6 Best Pregnancy Pillows, Tested by Real Pregnant Moms

The Bump takeaway: The Momcozy Huggable U-Shaped Maternity Body Pillow has won a Best of The Bump award for overall best pregnancy pillow for four years running. It offers outstanding hip, bump and back support and helps improve sleep, according to both our product tester and our survey respondents, and retails at a reasonable price.

By the time many women start shopping for a pregnancy pillow, restful sleep has already become a nightly puzzle. You’ve got one pillow tucked between the knees, another under the bump and a private prayer that your bladder will behave long enough to get some shut eye in your shaky setup. But the Momcozy Huggable Maternity Body Pillow solves the puzzle—our tester Emily found this full-body, U-shaped pregnancy pillow kept her supported from all angles, with high-tension polyester filling designed not to sag or lose its shape.

“I love that it easily wraps around so it helps my back, knees and stomach,” shares Emily, who tested the pillow at 25 weeks pregnant. “It makes it so much easier to sleep and I haven’t been waking up in the middle of the night anymore to toss and turn.”

Emily wasn’t the only one to love this maternity pillow—among our community survey respondents, 40 percent of moms said the Momcozy was their favorite pregnancy pillow brand, and of those, 86 percent said it helped improve their sleep.

Support and effectiveness
The Momcozy boasts a U-shape, which is praised by experts for its ability to relieve several pressure points at once, from your growing belly, to sore hips and legs. This pillow’s combination of comfort, support and high-quality polyfil all work together to improve blood circulation and relieve body discomfort—resulting in a deeper, restorative slumber for Emily. “It improves my sleep a lot,” she tells us. “It helps me take the weight of my stomach off and relax.”

Its full-body support is especially helpful for that niggling lower pack pain. “I really liked that it has the piece to go along my back,” our tester Emily affirms. “It did help get rid of some of my back pain at night.”

Firmness
According to Dr. Packard, a firm pillow is often an excellent option for under-belly support and treating joint pain, since it holds its shape through the night, and Emily is a major fan of the Momcozy’s firmer feel. “I liked that it’s thicker than other pillows I’ve used,” she adds. “The quality of the filling feels like it will last a long time.” Good thing, too since, according to Packard, “a pillow that goes flat by 3 a.m. isn’t doing its job anymore.”

Of course, finding a comfortable level of firmness comes down to personal preference. Good news: The Momcozy is designed to be adjustable, with zippers on both the cover and the pillow itself, so you can remove stuffing for a softer cushion.

Fabric choices
Another great feature of this pregnancy pillow is that you can choose between two different fabric covers: a touchably-soft velvet material or, for $20 more, a smooth, cooling alternative designed to help hot sleepers. And Emily says the cover was very easy to remove and put back on.

Size and ease of use
There’s no doubt the Momcozy is large. But for many, its size is a worthwhile trade-off for the impressive full-body support it offers. In fact, 59 percent of women we surveyed said they'd sacrifice space for a pillow that offers the right level of support.

That was certainly the case for Emily, who didn’t mind its footprint(she says, “when not in use you can scoot it up to rest your back on when sitting in bed”) and it certainly wasn’t something that stood in the way of her recommending it to a friend. “I even already bought one to give to a pregnant friend because I love mine that much!”

Shape: U-shaped | Dimensions: 57" (L) x 27.6" (W) x 9" (H) | Fabric: Polyester/nylon | Fill: Polyfil | Care instructions: Cover is machine-washable

Our community says:

The Bump takeaway: The bbhugme earned a Best of The Bump award for best pregnancy pillow for hip pain on the strength of its moldable fill, which offers effective targeted hip support.

The bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow comes with a highly malleable filling made from bio-based microbeads, and an adjustable slider to change the firmness without removing the fill. This makes it very easy to mold into different shapes. I tested this product personally, and once I formed it into the shape I wanted, the way it held its shape and provided excellent support was like magic.

“Microbeads are very lightweight and moldable,” confirms Dr. Packard, “which can work well for small, targeted support.” When sleeping in the C-position especially, it really helped provide cushioning for my hips and back—but was still lightweight enough that I could move it from room to room without a lot of hassle.

Support and effectiveness
Hip pain during pregnancy can range from uncomfortable to debilitating. Our product tester Bailey, who also tried this pillow during her pregnancy, was experiencing fairly severe hip pain in the form of symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), so testing the bbhugme couldn’t have come sooner. “I have very bad SPD with this pregnancy and my hips feel SO much better with the support of this pillow,” she says. “This pillow has helped tremendously with my SPD pain.”

She puts a huge part of the pain relief down to bbhugme’s versatility. While some pillows can be difficult to maneuver in bed, you can easily mold the bbhugme into a C, U, L, J or I shape for maximum comfort. “This pillow gave me support in all the necessary places,” shares Bailey, who tested the pillow at 28 weeks pregnant. “It's easy to manipulate to support under your belly, while still being firm and providing support to my knees and ankles.”

I also found that the bbhugme was easy to shift as needed. I genuinely thought I would need an extra pillow for some of the positions with this one, but it ended up being fine on its own in a surprising number of shapes.

Size
The bbhugme is fairly small compared to other full-body pillows, and gained major brownie points with my husband, who found some of the other pregnancy pillows I tested annoying due to their size. The same was true for Bailey: “I share a bed with my husband, and this pillow has not changed anything about the way we are able to sleep together,” she says.

Note, however, that this compact pregnancy pillow may not be the best choice for tall moms-to-be. I’m almost six feet tall and the bbhugme didn’t fully wrap around my body, so the smaller pillow size was actually a downside for me.

Price
With its adjustable firmness and stylish looks, I had a hunch the bbhugme pillow was going to be on the higher-priced end of the market before even peeking at the tag. And sure enough, it costs over $200—not exactly budget-friendly.

But for Bailey, this pregnancy pillow still offered good value. “The quality and the flexibility of the firmness is a huge part of why this is such a great product,” she tells us. And given it provided her with excellent targeted support for the hips, it may well be worth the extra cost if severe hip pain has you aching for relief (without sacrificing your bed space).

Shape: Moldable (C, U, L or I) | Dimensions: 57" (L) x 7.5" (H) | Fabric: 92% cotton/8% spandex | Fill: Bio-based ESP microbeads | Care instructions: Outer cover is machine-washable, hang to dry

Our community says:

The Bump takeaway: The Sleepybelly Pregnancy Pillow earned a Best of The Bump award for best pregnancy pillow for natural stomach or back sleepers by providing double-sided support with a firm latex filling to securely but comfortably keep natural stomach or back sleepers on their sides all night long.

Pregnancy comes with a ton of do’s and don’ts, and not even sleep is exempt. The safest sleep position in later pregnancy is on your side—that’s because sleeping on your back may compress the blood vessel that supplies blood to your uterus.

If you're someone who’s naturally inclined to sleep on your back or (like me) your stomach, adjusting to side-sleep can be a struggle. But the right pregnancy pillow can help. In testing, we found that the Sleepybelly Pregnancy Pillow’s combination of modular double-sided support and a compact latex filling keeps you sleeping comfortably on your side through the night—you put the pieces where you need them to keep you upright, and the firm filling keeps them (and you) in place.

Firmness and support
Our product tester Marlee appreciated the pillow’s latex filling, which provided the level of support that natural back- and stomach-sleepers often seek in a pregnancy pillow. “The inner filling felt firm and supportive enough to hold my position without collapsing, and it only compressed slightly under pressure rather than flattening out,” says Marlee, who liked to sleep on both her front and back before becoming pregnant. “It definitely helped reinforce side sleeping in a comfortable way without feeling forced.” That balance of firm structured support with slight softness was the exact help she needed to comfortably stay on her side.

This pregnancy pillow also showed little signs of losing its sleep-supporting shape during testing, with Marlee finding no noticeable flattening, clumping or need for refluffling.

This didn't surprise us after speaking to our experts. “Latex tends to be the firmest, most resilient and most durable [filling],” Dr. Packard tells us. “It holds its shape the best of all the fill types and is often more temperature-neutral than memory foam.”

That doesn't mean it doesn't come with trade-offs: The firmness of the fill makes it dense, heavy for its size and hard to bend. This means it stays in place to keep you on your side, but also makes it a bit tougher to reposition.

The pillow's inflexibility also means that while the Sleepybelly isn't the biggest pillow we tested, it does command a deceptively large amount of room in bed—no squishing this thing in a bit to accommodate your partner. “It does take up a bit more defined space,” explains Marlee. “For me, the trade-off was worth it because of the added stability and support.”

Modular design
The Sleepybelly's modular, three-piece support system allows you to target the back, hips and legs as needed. In addition to keeping Marlee on her side, “The firm structure helped reduce my lower back pain and kept my hips more aligned, which lessened that morning stiffness,” she tells us.

This design has the added benefit of growing along with your pregnancy—something experts are quick to praise in a pregnancy pillow. As your pregnancy progresses, your needs may change, especially when you hit the third trimester. “The pillow need tends to follow the belly,” explains Dr. Packard. “Smaller support early, more support as pregnancy progresses and fuller support by the end."

Shape: Modular | Dimensions: 36.6" (L) x 12.6" (H) (back piece); 13.8" (L) x 11" (W) (wedges); 9" (L) (connector strap) | Fabric: Polyester/viscose blend | Fill: High-density latex and poly-fill | Care instructions: Outer cover is machine washable

The Bump takeaway: Babybub’s Bub’s Maternity Pillow is a Best of The Bump winner for best unobtrusive pregnancy pillow. It's compact enough to leave room for your partner to snuggle in close while still giving your bump, hips and back the support you need to sleep comfortably.

Dreading using a pregnancy pillow that takes up half the bed and pushes your loved one to the edge? Try Bub’s Maternity Pillow out for size. The compact double-wedge design provides targeted support for your bump and back, and was the second most popular pregnancy pillow brand quoted in our recent survey of expectant mothers.

“This pregnancy pillow is sleek, simple to use and far less bulky than other pregnancy pillows,” says our product tester Calihan, who used the pillow at 33 weeks pregnant. “Due to its compact size, it doesn't take up much space in the bed, which allows my husband and pup to sleep comfortably as well.”

Support and effectiveness
Space-saving perks aside, the Babybub’s winged design serves to support both your growing belly and aching back at once. An adjustable strap connects both sides of the pregnancy pillow, letting you position one wedge under your bump and the other behind your back, so you get front and back support without needing a full U-shaped pillow.

For Calihan, who suffered from back pain during her pregnancy, this design was a godsend. “This pregnancy pillow provided great support for my hips and back,” she tells us, especially enjoying the ability to adjust the length so that it stayed hugging her bump as it grew. “I found that this also helped to ease any lower back pain I was having while sleeping.”

Size and versatility
Another added benefit of this pillow’s small size is that it’s highly portable. “The Bub's Maternity Pillow can easily be packed in a tote bag to take along when staying away from home, which is a huge plus for comfortable sleep on the go,” Calihan says.

And thanks to its high-quality polyester blend fill, it travels well, without clumping or losing its shape. “The pillow feels very sturdy and I expect it to wear well over time,” Calihan says, “even with use every night during my pregnancy.”

The downside? For Calihan, the supplementary smaller pillow ran that little bit too unobtrusive. “The only thing I wish this pillow came with was a bigger support option for between my knees as the one provided is somewhat small,” she explains.

Still, it was a trade-off that she felt was worth the sheer amount of hip and back support its compact size delivered—and worth the price point too. “The price for this pregnancy pillow feels slightly high given its size, however the comfort and support are a huge value-add,” she tells us. And the good news is that Babybub is frequently on sale for under $50.

Shape: Double wedge-shaped | Dimensions: 15.7" (L) x 13.2" (W) x 2.7" (H) | Fabric: Bamboo/polyester blend | Fill: Polyester and microfiber balls | Care instructions: Cover is machine-washable

Our community says:

The Bump takeaway: The Yana Sleep 360° Body Pillow, Best of The Bump winner for best pregnancy pillow for keeping cool, stands out for its cooling gel memory foam, breathable fabric and slimmer design that still delivers excellent body support.

Hormonal changes and increased blood flow can make your body temperature shoot up during pregnancy, especially during the night (the pregnancy night sweats are real!). Once I hit the third trimester, I found myself constantly getting up to open a window or blast the AC.

When I got my hands (and back and neck) on the Yana Sleep 360° Body Pillow Cooling Gel, I realized just how much not dealing with temperature fluctuations all night improves your sleep quality. This pregnancy pillow’s cooling gel layer and breathable, moisture-wicking fabric had a subtle but powerful impact on my temperature—I rarely, if ever, had to get up to mess with the thermostat, and definitely found myself falling asleep more easily.

Support and effectiveness
The Yana 360° pregnancy pillow promises the perks of a hug without the body heat. And after testing it, I can tell you that it is straight-up that cozy—the comforting kind of cozy that hot sleepers like me rarely get to enjoy without reaching for the AC.
In true U-shape fashion, the pregnancy pillow naturally curls around your body, so it's like a little circle of support. And while being enveloped by a giant pillow can easily bring the heat, the softness of Yana's breathable bamboo velour cover and its natural cooling gel foam filling put me at immediate ease. Think emotional security blanket but with way more back, head and neck support and far fewer night sweats.

While it did keep me in place, it didn't really help with the occasional jabs of hip/pelvic pain. But honestly, I'm not sure anything will at this stage in my twin pregnancy. Feeling so held by this pillow made me sleep easier, and even if not every single symptom vanished, the coziness and comfort of having this pillow wrapped around my body helped.

Firmness and quality
The cooling gel memory foam of the Yana pregnancy pillow is quite firm, which I personally love but some people may prefer a more cloud-like feel. For me, the firmness was enough to keep my head propped up comfortably with no need for a second pillow, while still letting me relax in my little pod—which, according to Dr. Packard, is memory foam’s super power as a filling. “Memory foam often splits the difference because it conforms to the body but has more resilience than fiberfill,” she explains.

Memory foam also carries the added perk of durability. “Memory foam holds its shape better and gives more reliable support without bottoming out as quickly,” Dr. Packard says. “That can be really helpful for someone who needs more stable support throughout the night.”

And let me tell you, the quality of Yana's memory foam was excellent. It didn't need much re-fluffing and didn’t flatten noticeably overnight. The irony is that, according to Dr. Packard, heat retention tends to be the major trade-off with memory foam. But with its cooling gel technology, YANA turns its foam filling into the very thing that brings ease to pregnant sleepers who run hot.

Price and size
The slimmer, contoured design actually makes this Yana easier to fit into a bed with two people than other U-shapes, and easier to move from room to room when necessary. But getting the cover on this pregnancy pillow is a bit of a wrestling match. Once you get past the initial set-up (and a lot of awkward wrangling) it’s actually pretty easy to use.

It does come at a high price point. But given how much it regulated my temperature, I would be willing to pay a bit more for this pillow. Yes, the cover wrangling is tedious, but I would take it for fewer hot flashes and relay races to the thermostat any day. If you're having a rough pregnancy—or just a rough third trimester—it’s worth the money.

Shape: U-shape | Dimensions: 55" (L) x 28.5" (W) x 10" (H) | Fabric: Bamboo-derived rayon and velour | Fill: Cooling gel-infused shredded memory foam | Care instructions: Machine wash warm with gentle detergent, tumble dry low

The Bump takeaway: Easy to pack into a bag for a few days away, the Boppy Pregnancy Support Wedge is a Best of The Bump award-winner for best pregnancy pillow for travel due to its small-but-mighty nature, providing impeccable back and bump support without taking up too much space in your bed or suitcase.

Pregnancy pillows are not exactly known for being lightweight and travel-friendly. Most of the pillows I tested for this article would need their own suitcase (or airplane seat!). But our product tester Lauren flew to Chicago with the Boppy Pregnancy Support Wedge at 34 weeks pregnant, and tells us, “I just threw it in my small duffle easily.”

Despite its travel-friendly size, she found the pillow provided excellent bump and hip support, calling it “a small but impactful way to enhance pregnancy sleep without a lot of fuss.”

Support and effectiveness
With a footprint only a little bigger than a square foot and made from firm polyurethane foam, this compact pillow provides targeted support for common problem areas in pregnancy. Lauren found it easy to tuck under her bump at night without needing to get up and reposition the pillow. “The pillow definitely reduced my aches and pains by providing support under my bump while sleeping,” she says. “It also kept me cooler because it's small, light and doesn't wrap around me.”

Lauren found the pillow was also useful for back support while winding down before bed, and planned to use it for post c-section support as well.

That said, Boppy’s size does come with downsides. Lauren noted that she is very petite, so while the small pillow worked well for her smaller frame, it may not be ideal for every pregnant body type.

She also found that the pillow provided inadequate knee support, so it may not be the right choice if that's where you need some help. “I just used a little throw pillow there,” she tells us, before adding that “two of these would be perfect for a sleeper like me who needs [both] the side/stomach and knee support.”

Firmness and size
As a wedge, this Boppy model is definitely on the firm side, which proved a little too unforgiving for our second tester Erin. But for Lauren, that firmness gave her faith in the tiny pillow’s longevity. “it's definitely built to last,” she tells us. “It didn't flatten too much, which was nice. It stayed firm, making it very comfortable because I didn't need to constantly reposition.”

And the pregnancy pillow’s portable size is good for more than trains and planes. “If I needed to turn over, it was so easy to just grab the pillow and tuck it under my bump, so I never fully woke up, which enhanced my sleep,” Lauren says. As someone suffering serious insomnia from back and hip pain, let me tell you: That's no small win.

The other bonus? “My husband enjoyed the pillow too, because he was able to cuddle with me since there was nothing behind me to block him,” shares Lauren. “It was nice for us to feel connected with one another at night.”

Shape: Wedge | Dimensions: 14" (L) x 12" (W) x 4" (H) | Fabric: 95% cotton/5% spandex jersey | Fill: Polyurethane foam | Care instructions: Machine wash slip cover and tumble dry low