Being a midwife and expecting my first baby has been an incredible journey, being super informed and understanding my body has been hugely empowering.
However, one of the things I love most about my role as a midwife is the opportunity to continually learn and this has felt even more important during my pregnancy…
“It felt important to me to navigate my pregnancy with the women I work with in mind and to represent my journey through social media with honesty and a theme of ‘keeping it real’.”
How can I support other women to have the most comfortable pregnancy possible?
How can I ensure the information I know is accessible to others too?
What pregnancy products are really worth investing in?
It felt important to me to navigate my pregnancy with the women I work with in mind and to represent my journey through social media with honesty and a theme of ‘keeping it real’.
I came across the Anna Pregnancy Pillow and it was something I really had not seen before or heard about, but I was super intrigued by the concept of front lying during pregnancy. As a front sleeper prior to pregnancy, I have always found resting in this position most comfortable so wanted to learn a little more about the pillows background.
In true ‘midwife pip’ style I wanted to understand the supporting evidence behind it’s use before it became a part of my pregnancy routine and before I felt able to share it with other expectant mums.
First up, in case like me the Anna Pregnancy Pillow is new to you too let me explain what it actually is! Anna is a round pillow of high quality, antimicrobial, antibacterial PU foam with a cut out centre designed to perfectly cocoon your bump when you lie in it. The pillow is covered in a gorgeous bluey-grey toned fabric that is super soft and stretchy providing a hammock like structure for bump when you rest in it. The cover is easily removed and machine washable too making it super practical!
Sounds good right?
Lying comfortably on your front to sleep, rest or even get a soothing massage from your birth partner (yes please to that!).
“for me as an expectant mum with my midwife hat on are- improved sleep quality and let’s face it that leads into a whole heap of other benefits!”
The pillow can be used through each trimester of pregnancy and helps support a more comfortable resting position for the postpartum too when everything is a little sore and tender. I think choosing products to support your pregnancy that have longevity is a fantastic way to support a more sustainable pregnancy and parenting journey so that is a big thumbs up from me.
Ok, so that all sounds great, but I know what you are thinking… is it really safe to lie on your front in pregnancy even with the support of the Anna Pregnancy Pillow?
This is where the research comes in and the team behind the pillow at Natal Comfort are fantastic as ensuring this is readily available to put your mind at ease whilst the pillow helps put the rest of your body at ease! I would really recommend checking out this link on natalcomfort.com to see the current research findings to support the safe use of the Anna Pregnancy Pillow it is really eye opening!
But the main benefits for me as an expectant mum with my midwife hat on are- improved sleep quality and let’s face it that leads into a whole heap of other benefits! And, secondly, reduced discomfort around the back and hip area allowing women to stay active in their pregnancy and embrace the huge array of health and wellness benefits that come with that. The versatility of Anna is also fantastic as it is also appropriate for use in left-hand side lying when you fancy a position change and the benefits of left-hand side positioning as also well documented in research.
I am yet to meet a woman who hasn’t embraced a pregnancy specific pillow on their journey, they really are a ‘must have’ for keeping you comfortable. The Anna Pregnancy Pillow has a really innovate twist on this and I am certain it will feature in more and more expectant mums homes in the future.
Go Anna- and thank you for allowing me to get some sneaky pregnancy massages out of my husband!