5 Best Mattresses For Pregnancy That Provide Comfort And Support

Memory foam mattresses are recommended as the best mattresses for pregnancy as they have equal weight distribution support. The foam will mould around the contours of your body, including your newly arched back, so it can support every aspect of your figure, reducing back pain and providing pressure relief. Innerspring mattresses will offer you support, but they will not contour around you, so you are more likely to end up with your weight resting on just a few points - usually your hips and back. Continuous coil or open coil mattress constructions are not recommended for pregnant women. These constructions can be quite uncomfortable in normal situations and can cause further aggravation on your pressure points when during pregnancy.

A mattress with edge support will also be one of the best mattresses for pregnancy as this will help with equal weight distribution, support you when you are tossing and turning, and make it easier to lift yourself in and out of bed.

Different types of mattresses will give you differing degrees of sinkage. When you initially lie on the mattress, the sinking feeling offers instant relief, giving you a lovely cocooned, hugging feeling from the foam around you. While this might sound ideal in mattresses for pregnant women, the initial relief and comfort may be quickly counterbalanced by the frustration you feel when trying to get out of bed in the second and third trimester. The more sinkage you have, the harder it will be to haul yourself out of bed in the middle of the night when you need to visit the bathroom. It is important to find the appropriate balance between comfort, sinkage and support.

Medium-firm mattresses, without an excessively thick layer of top foam, is often recommended during pregnancy, as this gives you a balance of support, comfort but not too much sinking.

While each manufacturer will have its own exact definition of what makes a mattress firm or soft, there are some broad categories that will help you make the right choice for your sleeping style. The best mattress for pregnancy is largely influenced by your personal preference but this breakdown should give you a rough guide.

Soft mattresses are said to be best for those who sleep on their side, and who prefer the feeling of being cocooned or hugged while in bed, as you will sink into the top layers. They are also good to relieve pressure points. While many pregnant women switch from being back and stomach sleepers to become side sleepers, a soft mattress will not give you enough back support. Having a mattress that is too soft can actually add to your back pain.

Medium-firm mattresses are designed to give you a balance of support, comfort and pressure relief, and also gives you a compromise if you prefer a soft surface and your partner prefers a firm one. Typically, these mattresses are best for combination sleepers - those who switch between their back, side and stomach while sleeping, but when pregnant, this is also a good option that suits most people. Not too soft that you sink, but soft enough to stop the build-up of pressure points. Plus with medium firm beds, the majority of people will comfortably be able to sleep on these mattresses after pregnancy.

A firm mattress is best for those who need extra lumbar support. In comparison to the other mattresses, a firm option gives you a smoother and flatter surface to lie on. Throughout pregnancy, it is not uncommon to use a standard firm mattress that gives you support but to finish it with a foam mattress topper for extra softness to relieve aches and pains. A firm mattress with no added comfort might aggravate your pressure points as your pregnancy progresses.

There is no set standard on which thickness of the mattress is best, either for pregnancy or regular sleep, but there are a few points you can consider. A mattress is made up of a number of layers; the base layer and then the comfort layers, or layer. The quantity and material used in each layer will determine the overall thickness of the mattress and its durability.

The base layer, or foundation, will largely be responsible for the durability of your mattress, and for the best option mattress for pregnancy, you should opt for those with a base that is five or six inches thick. This will prevent the center of the mattress from sagging and will keep your spine aligned while sleeping.

Above the foundation, the comfort layers offer you temperature regulation, motion isolation and support. With the newest mattress designs, you may even find that these foam layers are split into support layers, which promote spinal alignment and prevent any areas from sagging, and contour layers, which give you pressure relief.

Mattresses that are between 12 and 20 inches are classed as medium to thick mattresses, and these are often the most durable. As a mattress for pregnancy, these will usually be the more expensive but more comfortable and easier to get in and out of.

Those that measure between 8 and 12 inches are classed as standard mattresses and are the most popular, affordable option. Most standard bedding is designed to fit these size beds and they are comfortable enough to use at all stages of pregnancy. You can enhance these with a foam mattress pad for pregnancy if you want an extra few inches of comfort.

It is possible to source a mattress that is over 20 inches and while this may give you a higher level of durability and comfort it can make life a little tricky in other ways. These extra deep mattresses are less common now, partly because they are much more expensive than other options, and also because of the added thickness they cannot be rolled up, making them cumbersome to move or be delivered. You will also find it difficult to get sheets to fit this depth correctly. The best bet is to go for a medium to thick mattress and add a pad if you really want a deep bed.

A bed that is too thin will not give you the support and pressure relief you need, whereas one that is too thick could add to the sinkage and affect your spinal alignment.

Amongst the many changes pregnant women face is the unpredictable changes in their body temperatures, caused by the differing levels of hormones floating around. For some women, this is especially noticeable throughout the night.

Several improvements and developments have occurred over previous years when it comes to mattresses, and increased airflow is one of these developments. Ideally, mattresses should breathe, allowing there to be a natural airflow all around them. This helps to maintain a lower body temperature which is preferred for a good night's sleep. The challenge is how to create airflow when there is a highly cushioned surface, caused by springs, foam, and material.

Natural latex is one of the better materials when it comes to natural airflow, with memory foam being one of the worst, making it quite hot when you sleep. If you tend to sleep hot, then you may want to avoid a full foam construction and instead choose one with a cooling quilt top or gel memory foam comfort layers.

Advanced technology has now been included in several types of mattresses, such as copper or titanium infused memory foam which draws heat away from your body. Innerspring constructions will allow for better airflow, which again can keep you cool, especially if there are multiple layers, but these are not ideal for pregnant women. You may consider trying hybrid mattresses as these give you the best cooling features of an innerspring, but with the comfort layers of memory foam or latex beds.

Motion isolation is the term given to describe how much movement is absorbed by the mattress when someone moves. In other words, good motion isolation means that if you move, your partner's side of the bed won't, and vice versa. If you share a bed with some who is a relatively still sleeper, then motion isolation won't be important for you. However, if you, or your other half, fidgets a lot during the night then you will really appreciate this feature. Memory foam beds or those made with natural latex are some of the best for absorbing movement.

The opposite of motion isolation is motion transfer. Spring mattresses, especially those with a continuous or open coil construction will have a high level of motion transfer and this can interrupt your sleep throughout the night if your partner tends to move around.

Edge support means the amount of resistance and supports a mattress can provide around the edges and this is important during pregnancy for several reasons.

Firstly, a mattress with reinforced sides or added edge support won't sag or collapse at the edges and this is especially useful if you tend to roll over towards the end of your bed at night. Strengthened edges that don't sag will reduce the likelihood of you sliding off.

Next, if you find yourself sitting on the edge of the bed a lot, then edge support will be a safer option. If you perch on the edge of the mattress to put your shoes on, the perimeter will support your weight and not form a downwards slope.

Lastly, reinforced edges or edge support may also make it easier to push yourself off the mattress when getting out of bed, especially as your pregnancy, and the weight of your bump, increases.