Troubleshooting Your Bub's Maternity Pillow™

Was the back pain there before you started using the pillow, or has it only shown up since?

If the back pain is nothing new

Do you wake up stiff and aching, or with pain running along your back – the lower back especially?

When back trouble has been with you a while, there's no overnight cure. The pillow becomes one piece of your wider pain-management routine – alongside ice, massage, nutrition, or whatever else already helps – so you don't wake feeling worse than before.

Even so, it's worth following the tips below to get the most from your pillow. In these cases it usually pays to use it steadily for a decent stretch – a month or more – so you can judge your pain levels fairly and clearly.

If the back pain is new

If you've slept with Bub's Pillow for a few nights and find you're waking with back pain, a handful of things could be behind it:

What might be happening: The pillows weren't set up right, leaving too little room for your back or bump.

What that does: It puts too much of a wedge against your back, so your back can't properly settle into the curve and relax.

Solution: Change how far apart your pillows sit. It can take a little trial and error, but you should notice the difference straight away and fine-tune from there.

What might be happening: There isn't enough of a “boost” behind you to ease you comfortably onto your side.

What that does: As your belly grows heavier, too little boost keeps your bump from sinking fully into the mattress, so your back ends up carrying that weight. You may not notice at first, but after a few hours you'll really feel it.

Solution: Bring in the auxiliary (extra) pillow that ships with your Bub's. Tuck it wherever feels best, and let us know whether it helps.

What might be happening: The pillow behind you as you side-sleep is on the firm side.

What that does: A lot of this comes down to personal taste – some people love a firmer surface while others are used to softer support. But if you're not usually a firm-mattress sleeper, the back pillow's “hardness” may feel a touch too solid for you.

Solution: Take out some of the stuffing so the back pillow has a little more give.

What might be happening: As your bump grows the weight shifts, so the position that once worked for you and your pillow may no longer be ideal.

What that does: When your bump sits low – which is especially common in later pregnancy – you'll want most of the support down at the lowest part of your back.

Solution: Try a few different placements. You should feel the change within a night or two, if not the very first.

If you've been using Bub's Pillow but still can't shake hip and/or pelvic pain, the cause may go beyond the pillow itself.

Bub's Pillow helps ease hip and pelvic pain that comes from sleeping in awkward positions – but not all pregnancy hip pain starts in bed (in fact, most of it doesn't).

Some mums find Bub's Pillow is all they need; others will want a little extra support.

What might be happening: When you lie on your side, the weight of your upper leg pulls your pelvis into an uncomfortable and unnecessary twist across your body.

What that does: Your pelvis is already loosening its joints and ligaments to get ready for birth (thanks, hormones). With everything dragging downward, that ache creeps into your hips and pelvis.

Solution: Add enough cushioning between your legs to keep your top leg in line with your body. In other words, keep both legs parallel with your knees pointing forward rather than rolling in toward each other.

What might be happening: The extra pillow isn't thick enough for you.

What that means: While the extra pillow included with Bub's Pillow offers some support, you may get more relief from something thicker that holds your legs further apart.

Solution: Try a standard pillow and see if it helps. If a regular pillow feels too warm or itchy, reach for the Bub's Full Body Attachment, which is made to pair with your Bub's pillow and add extra support to your legs, back and front.

If Bub's Pillow feels like it's pressing too hard against your bump or back, or digging in somewhere, a few likely causes have simple fixes:

What might be happening: The pillows sit too close, squeezing your bump or back.

What that does: You won't feel it at first, but after a few hours of something pressing on your bump or back, the pressure starts to hurt. Think of it like a blister that only shows up after you've worn new shoes for a while.

Solution: Adjust how far apart the pillows sit so they properly cradle your back and bump, keeping the edges of the front and back pillows from pressing or digging into you.

What might be happening: One or both pillows may be too firm for your bump or back.

What that does: This is mostly personal taste – some people simply prefer firmer mattresses or pillows – but your loosening joints and ever-stretching skin and tummy will feel tender, some days more than others. The last thing you want is something firm poking at a bump and back that are not only always changing but also carrying more weight as the day goes on.

Solution: Remove pillow stuffing until it feels comfortable.

What might be happening: Bub's Pillow is built to mould around your bump and back, and one of the pillows may not be sitting quite right.

What that means: Because the design is so precise, there's always a “sweet spot” where the pillows let your back and bump nestle in properly.

Solution: Try a few different heights until you land on your sweet spot.

For every solution above, we suggest making one small adjustment at a time so you can find the perfect setup for you. It might take a little fiddling, but don't worry – it's absolutely worth it and wonderfully comfortable once you get it right.

If the pillows don't feel supportive enough for either your bump or back, here are a few things to try:

What might be happening: The pillows are pulled out too far.

What that does: When the pillows aren't close enough, they can't wedge beneath your back or bump, so they can't hold you in a side-sleeping position or take the strain off gravity pulling your bump down.

Solution: Adjust how far apart the pillows sit until they feel right. It may take a little experimenting, but you'll feel the difference within a night or two, if not the very first.

What might be happening: You want or need a firmer pillow.

What that means: This might be personal preference – you may simply be someone who likes firmer mattresses and pillows – or you're not getting enough of a wedge under your bump or back.

Solution: Use the extra pillow to build up a bit more of a wedge and extra support.

What might be happening: Your pillow isn't in the right position.

What that does: If you've read the rest of this guide, you already know pillow height matters enormously because of how precisely the pillow is designed.

Solution: Try a few different heights.

It bears repeating: for all the solutions above, make one small adjustment at a time so you can find the perfect setup that's unique to you. A bit of fiddling may be involved, but don't worry – it's well worth it and beautifully comfortable once it's dialled in.

If you've already tried adjusting the pillow's length but it still feels too firm and uncomfortable against your back or bump, tweaking the firmness may be what you need.