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Written by
Daniel Noyed
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Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial to you and your baby’s health. But between nausea, heartburn, backache, and night sweats, pregnancy puts your body through a challenging series of changes that can make sleep difficult to attain.
More than ever, you’ll require a mattress that can relieve pressure from sensitive areas while still providing support for your growing baby bump. The right mattress can help keep discomfort at bay and have an enormous impact on the quality of your sleep.
We’re here to help you find the best mattress for pregnancy, going through the factors you should focus on in a mattress and sharing our top picks for mattresses on the market today. We want to help you get the rest you need so you can rise to the challenge of being a new mom!
The Muse Mattress is a 12-inch memory foam mattress that comes in three firmness levels: medium (5), medium firm (6), and firm (7-8). This range of firmness levels gives the mattress appeal for almost every pregnant woman, regardless of body type or preferred sleep position.
Each model features a slightly different combination of polyfoams and memory foams that contour to minimize pressure points. The soft and medium models do a great job of isolating motion transfer so you and your sleep partner won’t disturb each other during the night. The firm model contours less closely, but it has better edge support and allows for easier movement on top of the bed.
The mattress has a machine-washable zip-off cover, which makes cleaning a breeze during pregnancy and once your baby is born. The cover is also infused with phase-change material to give it better temperature neutrality. Like most foam mattresses, the Muse won’t make any noise when bearing weight.
Muse offers a 120-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty. Mattresses ship free in the continental U.S.
Amerisleep makes 5 different mattresses, of which the Amerisleep AS1 is the firmest. At 7-8 out of 10 on the firmness scale, this all-foam mattress provides the robust sleeping surface needed to keep your spine aligned as your baby grows.
The mattress is 10 inches tall and features a simple construction consisting of just 2 inches of plant-based memory foam over a high-density polyfoam base. The foam in the comfort layer has a quick response to pressure and an open-cell design which stimulates airflow. In tandem with the Celliant fabric woven into the cover, this helps reduce heat build-up and keep the mattress cool.
Although it doesn’t conform as closely as the other Amerisleep mattresses, the AS1 still manages to keep motion transfer to a minimum. The mattress also has very good edge support for a foam mattress. If you share a smaller mattress, this means you and your partner won’t constantly find yourselves drifting towards the center of the bed.
Amerisleep offers a 100-night sleep trial plus a 20-year warranty, which is longer than the average mattress.
The Layla Hybrid is a flippable hybrid mattress with a removable cover and a different firmness level on each side. The advantage of a flippable mattress is that you don’t have to settle on one firmness level forever, so you can easily switch sides as your pregnancy progresses and your needs change.
The medium soft (4) side has a 2.5-inch layer of memory foam over a 2-inch layer of polyfoam. This layer uses zoned surface modification technology (SMT) to give more support in the areas where it’s needed. The cut-out channels also help increase airflow. The firm (7-8) side has 1 inch of memory foam over 1.5 inches of polyfoam with zoned SMT.
Due to the thicker foams on the medium soft side, this side offers pressure relief and motion isolation similar to an all-foam mattress. In contrast, the firm side has a bit more bounce, allowing for easier movement and a better surface for sex. Since you sink less into this side, it will also trap less body heat and stay cooler overnight.
The foams are infused with copper, which has antibacterial and cooling properties. Both sides shared a pocketed coil support core with higher-gauge coils around the perimeter for better edge support.
Layla offers a 120-night sleep trial and 10-year warranty.
The MemoryLux is an all-foam mattress by WinkBeds that comes in three firmness levels: medium soft (4), medium (5), and firm (7-8). The mattress is 11 inches tall and has a breathable, eco-friendly Tencel cover quilted with 2 inches of gel-infused foam.
The primary comfort layer is a proprietary memory foam with air capsules that are designed to fight heat build-up and relieve pressure through shock absorption. A zoned polyfoam layer provides firmer support in the lower back and hips and eases the transition onto the high-density polyfoam support core.
Thanks to its multiple foam layers, the WinkBeds MemoryLux cradles your body to relieve pressure points and absorb motion before it transfers across the bed. Women under 130 pounds will prefer the medium soft version and women over 230 pounds will prefer the firm version, but if you’re looking for a mattress that will suit for your whole pregnancy then the medium version may do the trick.
WinkBeds offers a 120-night sleep trial and lifetime warranty for the MemoryLux.
The Saatva mattress is a luxury innerspring mattress with two layers of coils and an organic cotton Euro-top cover. Saatva offers three different firmness options: soft (2-3), medium firm (6), and firm (7-8). The mattress is also available in two different profiles, 11.5-inch and 14.5-inch, for people who wish to have their mattress lower down or further up off the ground.
The coil-on-coil construction of the Saatva lends bounce and airflow to the mattress, as well as providing targeted pressure relief as your baby bump grows. A foam encasement around the perimeter increases edge support, while extra memory foam and an active wire in the lumbar region help support the lower back.
Saatva offers free White Glove delivery and old mattress removal in the contiguous U.S. The mattress has a 15-year warranty and 120-night sleep trial, with a $99 fee for returns.
The Tuft & Needle Hybrid mattress features proprietary foams and a micro-coil layer over a pocketed coil support core. In terms of firmness, it’s rated medium, or a 5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. This makes it best suited to sleepers under 230 pounds, although it does provide enough support for side sleepers over 230 pounds so it should be suitable for the third trimester.
Tuft & Needle has included multiple cooling features to prevent heat retention in the mattress. These include the use of open-cell foams and graphite and gel bead infusions, as well as airflow through the coils. The foam is also infused with carbon fiber for added durability.
Thanks to the dual coil layers, the Tuft & Needle Hybrid has a bouncy surface that is great for sex and facilitates sleeping positions. It also has strong edge support, which is handy when getting in and out of bed. Plus, it allows full use of the bed without feelings of roll-off along the edges. This increases the usable sleep surface if you share the bed with a partner.
Tuft & Needle backs the mattress with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.
When you’re pregnant, each trimester will bring new challenges to your sleep. The first trimester heralds rising progesterone levels which result in daytime sleepiness. Some women may also start experiencing tender breasts, nausea, night sweats, and a more frequent need to urinate.
As you move to the second trimester, hormone levels even out. You may feel more energetic, but many women experience nightmares and heartburn.
For most women, the third trimester represents the heaviest blow to their sleep. This is when the weight of the baby bump starts to cause serious lower back pain. In addition, women commonly experience frequent nighttime awakening, restless legs syndrome, and snoring during the third trimester.
It can be difficult to choose a mattress for pregnancy, given that your body is constantly changing. If you sleep with a partner, you’ll also have to take their concerns into account. Ideally, you’ll find a mattress that suits your regular sleeping style as well, since hopefully you’ll be using your mattress for years to come.
In the following sections, we’ll discuss mattress construction, firmness levels, and how these affect mattress performance for pregnant women. We’ll also discuss why it’s important to get quality sleep during pregnancy, and cover some of the most important things to look for when choosing a mattress for pregnancy.
Sleep deprivation during pregnancy has been linked to postpartum depression, preterm delivery, gestational diabetes, fetus size, longer labor and a higher chance of cesarean delivery. That’s not to mention the general effects of sleep deprivation, which include slower reaction time, negative mood, and a weakened immune system, among others. Unfortunately, getting quality sleep when you’re pregnant is easier said than done.
Research shows that pregnant women are more likely to suffer from sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, heartburn, and restless legs syndrome. In addition, pregnant women tend to experience nausea, insomnia, anxiety over childbirth, back pain, fetal movements, and a frequent need to visit the bathroom, all of which can interfere with sleep quality.
Investing in a good mattress is the first step to improving your sleep during pregnancy. For more advice, read our article on how to get better sleep during pregnancy.
The mattress industry is full of complicated jargon which can make it seem like an impossible task to understand how one mattress is better than another. In reality, it’s simpler than it seems.
All mattresses have two principal functions: to provide spinal support and pressure relief. They accomplish this using a combination of support layers and comfort layers.
Secondary to support and pressure relief are factors like temperature regulation and motion isolation, which are also important during your pregnancy. Following are some key points and a simple explanation of the most important things to look for in a mattress when you’re expecting.
Mattress firmness is usually measured on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being extremely plush and 10 being extremely firm.
Generally speaking, side sleepers and people who weigh less than 130 pounds are most comfortable on a plusher mattress that conforms closely to align the spine and reduce pressure points. Stomach sleepers and people who weigh more than 230 pounds require a firmer surface that keeps the spine aligned by preventing heavier body parts from sinking too far into the mattress. Back sleepers and people between 130 and 230 pounds do best on a mattress that provides an even balance of spinal support and pressure relief.
Your needs are slightly different during pregnancy. A mattress that is too plush can sag under the weight of your growing baby, potentially contributing to back pain. But even though your body weight is increasing, you still need a sleeping surface that will conform enough to relieve pressure points in sensitive areas.
During your second and third trimester, as you start sleeping exclusively on your left side, your mattress has the dual job of cushioning the hips and shoulders while still supporting the spine. Pregnant women may benefit from a zoned mattress that’s firmer in strategic areas, providing alternate pressure relief and support where needed.
Memory foam comfort layers tend to be more plush while latex tends to be firmer, although this is not a hard-and-fast rule. Firmness is a personal choice and regardless of your body type or preferred sleep position, you may simply prefer a firmer or softer mattress. When choosing your mattress, try to consider what your needs will be during pregnancy as well as what kind of mattress you generally prefer sleeping on, for after the baby is born.
Mattress types can be broken down into 5 general categories, each of which has particular advantages and disadvantages. That being said, you’ll find many variations within these categories depending on the quality, composition, and extra features used by each mattress manufacturer.
Definition: To qualify as a hybrid mattress, a mattress must have a significant comfort layer section over an innerspring support core, which is usually pocketed coils. The comfort layers can be made of latex, memory foam, polyfoam, micro-coils, wool, down, cotton, or fiber-fill.
Highlight: Balanced Feel. Hybrids tend to offer pressure relief and motion isolation rivaling all-foam beds, while the coils provide the increased airflow, reinforced edges, and more robust spinal support of an innerspring mattress.
Definition: Most people grew up with an innerspring mattress, which is mostly made of metal coils and may feature a thin layer of cotton or polyfoam on top. Innerspring mattresses rarely trap heat and they offer good edge support, but they lack pressure relief and tend to transfer motion to a significant extent.
Highlight: Ease of Movement. Innerspring mattresses have a bouncy surface and negligible sagging along the edges, making them easy to hop in and out of when you’re visiting the bathroom.
Definition: All-latex mattresses use latex in the comfort layers as well as the support core. Latex can be either natural or synthetic. Natural latex is breathable, durable, and quite responsive. It contours somewhat to relieve pressure points but can also be made in a firmer version that provides a stable support core.
Highlight: Cool Conforming. Latex offers pressure relief nearing that of memory foam, but without the heat retention.
Definition: Airbeds are characterized by the air chambers in their support core, which can be inflated or deflated to adjust the firmness level according to the user’s preference. Most high-end airbeds include additional comfort layers over the air chambers, such as foam or latex.
Highlight: Customizable Firmness. Airbeds sometimes offer as many as 50 different firmness levels that you can adjust as often as you want. This may be ideal as the body’s needs progress throughout pregnancy. For couples who are expecting, it also allows each partner to choose their own firmness level.
Definition: Polyurethane foam (polyfoam) and its close cousin, memory foam, are synthetic materials that can be engineered to have a variety of characteristics. All-foam mattresses tend to have a high-density polyfoam support core with one or more plusher comfort layers to add pressure relief and prevent motion transfer. Some foam mattresses also include latex.
Highlight: Close Conforming. All-foam mattresses, especially those with memory foam comfort layers, contour more closely than any other material to provide relief from pressure points. This can help reduce pain in pregnant women, especially when sleeping on the side.
