the U-shaped pregnancy pillows are the best pregnancy pillows for side sleepers, you might want to flip it so that the “U” is upside down (or if you opt for a straight pillow, place it under your tummy). Your feet should remain in between the opening of the pillow while your head should rest on the bottom of the “U”.

C-Shape

There is no perfect pillow for everyone, but the C-shaped pregnancy pillow is the most versatile and practical choice. The C-shaped design can provide support to the hips, belly, back, neck and head in one cozy pillow! Imagine being able to roll over in bed without throwing off or adjusting your pillow every time. You get the same comfort with every move! This will allow you to easily achieve a position that reduces your back pain while sleeping. This allows you to drift peacefully between sleep and wakefulness without waking up because your body needs to readjust itself. You’ll enjoy a full night’s sleep without waking up multiple times.

J-Shape

The J-shaped pregnancy pillow is best for women who need extra back and lumbar support. If you have a bigger bed, or if you prefer more cuddling with your partner, this might be the pregnancy pillow for you. The J-shaped body pillow is a great pregnancy pillow and even better postpartum support. It is versatile and supportive to both your back and belly without restricting your movement or keeping you from sleeping comfortably. It’s a good choice if you’re looking for one pillow that can handle all three trimesters of pregnancy as well as help for labor and delivery. The added bonus of being able to use it while sitting will come in handy during later stages of pregnancy as well, when it might become too uncomfortable to lie on your side.

If you’re in the market for a pregnancy pillow, don’t hesitate to put the J-shaped body pillow on your list of options. Even if you’re someone who already has some previous experience with this kind of product, it will still be worth checking out — it may be just what you need to complement your current setup and get that sweet sleep that you deserve! To sum it all up, the J-shaped pregnancy pillow is a great choice for side sleepers, stomach sleepers and back sleepers. It allows you to keep your normal sleeping position with extra support throughout your pregnancy.

Reasons you may not be sleeping well during pregnancy

Heartburn

Of the many pregnancy symptoms, heartburn is often among the most irritating and uncomfortable. Heartburn can be painful, preventing you from sleeping well at night. And for not getting sufficient amounts of sleep, you might suffer from headaches, back aches, gastrointestinal issues or difficulty concentrating. This could make it difficult to perform at work and to enjoy your day-to-day activities. The last thing you want to think about at night is heartburn. But for many expecting moms, heartburn at night is an all-too-common problem that can disrupt their sleep and make them dread bedtime.

Stress

You’ve probably heard that a good night’s sleep is crucial for a healthy pregnancy and baby. That’s true! Many pregnant mothers have trouble sleeping through the night, avoiding symptoms like fatigue, depression and irritability. They may be troubled with lapses halfway into their sleeping cycle. Sleepless nights can be frustrating and leave parents distracted in the next day’s activities. The stress of pregnancy is unavoidable. And if you’re like most pregnant mothers, you may not be getting the best quality sleep.

Hormones

During the weeks before you give birth, your body produces increased levels of hormones. Some of these hormones can cause you to feel sleepy during the day and also, unfortunately, disrupt your sleeping pattern at night. The first and most obvious change you may notice is an increase in kicking and wiggling if you’re trying to sleep on your side. At first, you may think that the fatigue and strange dreams associated with pregnancy are the result of changes in your hormones. Although certain shifts in hormone levels do play a major role, changes in sleep patterns during pregnancy can also stem from other factors.

In other words, when you’ve got a pregnant belly to handle, it comes as no surprise that you can find yourself waking up due to discomfort and pain. This is where the pregnancy pillow comes in. It offers excellent support for expectant mothers with any of the aforementioned health problems. Plus, even if you don’t suffer from any discomfort at all, a pregnancy pillow is still a smart investment for its ability to help you enjoy better sleep and rest during the most trying period of your life.

In conclusion, we hope that this article has provided you with some helpful advice with regards to choosing a pregnancy pillow. It’s true that they can be quite expensive, but as with most cases, you get what you pay for. As such, it is imperative that you spend some time researching to find the best pillow for your needs.

Sources:

https://www.elitebaby.us/pages/pregnancy-week-14?_pos=1&_sid=580f997b7&_ss=r

https://www.terrycralle.com/how-to-sleep-with-a-pregnancy-pillow/