Best Pregnancy Pillows 2023: An Expecting Mom’s Search for Comfortable Sleep (and why the Body Nest isn’t just for pregnancy)

1. The best pregnancy pillow tried: Body Nest Cooling Pregnancy Pillow

★ Body Nest

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What I liked:

1. ✓

   Significantly improves sleep comfort

2. ✓

   2-in-1 reversible cover with cool jersey cotton and warm, plush minky fabric

3. ✓

   Fabric stays cool even after hours of use

4. ✓

   Provides excellent side, back, and leg support

5. ✓

   Full body “U shape”  is ideal for both pregnancy and non-pregnancy use

6. ✓

   Machine washable cover (but comes pre-washed)

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   Only available in one color

Author’s pick: Ranks #1 out of all pregnancy pillows

Out of all the pregnancy pillows I tried, I was most pleased with the Body Nest. It has everything I was looking for in a full-body pillow -- firm, supportive filling that contours to my body; high-quality workmanship; premium, cooling fabrics; and a shape that encourages me to fall asleep.

It also has several features that I wasn’t even expectating, but that now I can’t imagine being without. Having a removable, reversible cover is a huge plus, and it’s a feature that I haven’t seen on any other pregnancy pillow. One side of the Body Nest’s cover is plush, luxurious minky fabric (perfect for chilly autumn or winter nights), while the other is a soft, breathable jersey cotton that stays cool to the touch, even when you’ve been sleeping with this pillow all night. Especially during my third trimester, one of my main priorities was to stay cool, which is easier said than done with a massive belly! However, the Body Nest far surpassed my expectations and never made me feel too warm, no matter how many naps I took with it. The fabrics used in the cover are clearly of excellent quality, and they add to the premium feel of the Body Nest. Likewise, this pillow features double-stitched seams and durable, reversible YKK zippers on both the outer cover and the inner liner -- another feature that seems to be unique to the Body Nest.

The Body Nest U-shaped pillow is versatile enough to accommodate any kind of sleeper, but especially pregnant side sleepers. It offers excellent side and back support, including support for my growing belly when I had to sleep on my side. I could really feel the pillow contouring to my shape, but without collapsing or flattening out. Nor was it too firm, as I’ve experienced with some other full-body pillows. Thanks to the zipper on the inner liner, you can easily remove some of the filling if you need to, but I never considered having to do this -- it was the perfect height and firmness for me and my bump. It’s good to know that if the filling ever shifts, I can easily push it back into place, but this hasn’t been necessary so far.

From my experiences with various full-body pillows, the Body Nest’s U shape is the ideal configuration, as it offers maximum support for my entire body. It can also be reconfigured to prop myself up when I’m reading in bed, watching TV, or even breastfeeding. Nor is this pillow too long or bulky -- I can use it in bed without my husband feeling like he’s being pushed out!

The Body Nest pillow is clearly made to last, and I still sleep with it frequently, even though I’m no longer pregnant. I also lent the Body Nest to a friend to use after back surgery, and she raved about how glad she was to have borrowed it, and  even ordered her own for future use. It’s definitely not just for the nine months of pregnancy -- I’m confident that it would be a great help in relieving other types of joint pain, sciatica, fibromyalgia, and more.

The Body Nest is attractive and well-designed, so I don’t feel silly leaving it on my bed. It’s incredibly convenient that the outer cover is machine washable and can be removed just by unzipping the discreet, reversible YKK zipper that goes along the top edge of the pillow. Unlike some of others I’ve encountered, it’s easy to put the Body Nest’s cover back on after the wash, and the fabric doesn’t pill or deteriorate.

Although some people might prefer it if the Body Nest was sold in several different sizes, I’ve never had any issues with its dimensions (it’s 55” x 31” x 8”), and I’m of average height. I’ve also caught my 6-foot-tall husband having the occasional nap with the Body Nest, and it seems to fit him, as well. 

2. The Runner-Up: Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow

Leachco Snoogle

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What I liked:

1. ✓

   Firm filling contours to body shape

2. ✓

   Especially supportive for belly and legs

3. ✓

   Washable cover

4. ✓

   Works well as a nursing pillow

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   Polyester blend cover is somewhat scratchy

2. ✕

   Pillow tends to get hot

3. ✕

   Takes up a lot of space in bed

Although it’s not much to look at, the Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow was my next favorite after the Body Nest. It fulfilled most of what I was looking for in a pregnancy pillow, though with a few definite limitations.

On the positive side, the Leachco’s polyester fiberfill is firm yet contours to my body, and I like being able to tuck it between my legs, while also using it for belly and back support. It’s a good height for sliding under my belly and isn’t too overstuffed like some other pregnancy pillows I’ve encountered. I would have liked the pillow to be a little longer, and the C shape design was slightly awkward at first, but I got used to it fairly quickly. In general though, I prefer the U shape design, as it’s easier to get into a comfortable position and it doesn’t occupy so much space in the bed. 

According to the product description, the Leachco is supposed to help with heartburn, but luckily I’ve never had that particular problem so I can’t comment on its effectiveness. What I can report from personal experience is that the Leachco Snoogle also works well as a nursing pillow, and I’ve used it a few times to prop myself up in bed while breastfeeding.

Like the Body Nest, the Leachcho Snoogle has a removable, washable cover, although it’s not reversible. I’m a little wary of zipping and unzipping it too frequently, as the zipper doesn't look particularly sturdy. It‘s also quite a struggle to get the pillow back inside after washing the cover!

The cover material is a somewhat scratchy polyester blend, which is definitely a step down in quality compared to the Body Nest’s reversible minky/jersey cover. Leachco does carry a 100% cotton replacement cover, but I didn’t want to pay an additional $30 for a feature that should have been included with the original purchase.

I’ve also noticed that the Leachco can get a bit too hot if you use it for an extended period. This wouldn’t be a problem in the winter, but I know how important it is to stay cool when you’re pregnant during the summer months. Basically, I think I’ve gotten a bit spoiled because of how cool the Body Nest stays (especially with the cover flipped to the jersey fabric side).

3. Meiz Full Body Pregnancy Pillow

Meiz

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What I liked:

1. ✓

   Very plush microfiber cover (also machine washable)

2. ✓

   Available in multiple colors and lengths

3. ✓

   Can be twisted into many different configurations

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   Difficult to squeeze pillow into cover after washing

2. ✕

   Too large for a full/queen bed when sharing with a partner

3. ✕

   Filling tends to form lumps and flatten out in certain areas

Overall, my experience with the Meiz pregnancy pillow was mostly positive, and it has a lot of good design features. I like that the Meiz comes in a variety of attractive colors, and the outer velvety cover is included in the cost of the pillow (unlike the Leachco). This cover is machine washable, although I wouldn’t wash it too frequently. I think the velvet could start to lose some of its softness with excessive washes -- not to mention how much of a struggle it is to squeeze the pillow back into the cover. Having an alternative to the thick velvet material would also be a plus, as I would imagine this could get quite sweaty in the summer. Microfiber doesn’t tend to breathe particularly well.

Perhaps it was just my particular pillow, but I wasn’t hugely impressed with the filling. It’s a lot lumpier than I had expected, and it requires quite a bit of fluffing to get it to even out.  It also took several days to expand to its proper size after arriving vacuum packaged. And although at first this pillow seemed quite firm, it’s lost some of its height over time, and the filling shifts pretty significantly. This wouldn’t be a major problem except for how much the top of the “U” has flattened out, which is exactly where my head should be resting. I wish the filling would have stayed put better in that section so that I could have had more support for my head and neck.

That being said, the Meiz pillow does have a lot of uses, and it can be twisted into all sorts of positions. Besides sleeping with it in bed, I’ve used it on the couch and even on the floor. It’s great for propping up my legs when they feel particularly achey, and I can wrap it around myself to keep my back nicely cushioned.

The Meiz pillow comes in three lengths (55”, 60”, and 65”), which I’m sure is a plus for people who are above or below average height. I ordered the 55” pillow, which was probably the correct size for me. However, you should be aware that regardless of the length you choose, this is a really wide pillow. This could be a positive if you want something that feels like it’s enveloping you from all sides. However, I found the Meiz pillow to be a little too wide. It made me feel a tad claustrophobic, as I don’t particularly enjoy the sensation of being bundled up. If I was sleeping by myself, this wouldn’t be much of an issue, as I could just spread the pillow out a bit more. However, when sleeping next to my husband, the Meiz pillow occupies far more than half of our full-size bed. Let’s just say that he’s not a big fan!

4. Queen Rose Pregnancy Body Pillow

Queen Rose

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What I liked:

1. ✓

   Can be ordered with a velvet, cotton, bamboo, or satin cover

2. ✓

   Three different length options (55”, 60”, 65”)

3. ✓

   Versatile U shape can be repositioned for reading, breastfeeding, etc.

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   A bit too high for optimal head/neck comfort

2. ✕

   Excessively firm and overstuffed

3. ✕

   Velvet cover retains heat and can get sweaty

In many ways, the Queen Rose pregnancy pillow is similar to the Body Nest, but slightly less comfortable. There are several different covers (bamboo, cotton, satin, and velour) that you can order with this pillow, although not all of the covers are available for every length, so pay close attention to which product you’re ordering. I chose the velour cover, which may not have been the best choice in retrospect. Like the Meiz pillow cover, this type of material seems to absorb a huge amount of heat. Although it’s nice and cozy on cool nights, it can feel a bit suffocating (not to mention sweaty) when temperatures are warmer. I think that a reversible cotton/microfiber cover should be more common -- so far, the only pregnancy pillow I’ve seen with this feature is the Body Nest.

Despite the apparently standardized sizes (it’s available in 55”, 60”, and 65” lengths), the Queen Rose pillow seems to run small, so I would recommend the 60” pillow for people of average height -- the 55” didn’t quite extend long enough for me to rely on it for leg support. If you’re on the tall side, I think you’ll probably need the 65” size.

Like the Body Nest, the Queen Rose pregnancy pillow has a U shape design that you can wrap around yourself or twist into any position, so it’s helpful for sitting up in bed to read or breastfeed.

This pillow is very well stuffed with the standard polyester fiberfill.  In fact, it’s a bit too overstuffed for my liking. Although I’m glad that the Queen Rose hasn’t started to flatten out or lose its shape, I would have preferred something a bit squishier, while still being supportive. It sometimes feels like I’m wrestling with the pillow in order to get it into a comfortable arrangement.

At least in my experience, the overstuffed filling means that it’s a little too tall, and it pushes my head up at a pretty steep angle. Interestingly, this is the exact opposite problem from the Meiz pillow -- that one has too little filling in the head/neck area, while the Queen Rose has too much! Helpfully, like the Body Nest, you can use the inner zipper to remove or reposition some of the filling in the Queen Rose pillow. However, this isn’t ideal when I’m tired and want to fall asleep as soon as I get into bed. I usually just apply some pressure to try to flatten it out a bit, or sometimes I flip the whole thing upside down (so that the U shape is at my feet) and use a regular pillow for my head.

5. PharMeDoc Pregnancy Pillow

PharMeDoc

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What I liked:

1. ✓

   Acceptable budget option

2. ✓

   Not overwhelmingly large

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   Needs regular fluffing as filling shifts and becomes lumpy

2. ✕

   Cotton cover began deteriorating after several washes

3. ✕

   Double-stitched seams are weak

4. ✕

   Flimsy zipper tends to snag

The PharMeDoc seems to be one of the more popular pregnancy pillows at the moment. For a budget option, the PharMeDoc is fairly comfy -- it’s medium-firm and can be rearranged in many different ways to help you find the optimal sleeping position. The filling in the PharMeDoc has a tendency to shift and become lumpy, so it needs fairly regular fluffing to stay comfortable and supportive.

Although I generally prefer U shaped pillows, such as the Body Nest, I can see the appeal of the PharMeDoc’s C shape design. It’s not as overwhelmingly large as some of the other pillows I tried. This is good in terms of not feeling smothered, but the pillow isn’t as long as I would have liked. Although it’s good for supporting my neck, back, and belly, I have to bend my knees fairly significantly in order to benefit from any leg support.

Although the PharMeDoc maternity pillow is similar to the Leachco Snoogle in terms of design, I don’t think it has quite the same standard of quality. The allegedly double-stitched seams are not very strong, and I noticed them starting to weaken and come apart after only two washes. I think that if I used the PharMeDoc on a more regular basis, I would almost certainly have to get my sewing kit out to make some repairs. The PharMeDoc’s zipper is also far flimsier than those on some of the other pillows, particularly the Body Nest. I have to take extra care when zipping or unzipping the cover, as it tends to snag on the material if I do it too quickly.

The PharMeDoc has a washable cotton jersey cover that comes in several different pastel colors, as well as grey and light grey. Compared to some of the other products I tried, it’s actually relatively easy to remove and reinsert the pillow into the cover. Unfortunately, I noticed that after several washes, the fabric began to “pill,” which made it feel a lot rougher on my skin than when I first started using it. Interestingly, I’ve never had this problem with the Body Nest, which also has cotton jersey fabric on one side of the cover. If I was going to use the PharMeDoc long term, investing in an additional cover (perhaps velvet or microfiber) would be necessary, as the jersey fabric started to irritate my skin as it became rougher and scratchier.

6. Cozy Bump - A Pregnancy Pillow

Cozy Bump

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What I liked:

1. ✓

   Allows you to lie on your stomach

2. ✓

   Works great as a pool float

3. ✓

   Makes you feel a little “less pregnant”

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   Not helpful for side sleeping

2. ✕

   Too large and cumbersome to use in bed

3. ✕

   Squashes your chest

4. ✕

   Lack of headrest cutout forces you to twist your neck

Although it didn’t work out for me, I have to give the Cozy Bump credit for being different from other pregnancy pillows in practically every way. I almost wouldn’t put it in the same category as other pregnancy pillows because it’s designed for a very specific purpose -- lying prone on your front.

As opposed to most full-body pillows that are stuffed with the standard polyester filling, the Cozy Bump is more like an inflatable mattress than a pillow. You’ll need an air mattress pump to inflate it, but this can be done quickly and easily. The plasticky material is similar to what you would find on an air bed, so you’ll likely want to throw a sheet on top of it.

Although there are a few design flaws, the overall concept is clever, and I like how it gives pregnant women the ability to sleep on their stomach, which would otherwise be impossible. According to the product description, this position is supposed to have myriad health benefits, including decompressing your lower back, improving blood flow, and even helping the baby flip into the correct birthing position. As I’m not an OB/GYN, I can’t comment on any of these claims, but it did feel relaxing to lie on my front for a little while, and the Cozy Bump did take away some of the constant pressure that comes with being pregnant. On a more practical level, though, there’s just no way that I would be able to sleep through the night with this pillow.

One of its most interesting design features is that the Cozy Bump pillow has two different “belly holes” of different sizes; you just flip it over depending on how big your belly is. Unfortunately, the side with the larger hole is plain plastic, without the layer of velvet fabric. More concerningly, I found it quite difficult to get myself out of the Cozy Bump -- it required quite a lot of effort, and I was concerned about the stress this placed on my abdomen during my third trimester.

In my experience, sleeping on my stomach just doesn’t feel natural. I’ve never enjoyed it, pregnant or not! However, if you do enjoy this position, then the Cozy Bump could be the perfect pillow for you. Just a word of caution about the “chest cutout”: I couldn’t avoid the feeling that it was compressing my front. I’m not exactly large in that area, so I can’t imagine that it would be comfortable for a pregnant woman with a large bust!

The headrest portion of the Cozy  Bump inflates and deflates separately, so you can add one or two of your own pillows. Unfortunately, there’s no cutout for your face in case you want to sleep face down, so you have to crane your neck to one side or the other. And although this pillow is supposed to help you fill up your lungs with more air, I actually found it quite difficult to breathe while lying in the prone position with my neck twisted to the side.

It feels a little ridiculous to use this gigantic inflatable pillow on top of the bed, but the Cozy Bump does make a great pool float. If I had my own pool, I’m sure that I would constantly use the Cozy Bump to float around and feel light and weightless. As it happens, it’s definitely too bulky to bring to a public pool (and it requires a pump to inflate), so I’ve only managed to enjoy this aspect of the Cozy Bump a few times at my in-laws’ backyard pool.