By When you intend to buy a maternity pillow, make sure you check the following features to choose the best maternity pillow among the models available in the market.
Design
Maternity pillow must adapt to the shape of the woman and provide a perfect fit to all parts of the body. The legs, back, neck, hips or the bulging belly must receive the adequate support to experience the maximum comfort.
Depending on the shape, the maternity pillow supports different areas of the body. There are wedge-shaped pillows that offer resistance to the belly when lying on its side. Others, called full body, are shaped like a long horseshoe and can accommodate the entire area of the neck, back and belly. Other models are in the form of a tube or filled cylinder, called tubular pillows, can offer support to the belly or back. There are also some models that combine two pillows, in the form of C, joined by a velcro, to offer the joint support to the lumbar and abdominal area.
Material
The filling material establishes the softness or firmness of the maternity pillow, as well as determining the possibility of provoking the allergies or feeling dissatisfied in its contact with the skin, however, most of them have a firm, soft and hypoallergenic coverage, which makes it comfortable and safe to use.
We can find maternity pillow filled with viscoelastic, which fits perfectly to the body forms in each movement, reduces pressure points and provides good support and comfort. Another material par excellence is the latex or gel, which has good consistency to offer good support and has effective resistance to mites and moisture. Cotton and polyester are materials that are economical and resistant, comfortable and soft to the touch and are mostly hypoallergenic.
Size
Pillows for pregnant women have a diversity of shapes and designs, and also have a variety of sizes to suit all needs and tastes. Some can be very long, with lengths of almost 2 meters, very flexible, like the tubular ones, or that keep their shape like those of full body. These help to achieve a comfortable posture and a peaceful sleep, but due to their large size, they can be inconvenient for the rest of the day or even bother the couple because of the large space they occupy in bed.
In these cases, the wedge or C-shaped maternity pillows, although they are more specifically used for the abdomen or back, also offer comfort and relief and are equivalent, in size, to a conventional pillow.
To the exhausting experience of the pregnancy, that supposes for all woman, the physical changes that are generated are also united, in addition to the emotional load that is generated. That is why reaching a restful sleep is sometimes not easy, especially as the pregnancy progresses, any position becomes uncomfortable. In this case a maternity pillow is a great ally of yours.
Within the options of the best maternity pillows that are available in the market, before making your decision, keep in mind the following characteristics to make a better choice.
Shape and Design
For maximum comfort, the maternity pillow should allow the adaptation of the woman’s body, so that the neck, back, legs and hips can obtain the adequate support.
By its shape, we can find several types of maternity pillows, as they can be wedge-shaped, so that the belly is perfectly placed while it is on its side. You can also find full body maternity pillows, which are usually horseshoe shaped.
Other models are in the form of tubes or filled cylinders, also called tubular pillows for special support of the belly or back and that can be placed perfectly in bed.
Finally, we also find the maternity pillows, which are in the form of C, which is a combination of the two pillows, for better support of the lower back and abdomen.
Materials
The material that is usually found in maternity pillows is a viscoelastic filling, latex or gel, and cotton and polyester. What you should look for is the quality, softness of the pillow and to the features to avoid the problems of allergies, for that reason you have to look for the ones with materials that are soft and hypoallergenic, that fight mites and humidity, but above all that give a good support and are 100% adjustable to the shape of the body.
Appropriate Size
There are different shapes, sizes and designs of the maternity pillows. Some models can measure up to 2 meters, like the tubular ones and that support the whole body. Thanks to its flexibility, you can get a good night’s sleep and a comfortable position to sleep in bed, but due to its dimensions, it can be impractical to use it in other rooms of the house.
The other models are more similar to the size of a conventional pillow. They are usually pillows that have a wedge shape, or that form a C, more prepared for the support of the belly or back, but they are equally comfortable.
