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!
Product Details
Best Overall
DreamCloud Premier Rest
Price Range: $1,499 - $2,299
Mattress Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Medium (5)
Trial length: 365 nights (30-night requirement)
Warranty: Lifetime, limited
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Who it's best for:
- Side and back sleepers
- People who run hot while sleeping
- Couples who prefer a mattress that isolates motion
Highlights:
- Foam comfort system relieves pressure exceptionally well
- Hybrid construction allows ample airflow
- Shoppers looking for a lengthy sleep trial and warranty
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The DreamCloud Premier Rest offers plush and supportive comfort worthy of its name. This hybrid model has a medium feel that ranks as a 5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, making it a strong pick for side and back sleepers, as well as stomach sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds.
This model’s construction starts with a cozy cashmere blend pillow-top that’s stitched directly into the two layers of memory foam and polyfoam beneath the fabric. The resulting surface has plenty of cushioning. Two more polyfoam layers conform to your body’s shape, relieving pressure point discomfort in the process.
The pocketed coil support core features individually wrapped coils measuring 8.5 inches tall. The strong support helps keep your spine evenly aligned and supported, which is an important factor for pregnant people. Finally, a thin polyfoam layer anchors the mattress and keeps it from shifting.
The Premier Rest’s many foam layers contribute to its excellent pressure relief. Side sleepers and people with joint pain appreciate how the foam cradles joints and decreases impact beneath their hips and shoulders. Our sleep lab also found that this model controls temperature quite effectively despite its thick foam comfort system. Instead of getting trapped within the foam, air circulates easily around the pocketed coil support core, keeping the mattress an even temperature all night.
DreamCloud provides free shipping to shoppers who live in the contiguous U.S. Those who wish to take advantage of the 365-night sleep trial must use their mattress for at least 30 days before initiating a return. The Premier Rest carries a lifetime limited warranty.
Best Value
Nectar Mattress
Price Range: $399 - $1,138
Mattress Type: Foam
Firmness: Medium Firm (6)
Trial length: 365 nights
Warranty: Lifetime, Limited
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King
Who it's best for:
- Side sleepers
- People looking for a long trial period
- Budget shoppers
Highlights:
- Even balance of contouring and support
- Memory foam design with medium firm feel
- 365-night sleep trial and lifetime warranty
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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
Luxury Firm WinkBed
Price Range: $1,149 - $2,049
Mattress Type: Innerspring
Firmness: Medium Firm (6)
Trial length: 120 nights (30 night requirement)
Warranty: Lifetime, Limited
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Who it's best for:
- Back and stomach sleepers
- People who live in warm climates
- Those who experience back pain
Highlights:
- Gel-infused foam and airflow through pocketed coils ensure a cool sleep surface
- Zoned coil system offers increased back support
- Reinforced perimeter bolsters edge support
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The Luxury Firm WinkBed offers even support and comfortable cushioning, two factors very important for pregnant people. This model cushions the body effectively without sacrificing spinal alignment, which is a tough balance to achieve. This model has a medium firm (6) feel, placing it squarely in the middle range of what most sleepers prefer.
The mattress’ plush Euro-top has two layers of gel-infused polyfoam quilted into its surface to give it a plush feel. An additional polyfoam layer adds contouring that conforms closely to your hips and shoulders to relieve any pressure buildup.
The pocketed coil support core has several zones with varying levels of pushback to provide extra strength beneath your lower back and additional pressure relief at your shoulders. Higher gauge coils line the core’s perimeter to ensure the mattress has strong support from edge to edge. A Tencel cover wraps the mattress and keeps its surface cool and comfortable.
Our testers ranked this model highly in several important categories including edge support and temperature control. Pregnant people need robust support across the whole mattress, and this bed’s reinforced perimeter is a major benefit for those who sleep using the entire surface. When it comes to cooling, this mattress does a standout job. Its gel-infused polyfoam and Tencel cover aim to keep the surface cool, while the pocketed coil support core promotes healthy airflow.
WinkBed ships its Luxury Firm Mattress free to shoppers in the contiguous U.S. The 120-night sleep trial has a 30-night break-in period. Each mattress carries a lifetime limited warranty.
Best Luxury
Birch Luxe
Price Range: $1,849 - $3,249
Mattress Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Medium Firm (6)
Trial length: 100 nights (30-night requirement)
Warranty: 25 Year, Limited
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Who it's best for:
- Side sleepers
- Couples
- Hot sleepers
Highlights:
- Breathable organic cotton cover
- Organic wool and Pulse latex comfort system contours to the body to relieve pressure
- Zoned pocketed coils offer targeted support to the midsection
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The Birch Luxe is a latex hybrid that balances pressure relief and support to help prevent aches and pains for pregnant people. We recommend this pick for eco-conscious shoppers willing to spend a bit more on a high-end mattress made with organic and natural materials.
A Euro-top cover featuring quilted organic cotton gives the surface a plush feel. Cotton’s natural breathability helps keep the surface cool to the touch. Next, a layer of organic wool and rayon acts as a natural fire barrier. This is followed by a blend of organic cashmere and wool that offers extra cushioning, as well as another layer of wool. Proprietary Pulse latex in the comfort layers gently cradles the body to relieve pressure in the hips and shoulders. However, since latex is naturally responsive, the surface does not conform too closely to the body, thus trapping less heat. The latex is Rainforest Alliance-certified, ensuring it was sourced sustainably.
Pocketed coils make up the support core. These coils are zoned in the center of the mattress to support the hips and lower back, preventing uncomfortable sagging. A perimeter reinforcement allows you to lay or sit on the edges of the mattress without slipping. The coils rest on a base layer made from a wool and rayon blend for extra stability.
The mattress performed well across sleeping positions and body weights, but the medium firm (6) feel best suited our side sleepers who are at least 130 pounds. Back and stomach sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds should also find the mattress supportive and comfortable. Many couples should appreciate the responsive surface and reinforced edges for co-sleeping and sex. The strong edge support allowed us to comfortably use the entire area of the mattress without slipping off. The mattress also earned high rankings from our hot sleepers thanks to the breathable cotton, wool, latex, and coils that ensured ample airflow.
Birch offers free shipping to customers in the contiguous U.S. A 100-night sleep trial allows you to test the mattress and return it for a full refund anytime after the 30-night break-in period. The Birch Luxe is backed by a 25-year warranty against structural defects.
Best for Side Sleepers
Helix Midnight Luxe
Price Range: $1,199 - $2,499
Mattress Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Medium Firm (6)
Trial length: 100 nights (30-night requirement)
Warranty: 15 Year, Limited
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Who it's best for:
- Back and side sleepers who weigh up to 230 pounds
- People who experience acute pressure points
- Sleepers who could use additional back support
Highlights:
- Top-notch pressure relief for side sleepers
- Zoned lumbar support promotes healthy spinal posture
- Competitively priced
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Side sleepers need more plushness than back and stomach sleepers. A mattress that’s too firm can cause uncomfortable pressure buildup beneath their hips and shoulders. The Helix Midnight Luxe has a comfortable medium firm (6) feel and plenty of pressure relieving memory foam to prevent aches and sore spots.
Beneath the pillow-top and Tencel cover is a layer of high-density memory foam that cradles your body to relieve pressure points and increase comfort. An additional layer of gel-infused viscoelastic foam provides further contouring while helping to evenly distribute your weight. The comfort system’s last layer creates a comfortable buffer between the upper layers and core.
The support core has more than 1,000 individually wrapped coils that are arranged into three zones. The firmest section is under your hips, which helps to keep your lower back properly supported while decreasing pressure beneath your shoulders. Under the coils is a final layer of polyfoam that provides durability and structure.
In addition to its exceptional pressure relief, this model also regulates temperature well – making it a practical choice for hot sleepers and expectant parents in warm climates. While the mattress already feels temperature neutral, those wishing to bring it to another level can opt for the patented GlacioTex Cooling Cover.
Helix provides shoppers with a 100-night sleep trial and a 15-year limited warranty. Shipping is free within the contiguous U.S.
Best for Spinal Alignment
Nolah Evolution 15
Price Range: $999 - $1,699
Mattress Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Medium (5), Medium Firm (6), Firm (8)
Trial length: 120 nights (30-night requirement)
Warranty: Lifetime, Limited
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Who it's best for:
- People who experience back pain
- Hot sleepers
- Those who frequently develop pressure point discomfort
Highlights:
- Three firmness options to choose from
- Strong spinal support
- Reinforced perimeter and zoned support provide significant structure
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The Nolah Evolution 15 has a plush comfort system to enhance pressure relief while a coil system helps promote healthy spinal alignment. Shoppers can purchase this model in one of three available firmness options: medium (5), medium firm (6), and firm (8).
Exact specifications vary between models to give them each their own distinct feel. However, they all have the same basic design that begins with a quilted polyfoam Euro-top that gives the mattress a plush feel when you lay on it. Beneath is a layer of AirFoamICE, a proprietary polyfoam designed to cool and contour. The comfort system’s final component is a polyfoam transitional layer that relieves pressure buildup without allowing your body to sink too deeply into the mattress.
The 8-inch pocketed coil support core has three separate zones. Higher gauge coils beneath your midsection withstand significant weight to prevent your spine from falling out of alignment. The coils compress easier beneath your shoulders and legs to ensure you don’t feel pressure points or sore spots. A base polyfoam layer anchors the mattress and ensures durability.
In addition to its uncompromising support, the Evolution 15 also regulates temperature quite well. There are numerous cooling-specific technologies within this model including an air gusset that allows body heat to escape, graphite infusions aimed at wicking moisture, and a patented cover meant to keep the surface cool. Together, all these materials successfully keep this mattress comfortable enough for those living in warm climates.
Nolah offers shoppers a 120-night sleep trial, though shoppers who want to opt out of the trial can save $100 by doing so at checkout. Shipping is free within the contiguous U.S. and the mattress carries a lifetime warranty.
Best for Back Pain
Firmer WinkBed
Price Range: $1,149 - $2,049
Mattress Type: Innerspring
Firmness: Firm (7)
Trial length: 120 nights (30 night requirement)
Warranty: Lifetime, Limited
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Who it's best for:
- Back and stomach sleepers
- Hot sleepers
- Couples
Highlights:
- Euro-top quilted with polyfoam offers moderate contouring for pressure points
- Zoned pocketed coils reduce midsection sagging to promote spinal alignment
- Coil-reinforced perimeter enhances edge support
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Pregnant sleepers are often prone to lower back pain if their mattress does not provide enough support to the midsection. The Firmer WinkBed has a firm (7) feel and a zoned support core that help prevent midsection sagging and subsequent back pain. Foam comfort layers also provide moderate contouring and relief to the lower back without sinking too deeply beneath a sleeper’s weight.
A Euro-top quilted with gel-infused polyfoam gives the surface a plush feel. The gel in this layer is also meant to absorb and dissipate excess body heat. Proprietary SupportCell polyfoam acts as a transitional layer, adding cushioning between the comfort system and coil support core. This prevents you from sinking excessively and evenly distributes your weight across the surface.
The support core features pocketed coils, which are zoned to offer targeted support to the shoulders and hips. Thicker coils line the perimeter to reinforce the edges of the mattress. A cover made from moisture-wicking Tencel fabric encases the mattress.
Our testing found that the mattress’ firm and responsive feel performed best among back and stomach sleepers, particularly those weighing at least 130 pounds. Side sleepers over 230 pounds also appreciate the extra support while the foam layers relieve pressure buildup in the hips and shoulders.
The mattress excelled in a few of our testing categories, namely sex and temperature regulation. The coil support core gives the mattress a bouncy feel that allows couples to move across the surface easily, while the reinforced perimeter prevents sleepers from slipping off the edge. The firmer feel does not contour to the body as closely, retaining less heat.
WinkBed ships free to customers living in the contiguous U.S. The company offers a 120-night sleep trial where you can return a mattress after the 30-night break-in period for a full refund. If you decide to keep the Firmer WinkBed, it comes with a lifetime warranty against structural defects.
Best Pressure Relief
Bear Elite Hybrid
Price Range: $1,721 - $3,565
Mattress Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Medium (5), Medium Firm (6), Firm (8)
Trial length: 120 nights (30-night break-in period)
Warranty: Lifetime warranty
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King
Who it's best for:
- Sleepers with sharp pressure points
- Hot sleepers
- Couples
Highlights:
- Three firmness levels
- Mixed foam comfort system closely contours to the body to relieve pressure
- Phase change material in cover meant to prevent heat buildup
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Many pregnant people can experience pressure buildup, especially as their body gets larger throughout pregnancy. Mattresses made with foam layers often excel in our pressure relief tests, and the Bear Elite Hybrid is no exception. This foam hybrid offers balanced contouring and support, and the three firmness levels ensured most of our testers felt comfortable.
The Elite Hybrid’s comfort system starts with a layer of adaptive memory foam that relieves pressure buildup in the joints and lower back. This layer is also infused with copper designed to conduct and dissipate heat. Next is a layer of polyfoam that is zoned to support the midsection while cradling the legs. The polyfoam also acts as a transitional layer between the comfort system and the coils.
Pocketed coils in the support core offer pushback to the midsection to help promote healthy sleep posture. The coils rest on a base layer of polyfoam for extra stability. A Celliant and polyester blend cover encases the mattress and is infused with phase change material meant for enhanced cooling.
The Elite Hybrid comes in three firmnesses: medium (5), medium firm (6), and firm (8). Our testing found the softest model best suited our side and back sleepers who weigh less than 130 pounds. The medium firm was the most versatile, earning its highest rankings from our side sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds and back sleepers who weigh up to 230 pounds. Our side sleepers weighing more than 230 pounds, back sleepers who weigh at least 130 pounds, and stomach sleepers weighing between 130 and 230 pounds enjoyed the firmest model’s even sleep surface.
The different firmnesses also varied in performance across our testing criteria. Couples who value motion isolation may prefer the softest model, which absorbed the most movement transfer and noise in our tests. Meanwhile, the firmest model may be better for those who value a responsive surface for sex. All three excelled in our temperature control tests thanks to steady airflow through the coils and the use of phase change material.
Bear ships free to customers living in the contiguous U.S., and mattress purchases come with a 120-night sleep trial. You can test the mattress and return it after the 30-night break-in period. The Elite Hybrid is backed by a generous lifetime warranty.
Best Cooling
GhostBed Luxe
Price Range: $2,395 - $5,190
Mattress Type: Foam
Firmness: Medium (5)
Trial length: 101 nights (30-night requirement)
Warranty: 25 Year, Limited
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King
Who it's best for:
- Side sleepers who weigh 230 pounds or less
- Couples
- Those who typically overheat on memory foam mattresses
Highlights:
- Plush all-foam design provides close, even contouring and excellent pressure relief
- Cooling materials help to dissipate heat from the surface
- Exceptional motion isolation
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Since many pregnant women sleep on their sides, the ideal mattress should cushion the spine and alleviate pressure without sinking too much around the midsection. The GhostBed Luxe is well suited for pregnant sleepers thanks largely to its medium (5) feel, which ensures a balance of close contouring and even support. The mattress also performs well in terms of cooling and thermoregulation. Although memory foam tends to trap warmth, the Luxe’s comfort layer is infused with gel intended to release heat and keep you comfortable. Another key component is a cover is made of Ghost Ice fabric, which feels cool to the touch.
Since the Luxe is constructed entirely from foam, the mattress excels at motion isolation. Each layer works to absorb movement and prevent the motion from transferring across the surface. This means you and your sleep partner are unlikely to awaken when the other person changes sleep positions or gets up in the middle of the night. The mattress is also completely silent.
Our testing found the Luxe fared best with side-sleeping pregnant women who frequently experience back pain.A 3-inch comfort layer of memory foam gives the surface a plush feel, while transitional and base layers of high-density polyfoam provide decent overall stability.
All customers in the contiguous U.S. qualify for free ground shipping with their Luxe purchase. The mattress also comes with a 101-night sleep trial that includes free returns, and a 25-year manufacturer’s warranty against structural defects.
Best for Back Sleepers
Saatva Classic
Price Range: $935 - $2,450
Mattress Type: Innerspring
Firmness: Soft (3), Medium Firm (6), Firm (8)
Trial length: 365 Nights ($99 Return Fee)
Warranty: Lifetime, Limited
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King, Split California King
Who it's best for:
- Pregnant women who suffer from night sweats
- Those who prefer to sleep “on” and not “in” the mattress
- People who suffer from lower back pain
Highlights:
- Three firmness options available
- Coil-on-coil design adds bounce, cooling, and edge support
- Free White Glove delivery
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The Saatva mattress is a highly comfortable innerspring mattress with two layers of coils and an organic cotton Euro-top cover that our back sleepers thoroughly enjoyed. 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 lifetime warranty and 365-night sleep trial, with a $99 fee for returns.
How to Choose a Mattress for Pregnancy
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.
Why is Sleep Important 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.
What to Look for in a Mattress for 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.
- Price: Pregnancy is a big investment, and many expecting couples may not have the money to spend a few thousand dollars on a new mattress. You’ll have to weigh the benefits of quality sleep against the price, taking into consideration that a mattress should last you a good 6 to 7 years at least. It is a common misconception that a high-quality mattress will cost thousands of dollars. While this may be true for some models, there are several cheap mattress options that offer the same high-quality materials and strong performance as many of their more expensive counterparts. Most online mattress manufacturers offer payment plans that allow you to pay off your mattress in monthly installments.
- Sleeping Position: In the second and third trimester, doctors recommend that women sleep on their left side as it’s safest for the baby. Side sleepers often experience added pressure from the hips and shoulders digging into the mattress. Since you won’t be able to change sleeping positions as often as you normally would, the best mattress for the second and third trimesters will be one that provides close contouring and generous pressure relief.
- Mattress Type: Between innerspring and all-foam, latex or hybrid, the type of mattress that’s best for pregnancy will depend on your own body type, personal preference, and preferred sleeping position. Remember that you’ll be using your mattress after your pregnancy ends, so try to choose one that suits your regular body type and position preference as well as your changing needs during pregnancy.
- Contouring: Memory foam is the closest-conforming material, forming a “hug” that helps distribute body weight and reduce pressure points when sleeping on your side during pregnancy. Latex also conforms to a certain extent, and many hybrid mattresses use foam or comfort layers that offer a significant level of conforming.
- Quality Materials: The average lifespan of a mattress before it starts developing permanent body indentations or sagging is 6 to 7 years. Denser foams, natural latex, higher coil counts, thicker coil gauges, and other markers of high-quality construction can help guide you towards a more durable mattress.
- Firmness Level: Pregnant women will likely find that their firmness preferences change as the pregnancy progresses, making it difficult to settle on either a firm or soft mattress for pregnancy. You’ll be putting added pressure on your mattress as your baby grows, so you’ll need to have a mattress that continues to provide pressure relief without sagging under the extra weight. You may want to consider a flippable mattress or an airbed with adjustable firmness as you undergo changes in weight and eventually switch to sleeping on your side during your third trimester. Another option is to use a mattress topper for part of your term. If you and your partner have trouble deciding on a firmness level, you may opt to get a mattress with a different firmness on each side, or two twin XL mattresses that you can put together to make a split-king bed.
- Pressure Relief: Many pregnant women will prefer close-conforming mattresses that provide above-average pressure relief. That said, mattresses that allow too much sink may lead to pressure build-up due to inadequate spinal support.
- Edge Support: A bed with strong edge support can give better leverage when getting in and out of bed, which is important as your belly grows and you find yourself making frequent bathroom visits. Thanks to their coils, hybrid mattresses and innerspring mattresses tend to have the best edge support.
- Temperature Regulation: Many pregnant women suffer from night sweats due to changing hormones. If this sounds like you, try looking for a mattress with better airflow or more breathable materials to combat overheating. Hybrid and latex mattresses tend to be the most temperature-neutral, although some all-foam mattresses successfully use gel infusions or other techniques to reduce heat retention.
- Noise: Expecting couples need their sleep, so it’s important to choose a quiet mattress that doesn’t squeak and creak every time a person rolls over or gets up to visit the bathroom. All-foam or latex models make little to no noise, and hybrid mattresses make less noise than traditional innersprings thanks to the individually wrapped coils.
Which Mattress Firmness is Best for Pregnancy?
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.
Which Type of Mattress is Best for Pregnancy?
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.
Hybrid
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.
Innerspring
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.
Latex
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.
Airbed
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.
Foam
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.
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