This Pregnancy Pillow Is Designed to Save Marriages (and Backs)

Pregnancy pillows are funny things. Most pregnant people I know love them; many refuse to part with them even once they're not pregnant anymore. But their partners — the people they share a bed with at night — almost universally hate them. That's because pregnancy pillows are notoriously huge. And with the exception of the lucky couples with a California-king-size mattress, the nonpregnant partner often ends up getting nudged further and further toward the edge of the bed.

But there may be a better way — and that's the Babybub Bub's Maternity Pillow. Instead of the oval or rectangle shape that most pregnancy pillows have, the Bub's Maternity Pillow is made up of two relatively petite oval-shaped wedge pillows that connect via a flat, Velcro-able strip. That means it's pretty low profile, compared to the traditional pregnancy pillow. And theoretically, that means it can provide a pregnant person with all the support they need, without pushing their partner out of the picture.

Babybub Bub's Maternity Pillow

From

$50

$75 Now 33% off

$50 at babybub.com

I've been trying the Babybub Bub's Maternity Pillow — with the full-body attachment, a longer pillow that can be slipped between one's legs — for about six months now and even compared it to a more traditional oval, full-body pregnancy pillow. Here are my (and my husband's) honest thoughts.

I'm a first-time mom, and like many first-time moms, I spent much of my first trimester stressing about . . . everything, basically. Until my doctor told me to stop, I was googling everything: "Is it safe to eat [fill in the blank]?" "Is [this symptom] normal?" "Can I lift [this weight] at [this many weeks]?" And, of course, "Is it OK to sleep on my stomach?"

So I ended up buying a pregnancy pillow probably before I really needed one, mostly in the hopes of keeping myself off my stomach and back and on my side, which some doctors say is the best sleep position for a healthy pregnancy. My husband, who started getting targeted Instagram ads about my pregnancy before I did, recommended the Babybub. It was small, perfect for our queen-size bed. And it would grow with my pregnancy; you could move the two pillows closer together or farther apart, depending on how big your belly was and what felt most comfortable.

Right away, I loved that the Babybub was so adjustable. Besides changing the distance between the pillows, because I'd gotten the full-body pillow as well, I could also swap out one of the half-moon wedges when I wanted something I could slide between my legs or wrap my arms around. I can keep the pillows attached or not and move them around so they offer me the perfect level of comfort.

I started out only using the two oval wedges, adjusting the strap so one slid firmly against the small of my back and the other nestled more gently against and partially under my barely there bump. But as I got bigger, I began using one oval wedge and the full-body pillow exclusively.

I try to sleep on my left side, which may be best for pregnant people, so I keep the full-body attachment to my left, where I can keep it between my knees. But when I do take a break and roll to my right side for a few minutes, I just slip the second oval wedge between my knees so I can still get that extra support, which keeps my hips from aching.

And my husband loved it, too. Its slim profile meant I was getting the support I needed, but I wasn't edging him out of his spot in bed (any more than I usually do, anyway).

There is an adjustment period. Until I found my perfect set-up, I went through a couple of nights of back aches (which could have been caused by the pregnancy, to be fair). Since there are different combos and distances you can try, rather than being a one-size-fits-all pregnancy pillow, you might have to do some trial and error before finding your sweet spot.

Because I keep the full-length pillow on my left side and I sleep on the left side of my bed, I also find it a little difficult to switch positions or get up to use the restroom in the middle of the night — there's some degree of wrestling with the pillow required.

I also prefer to keep the two pillows pretty far apart, which leaves a strip of Velcro exposed beneath the pillow. That has gotten stuck to my PJs before, which is more a nuisance than anything else.

Pregnant people who sleep in small beds with partners or who want a pregnancy pillow option they can customize — especially if the one-size-fits-all options haven't worked for them.

At full price, the two pillows are $75, and the full-body attachment is $35, putting it on the spendier end of pregnancy pillows. But in the six months I've been using mine nearly nightly, I haven't experienced any wear. The Velcro still attaches strong, the stuffing is still plush, and the case is still soft and unworn. So I consider it worth it, for sure.

You can buy the Babybub Bub's Maternity Pillow ($50, originally $75) directly on Babybub.com. It's also available on Amazon ($40).

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