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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!
Best Overall
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 (3), medium firm (6), and firm (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 180-night sleep trial, with a $99 fee for returns.
Best Value
The Nectar Mattress is an all-foam bed that provides a nice balance of contouring and support for women who are pregnant. The Nectar’s price-point makes it a more affordable option for pregnant women who are not looking to spend thousands of dollars on a new mattress.
The Nectar has a 3-inch comfort layer of memory foam, followed by a 2-inch transitional layer of soft polyfoam and a 7-inch layer of high-density polyfoam. The memory foam hugs the body to provide relief to areas where pregnant women may experience pressure build-up. Yet it is also more firm than many other memory foam models, which helps prevent women from sinking too deep and losing support as their weight increases.
Since doctors recommend that pregnant women sleep on their side, it’s important for expecting mothers to sleep on a mattress that is suitable for side sleepers. The Nectar Mattress is a good option for side sleepers in a wide range of weight categories. It offers pressure relief to shoulders and hips, which are common pressure points for side sleepers, and it is supportive enough to accommodate weight groups up to 230 pounds. People who weigh more than 230 pounds may find the Nectar to lack proper support around the midsection.
The Nectar has excellent motion isolation, which means that partners are less likely to feel each other’s movements in bed. This can improve sleep quality for a pregnant woman as well as her partner, especially if she shifts a lot during sleep later in the pregnancy.
The Nectar is significantly lower in price than many of its memory foam competitors. The lower price-point is helpful for expecting parents on a budget, especially if there is a possibility that you may stop using the mattress when you are no longer pregnant.
Nectar ships mattresses for free within the contiguous United States. The company offers a generous 365-night sleep trial and lifetime warranty. Full refunds are issued to customers who return their mattress within the 365-night timeframe.
Most Comfortable
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) 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.
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.
Best Cooling
SleepFoundation readers save 15% on Tuft & Needle mattresses with this code: SLEEPFOUNDATION
Many pregnant women prefer mattresses with adaptive foam layers that contour to their figure and alleviate pressure, but a common drawback to foam is that it can retain body heat and sleep uncomfortably warm. The Tuft & Needle Mint Mattress remedies this problem with two top layers of open-cell polyfoam, which cushions and conforms to the body without sleeping too hot. Gel and graphite infusions in these layers are engineered to help dissipate heat. The result is a mattress that reduces discomfort and regulates your temperature well.
The Mint Mattress has a medium firm (6) feel, and is best suited to women who weigh up to 230 pounds. The foam provides cushioning for the shoulders and hips, which can improve spinal alignment and decrease pressure for side sleepers. Pregnant women who sleep on their backs should also be able to rest comfortably without sinking too much.
As is often the case with all-foam beds, the Mint Mattress excels at motion isolation. The foams absorb movement and reduce transfer, allowing you and your partner to sleep soundly whenever the other person changes positions or gets up in the middle of the night. The mattress is completely silent, too.
The sticker price for this mattress is on par with that of the average foam model, and Tuft & Needle will ship it for free to any destination in the contiguous U.S. The Mint Mattress is backed by a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.
Best for Side Sleepers
The GravityLux is an all-foam mattress by WinkBeds that comes in three firmness levels: medium soft (4), medium (5), and firm (7). The mattress is 11 inches tall and has a breathable 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 GravityLux cradles your body to relieve pressure points and absorb motion before it transfers across the bed. Side and back sleepers who weigh less than 130 pounds will likely prefer the medium soft or medium models, while stomach sleepers and those who weigh more than 230 pounds may benefit more from the firm model.
WinkBeds offers a 120-night sleep trial and lifetime warranty for the GravityLux.
Best Pressure Relief
Amerisleep offers a line of memory foam mattresses that vary in construction and firmness. The AS4 model is one of the softest options and offers excellent contouring features for women who are pregnant.
The AS4 is made with a 4-inch comfort layer of memory foam, followed by a 1-inch layer of zoned polyfoam and a 7-inch support core of firm polyfoam. The mattress is medium soft, which translates to 4 on our 10-point firmness scale. Due to its thick memory foam layer, the AS4 offers good relief for painful pressure points that may arise over the course of a pregnancy.
The AS4’s contouring features make it well-suited for side sleepers, who require good pressure relief in the shoulders and hips to maintain healthy sleep posture. Pregnant women are advised by doctors to sleep on their sides, so the AS4 can help alleviate pain that arises from this sleep position. Pressure relief may become especially important as a woman’s weight increases during the pregnancy.
The thick layer of memory foam has excellent motion isolation performance. This means that partners are less likely to notice each other’s movements, which can be helpful for pregnant women who shift a lot at night. The AS4 runs hot, as memory foam mattresses tend to do, but the proprietary Bio-Pur foam in the AS4 runs somewhat cooler than traditional memory foam. This may appeal to pregnant women who overheat easily.
Amerisleep offers free shipping within the contiguous United States. Mattresses come with a 20-year warranty and 100-night sleep trial. After an initial 30-day wait period, customers may return mattresses for a full refund.
Best Eco-Friendly
The Latex for Less Mattress is a latex bed with a unique reversible design. The mattress may appeal to pregnant women who are looking for customizable firmness options and cooling properties.
The Latex for Less bed is made with 100% natural latex, organic cotton cover, and wool batting for cushion. The mattress has two firmness options, depending on which side you sleep on. The softer side has a medium firmness, which translates to 5 on our 10-point firmness scale. The firm side has a firmness level of 7. The reversible feature may appeal to expecting mothers whose firmness preferences are likely to change when they are no longer pregnant.
The bed is available in two thickness options, 7 inches and 9 inches. The 9-inch model has two layers of latex, compared to one latex layer in the 7-inch model. Due to its latex construction, the mattress has a bouncy feel that promotes ease of movement across the surface. People who don’t like the sensation of “sinking” into a mattress may prefer a latex bed such as this one.
Unlike foam mattresses, which trap body heat, the Latex for Less Mattress is well-ventilated and helps keep the body cool. The wool layer also helps wick moisture away from the body. Since pregnant women tend to run hot, these features might be a factor in choosing an ideal mattress.
Pregnant women are advised to sleep on their sides, so it’s important to note that the Latex for Less Mattress is better suited for back and stomach sleepers. Side sleepers may find this mattress too firm to provide adequate pressure relief to areas such as the shoulders and hips. However, side sleepers who weigh more than 130 pounds may sink deeper and receive sufficient pressure relief.
The Latex for Less Mattress has certification from GOTS, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 and the Eco-Institut. These certifications help ensure that the mattress is made with organic materials that are free of harmful chemicals. This may appeal to pregnant women who are concerned about the safety of their bedding materials.
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.
We’ll highlight the best mattresses under $2,000 and share tips to help you make the most from your money.
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