There are so many maternity pillows available on the market today that it is hard to figure out which one to choose. Many of them seem to offer the same support, but in a different style. So, how do you know which one will work the best for you?
1) Ang Qi U-Shape Pregnancy Body Pillow | 2) Dream Premium U Shape Comfortable Pregnancy Pillow | 3) Full Body Pregnancy Pillow – U Shaped Hypoallergenic Maternity Support Cushion | 4) Meiz U Shaped Total Body / Pregnancy Support Pillow | 5) Cozy Bump Maternity Pillow | 6) Naomi Home Cozy Body Pillow, Gray | 7) Puredown U Shaped Maternity/Pregnancy Body Pillow | 8) QUEEN ROSE Full Pregnancy Body Pillow Originally | 9) Holo – The Inflatable Maternity Pillow Raft | 10) Dream Body Pillow Pregnancy Maternity Pillow | 11) S2BMOM Contoured Total Body Pillow | 12) Sanggol Pregnancy and Maternity Body Pillow | 13) U Shaped Premium Contoured Pregnancy/Maternity Body Pillow | 14) Snoogle Chic – Snoogle Total Body Pregnancy Pillow | 15) Total Body Pillow, iFanze U-shaped Pregnancy | 16) Snoogle Chic Jersey – Snoogle Total Body Pregnancy Pillow | 17) VNEED Oversize Pregnant Body Contour Pillow | 18) Z Total Body C-Shape Pregnancy Pillow | 19) Jan Butterfly U-Shape Total Body Pregnancy Maternity Pillow | 20) Zen Bamboo Full Body Pregnancy Pillow |
What Filling is Used in the Pregnancy Pillow?
Lets explore the different fillings that manufacturers use to keep your pregnancy pillow comfortable and supportive.
Styrofoam ball filling
You know those small white balls you find in a bean bag? They are Styrofoam balls and they are also commonly found in cheaper pregnancy pillows. Styrofoam filling allows pillows to easily adapt to your body shape and lightweight. The downside is they do tend to make noise as you move around the pregnancy pillow.
Polyester fiber filling
Polyester fiber is soft and doesn’t make any noise. The amount of polyester fiber used in a pregnancy pillow will determine the firmness. While polyester is a very popular filling in pregnancy pillows, it does not breath as well as other fillings.
Micro-bead filling
Micro-beads are incredibly fine balls approximately 1/32 inch wide (pretty small, huh?). Pregnancy pillows made from micro-beads feel like they have sand inside them. Unlike sand, micro-beads are incredibly lightweight; allowing you to carry around your pregnancy pillow with ease. Micro-beads offer almost no noise and are much more supportive than standard Styrofoam balls.
Memory foam filling
Memory foam pregnancy pillows take the shape of your body as it presses against it. Once your weight is lifted of the pillow, the memory foam regains its original shape. Pregnancy pillows containing memory foam filling are generally quite firm. Since memory foam can cause heat to build up, some manufacturers shred it prior to using it in pregnancy pillow filling. The shredded memory foam still allows air to circulate inside it, helping reducing that hot feeling.
Natural and organic filling
If you want to keep your pregnancy as natural as possible then you will definitely be on the look out for a pregnancy pillow to suit. Natural fillings include:
- Spelt
- Wool
- Kapok
Remember, just because a pregnancy pillow uses natural filling does not necessarily make it organic.
How Noisy is the Pregnancy Pillow?
This was touched on in the filling section above. Some fillings and covers are noisier than others. When I refer to the noise I mean the sound your pillow makes as you move your head and body over it. You don’t want a pillow that crinkles and rustles so loudly that it will wake you in the middle of the night.
Pay attention to the filling and fabric of the pillow and avoid any that are overly loud when you place your head to them.
Is the Pregnancy Pillow Hypoallergenic?
The changes your body goes through during pregnancy can actually make you more sensitive to fibers and materials that previously had no effect on you. Isn’t pregnancy wonderful?
A hypoallergenic pregnancy pillow will allow you to sleep at night without triggering allergies. If you had breathing complications, asthma or allergy sensitivities prior to pregnancy then a hypoallergenic pillow is definitely a must.
