One of the best feelings in a woman’s life is becoming pregnant. The joy and inner happiness are inexplicable and unparalleled.
Even though pregnancy is a wonderful thing, it comes with certain changes to the body and they can contribute to significant physical discomfort. For example, a pregnant woman that needs to sit for long periods of time is prone to back and leg pain.
Usually, an ergonomic chair would be of great help but it’s a little different with pregnancy and this is when you might need a special seat cushion.
Today we are reviewing the 10 best seat cushions for pregnancy. Included below you will find their brief descriptions along with the advantages and disadvantages of each model. Check them out!
Related: Best Seat Cushion for Car, Office Chair, Pain, Sciatica
As one of the best selling seat cushions, this model is mostly known for its excellent memory core foam, comfort and durability. With the help of its heat-responsive design, it molds itself perfectly to fit your body’s shape. This orthopedic U-shaped cushion fits pregnant women with back pain because it targets the pressure points of the buttocks and legs.
It is very portable and carrying it around is very easy. Pregnant women can use it for driving, travel or work without getting tired from bringing it everywhere.
The U-shaped design also helps to reduce the pressure on the coccyx/tailbone which can also contribute to sciatica (which tends to aggravate during pregnancy).
Pros
Durable and ergonomic design
Can be used almost on any sitting surface – car seat, wheelchair, airplane, train, office chair
Portable and easy to carry around with you
Cons
Size-wise is can be a little too narrow for some users
This is an economical pain-relieving cushion made up of dense foam. It's excellent at maintaining its shape even after months of continuous usage.
It is ideal for pregnant women that are suffering from hemorrhoids, ulcers, and lower back pain. This donut-shaped cushion promotes good posture because it is designed to rotate the hips in a healthy, natural state.
It can be used for when driving a car, traveling, or working from home/office.
Pros
Does not flatten out like regular donut-shaped cushions
It is easy to clean and use
Universal application
Budget-friendly
Cons
It could be a little wider
This model is by far the most comfortable of all of the cushions on the market. Its upper layer is made up of a cooling gel which makes it extremely soothing and relieving. It has rubber on the bottom to prevent it from slipping and improve grip.
If you are experiencing episodes of lower back pain and conditions like herniated discs, sciatica, and similar diseases you might want to give this gel-enhanced cushion a try because it reduces pressure in the critical areas (like tailbone and lower back). It is portable and can be used pretty much wherever you take it to.
Pros
Machine washable
Relieves back pain during pregnancy
Heat responsive features
Cons
Maybe the price is a little too high for some users
Women that are looking for a comforting cushion that can help lower pressure on the spine during long hours of office work, this is the cushion you might have been waiting for! It has a quality mesh cover that promotes the flow of air and removes any chance of sweat.
This seat cushion is great at helping to relieve the typical episodes of back pain and sciatica that are quite common during pregnancy.
Give it a try if you are looking for more support in the buttocks area while sitting.
Pros
Provides great contouring and support for the spine
Helps to relieve pressure in a gentle manner
Highly durable and lasting
Easy to maintain and can be cleaned easily
Cons
There is a weight limit and excessive weight can have an effect on the shape of the cushion
The best thing about this cushion is that it has 2 pieces, one for buttocks and legs and the other one for resting the spine. Because of its anatomical shape, it reduces pressure on the coccyx and relieves discomfort for anyone with the conditions like sciatica and lower back pain.
Both cushions are made up of 100% memory foam and have rubber bottoms to prevent them from slipping. This pairing of cushions is excellent for pregnant women that need to give support and rest to their tired backs.
Adding such cushions to the hard, uncomfortable chairs will result in less back pain episodes, lower stress levels, and added joy (trust me on this one). This cushion is also portable and easy to take with you anywhere.
Pros
Durable and comfortable for prolonged use
Helps to reduce back pain providing necessary support for the spine
Mesh cover improves airflow and reduces sweating (great for hot summer days)
Can be fixed to any chair
Cons
The lumbar support may be a little uncomfortable if the cushion doesn’t fit your frame
Here is yet another seat cushion from our list but…unlike the other ones we got, this one comes filled with both – gel AND mesh material.
As a result, you end up getting a multilayered design cushion that helps to reduce hip and tailbone pressure which happen to increase naturally during pregnancy.
It has a great durability and comes in two different colors – black and blue. Just like the other cushions, this one also has a non-skid cover that you can easily wash when necessary.
It’s also pretty good size-wise and fits most of the sitting surfaces (e.g. office chairs, car seats, wheelchairs etc).
Pros
Retains the original shape even after prolonged use
Relieves tailbone pain and pregnancy-related sciatica
Comes with a free non-slip machine-washable cover
Cons
Size-wise…it could be bigger
The butt pillow from Ergonomic Innovations is positioned as “the last pillow you’ll need for pressure relief”. While it is an ambitious statement, it does hold true…somewhat. Comfortable, not overly bulky and great to touch – this pillow is great for when you need to work from home. It is designed to put your pelvis in a way that promotes better posture so it can also help to relieve lower back pain (as the two are directly connected).
Pros
Durable orthopedic design alleviates the pressure in main pain points
Helps to relieve pregnancy-associated lower back pain
Portable and easy to carry wherever you go
Cons
Can slightly flatten out with time
The biggest advantage of this pillow is that it comes with a reusable cold pack that can be used to treat sore perineal areas. You can remove the cold pack and use the cushion to relieve any kind of pressure while sitting for long periods.
It is a two-sided cushion, one side is used to relieve any pressure and the other side is for treating painful sore areas with a cold pack.
The cushion also includes a cool “auto-inflate” feature which saves you from inflating it manually. It also has a contoured design ready to fit almost any sitting surface.
Pros
Arrives with an additional cold pack designed for treatment of painful areas
Relieves pressure and pain
Portable and easy to use on any sitting surface
Cons
Cold pack doesn’t stay cold for too long
Once you look at this honeycomb design cooling gel seat cushion the thought of it being a total gimmick comes into mind almost immediately. It might seem like there are no orthopedic design features it brings to the table but…it’s surprisingly comfortable for prolonged sitting due to its unique way of improving the blood flow to the buttock area.
It also helps to reduce the strain from prolonged sitting if you still need to spend time sitting while working, driving and traveling.
Lightweight, highly transportable (you can literally roll it to bring with you wherever you go) and comfortable – seems like a perfect generic use case type seat cushion and not just for when you are expecting a baby. Oh, and it’s remarkable at improving the airflow too!
Pros
Honeycomb design provides pressure relief and improves blood flow
Stays in original shape and doesn’t deform with time
Portable and universal
Cons
It’s prone to deforming under high heat so you can’t leave it in the car on a hot day
This is a donut-type pillow you can use for pregnancy. Unlike the other donut pillows, it is designed in a way that no one would actually know that there is a hole under the mesh cover. This is very useful if you are not into letting others know about your condition.
The design makes this pillow a great after-birth solution which is particularly useful if you needed stitches and sitting is temporarily an issue.
It also comes with a no-slip easy to clean cover that makes it more impressive.
Pros
Discrete design helps to hide the hole you would typically see in a basic donut pillow
The front cover of the cushion is shaped to relieve pressure from the buttocks
Perfectly fits in most types of chairs due to their ideal dimensions
Durable and Portable design
Cons
Absence of grid design (lack of weight distribution)
There is a big logo in front of it which is screaming for attention (it kind of kills the purpose of discrete design)