Proper use of a pregnancy pillow can help improve your quality of sleep. Find out how to use different pregnancy pillows.
The amount of sleep you get when you are pregnant affects your health. Sleep deprivation poses a threat to your health and the health of the baby.
The short-term effects of sleeplessness are feeling tired the next day, changing moods, and a lapse in concentration. The long-term effects include high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, depression, and weight gain.
The second and third trimester of pregnancy is associated with difficulty in catching sleep. It may happen due to abdominal discomfort, back pain, sleep apnea, or leg cramps.
We are going to explain how a pregnancy pillow can help improve your quality of sleep.
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Sleeping Positions in Pregnancy
Different people stay accustomed to different sleeping positions. It can be hard to adopt a different one. However, as the tummy continues to grow bigger, it may feel uncomfortable sleeping with your preferred position.
Health professionals have recommended how pregnant women should sleep. These positions determine how the baby moves during sleep. Experts recommend sleeping on the side while they advise against sleeping on your back.
One way to improve your quality of sleep is by getting a comfortable mattress and a pregnancy pillow.
Pregnancy Pillows
Your growing belly will reduce your options when it comes to sleeping positions. It will also increase the strain on the posture that is safe to sleep and increase stress on the hips and the back.
A pregnancy pillow reduces strain on various parts of the body. It helps to cushion different parts of your body. It supports the head, tummy, back, arms, and legs.
Unlike a regular pillow, a pregnancy pillow conforms to the changing curve of a pregnant woman through all the stages of pregnancy. It enhances your comfort and helps the mother to sleep in a position that will not harm the baby.
The following are the benefits of a pregnancy pillow:
- A pregnancy pillow relieves you of pain and body ache. It helps to cushion the whole body. It reduces strain from the hips and back and helps to align the spine.
- A pregnancy pillow enhances the circulation of blood. It allows the pregnant woman to sleep comfortably on the side. Experts have proven that sleeping on the side helps in the circulation of blood.
- A pregnancy pillow improves the quality of sleep. It may help improve sleep disorders like apnea and insomnia. A quality pregnancy pillow will help you to be comfortable while sleeping. You will sleep better for longer.
- A pregnancy pillow is still useful after giving birth. It can aid in recovery after delivery. It can be used to position babies while bottle-feeding them.
Type of Pregnancy Pillows
You can start using a pregnancy pillow after week 20. At week 20, the changes begin to occur. The belly commences growing bigger. An increase in weight puts a strain on other parts of the body.
A pregnancy pillow reduces this strain during sleep. Here are the types of pregnancy pillows.
How to Sleep with a Pregnancy Pillow
A total body pregnancy pillow
- A total body pregnancy pillow
- Full-length body pillow
- Pregnancy wedge pillow
- Inflated pillows
Most full-length body pillows have a height of around five to six inches. The full-length pregnancy pillow can fit a woman of any length. The full body pillow cushions the whole body like the name suggests.
C-shaped pillow
A C-shaped pillow has the shape of the letter C. The c-shaped pillow, unlike the U-shaped one, lacks length on one side. Using it replaces the need to use multiple regular cushions at night. It supports every part of the body. It carries the head, arms, knees, back, tummy, and spine.
You can add or reduce the fillings to adapt to the change in the size of the belly. Proper use of a C-shaped pillow will help you get quality sleep during the night. Its flexibility is perfect for plus-sized women. However, a normal-sized woman can still use it. They can help you deal with problems of water retention in your legs. Its asymmetrical nature forces you to flip it every time you want to change sleeping positions.
You are supposed to wrap the pillow around your back. One end of the C-shaped pillow supports the head and the neck. The other end passes through the knees to carry the legs. The back of the C-shaped pillow supports the spine. The front part cushions the arms and the tummy. It is ideal for a pregnant lady who does not regularly sleep on the sides. Flipping the pillow to the front will offer support to the belly instead of the back.
U-shaped pillow
U-shaped pillows are symmetrical. Their design allows them to conform to the shape of the mom. They are long enough to be used by a mom of any height.
They offer support to the whole body. The top part of the pillow supports the neck. One side of the pillow supports the tummy while the other supports the back. The lower part cushions the knees and legs.
The shape of the pillow can allow you to flip without changing sides. You can sleep comfortably on your right or left side. The cushion still offers support if you accidentally roll over to your back. You will not experience back and neck pain in the morning.
Place one arm of the U-shaped pillow under tour tummy and let the other one support your back. Alternatively, you can wrap your arms and knees around the front arm to offer support.
A full-length body pillow
They are also known as I-shaped pillows. It runs along the length of the body. It looks like a regular pillow. However, it is longer a bit longer. They offer support to the arms, legs, and tummy when sleeping on the sides.
There are flexible full-length pillows that can bend to follow the shape of the mom.
The full-length pillow supports the tummy when you hug it. The lower part passes between your two legs. You can also place the pillow under your stomach when sleeping on the sides. It will offer support to the tummy.
A wedge pillow is smaller than the other types of pregnancy pillows. It offers support to the back and the tummy of the mother. They come in triangular or crescent shapes. Their small size makes them portable. However, you will need a pillow to place under your head.
It is perfect for mothers who travel a lot. You can easily carry the pillow everywhere you go. You can use it to prop your belly when lying on the sides. It will improve your spine alignment during sleep. A mother suffering from acid reflux or heartburn can place it under their head.
Inflated Pregnancy Pillows
Inflated pillows are ideal for moms accustomed to sleeping on their stomachs. The pillow is inflated with air and placed on a mattress. The filled up pregnancy pillow has a hole to accommodate the tummy when the mother sleeps on her stomach.
You can only use this pillow during the first trimester of pregnancy. Sleep on the pillow and fit your belly on the donut hole.
Conclusion
A pregnancy pillow may help reduce sleeplessness that is harmful to the mother and the baby. Pregnancy pillows help pregnant women sleep comfortably throughout the night. It relieves them of back and body ache. It also enhances better sleep. Apart from that, it improves the circulation of blood.
The different types of pregnancy pillows include the full body pillow, full-length pillow, inflated pillows, and wedge pregnancy pillows.
Using the pillows in the right way will improve the quality of sleep. The full body pregnancy pillow cushions the whole body. The full-length cushion supports one side of the body. Inflated pillows are ideal for stomach sleepers. Wedge pillows help to carry either the tummy or the back of a pregnant mother.