Sleeping/pregnancy pillow advice needed

[taylors]

I am 24w 4d and currently having a lot of trouble sleeping comfortably.

Prior to pregnancy I thought I was a side sleeper and that it would make all this easier. Now I know that I actually fall asleep on my side but I seem to default to rolling on my back during the night. I also seem to shift positions a lot. Side to back to side. Now that my belly is bigger, I feel like I wake up entirely every time my body wants to shift positions so that I can move my body around because it doesn’t happen as easily while I’m sleeping.

I have a bit of a b belly that seems to be rounding out now but I’ve always been pear shaped and carry most of my weight in my lower body. I have larger hips/thighs/butt.

Weeks ago I purchased a double wedge pillow that attaches with the Velcro. It seemed to work for a while, but now I feel like I wake up on my back with the wedges uncomfortably underneath me. I toss and turn because of hip pain and in the past two days sciatic pain has started on my left side.

I’ve tried to use a very thin pillow between my legs but it never feels comfortable to me and I wonder if it is because I have larger thighs.

I’m wondering if anyone with a similar body type has any suggestions on how to get comfortable. I’m open to a different pillow but I’ve been afraid to buy the c or u shaped ones because it’s hard for me to imagine sleeping in that position. It seems like those would be two big between my legs.

 

[greensquirrel]

@taylors I had a C/U pillow and hated it, currently using a body pillow but nothing is comfy!!

 

[sg1371]

@taylors I have a b belly as well and I'm 26 weeks .. and I got the momcozy pregnancy pillow .. it's very comfortable and I unfortunately switch from sides to back throughout the night lol .. what I like about it is the curves it has for ur growing belly .. and the small part for ur back u can tuck it under a little and it really helps .. u should check it out on Amazon ... Before I got it .. I couldn't sleep at all

 

[szilvia]

@taylors I used a long C shaped pregnancy pillow but I used it more like a U shape-- tucked it between my legs and had it up along my front and side to support me. I never roll over anymore because the pillow keeps me in place.

 

[blesstloms]

@taylors I'm still mostly sleeping on my back at 18w. I elevate my shoulders and legs using the giant Costco squishmallows and have a u pillow I use for arm support. essentially in a nest. if I sleep on my side I ditch the squishmallow that elevated my legs and use the u pillow between my legs, but it's not as comfortable for me

 

[christoph2005]

@taylors I haven’t tried yet but I’ve seen if you use U shaped pillow upside down it’s supposed to help a lot with side sleeping. The concept is you use your own pillows up top and the bottom of the U can go between your legs. It doesn’t open at night so it helps keep you on your sides.

I have a U but the sides are removable so it’s more annoying to use upside down. I don’t want to spend money on a new one and so far it pretty comfortable but I’m still early on so I might change my mind as my belly gets bigger.

 

[candi12]

@taylors It’s pricey, but I really love the Eli and Elm pregnancy pillow. I had to take a lot of the stuffing out of it to get it to the comfort I wanted, but now it’s perfect. I had issues with my hip a lot too and don’t anymore. It supports my back so well and I’ve been sleeping like a rock at 16 weeks.

 

[onlyway019]

@taylors Slight B belly here and overweight and the large C or U shaped pillow has been nice for me. I have my head on the arc of the C (with another pillow if needed), one side of the C is at my back, my down shoulder is under the pillow, my belly is ripped over it, and it feeds through my legs. I found it was the most comfortable thing to transition side to side in, bc it stays in place and you just put your body parts around it, if that makes sense.

 

[yamfood]

@taylors I wrote a comment here when I was about as far along as you on my elaborate setup. I've since grown past that threshold where back sleeping is both uncomfortable and dangerous. Now I rotate between a full side sleep and lean, with the baby bub against my lower back and my hugging pillow wedged under my armpit and bump. Almost 32 weeks and my bump is huge, b belly is totally gone; it really needs support.

Of your setup I think the key replacement I'd make to prevent sciatica is a proper between the knees pillow. I think mine is a Costco tempurpedic knock off. I stuff it in a pillowcase with a slim memory foam neck pillow to keep my thighs from sweating together.

 

[everythingpink]

@taylors I'm a side sleeper, love it but every night because of my scoliosis, I'd have to lie on my back to be more comfortable. And so when I got pregnant, I had to side sleep again but I also needed a support for my back otherwise it would really hurt. What helped me was the Newton pregnancy pillow. I actually thought that I wouldn't be comfortable in it because it looked so frumpy lol but my gosh, it was heaven sent for my back!! I highly recommend it for any preggo mamas! I think they're on sale now too: https://www.newtonbaby.com/products/pregnancy-pillow

 

[labradoriansavedbygrace]

@taylors I really like the momcozy pillow it’s adjustable and the wedgey piece behind your back can be moved up/down and made tighter or looser.