6 Signs You Seriously Need a Body Pillow During Pregnancy

Pregnancy brings transformation both physically and emotionally. Each day of these 9 months, a woman feels her body is changing, making comfort a daily challenge. As the baby grows, this discomfort and pain get more intense, especially during sleep, where finding the right position almost becomes impossible. Although experts recommend various bedding solutions, using a full-sized body pillow for pregnancy has its own advantages. 

These are specialized body pillows especially designed for pregnant women, offering extended support to the back, belly, hips, and legs to relieve pressure and promote better sleep throughout each trimester. As per a report, the global market share of pregnancy pillows alone surpassed $688.81 million in 2024, with expectations to reach $879.34 million by the end of 2032. 

So, all the expectant mothers out there feeling discomfort during pregnancy, here are the six major signs you urgently need to invest in a body pillow!

Sign #1: You struggle to Sleep on the Side, especially left 

Doctors often advise pregnant women to sleep on their left side. This position improves blood flow to the uterus, kidneys, and fetus. It also minimizes pressure on the inferior vena cava, a critical vein that returns blood from the lower body to the heart. The best body pillow for pregnant women provides extra support to the spine, hips, and shoulders, making sleep much easier and comfortable. 

• Position yourself so that the pillow lies between your knees and underneath your belly.

• This will support the body in a neutral posture and avoid strain or discomfort.

Image Source: Yandex

Sign #2. Your Belly Feels Heavy or Unsupported While Lying Down

With the enlarging uterus weighing down the front, especially in the second trimester (i.e., from the 13th to the 27th week), an anterior weight shift might lead to:

• Pelvic pressure.

• Round ligament pain.

• Low back strain.

• Lying flat creates that heavy-pulling stretching feeling on the belly.

Why a body pillow helps:

A body pillow for maternity supports the abdomen gently by lifting and cradling the belly. This way, ligaments are relieved from strain, and weight distribution is greater even while you are resting. 

• Support of the belly minimizes the chances of sharp, stabbing pain linked with stretching of the round ligaments, a common complaint from women in the mid-to-late stages of pregnancy.

Sign #3: You feel Consistent back pain

The American Pregnancy Association mentioned that about 50-70% of pregnant women deal with back pain, particularly in the lumbar and sacral regions. The shift in center of gravity, the joints having loosened due to relaxin hormone, and bad sleeping posture, all these contribute to the discomfort.

For instance, if you:

• Wake up with stiffness in your lower back.

• Experience difficulty in sitting, standing, or walking for extended periods.

• Notice the pain gets worse late at night and early in the morning

This means your body needs some support from you. This is where body pillows for pregnant women can help:

• They alleviate pain by aligning the spine and keeping the hips neutral so that there is relatively less pressure on the lumbar and sacroiliac joints. 

• If properly used, they also alleviate tension in the lower lumbar muscles and promote the natural curvature of the spine during sleep.

Sign #4. Hip or Pelvic Pain Occurs (More at Night)

As the uterus grows and hormones swing hither, hip joints and pains in the pelvic girdle come along. The syndrome is usually referred to as pelvic girdle pain (PGP) or symphyseal pain when the pubic symphysis becomes unstable.

Symptoms are:

• Groin and inner thigh pain.

• Clicking or grinding sensations in the pelvic joints.

• Hip pain traveling toward the legs or buttocks

Why a body pillow is helpful in such circumstances

The best body pillow for pregnant women separates the knees and aligns the hips, to release pressure from the sacroiliac joints and pubic symphysis from stress. It reduces rotation and pressure that may worsen the pelvic instability while sleeping on the side. For women with sciatic irritation, this alignment may also ease the referred pain going down the leg.

5. Edema(Swelling) Is Increasing in the Legs or Feet

Increases in edema in the legs during the third trimester are common. They are often precipitated by:

• Bad venous return from the legs.

• Compression from the enlarging uterus on the pelvic veins.

• Sitting or lying down for an extended time.

If your feet and ankles appear puffy at night or if you wake up with tight skin around your calves, the body might be dealing with issues of retention and circulation.

Image Source: MedCline

Why Use a Body Pillow:

• A body pillow elevates the legs slightly to enhance venous return and lymphatic drainage. This alleviates pressure buildup that occurs when you are lying down and promotes healthier circulation during sleep. 

• Alongside sleeping, especially on the left, this method remains among the most effective non-medical approaches to reduce edema and nighttime leg cramps.

Sign #6: You Keep Waking Up Due to Some Form of Discomfort or Numbness

Frequent nighttime wakeups are too common during pregnancy. However, they need not always be associated with pain or discomfort. If you wake up because:

• Your arm is numb from awkward positioning.

• Your back hurts.

• You just cannot get comfortable despite having turned and changed positions several times all night long.

All these are compelling signals to readjust your sleep ergonomics. 

• The right pregnancy body pillow takes shape according to you and evenly distributes your body pressure, creating less possibility for pinched nerves or circulation cut-off. 

• It provides cervical support, limb support, and back cushioning. Less tossing and turning means more deep sleep, which is crucial for building up your immune system, balancing your hormones, and developing the fetus.

Conclusion 

Pregnancy is one of the greatest blessings from God. Although it comes with a lot of struggles and challenges, it marks the beginning of a new journey. Whether it’s spinal misalignment, pelvic discomfort, or disrupted sleep, these six signs mean that your body is asking for additional support. The best body pillow for pregnant women not only promotes comfort but can also contribute significantly to your parental well-being. It improves circulation, takes the pressure off the musculoskeletal system, and prevents the worsening of pregnancy problems.

Looking for a high-quality pillow for maternity? Try the MedCline Therapeutic Pregnancy Body Pillow designed for pregnant women who experience discomfort, swelling, or side-sleeping difficulties throughout pregnancy. Most women start getting the full benefit of the pillow around week 20, when the baby bump is growing and proper spinal alignment becomes crucial for sleeping.