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- What is it? Pharmedoc U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow
- Why I love it: This pillow supported every part of my body while pregnant and was easy to adjust and keep clean which allowed me to use it for two pregnancies.
- How much is it? $45 (normally $70)
- Where to buy it: Amazon and Target
One of the most frustrating things about being pregnant was that, despite how exhausted I was, I just couldn’t sleep. This was especially annoying given how much I value a good night’s rest. A few months into my first pregnancy, as my bump was just starting to get uncomfortably large, I was willing to try just about anything to feel snug in my bed again. When a friend suggested trying a pregnancy pillow, I did a quick search online, took a chance on the bestselling Pharmedoc U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow — and immediately fell in love. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it was one of my most prized possessions throughout both of my pregnancies.
From the moment I got this pillow, I slept with it every single night, even going so far as to squeeze it into my car and walk it through a busy hotel during several vacations. When I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter, I was genuinely excited to pull it out of our storage closet and plop it back onto our bed. The second time around, I used it even before I actually needed it for bump support, and my daughter (who was 2 and a half at the time) found many excuses to come into my bed and snuggle into it herself, as did our cats.
A comfy, supportive pregnancy pillow
But you don’t have to take just my word for it: The Pharmedoc pillow is massively popular on Amazon with over 80,000 five-star reviews and is beloved by What to Expect moms whose votes have made it a two-time winner in the annual What to Expect Sleep Awards.
What is the Pharmedoc pregnancy pillow used for?
Just like the name suggests, this Pharmedoc pillow is a large, U-shaped body pillow meant to cradle your entire body and your baby bump, providing support just about anywhere you need it while pregnant, like your back, belly, hips, knees, legs and neck. One feature people especially appreciate is the detachable extension that can either be used on the main pillow, or separately for added back or belly support. It’s plush and soft, with just the right amount of firmness, and so easy to cuddle into. And even if you have a summer pregnancy, you’ll be glad to know that there’s an option to buy this pillow with a cooling cover to keep you from getting too warm.
How do you sleep with the Pharmedoc pregnancy pillow?
Because the Pharmedoc pillow can provide targeted support to various parts of your body, there are a few different ways to use it. For me, I like to use it with the extension on the main pillow, using one side as support for my back, and tucking the other either underneath my belly or between my legs. It left me feeling cradled and supported the entire night. As a kind of hack, I would keep the extension side facing the outside of my mattress so I could flop it over the edge of the bed when I needed to get up in the middle of the night without having to move the whole pillow.
Before using the pillow, I moved a lot while sleeping and would sometimes find that I had rolled onto my back — something doctors suggest avoiding while pregnant. The pillow, however, solved all of that by keeping me firmly secure in the position I fell asleep in, while still making it easy to turn over onto my other side.
Although this pregnancy pillow is large and bulky, my husband and I didn’t have any issues with it in our queen-sized bed. He actually quickly grew to love it as well, using it as some support for himself and even cuddling into it next to me (he was genuinely disappointed both times it went into storage after I gave birth!).
How do you wash the Pharmedoc pregnancy pillow?
Another thing I love about this pillow is that it’s pretty easy to clean. The cover zippers on and off, and you can just throw it in the wash. I did this multiple times and never had an issue getting it back on the pillow; it never shrank or warped in the wash.
Is the Pharmedoc pregnancy pillow worth it?
If it isn't already obvious how much I adore this pillow, then let me make myself clear: The Pharmedoc U-shaped pregnancy pillow is absolutely worth it. Although it is pretty large and some say that it takes up too much of their bed, I didn’t find that to be an issue, even in a queen-sized bed that I share with my husband. Some also find it to be on the softer versus firm side, so you’ll want to keep that in mind depending on your preferences.
After giving birth to my second daughter, unsure of whether or not we would ever have one more child, I stared at the pregnancy pillow on my bed and felt almost sad to put it away. I considered passing it along to a pregnant friend, but honestly? I loved it so much that it went right back into the storage closet, just in case. Because if I’m ever pregnant again, I know it will be the first thing I reach for.
See more: Pharmedoc U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow, $45 (normally $70)
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