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Best pregnancy pillow 2024 tried and tested for comfort and support
The best pregnancy pillow helps to reduce discomfort overnight as your body changes and bump grows.
Our testers, mums-to-be at different stages of pregnancy, compared pregnancy pillows from popular brands, including bbhugme, Dreamgenii, John Lewis, Simba and more.
They slept with each pillow and rated them for support, firmness, ease of moving, coolness and more.
Two pregnancy pillows impressed above the rest to earn our Best Buy recommendation. We also discovered a Great Value buy that was widely praised and costs less than £30.
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The best pregnancy pillows
Only logged-in Which? members can view the pregnancy pillow test results below.
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| Pregnancy pillows | Support for side sleeping | Firmness | Adjusting sleep position | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Easy | ||
| Good | Good | Easy | ||
| Good | Good | Average | ||
| Good | Average | Average | ||
| Good | Good | Easy | ||
| Average | Good | Average | ||
| Average | Average | Average |
Date tested: December 2023. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
The pregnancy pillows we tested
All the pregnancy pillows we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best pregnancy pillows from our tests.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.
Babymoov 2in1 Maternity Pillow
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Other uses Yes - nursing pillow
Need to know 75 x 40cm (HxW U-shaped), 95% organic cotton and 5% elastane cover, 97% polyester and 3% elastane inner cover, polystyrene microbead filling, machine washable cover at 30°C, cover not suitable for tumble drying, storage bag included
bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow
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Other uses Yes - nursing pillow
Need to know 140 x 20cm (LxW), 95% cotton and 5% spandex jersey cover, microbead filling, machine washable cover at 40°C, cover not suitable for tumble drying, storage bag included
Bellamoon Pregnancy & Nursing Pillow
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Other uses Yes - nursing pillow and baby sitting up support
Need to know 140 x 40cm (LxW), cotton cover, polyester filling, machine washable cover at 40°C delicate cycle, cover not suitable for tumble drying
Dreamgenii Pregnancy Support and Feeding Pillow
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Other uses Yes - nursing pillow
Need to know 79 x 14cm (LxW), jersey cotton cover, polyester filling, machine washable cover at 30°C, storage bag included
Dunelm Pregnancy Soft-Support Body Pillow
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Other uses No
Need to know 153 x 48cm (LxW), 100% polyester cover, polyester filling, machine washable cover at 30°C, cover suitable for tumble drying on a low heat setting
Read our pushchair reviews and car seat reviews to find more Best Buys for your baby
John Lewis V-Shaped Maternity and Nursing Pillow
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Other uses Yes - nursing pillow
Need to know 130 x 72cm (LxW), polyester cover, polyester filling, machine washable cover at 40°C, cover suitable for tumble drying on a low temperature, storage bag included
Mamas & Papas Pregnancy & Nursing Pillow
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Other uses Yes - nursing pillow
Need to know 143 x 19cm (LxW), cotton cover, polyester filling, machine washable cover at 40°C, cover suitable for tumble drying on a low temperature, storage bag included
Niimo XXL Pregnancy & Nursing Pillow
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Other uses Yes - nursing pillow
Need to know 80 x 54cm (LxW), cotton cover, polyester filling, machine washable cover at 30°C, cover suitable for tumble drying on a low temperature
Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow
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Other uses Yes – nursing pillow and baby support cushion for tummy time
Need to know 116 x 43cm (LxW), cotton and polyester mesh cover, polyester filling, machine washable cover at 40°C, cover suitable for tumble drying on a low temperature, storage bag included
Simba Cooling Body Pillow
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Other uses Yes - nursing pillow
Need to know 120 x 35cm (LxW), cotton and polyester mesh cover, polyester filling, machine washable cover at 40°C delicate cycle, cover suitable for tumble drying on a low temperature, storage bag included
Need to babyproof your home before baby arrives? Our guide takes you step by step through each room
How we test pregnancy pillows
We choose a selection of the most popular pregnancy pillows in the UK. We enlist the help of at group of mums-to-be, who are at different stages of their pregnancy, to try out each of the pillows overnight.
As with other sleep products, the overall comfort of a pregnancy pillow is subjective. It will depend on factors such as your height, weight, where you are experiencing discomfort and the level of firmness you prefer.
Our testers rate each pillow on:
- Support for side sleeping The NHS recommends that the safest sleep position during pregnancy is on your side. Our testers assess how supportive each pregnancy pillow is to their back, hips, bump and legs when side sleeping overnight. They note how each pillow helps with any discomfort, including one tester who has pelvic girdle pain.
- Firmness Each tester rates how comfortable the filling of the pregnancy pillow is and how easily it moulds to their body.
- Adjusting sleep position Our testers note how easy it is to move with the pillow overnight. Some are easy to switch sides with whereas some can wake your sleeping partner and take the duvet with them.
- Support during the day Testers also try the pillows during the day, when sat in an office chair or on the sofa, to see how much lower back support they provide.
- Coolness Each pregnancy pillow is rated for how breathable the fabric feels overnight.
- Size Testers also assess how much space each pillow takes up in their bed. This is something to consider if your bed is on the smaller side and you share it with someone else.
After trying out all the pregnancy pillows, testers also choose their favourites.
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How to use a pregnancy pillow
While lying on your side, place the pregnancy pillow in front of your bump and wrap your knees around it.
This should ease the pressure on your legs, hips and bump – areas that can often feel uncomfortable overnight during pregnancy.
You can also curve your pregnancy pillow around your lower back when sat in an office chair or on the sofa during the day.
Learn all about pregnancy scans and appointments and antenatal classes
At what week should you start using a pregnancy pillow?
You can start to use a pregnancy pillow as soon as feels comfortable. Your bump is likely to start growing more in your second trimester (from 13 weeks), so this is when you may want to use a pregnancy pillow to help with any aches and discomforts.
It's important to sleep on your side during pregnancy, particularly from 28 weeks as recommended by the NHS. You can start to use a pregnancy pillow earlier than this so you get into the habit of side sleeping.
And don't worry if you wake up on your back – just remember to turn over and go to sleep again on your side.
See our hospital bag checklist for the top items to have when giving birth
Is a C or U-shape pillow better for pregnancy?
The shape of your pregnancy pillow will depend on where you need support while you sleep and the space that you have:
- U-shaped pregnancy pillow These offer full-body support and wrap around the front and back of your body. This offers support to your bump and back. They are typically larger and take up more space in the bed.
- C-shaped pregnancy pillow These are good for placing underneath your bump but don't offer as much support to your spine. They tend to take up less space than U-shaped pregnancy pillows.
Pregnancy pillow vs nursing pillow: what's the difference?
A pregnancy pillow can help to reduce discomfort in your back, bump, hips and legs as your body changes shape during pregnancy. They tend to be larger and can offer full-body support.
A nursing pillow is designed to help with feeding your baby. Before breastfeeding or bottle feeding, wrap the pillow around your waist and rest your baby on top of the pillow.
Most pregnancy pillows we tested can be used after you've given birth as a nursing pillow, either by converting them to a different shape or using them in a different configuration. This can be helpful as it means you don't have to make another purchase once your baby arrives.