The best pregnancy pillows for comfort and support, tested by real mums-to-be

Tested by hub editor Stephanie Spencer

If you're thinking a U shaped pillow will work best for you then I can personally recommend the CuddleCo 12ft deluxe pillow. This is large enough that you can comfortably sleep with your head in the centre of the pillow, one side supporting your back and the other with your knees tucked around it to help keep your spine aligned and reduce back pain.

I find it being at my back quite reassuring, both in helping me to stay comfortable on my side, and feeling like I'm not going to roll onto my back. It's soft enough for bump to rest on it without feeling squashed, although it can sometimes need a shake to redistribute the filling, particularly at the top where it 'folds' in half.

The cover is made from certified organic cotton and hasn't been bleached or dyed with nasty harmful chemicals which I found reassuring.

Now, while this is the one that I loved, I completely understand that it won't work for everyone, it is huge and my husband does feel a bit left out when I'm snuggled inside, but I'm sleeping a lot better and that is the main thing! The cover is washable, but if would be good if it came with a spare as 12ft pillowcases are not easy to come by.

Created using in-depth consumer research, the Purflo Breathe Pillow features 3D spacer mesh and soft cotton to provide a comfortable maternity pillow. It's particularly versatile, and our tester noted that it "moves with your body." This allows it to support and relieve pressure from your head, hips, knees and ankles. It can also be used as a back support, a feeding cushion and a baby support cushion for tummy time so offers good value for money.

The 3D spacer mesh also allows for better airflow so in theory it should be a good option if you're looking for the best cooling pregnancy pillow. However, our tester didn't notice any significant difference. "I haven’t found the mesh section to offer any additional comfort for my bump area and think the pillow would work just as well if it were all jersey" she said.

Our reviewers found that this pillow offered support in all the right places and was particularly highly recommended for pelvic pain, with our tester saying "I have Pelvic Girdle Pain and must sleep with my knees separated, the Purflo Breathe pillow is firm and keeps my legs aligned with my hips so I don’t wake up in pain. It’s long enough for me to move my legs around while still maintaining a comfortable position, unlike other pregnancy pillows which keep you stuck in one position."

However, she did note that while it was ideal for hip pain, this did make it less suitable for bump or back support. "The only change I would make is that it would be nice to have some support under my bump, it’s too wide and firm to fit underneath. I also need to use an additional pillow behind my back, but it’s still worth it for how well it supports my hips."

Read our full Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow review

The Kally Body Support Pillow is a highly comfortable and attractive pregnancy pillow designed to enhance sleep quality for expectant mothers. Ergonomically designed by osteopaths, its curved shape snugly fits around the body, supporting the bump and alleviating aches and pains, improving circulation, and preventing acid reflux and indigestion. Our mum tester, Leah found this helped with her pregnancy aches and pains, saying, "My aches were a lot less, particularly in my arms and legs."

In testing, the Kally pregnancy pillow scored highly for ease of use and comfort. "Taking the pillow to bed each night, it soon became part of my routine to snuggle up to it, wrapping my right leg over and left leg under for that extra bit of comfort. As the pillow is quite long, I also occasionally rested my head on it, which helped keep my neck aligned with the rest of my body" Leah said. She did note that there's no back support but still felt this pillow offered good value for money.

One of our favourite features is the anti-allergy-treated fibres that help to protect against bacteria and the breathable cotton outer layer, which keeps you perfectly cool - great for helping to prevent pregnancy night sweats. You can also easily use this prenatal pillow as a breastfeeding pillow once the baby arrives, too.

It's on the firmer side, which some reviewers really enjoy, but others may not. It also needs a good shake every now and then to redistribute the filling. Our mum tester also felt it took up a lot of space so is better suited to those with beds larger than a double.

Read our full Kally Body Support Pregnancy Pillow review

This bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow is one of the more expensive options on our list, but we believe it's worth the extra cash. It's designed by health professionals, is fully adjustable and provides five-point support throughout pregnancy to the most critical areas - the pelvis, lower back, knees, ankles, and abdomen - so while it has a higher price tag than others, it ticks a lot of boxes that pregnant mums are looking for.

Our Features and Reviews Editor, Emily, described this pillow as feeling like "you're sleeping on a cloud" as it moulds around the body for support where you need it most, making it easier to relax and get comfortable during pregnancy. She added, "The difference I have noticed since using the bbhugme pillow at night - especially as my pregnancy progresses - has been huge for me. It's so comfortable to snuggle into, and my body feels much less achy when I wake up, thanks to all the support I'm receiving."

While testing, Emily did find that pillow can be tricky to put the pillow into the cover, but like Emily, this is a job you can delegate! "It's a little awkward to do admittedly, but easy enough with a bit of manoeuvring."

This pillow can be adjusted for firmness by moving the 'pebbles' which hold it at each end, tightening them to push the inner beads together for a firmer pillow or loosening them to create a more mouldable pillow. This allows you to find a comfort level that suits you and our tester felt this was one of the main USPs of the bbhugme pillow.

We love that it enables sleep and rest from the first trimester. Our favourite features are the removable cover and handy travel-sized bag, but it does take up quite a bit of room in the bed.

Read our full bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow review

The Najell adjustable pregnancy pillow is made from two smaller nursing pillows to make a larger pillow which can then be adjusted according to your shape and needs. Our pregnant tester, Sam did find it slightly awkward to adjust at first, saying "the only issue is trying to adjust it to suit your bump, in the first week it did feel quite firm so it required a lot of squishing and repositioning to get it just right for my comfort, and to support my bump shape." However, as she notes, the fact that it is adjustable in the first place is a bonus as it allows it to be adapted to change different bodies and different needs.

This design also means it takes up less space when not in use, and our tester found that this made it easier to take on nights away, saying "it rolled up really well into its storage bag and fit in my overnight bag with ease!"

The two pillow design means it can be used as both a pregnancy pillow and a breastfeeding pillow after birth which makes it better value for money. Our tester also rated the Najell highly in terms of durability and longevity, noting that "I've been using this pillow for almost three months now, and it still feels and looks as good as the day I first got it. I really think it will last the duration of my pregnancy, as well as when I give birth and feed my baby."

Read our full Najell Pregnancy Pillow review

The Dreamgenii pregnancy pillow has a patented design that supports your bump, back and knees. It also helps you to lie on your left side - one of the best positions for you and your baby, according to the NHS - while supporting the rest of your body at the same time. If you naturally sleep on your back, getting comfortable in this new position can be difficult and our testers found this pillow helpful. 

Sophie noted that she found it particularly helpful for back and hip pain, "I started using the Dreamgenii Pregnancy, Support and Feeding Pillow when I was 24 weeks pregnant. I had been suffering from back and hip pain for a while, so I was so thankful to find a product that would help me get comfy at night."

Testers appreciated the practicality of the pillow and its versatility as a post-natal pillow, with Sophie saying "It's easy to wash the cover, and I used it while Eli was tiny to support him as he laid next to me on the bed during the day, too."

Read our full Dreamgenii Pregnancy Support and Feeding Pillow review

This uniquely J-shaped pillow (designed by a team of respected health experts) seamlessly curves around your pregnant figure and growing bump, and thanks to its innovative KneeBlade™ design, it will help you settle into the correct sleeping position.

Taking the pressure off your hips, legs and ankles, the SnüzCurve Pregnancy Support Pillow also supports the upper body, keeps your spine neutral, relieves pressure on the bump and keeps you comfy. Our testers found that this pillow helped relieve pregnancy pains and left them feeling refreshed and well-rested after sleep.

Our tester dubbed this pregnancy pillow "a godsend", noting that "within a couple of nights, I noticed my back and knee pains started to disappear. The quality and length of my sleep improved also."

Testers rated it highly for practicality, saying "It was really easy to unpack and get used to using. I have used it every night since I unboxed it and wash the cover every time I wash the bed sheets."

However, it might not be suitable if you're a natural back sleeper and need a pregnancy pillow to stop you rolling onto your back. Our tester noted that the lack of back support was an issue as she moved into her third trimester, "I am now 28 weeks pregnant and have only just found this pillow to not be as effective for me, as it doesn’t stop me from rolling onto my back in my sleep."

Read our full SnüzCurve Pregnancy Support Pillow review

If you've recently noticed you're feeling some aches and pains in your back, hips, knees, neck and head in the morning during pregnancy, then this pillow might be just what you're looking for. The Pharmedoc The CeeCee C-shaped pillow offers full body support and claims to help with a range of issues, including sciatica, swollen legs and back pain. Reviewers particularly noted that it helped with hip pain.

We love the shape of this pillow, which wraps around you fully to support head, back, bump and legs - reviewers describe it feeling "like the nicest hug in the world." However, because of this design, it does take up more than your side of the bed so would be best suited to a King size bed.

Reviewers say this pillow is ultra-comfortable, and having the detachable cover makes keeping it fresh as easy as can be. The 100% cotton jersey fabric is gentle on your skin, machine-washable and comfortable to lay on - with the added bonus that it can be used on your bed, sofa or floor. This means it's likely to be a pillow you use long after baby's here. "My husband loves the pillow too. Sometimes when I come to bed late I have to pull it off him as he falls asleep. I know after I give birth, he's going to use it more than me," said one reviewer.

Some taller mums-to-be did note that it wasn't quite long enough to support them as they'd hoped and that the stuffing may need redistributing every now and then.

The OCCObaby Pregnancy Wedge Pillow is especially designed for mums in the third trimester to improve circulation and reducing any swelling in the hands, legs, and feet – something many mums suffer with during pregnancy. The wedge design means you can use it to target localised pain, for instance, by supporting the belly, using it between the knees to help with hip pain, or popping it behind your back to support you while you sleep. Our tester noted that it was particularly lightweight so could be easier to move around in the night for different needs. "It’s really lightweight and small, so will be easy to roll over with in the middle of the night without causing me any frustration or waking up my husband", she said.

Its innovative design includes micro-holes in the foam for air ventilation, ensuring a cooling and comfortable nap, day and night. With soft memory foam on one side and firm foam on the other, it's designed to allow you to customise each sleep to you and how your body is feeling but our tester didn't see a huge difference. "I’m not sure I’m getting lots from the ‘versatile 2-sided support’ that it is marketed as having – both sides feel largely the same when I am using it despite them supposedly having different foams i.e. one a memory foam and the other a firm foam" she said.

The pillow is portable and comes with a travel bag, making it convenient for use at home, in the car, or at the office. Our pregnant tester appreciated this, "I can really easily take it places with me because it’s so compact and comes with a nice bag to put it in. It’s also incredibly easy to take the cover off to clean it" she said.

Our tester noted that it won't offer full body support but that this could "relieve the back pain of the ‘pulling’ bump" in later months. The design of the OCCObaby also makes it one of the best pregnancy pillows for an office chair and our tester said "I’ve been using it as a back support at my desk and it’s doubled up in that function well."

Read our full OCCOBaby Pregnancy Wedge Pillow review

If the look and feel are your top priority, DockATot's Cosset body pillow is designed to look good and feel good during pregnancy and beyond. Beautifully created, as with most DockATot products, the Cosset body pillow is also functional and made up using Suprelle Duo Fibres to offer a comfortable and supportive sleep throughout your pregnancy.

Our tester found the I-shape design comfortable, noting it supported her leg/hips and kept her on her left side. "I placed the body pillow vertically next to me so I can lay on my left side and hug the pillow - I keep a section between my thighs or rest my top thigh on the pillow." She also found it comfortable when sitting up, saying "another useful position when you're not sleeping but looking to get comfortable is that the DockATot Cosset can be used to support the lower back whilst seated and under the belly for bump support." As she points out, this means it will also be useful for feeding when baby arrives. "I know it will aid lumbar support during night feeds when my baby is here."

We love that this isn't your standard pregnancy pillow but rather a gorgeous addition to your bedroom and although our tester found the tassels a bit annoying and unnecessary, she did like that "it can just be kept on the bedpost during pregnancy, sitting looking pretty."

Read our full DockATot Cosset body pillow review

If good value is important to you, or you don't want to shell out for something you'll only use for a short period of time, the sleepdove Big U might be the pregnancy pillow for you. A U-shaped pillow, it offers neck and back support for mums-to-be sleeping on their side. It is filled with soft, supportive, luxury, non-allergenic hollow fibres, ensuring a comfortable sleep experience. The pillow comes with a white cotton zipped cover which is removable for cleaning.

At 12ft, it's one of the larger pillows on our list which had pros and cons for our tester, who noted "Given the size of this 12ft u-shaped pillow, it’s a bit heavy to take on and off the bed, but having said that, the size is what makes it half as good as it is".

Due to the size, our tester did find it difficult to get the cover on so it might be best to have help when doing this. However, once the cover was on, she found her sleep improved. "It’s incredibly soft and supports both my back and my belly in all kinds of positions. For the first time in weeks I was able to sleep through the night which I was so grateful for!"

It's also available in a 9ft size which our tester felt might have been sufficient for her size so this is something to consider.

One pregnant mum tester who was struggling with pelvic pain during her pregnancy said, "I had my first good night's sleep since being pregnant" when using this pillow. The pillow can be used both on its front and back, making it easy to turn from left to right in bed, and although the size made it a bit challenging to fit into the cover, mums were overall impressed with this pillow.

Read our full sleepdove Big U Maternity Pillow review

The biggest selling point of the Simba Cooling Pillow is, you guessed it, its cooling properties, designed to keep pregnant people who are trying to sleep in those hot summer months cooler throughout the night. This is thanks to its Stratos® cool-touch tech which keeps the pillow cool to the touch and is breathable to quickly wick away any sweat and keep your skin cool and dry. Our tester found this particularly helpful in the summer months when she was in her third trimester, saying "this worked a dream on hot nights and I was so pleased to discover that it remained cool to touch throughout the night. This was a huge positive to the use of the product and hugely contributed to a more enjoyable sleep."

Aside from the cooling effects, the Simba is designed to support your leg and hips and keep the spine aligned. It is fairly deep and firm and as our tester is petite she felt that the pillow would provide more comfort to taller women. If you're a natural back sleeper you might find the lack of back support an issue, though our tester felt this was "easily fixed using other bedding pillows to support the use of the Simba."

If you're struggling to sleep because of the heat, it might be worth swapping your pillowcases for one of the best cooling pillowcases too.

Read our full Simba Cooling Body Pillow review