Pregnancy is a beautiful thing. For an expecting mother-to-be, the nine months of waiting can be very exciting. However, as great as the experience can be, there are definitely a couple of things that will change as you go through pregnancy. One is the difficulty of sleeping and the overall discomfort when moving around. You will start to complain about your back and leg. In this situation, getting a maternity pillow is highly recommended. A maternity pillow is large u-shaped or c-shaped pillow that practically surrounds your entire body. It sure looks inviting and before you talk yourself about getting one, here are five ways that a maternity pillow can help you during pregnancy.
1. Provides Support for Baby Bump, Back, Neck, Shoulder, and Legs
Because of its shape and size, the maternity pillow provides sufficient support for your neck, legs, shoulders, and back. It might not make much difference during the first two-quarters of pregnancy but as the baby starts to grow into full eight to 10 pounds, you can start feeling the weight on your back and shoulders. Having a great maternity pillow will help relieve some of the pressure on your body especially while you’re lying in a half-fetal position.
2. Enhances Circulation of Blood and Lowers Heart Rate
When you are pregnant, it is highly recommended that you sleep on your left side to improve blood circulation and heart rate. Without a maternity pillow, sleeping sideways can be uncomfortable and you might end up pressing your stomach to the bed. A maternity pillow will support the weight of your body and ease up the circulation of blood in your body. Due to the comfort of the pillow cushion, you will feel calm and relaxed which will also lower your heart rate.
3. Better and Longer Sleeping Hours
When you are pregnant, you feel uncomfortable. So, you end up tossing at night and not getting enough sleep. Insufficient sleep does not do well for the health of the baby. A maternity pillow can get rid of the pain and discomfort. As much as possible, you need to start using the maternity pillow early in the pregnancy to get your body acclimated. The ergonomic design of the pillow will support your head, shoulders, neck, back, and stomach. A lot of people, even those who are not pregnant, attest to its effectiveness in improving sleep.
4. Promotes the Right Sleeping Position
If you only use a pillow to support your head, it makes sense to lie on your back. However, sleeping on the left side is the recommended sleeping position for pregnant women when they enter the third trimester to avoid the risk of stillbirth. Therefore, having a maternity pillow will ensure that you sleep sideways comfortably. Having a pillow on both sides will prevent you from turning and lying on your back as well as pressing forward that might obstruct blood flow or oxygen to the baby.
5. Great as a Post Pregnancy Cushion
If you think that maternity pillow is only useful during pregnancy, then you’re wrong. After you delivered the baby, your body still needs to heal and adjust. So, you still need a soft and comfortable pillow when sleeping. The maternity pillow can also easily turn into a nursing pillow while feeding the baby.
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