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- Comfortable and supportive
- Cosy and stylish appearance
- Reasonable price
- Bulky build not suitable for travel
- Involved set-up process
- No firmness adjustability
If you’re on the hunt for a budget pregnancy pillow, Amazon may be the first port of call. One of the top options is the Nuliie Pregnancy Pillow: a U-shaped pillow designed to provide support on both sides.
Unlike C-shaped pregnancy pillows that curve around one side of your body, U-shaped pillows have more length to wrap around your whole body. While that is bulkier in your bed, it means less positioning and bending is needed.
The Nuliie Pregnancy Pillow is one of the cheapest options I’ve tested (some options can cost well over £100), which is proof that you can get a lot for your money. But there are some drawbacks to be aware of.
Nuliie Pregnancy Pillow: What do you get for your money?
The Nuliie Pregnancy Pillow is available on Amazon and starts at £30, though you might find it discounted in one of the retailer’s frequent sales.
Ten different covers are on offer in a range of shades, and you can opt for either a plush velvet-style (my review sample is in this finish, in grey) or a cooling-style fabric. As far as I can see, the brand does not offer replacement covers, but the pillow is 51in long and Amazon does sell third-party options for pillows this length and shape.
The filling is made of hollowfibre cotton. To get it to its prime fluffiness, you’ll need to follow the instruction card that ships with the package – more on that later.
The cover is machine washable at 40°C, though the company doesn’t recommend popping it through the dryer. While the pillow ships in a zipped bag, it’s only really useful for long-term storage rather than travel.
Amazon offers free returns for the pillow being in a new and unused condition, and that’s within 30 days of delivery. If you’ve used the item, you may need to contact Amazon to see if you can still get a refund and, if so, whether any money will need to be deducted.
What does it do well?
It’s easy to see why the Nuliie Pregnancy Pillow is a favourite on Amazon. It’s squashable and soft, and has helped me get a comfortable night’s sleep. The pillow has enough give to be able to fit under my bump without feeling too firm, but also long enough to support my back and fit between my legs. I’ve not had issues with it pressing into my bladder like with other models.
As I’m supported on both sides, there’s minimal adjustments needed in the night if I wish to roll from left to right. The U-shape also comes in useful for back-ache while sitting on the sofa when I need some extra support. That means you could also use it for nursing postpartum. Nuliie also claims that it could help other people with injuries or strains… or anyone just looking for something soft to cuddle up to for that matter (as my husband can attest to).
The head support has been key entering my third trimester, as heartburn and indigestion has begun to flare up. Sleeping with your head elevated can ease these symptoms. While the Nuliie alone is a little too soft to use alone for my noggin, I’ve placed my usual pillow on top of it and have found it surprisingly easy to drift off… even if I do get a bit of a neck crick after a while.
Providing you tuck both sides close to your body, it also does a decent job of essentially walling you in so you don’t roll onto your back… though there are limitations.
Because of the range of shades available, it’s a relatively aesthetically-pleasing pillow: the velvet finish in particular has a cosy texture that’s gentle on the skin. I’ve found myself getting a little warm in the night, but that’s not really a problem as we’re entering the colder months. If you’re heavily pregnant in the summer you may wish to opt for the “cooling fabric” option – though I can’t personally attest to how successful this is at staving off any hot flushes.
There’s also the added bonus of the obscure shape looking like something from Props on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, so you can have extra fun pretending to have a ginormous pair of legs in your bed.
Best of all, you get all of this for a real bargain. While I’ve tested other pillows at a similar price, this is the most comfortable option in the budget space. The only other pillow that beats it in terms of support and versatility is the Bbhugme Pregnancy Pillow, which is five times the price.
What could be improved?
The first thing to be aware of is that you won’t be able to use the Nuliie optimally straight out of the bag, as the set-up process is more involved than other options I’ve tested. This is because it comes vacuum-packed in its bag – well, two bags, in fact. Once you’ve cut open those and taken off the final cover, it begins to expand rapidly.
After that, the company recommends karate-chopping the pillow to get out any pesky lumps (an unexpected pregnancy workout), and patting and rubbing any smaller areas. But don’t celebrate just yet, because for optimum fluffiness, Nuliie recommends leaving it for a further 48 hours to allow it to puff up naturally.
During that time, I’d advise washing the outer cover – mine had a rather odd smell, probably from being stored in a factory somewhere. There is another inner cover to keep the soft filling separate for hygiene reasons. This can also be washed, but I’d advise leaving it alone as it feels rather precarious to take that out of its containment.
I’ve been able to test rivals straight away, so if you’re looking for something urgently (for example, if you’ve just entered your third trimester) just be aware to carve out an extra two days after it arrives. In theory, you could use it straight away, but it won’t be as full and the smell may be offputting.
I can’t really call the bag that this pillow comes in a ‘travel bag’, because it was industrially vacuum-packed so tightly that you’d be hard-pressed to get it back in there – even if you vacuumed it yourself. It’s not the end of the world, but all of the other pillows I tried were accompanied by a suitable bag for storage and on-the-go use, so just keep this in mind.
While the U-shape is handy, the pillow itself is rather cumbersome and heavy. Getting it under the covers is a bit of a chore, and if you’re carrying it places, the easiest way is over your shoulders, which isn’t particularly practical. If you have a smaller bed (such as a double or single), it takes up a generous amount of room, and the nature of being completely surrounded may not suit everyone.
If you want to ensure you stay on your side, make sure you pull both sides close to your body – if you don’t, you may still have room to roll. There’s also a chance that this may be slightly too soft for those who want more stable support, and you can’t adjust the feel of the filling on this one as you can with the Bbhugme.
While taking the cover off is easy to do, getting it back on requires a little bit of faffing, but the zip closure is secure and neatly tucked away on the outer edge.
Should you buy the Nuliie Pregnancy Pillow?
For £30, you can’t really do better than the Nuliie Pregnancy Pillow. The body-hugging U-shape is fluffy yet ergonomic, ideal to have both in your bed and on the sofa. The velvet outer cover also both looks and feels cosy. And with a range of colours and two fabric options to choose from, you can find the one that matches your bedding perfectly.
I’ve managed to get a comfortable nights sleep with this pillow, even while entering my heavier stages. The head support has also been really key for aiding heartburn, but only when combined with my own memory foam standard pillow.
If you travel a lot or have a small bed, the cumbersome shape and size may not be ideal, and it’s not the best option if you want something to use straight away due to the involved set-up process. It’s also not as firm as some others I’ve tested – if you want adjustability and flexibility over this, you’ll want to opt for something more premium.
However, if you can overlook these things in favour of its affordability, then I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Nuliie Pregnancy Pillow.
