Buying guide
Best pregnancy pillow UK: how to choose the right shape
The best pregnancy pillow is the one that suits how you sleep and the space on your bed. Here is how our pillows differ, how much room they need and how to use them. Prices in the cards are live.
Choose your pregnancy pillow by how you sleep
Two pillows for sleeping on your side, and one specialist cushion.
Need a spare cover? 12ft replacement cover · £13.99
- Size
- About 365 cm around the outside. Each arm is about 182 cm long and 40 cm wide.
- Filling & cover
- Soft hollowfibre filling with a removable cotton-blend cover.
- Before you choose
- Needs a lot of bed space, so measure first if you share a bed.
- No CoverThe pillow on its own. Our lowest price.£69.99
- 100% Cotton CoverAdds a removable cotton cover you can wash.£99.99
- Size
- About 79 × 74 × 15.5 cm.
- Filling & cover
- Soft fibre filling. The cotton cover is optional.
- Before you choose
- Shorter than a U-shape, so it does not run along your legs.
- Size
- About 126 × 44 × 14.5 cm; 3.6 kg.
- Filling & cover
- Foam with a wipe-clean cover, adjustable openings and a headrest.
- Before you choose
- Not a side-sleeping pillow. Ask your maternity team how to use it.
Choose the shape before the label
Pregnancy pillow, maternity pillow, body pillow: the names overlap. What matters is the shape, the size and how you sleep. This guide compares the pillows we sell; it is not a ranking of every UK brand.
| You want | Look at | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Support at your front and back | Full-length U-shaped pillow | Room on the bed for both long arms. |
| A smaller pillow to cuddle or move around | Compact Cuddle Pillow | It is about 79 × 74 cm, and the cotton cover is optional. |
| Lying on your front, or labour positions | Pregnancy & labour cushion | Ask your maternity team how to use it. |
Which pregnancy pillow is best for you?
Pelvic girdle pain (PGP)
Many people with PGP are more comfortable on their side with the knees and ankles supported together. A full-length U-shaped pillow supports your bump, back and knees at once, so you don't rearrange pillows every time you turn. It helps comfort, not treatment: follow your midwife's or physiotherapist's advice.
Hip and lower back discomfort
A pillow between your knees stops your top leg dropping across your body, and support behind you keeps you on your side. The U-shape does both. If you only need knee support, a knee pillow may be enough.
If you roll onto your back at night
The NHS advises going to sleep on your side after 28 weeks. The U-shape's back arm can help you stay there. If you wake on your back, just turn over again.
A small double bed or sharing a bed
Each arm of the 12ft U-shape is about 182 cm long and 40 cm wide. If space is tight, the Cuddle Pillow (about 79 × 74 cm) is easier to fit.
U-shaped, C-shaped or a small wedge?
A U-shape gives you two long arms around your body but takes more room; our Cuddle Pillow is a much smaller U. A C-shape wraps one side and a bump wedge supports one spot; we don't sell those in our pregnancy collection. Our full bed wedge and other wedge pillows raise your upper body, so they are a different thing.
How to check the space on your bed
- Measure the part of the mattress you can use, leaving room for your partner and your pillow.
- Compare it with the pillow's size. The 365 cm is measured around the U's outer edge, so you don't need a 365 cm bed.
- Leave room to bend your knees and turn. Soft pillows change shape, so sizes are a guide.
- Only want something between your knees? Try a knee pillow first.
Filling and cover: compare the whole purchase
The 12ft pillow has a hollowfibre filling and comes with a removable cotton-blend cover. The Cuddle Pillow has a soft fibre filling, and its cotton cover is optional, so its lowest price is without one. Wash the cover only, following the label.
Using pillows during pregnancy
The NHS advice on tiredness and sleep in pregnancy is to go to sleep on either side, especially after 28 weeks, and to try pillows under your bump and between your knees. That is advice about sleep position, not an endorsement of any pillow. Our due date calculator shows when you reach 28 weeks.
A pillow is for comfort; it can't fix pelvic, hip or back pain. If discomfort carries on, speak to your midwife.
How we prepared this comparison
Written by KneePillow from our product records and the maker's specifications (checked 8 September 2026, rewritten in plain English 14 October 2026). Prices in the cards are live. We have not given test scores or claimed a "best in the UK" award.
Sources: Putnams Cuddle Pillow specifications, the product pages above and NHS pregnancy sleep guidance. For delivery and returns, see delivery and returns.
Common questions
What is the best pregnancy pillow in the UK?
There is no single best shape. Choose the full-length U-shaped pillow if you want support at your front and back, or the compact Cuddle Pillow if you want something smaller. Check the size and cover before you order.
How do you use a U-shaped pregnancy pillow?
Lie on your side inside the U, with the curved end above your head. Rest your head on the top, hug the front arm under your bump and between your knees, and let the back arm support your back. To turn over, roll to your other side; the pillow stays where it is. You can also sit up against the curve to read or feed.
Which pregnancy pillow is best for pelvic girdle pain?
Many people with pelvic girdle pain (PGP) find it easier to lie on their side with their knees and ankles supported together. A full-length U-shaped pillow supports your knees, bump and back at once. It helps comfort but is not a treatment, so follow your midwife's or physiotherapist's advice.
When should I start using a pregnancy pillow?
There is no set week. Use one when extra cushioning helps you rest; ordinary pillows may be enough. From 28 weeks the advice is to go to sleep on your side, and our due date calculator shows when you reach 28 weeks.
Should I sleep on my left or right side?
Either side is fine, says the NHS. From 28 weeks, go to sleep on your side, and if you wake on your back, turn onto your side again.
Will a 12ft U-shaped pillow fit a double bed?
The 12ft is measured around the outer edge, not across the bed. Each arm is about 182 cm long and 40 cm wide. Measure the space you can use and allow room for the U to open around you.
Are the covers included and washable?
The 12ft pillow comes with a removable cotton-blend cover. The Cuddle Pillow comes with or without a cotton cover. The labour cushion has a wipe-clean cover. Follow the care label.
Can I keep using my pillow after pregnancy?
Yes, for sitting up, reading or feeding. They are not for babies to sleep on, so keep them out of your baby's sleeping space. For night feeds, a glider or nursing chair supports your back and arms while you hold your baby.