The Best Pregnancy Pillows, According To Our Expecting Testers (2025)

Getting a good night’s sleep can be a real challenge when you’re expecting, but the right sleep setup often offers a major dose of relief to pregnant parents. The best pregnancy pillows help you to snooze in an ideal side sleeping position, while different shapes are designed to alleviate pressure from the different parts of your body that may be getting sore as you sleep—like your hips, knees or baby bump. After rigorous panel testing, our testers’ top pick is the U-shaped Queen Rose Pregnancy Pillow for its overall supportiveness. Of course, depending on your sleep style and personal needs, a different pillow shape might suit you better, so we included four more pregnancy pillows that our testers also liked.

Here’s the full lineup of best pregnancy pillows, according to our panel of seven expecting testers (including myself):

“There are a ton of pregnancy pillows available on the market, and the first thing you should assess is whether or not you need a pregnancy pillow and what you are using it for,” says Dr. Ashley Comfort, M.D., an obstetrician and medical director at Oula. “For example, are you looking for back support while resting at night, or do you need more back or belly support? The key features to consider include the shape and size, the material and the support needs.”

Read on for an in-depth look at each of our best pregnancy pillows picks, as well as a guide to picking the right pillow for you.

We selected a U-shape pillow to be our best overall because this style provides pregnant people with the most support, and they’re somewhat better for moms who toss and turn in the night—which is many of our pregnant testers. The Queen Rose Pregnancy Pillow in particular is available with a lot of options to help you get more comfortable, including three sizes (55-inch, 60-inch and 65-inch) as well as different pillow case fabric options (cooling, satin, cotton and velvet).

The Right Support—Even For Restless Sleepers

Our 5-foot-9 tester, who tested the 65-inch version found this pillow to be her favorite, reporting that it gave her support from her knees to her feet, helping to align her pelvis. I also tested this pillow, and at 5 foot 3, I tried the 60-inch version and also found it to be plenty supportive for my hips and head, although a little bulky. I also toss and turn a lot, so I appreciated that I could just throw my leg over the top of both sides of this pillow without repositioning it.

However, a U-shape might not be for everyone: A third tester called this pillow great for lounging, but ultimately preferred a wedge-style pillow for sleeping. It’s worth noting that the manufacturer recommends that you wait a full 48 hours for the Queen Rose pillow to fluff up before using it.

Although we’ve named this the best J-shaped pregnancy pillow, the Leachco Snoogle can really be used as a C-shaped pillow or even curled up into a circle that supports just the upper body. “If you suffer from acid reflux or heartburn, using a pregnancy pillow that allows you to be in a reclined position can help keep these symptoms at bay,” says Baillie McArthur, doula and owner of Hi Baby! Maternity Concierge & Doula Services.

Use It At Night Or While Lounging

Although the Leacho Snoogle is pretty flexible, our testers found that it’s still quite supportive, allowing for a comfortable position of the hips and knees, and didn’t require an additional head pillow. However, it’s worth noting that our 5-foot-9 tester found it a touch small, so it may not be right for taller women. This style of pillow is also not ideal if you toss and turn a lot—something I struggled with to a degree when using this pillow.

Depending on where you shop you may see different names like “Snoogle Plush” or “Snoogle Chic.” These names usually refer to the various pillow case fabrics that are available for this model. For example, the “Supreme” is a cotton cover and the “Chic” collection features prints in cotton or a cotton/polyester blend, while the “Jersey” is a T-shirt like material in a cotton or a cotton/polyester blend. You can also find extra covers sold separately. However, it’s worth noting that the Snoogle Signature is a slightly longer version of this pillow sold only at Target (we did not test this version).

Say Goodbye To Sweaty Sleep With This Extra Cooling Pillow

Night sweats can be an issue for some pregnant women, but Hugl body pillow’s cooling cover really keeps things cooler. As one of the testers of this pillow, I actually found it to be slightly too cooling in the depths of New York winter, although otherwise it’s among my favorite pregnancy pillows. “I haven’t felt sweaty or hot while using the pillow,” says another tester. She found it more comfortable to flip the pillow so that her head was at the opening of the U, and use a different pillow for her head.

The cover is easy to remove thanks to an extra-long zipper, and can be machine-washed. The fabric is a polyethylene material, which both myself and another tester found to be quite soft and comfortable against the skin, but if you dislike synthetic fabrics, this might be an issue for you.

Another feature that I really like about the Plufl Hugl is that it has loops and snaps to fold the pillow’s arms in, making it into a shape that can support you in a seated position. I found this to be a great option for when I wanted to lounge in bed with my feet up, but still needed a lot of back and hip support.

Adjust Both The Firmness And The Shape Of This Pregnancy Pillow

For me, a pillow shape that worked well during one day of my pregnancy might start bothering me the next. That’s where an adjustable option like the Bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow can be really helpful. It’s essentially a long bolster pillow with a fastener on each end (the brand calls these “pebbles”) that lets you adjust the pillow’s density—move them toward each other for a firmer pillow and apart for a softer pillow. It’s filled with microbeads that you can squish around, so you can adjust the height and firmness of different areas—I appreciated a thinner area at my knees and more support at my head. This pillow is also nice and bendy, so you can make the C-shape or J-shape of your desire. I even like it in a shortened U-shape, but as one of the shorter testers I’ll note that the bottom of the pillow doesn’t reach past my baby bump, so I need another pillow for between my knees. Another tester says she likes this pillow so much that she got a second one to put in her camper.

A plus of this pillow is that it’s slimmer and more discrete looking, so it may fit better with the style of your bedroom. There are few different colors of cover available, all woven from the same Oeko-Tex certified 95% cotton and 5% spandex fiber blend. I particularly liked the feeling of this soft jersey fabric. The cover, however, is an incredibly snug fit and took me some time to wrestle back onto the pillow.

The Bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow may also work well for you in the postpartum period—it’s a better size to use as a nursing pillow than some of the bigger pregnancy pillows on the market. While most body pillows can be used by non-pregnant people as well, this one in particular received praise from my mother-in-law who gave it a try while visiting me.

Our testers tried out three wedge-style pregnancy pillows, which can be used to take pressure of your growing baby bump. The Belly Bandit S.O.S. Side Sleeper emerged as the winner thanks to its firmness, compact size and range of uses. Its two adjustable pieces can be held in place by connecting them to the Velcro belt, or they can be used independently for more flexibility throughout the night. This is a particularly good choice for those who want something to stop you from rolling onto your back.

Flexible Shapes And Just-Right Wedge Support

Other Pregnancy Pillows We Tested

In addition to the five winners, we tried an additional nine pregnancy pillows among our pregnant testers.

Meiz Pregnancy Pillow (4.2 out of 5 stars): Our testers also like this U-shaped pillow that’s quite similar to the Queen Rose, our top overall pick. The Queen Rose just slightly outscored it. The Meiz pillow also comes in three lengths and has lots of case options, so it’s one to consider if you don’t find the case and size combo of our choice from Queen Rose.

Momcozy Pregnancy Pillow (4 out of 5 stars): This is a medium-soft pillow that received fair but not high reviews from our testers. Our 6-foot-tall tester appreciated the back and hip support of this pillow, but found it easy to get her arms trapped underneath. Two other testers found it to be too soft for them, with one noting that she slept better without it.

Buffy Wiggle Pillow (4 out of 5 stars): This stylish bolster pillow is available with lots of different cover options, and our tester described it as “an adult size lovey.” However, it’s quite soft, so it doesn’t quite provide the support most moms need from a pregnancy pillow.

Babybub’s Maternity Pillow (3.5 out of 5 stars): This pillow comes with a lot of different pieces that can be arranged in various ways, without being particularly bulky. Unfortunately, none of the four testers who tried it slept better with it. One tester did say she likes to use one of the wedge pieces on her office chair. Our shorter tester found the lift of this pillow to be too high, while our taller testers found it too difficult to roll over with.

Pharmedoc Full Body Pregnancy Pillow (3.5 out of 5 stars): This pillow got middling reviews from our testers, but both said they would have preferred a more symmetrical shape. They also found it to be less supportive than other options.

Hiccapop Pregnancy Wedge (3.3 out of 5 stars): This small wedge didn’t score as well as the Belly Bandit wedge-shaped pregnancy pillow. Testers found the angle odd, and reported that it didn’t provide the right level of support for their baby bumps.

Boppy Total Body Pillow (3.5 out of 5 stars): This maternity option from the makers of a popular nursing pillow didn’t provide enough support for our pregnant testers. Our 5-foot-9 tester found it didn’t properly reach her bump, while a 5-foot-4 tester found it did reach from her arms to her hips, but was just too soft.

Boppy Side Sleeper (3 out of 5 stars): This small pillow is designed to provide belly and back support. But like the other Bobby pregnancy pillow, both of our testers found it to be too soft.

Frida Mom Adjustable Keep-Cool Pregnancy Pillow (3 out of 5 stars): This shorter bolster can be twisted or turned to make different shapes between your knees or under your belly. But our tester found it goes flat quickly, and isn’t as “supportive as other options.”

How We Tested The Best Pregnancy Pillows

To find the best pregnancy pillows, we collected firsthand feedback from a panel of seven pregnant women—including myself. We began testing in 2023 with one single tester and have continued to collect data from pregnant moms. Our panelists have varying body types, and range in height from 5 foot 3 to 6 feet tall. Our testers generally tested during their second and third trimesters, and one tester (myself) is currently carrying twins. All of our testers used at least three pregnancy pillows in order to compare attributes.

As the editor overseeing this project, it was incredibly important to me that none of our testers lost sleep during the testing process, so I did not ask testers to use the pillows for any minimum amount of time. If a pillow didn’t help a tester sleep, they were welcome to move on to the next one. I also checked with my own maternal fetal medicine specialist to make sure our testing protocol is safe.

Our testers provided feedback on the following aspects of each maternity pillow:

• Firmness: How firm or soft is the pillow? Does it provide sufficient pressure relief, or does it compress too much as the night progresses?
• Comfort: Testers shared if they slept better, worse or about this same with the pillow and noted if they wanted to continue using it. They also provided insight into what parts of their body were supported (or not) by the pillow.
• Ease of use and care: Testers provided feedback about any setup required (some pillows need 24 hours to fluff up fully after delivery), as well as how easy it was to clean the pillow and if the cover was removable and washable.
• Cover fabric: Testers evaluated the quality of the pillow’s cover, if it caused any breakouts or other discomfort. We also looked at how many cover options were available for each pregnancy pillow.
• Temperature: Our testers shared if they woke up hot and sweaty and if the pillow possessed any cooling features.
• Features: We noted if the pillows had any special features—like cooling properties, adjustments or alternative configurations—and if these features were truly helpful to pregnant people.
• Quality: Finally, we collected insights into the quality and value of each pregnancy pillow. For pillows that testers did choose to use on an ongoing basis, they evaluated if the pillows showed signs of wear over time.

All of our top picks have been tested by two or more pregnant testers, although some pillows in our “also tested” section received low scores in our initial round and weren’t sent to additional testers.

How To Choose The Best Pregnancy Pillow

The best pregnancy pillow for you depends on your body, and what areas of your body need more support. Here are a few factors to consider to determine what features might work best for you and your pregnancy.

Pillow Shape

“Identify your discomfort zones and target relief areas to narrow down which pillow shape will be most beneficial," says Baillie McArthur, doula and owner of Hi Baby! Maternity Concierge & Doula Services. “Common areas requiring additional support include the back, hips, pelvis, neck and upper and lower body.” There are four main shapes: U-shaped, C-shaped, J-shaped and wedge pillows.

• U-shaped have symmetrical support for your belly and back, as well as your hips and knees. Dr. Comfort says they provide the maximum support and are “best for those who are uncomfortable at night and are restless sleepers” and are “extremely helpful for those with hip pain or sciatica.” They can also be helpful if you want something that stops you from rolling onto your back in the night, however, this shape will take up the most space in your bed.
• C-shaped can be used with the opening at either your front or belly to offer back, belly and knee support. “This is optimal for back pain and full-body comfort,” says Dr. Comfort, who add they can be extremely helpful for those with hip pain or sciatica. McArthur says C-shaped pillows can also be good for petite moms who may find a U-shaped pillow overwhelming.
• J-shaped pillows “are more compact, which is better for side sleepers who want extra belly and knee support,” says Comfort. They are quite similar to C-pillows, but with less curl at the top or bottom—depending on how you place it. Unless you place the stem of the J at your back, this shape is less likely to help stop you from rolling onto your back.
• Wedge pillows are the smallest option, and usually only target support for your belly and sometimes a portion of your back. Some moms find them helpful for alleviating round ligament pain. Dr. Comfort says they are ideal if you are interested in traveling and having a compact support pillow but also for those who don’t want a full-body pillow. They can also be helpful if you need extra lower back or lumbar support.

If you’re not sure what shape is right for you, you may want to play around with some regular bed pillows to approximate different shapes and see what’s most comfortable before purchasing a dedicated pregnancy pillow. The advantage of a pregnancy pillow is that it can hold your preferred pillow support shape better and without the need to rearrange your fortress of support nightly.

Size

The pillow’s size matters not only in terms of how much space it will take up in your bed, but also how well it will fit your body. If you’re looking for a full U-shaped body pillow, taller women will want to look for a longer option, like the 65-inch version of our top pick.

Many of our testers appreciated smaller pillows. “Consider your bed size and whether you sleep with a partner,” says McArthur. “If you travel frequently, a more compact option might be preferable.”

Firmness

A good pregnancy pillow offers enough firmness to keep your hips apart while you sleep, as well as support for your back and bump, says McArthur. Generally, memory foam filling is firmer than polyester fill, but this can vary by density. Our taller testers tended to want firmer pillows to get enough support.

Personally, as a tester on the shorter and smaller side (5 foot 3), I found I didn’t need pillows that are as lofty or thick—softer pillows helped me get a better alignment. However, taller pillows for your head are typically more comfortable for sleeping on your side, which is recommend during pregnancy. If you just need a better pillow for your head and neck, consider our guide to the best pillows for side sleepers.

Cover

“Just like regular pillows and bedding, opt for a pregnancy pillow with a removable, washable cover to prevent a buildup of bacteria, dander and allergens," says McArthur. “Choose a breathable, cooling fabric to enhance comfort, as pregnant moms often experience increased body heat.” For a cooling cover, our testers like the Hugl body pillow.

Some pregnancy pillow manufacturers even offer covers made with different materials, like our top pick—the Queen Rose U-Shape—which has cooling, satin, cotton and velvet options. We also found it’s possible to buy third-party covers for some popular brands of pregnancy pillows, like Momcozy, although the one we tried for ourselves didn’t hold up particularly well.

A Note On Pregnancy Pain

While pregnancy pillows are helpful tools that can alleviate some of the pain of growing tiny humans, there’s no substitute to listening to your body and seeking medical care as needed. “If your discomfort is extremely bad, please reach out to your clinician because there are some conditions that occur during pregnancy that are better treated with pelvic floor physical therapy and further workup,” notes Dr. Comfort.

My Expertise

As the baby and kids gear editor at Forbes Vetted, I oversee testing for a range of pregnancy and children products—from the best crib mattresses to the best maternity leggings. I’m also currently expecting twins, and personally tested six pregnancy pillows in addition to overseeing the latest round of testing.

I have over 15 years of experience reporting on science and health topics, which helps inform my approach to product recommendations. For this story, I also did deep background research, reading widely about pregnancy and sleep, as well as surveying the options available on the markets and talking to other moms about what they need from a pregnancy pillow. I also interviewed two health professionals for additional advice and guidance:

• Dr. Ashley Comfort, M.D., an obstetrician and medical director at Oula, a clinical practice in New York City that combines midwifery care and obstetrics
• Baillie McArthur, a certified doula and the owner of Hi Baby! Maternity Concierge & Doula Services