How to choose the best pregnancy pillow ?

What are the fundamental characteristics that the best pregnancy pillow must have to improve your night's sleep and really help you with back pain ?

As an osteopath , I know very well how a pregnant woman's posture evolves, which body regions are most overloaded and how to choose the best pregnancy pillow to sleep well and improve back pain.

Especially from the 4th-5th month of pregnancy onwards, hormonal changes and the baby growing in the belly cause the mother's center of gravity to move anteriorly, increasing the physiological lumbar lordosis and the dorsal kyphotic curve; these variations increase the muscular overload of the spinal column.

This explains why many pregnant women struggle to sleep well and suffer from lower back pain (lumbago), dorsal or cervical pain.

As we all know, the ideal sleeping position is on your side , preferably on your left side, especially from the 4th/5th month of life onwards when your baby's belly starts to get bigger and bigger.

The reason why a mother should sleep on her side is simple and based on body anatomy.

Running through the center of the abdomen are the vena cava and the abdominal aorta , two major blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lower body and vice versa.

In the supine position , these vessels would be compressed by the weight of the uterus and the baby , with the risk that this pressure would reduce blood flow to the fetus (altering fetal oxygenation) and to the mother's organs (altering cardiovascular parameters).

In addition, the supine position can also exacerbate respiratory disorders (such as shortness of breath, nighttime snoring, obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea).

Instead, when the pregnant mother sleeps on her side , the uterus does not push towards the back and does not compress the blood vessels, thus ensuring optimal blood flow , correct fetal oxygenation and better drainage (even of the lower limbs).

Once you understand why a pregnant woman should sleep on her side, you will better understand why a pregnancy pillow is useful and what features it must have to be effective.

The pregnancy pillow is used to improve the mother's posture during sleep , allowing her to sleep better and avoiding overloading the lower limbs, belly and spine which risks causing back pain .

For the pregnancy pillow to be truly effective in its purpose, it must space the legs and hips well, support the belly (avoiding its weight from weighing on the back and creating abdominal tension/lower abdominal pain), allow for correct alignment of the posterior spine , avoid rotations of the trunk and tension in the back muscles.

In the previous chapters I explained why it is important to sleep on your side during pregnancy and which body regions must be supported by the pregnancy pillow to be truly effective .

Based on this scientific awareness, I will explain all the characteristics that the best pregnancy pillow must have.

When the expectant mother is lying on her side there are 3 fundamental body regions that the pregnancy pillow must support:

1. legs (ankles, knees, hips and pelvis)
2. belly (to avoid its weight bearing down on the back)
3. cervical and head

To be truly effective, the pregnancy pillow must be a delicate glove that fits between the legs, continues between the mattress and the belly, and goes up to the neck and head.

The pregnancy pillow should be neither too inflated nor not very supportive (deflated).

The purpose of the pregnancy pillow is to:

• lighten the legs and improve their drainage;
• support the belly to avoid tension in the abdominal muscles and avoid rotations / overloads of the back
• align the spine and relax its muscles;
• support your neck and head well.

After understanding the ideal characteristics that a pregnancy pillow should have, you will understand perfectly why the DrSilva Pregnancy Pillow has been studied in the smallest details.

From the ergonomic design (Patented design and registered as intellectual property worldwide) to the choice of materials , every part of the DrSilva pregnancy pillow is designed specifically for you.

The Dr-Silva pregnancy pillow is made up of 3 parts , which can be easily separated from each other with a convenient zip.

Why is the pregnancy pillow made up of 3 parts?

Simple, to perfectly adapt to the personal needs of each mother and fully support the legs, belly and head.

In the next paragraphs I will explain (and show) you in detail the innovative features of our pillow.

1. The pillow between the legs has the function of distancing the legs, keeping them aligned with each other with the aim of relieving the tension that is created on the pelvis and back (lumbar).

For the pillow between the legs to be effective, it must really distance the legs, without creating rotations at the knees or ankles.

This is why the Dr-Silva pregnancy pillow has a wide, teardrop shape, which perfectly distances the hips but also the thighs, knees and ankles, maintaining optimal alignment of the lower limbs without incurring rotations or inclinations that alter the pelvis and create tension in the back.

Furthermore, being made of polyester and latex, it does not lose thickness and does not sink over time.

All these features really allow you to evenly space your legs, align your spine and reduce the load on your pelvis.

On the contrary, the traditional pregnancy pillow, the crescent-shaped one to be clear, is made of 100% polyester (a material that tends to lose thickness over time) and only distances the thighs; its crescent shape forces the mother to use its central part to distance her legs sufficiently.

However, being a sausage, it only supports the thighs, without taking into account the knees and ankles, which rotate and create tension in the pelvis and lumbar region; in addition to worsening the drainage of the lower limbs.

2. Let's now move on to the second part of the Dr-Silva pregnancy pillow, the belly pillow.

This represents the most scientific, important and functional part of the pregnancy pillow.

The three-dimensional lines of the Dr-Silva pillow have been designed to adapt to the mother's belly like a delicate glove placed between her and the mattress.

In fact, when the belly grows, its weight begins to be felt, both in an upright position and when lying on your side.

The reason is simple, when the mother lies on her side, the force of gravity and the weight of the uterus creates a rotation of the dorsal and lumbar spine, resulting in tension on the back muscles.

Thanks to its enveloping lines, the Dr-Silva pillow slides delicately under the mother's belly to best support her as she grows, month after month.

Thanks to a customized support, the pillow perfectly supports the belly and prevents its weight from stretching the abdominal tissues, rotating the spine and creating tension on the back and pelvis.

On the contrary, the traditional crescent pregnancy pillow, having a circular sausage shape, cannot be placed under the mother's belly, and is therefore completely useless in this sense.

It is no coincidence, in fact, that in most of the photos in which the mother uses the pregnancy pillow, it appears to be placed in front of the mother's belly and not underneath to support it, because it has an inadequate shape or does not fit through at all.

3. Let's now move on to the last part of the pregnancy pillow, the cervical part.

The Dr-Silva pillow takes on an arched shape in the upper area, so that the mother can hug the pillow, pass her arm under it and gently rest her head on the cervical pillow.

The height of the pillow has been specifically designed to keep the cervical spine aligned.

Furthermore, thanks to the polyester and latex filling, the Dr-Silva pillow is soft and welcoming for the mother.

Since the tummy pillow and the neck pillow are separated from the leg pillow, the mother can certainly use it for sleeping, regardless of her height and body type.

On the contrary, the traditional pregnancy pillow has a tip that gradually tapers at the top and, even if the mother manages to reach it up to the neck, it does not support either the cervical spine or the head.

Also because it is made of only polyester and, month after month, it risks becoming even thinner.

It is no coincidence that the vast majority of women use their own pillow to sleep.

One last consideration on the traditional pregnancy pillow that I would like to submit to you is the following.

Since the crescent pillow is a single pillow, if the mother wants to have sufficient support on the thighs, she must place the central part of the pillow between the legs; in this way the upper part of the crescent pillow will not be able to support the belly or reach the neck.

Thanks to the in-depth study and design work we have carried out, and above all thanks to all the innovative features we have managed to create, the Dr-Silva pregnancy pillow has been registered as an innovative design to protect its intellectual property throughout the world.

In a period like pregnancy, during which approximately 45-65% of women report difficulty sleeping and insomnia , many mothers wonder when to start using a pregnancy pillow .

The answer is based on knowledge of body anatomy and the best sleeping positions during pregnancy.

In the first trimester, the uterus is still small and, even in the supine position, does not impede blood flow.

During this period, to sleep well during pregnancy it is essential that the woman is in a position in which she feels comfortable (supine, on her side or prone), especially taking into account the possible nausea and other symptoms caused by hormonal changes.

From the second trimester onwards, the recommended sleeping position during pregnancy is on your side , mainly the left one.

However, you should also know that the side position is the best position to sleep during pregnancy and beyond.

When you sleep on your side, your back muscles and spinal joints are completely relieved .

This means that muscle tension is relieved and the spinal discs/joints are not stretched or overloaded.

It is no coincidence that when you suffer from back pain during pregnancy (and not only) you tend to automatically position yourself and sleep on your side .

Since the side position is the most suitable not only for the well-being of the mother and the baby, but also the best for preventing/treating back pain during pregnancy, my advice is to get used to sleeping on your side from the first months of pregnancy.

Based on what has been said so far, here is the answer to the question "when to start using the pregnancy pillow?" .

I recommend that you start using the pregnancy pillow from the first trimester of pregnancy , using the lower part of the pillow (the pillow between the legs) to align the lower limbs, space the hips well and relax the muscles of the spine and pelvis.

From the second trimester onwards (but especially from when you start to feel the need for support for the weight of your growing belly) you can take full advantage of the potential of the pregnancy pillow, also using the part of the pillow that supports your belly and reaches up to your neck.

Obviously, if you find it comfortable, you can use the complete pregnancy pillow from the first trimester but it will certainly be indispensable in the second and especially in the third trimester of pregnancy .

The Dr-Silva pregnancy pillow is made up of 3 parts, easily separable from each other with a convenient zip.

The pillow was specifically designed in this way to adapt to the personal needs of each mother.

In most cases, since every woman has a different body shape and height, my advice is to use the pregnancy pillow dividing the leg area from the belly and neck area.

If you prefer to use your neck pillow rather than the pregnancy pillow, you can detach the neck and head part of the pillow.

If, however, you are comfortable keeping it all together, you can do so without any problems.

Once you understand which parts of the pregnancy pillow to use, I will explain how to use it practically for sleeping.

To use the pregnancy pillow correctly you must lie on your side.

Bend your hips and knees slightly; the goal is to reduce tension on your back and pelvic joints.

After lying on your side, take the lower part of the pregnancy pillow and insert it between your legs; be careful to position the pillow well, starting from the thighs, continuing on the knee, calves, ankles and foot.

It is very important to use and position the pregnancy pillow correctly because it allows you to space out all your legs well, without creating rotations that would negatively affect the tension in your back and pelvis.

After having correctly positioned the lower part of the pillow, we move on to the middle and upper part of the pregnancy pillow, which must support the belly, neck and head.

Still on your side, take the pregnancy pillow and place it gently under your belly, sliding it between the mattress and your belly until you feel you have found the ideal height to support it.

To use the pregnancy pillow effectively, this part must support the belly as if it were a delicate glove that is placed between the mattress and the belly, without being too swollen or not very supportive.

The purpose of the pregnancy pillow is to support the belly, allow correct alignment of the posterior spine, avoid rotations of the trunk and tension of the abdominal and back muscles.

The middle part of the pillow, the one that is positioned in front of the torso, is perfect for being hugged by the mother during sleep.

Furthermore, by passing the lower arm under the pregnancy pillow, the mother wraps the pillow and is able to position it perfectly close to her and her chest, also managing the cervical pillow in the best way.

How to use the top of the pregnancy pillow?

The upper part of the pregnancy pillow, that is the cervical pillow, represents an extension of the pillow for the belly and for the bust; having a zipper hidden by a soft flap of fabric, you can decide whether to use it or not.

Most pregnant women prefer to use the belly pillow together with the neck pillow, however if you prefer to use your own pillow you can easily separate it.

In short, as you will have understood from this in-depth explanation, there are different ways to use the pillow during pregnancy but above all

Pillows made only of polyester risk losing thickness after a few weeks and being too soft and compressible, in short, not very supportive.

This is why the Dr-Silva pillow is made of high-quality polyester flakes and latex (a more expensive material, which orthopedic pillows are often made of), a perfectly balanced mix to be soft but, at the same time, not lose its structure over time.

As for the internal lining, the Dr-Silva pillow is made of a soft mesh fabric, to make the pillow elastic and enveloping at the same time.

Regular pregnancy pillows are made from plain cotton.

Finally, the external cover of the Dr-Silva pillow is made of a premium honeycomb cotton certified Oeko-Tex, to be welcoming and soft to the touch.

Traditional pregnancy pillows are made of a thin layer of plain cotton.

Most traditional pillows are advertised as multipurpose and multifunctional.

Unfortunately, these are lies.

The pregnancy pillow was created with a very specific function: to help the mother sleep well during pregnancy and not suffer from back pain.

To be truly effective in its main purpose, the pregnancy pillow must have lines and dimensions specifically designed.

Of course, it can be used to rest your feet, raise your legs, better position your back or neck while you are sitting on the sofa or bed, position your baby while breastfeeding or be used to gently rest your newborn for a few minutes to play together.

But these are not its main functions.

I like to be transparent with you rather than lying to you and trying to sell you a product by advertising it as multifunctional, when it is not.

How can a pregnancy pillow, whose shape is designed to perfectly adapt to the mother's legs, belly and neck while she sleeps on her side, be used for breastfeeding?

Obviously the question is rhetorical; the answer is as follows.

It is impossible to have a perfect pregnancy pillow that is also a perfect nursing pillow.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding pillows have completely different functions and, consequently, their shape will also be different (if we really want to make sure that they are useful and functional ).

The crescent-shaped pregnancy pillows that are advertised as 'pregnancy and breastfeeding pillows' are not functional either for sleeping during pregnancy or for breastfeeding the baby.

Crescent-shaped pregnancy pillows look like a boomerang that can neither support the belly (it doesn't fit underneath it) nor distance the legs well (they are too thin and narrow).

Furthermore, they are too bulky (160 cm long) and not very enveloping to be functional as a breastfeeding pillow.

Is the DrSilva pregnancy pillow also suitable for breastfeeding?

As just explained, the main function of the pillow is to help you sleep better during pregnancy.

Sure, the lower part of our pregnancy pillow is wide and very soft, really comfortable to support the baby during breastfeeding... but let's be clear, the best shape for a breastfeeding pillow is enveloping and slightly higher.

That's why we designed a custom-made breastfeeding pillow .

The pregnancy pillow is designed to be used by mothers during the 9 months of sweet waiting.

It was not designed as a tummy time pillow and is not really effective for this purpose.

The pillow is soft and the baby's arms sink into it when placed on the pillow.

While on the one hand the pillow raises the child and allows him a wider vision, on the other hand it slows him down because he does not learn to support himself adequately with his arms.

So, it's fine if you use it sometimes to have some fun with your baby by giving him some tummy time but it's certainly not where you do it on a daily basis.

The play mat is the home of the newborn's motor development.

Pay close attention , many companies show in their advertising that the pregnancy pillow can be used as a bumper.

This is completely wrong , bumpers as well as pregnancy pillows placed in the baby's crib increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome .

Your baby's safety and health are very important, don't be fooled by misleading advertising .

Not only is it unsafe to place your newborn on a pregnancy pillow to sleep, but above all you risk having his head flattened, because the pillow increases the support surface and limits the baby's cervical mobility.

If you put him down for a few minutes when he is awake and under your supervision nothing happens but be careful!