The Sleepybelly Pregnancy Pillow: An Osteopath’s Perspective
If there is one thing I hear regularly from my pregnant patients, it is:
“I just can’t get comfortable at night anymore.”
As your pregnancy progresses, finding a comfortable sleeping position can become surprisingly difficult. Your bump is growing, your body is changing, you may be experiencing hip or lower back discomfort, and suddenly the position you have slept in for years doesn't feel quite right.
A pregnancy pillow can be a really useful tool during this stage, not because you need to keep your body perfectly still or achieve a “perfect” sleeping position, but because a little extra support can make side sleeping much more comfortable.
One pregnancy pillow I particularly like is the Sleepybelly Pregnancy Pillow.
Why does sleeping position matter during pregnancy?
As your pregnancy progresses, particularly after 28 weeks, Australian pregnancy guidelines recommend that you settle to sleep on your side rather than on your back.
Importantly, this doesn't mean you need to panic if you wake up on your back during the night. It is completely normal to move while sleeping. The recommendation is simply to start each sleep on your side and, if you wake up on your back, roll back onto your side. Either your left or right side is fine.
For some women, however, side sleeping isn't particularly comfortable.
This is where the right pillow setup can make a big difference.
What makes Sleepybelly different?
Rather than being one large, full-length pillow that surrounds your entire body, Sleepybelly consists of three separate pieces:
A long back support
Two adjustable side wedges
A connecting system that allows you to change the position and width of the pillow as your bump grows
The design means you can support your bump, back and legs without having a huge pillow taking over the entire bed.
And, as an osteopath, I particularly like the fact that it can be adjusted to the individual rather than forcing everyone into exactly the same position.
Supporting your growing bump
As your belly grows, it can become increasingly difficult to lie comfortably on your side. You may feel as though your abdomen is pulling you forwards, or you may find yourself twisting through your pelvis and lower back in an attempt to find a comfortable position.
A small amount of support underneath the bump can help take some of that feeling away.
The Sleepybelly side wedges are designed to sit underneath the belly, providing a place for your bump to rest rather than leaving it completely unsupported.
Supporting your hips and legs
Another common complaint I hear during pregnancy is:
“My hips hurt when I sleep on my side.”
When you lie on your side, your top leg naturally wants to fall forwards. Depending on your individual anatomy and how your body is moving during pregnancy, this can sometimes contribute to an uncomfortable or twisted feeling through the pelvis and lower back and having something to support your upper leg can make side lying feel much more comfortable.
The Sleepybelly can be positioned so that the wedge sits between your knees or legs, giving you another option for supporting your lower body.
Again, there isn't one “correct” position that every pregnant woman needs to sleep in. Your ideal setup will depend on your body, your stage of pregnancy and what feels comfortable for you.
What about your back?
Pregnancy can change the way your body distributes weight.
As your bump grows, your centre of mass changes and you may notice increased fatigue or discomfort through your lower back, hips or pelvis.
The Sleepybelly's longer back support sits behind you, providing something to lean against while you are side lying.
I like this because it can give you a little more stability without needing to completely surround yourself in pillows. It can also help you feel more secure when changing positions throughout the night and helps to prevent lying on the back at night.
You do not need to achieve the “perfect” sleeping position.
Your body is going to move.
You may start on your left side and wake up on your right. You may move around several times during the night. You may occasionally wake up on your back.
When should you start using a pregnancy pillow?
There is no specific week when you need to buy a pregnancy pillow.
Some women love having one from early pregnancy, while others don't feel they need additional support until their bump becomes larger.
I generally recommend thinking about one when you start noticing that:
Your usual sleeping position isn't comfortable anymore
Your bump feels unsupported when lying on your side
Your hips are becoming uncomfortable overnight
You are waking with lower back or pelvic discomfort
You are constantly rearranging normal pillows throughout the night
You are finding it difficult to stay comfortably on your side
And you don't necessarily need to wait until the third trimester.
If a pregnancy pillow makes you more comfortable earlier in pregnancy, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using one.
An osteopath's tip: don't just buy the pillow, set it up for you
Try adjusting:
The position under your bump
Move the wedge slightly forwards or backwards until your abdomen feels supported without feeling pushed upwards.The height between your knees
If your hips are uncomfortable, experiment with how much support you need between your legs.The distance between the front and back supports
As your bump grows, you may need to increase the width of the pillow.
If you're experiencing ongoing pelvic, hip, lower back or rib discomfort, difficulty turning in bed, pain getting in and out of bed, or you're struggling to find a comfortable sleeping position, an assessment with a pregnancy-focused osteopath may help identify what is contributing to your symptoms and provide you with strategies to make pregnancy more comfortable.
At Tugun Osteopathy, we work with women throughout pregnancy and postpartum, including pregnancy-related pelvic, hip and back discomfort, preparation for birth and postnatal recovery.
A pregnancy pillow is one small tool, but sometimes small changes to how you support your body can make a surprisingly big difference to how comfortable you feel.
Sleep is important. Support your body, listen to what feels good, and don't be afraid to ask for help when something doesn't feel right.