Best Mattresses For Pregnant Women

Best Mattresses For Pregnant Women UK (2024)

Last updated: 31.10.2023 Reading time: 6 Min.

Sleep is always important but especially so during pregnancy. You need to feel well-rested and healthy so that your baby can grow and develop. And, to do this, you definitely need a great mattress.

Many women experience insomnia during pregnancy. While hormones certainly play a role in this, insomnia can also be caused — or worsened — but a worn or unsuitable mattress. If your mattress is no longer sufficiently supporting your body or if you’re feeling too cold or too hot to sleep comfortably, then you may need to consider purchasing a new mattress to help you during your pregnancy — and beyond!

In this article, we’ll be sharing the best mattresses for pregnant women. We’ll also look at a few of the best pregnancy pillows available in the UK and general guidelines for improving the quality of your sleep.

best mattress for pregnant women

The best mattresses for pregnant women in the UK

Sleep Hero Favourite

Simba Hybrid

The Simba Hybrid mattress is a high-quality pocket-sprung mattress with multiple layers of foam. With 10 year guarantee.
  • Simbatex & Aerocoil springs
  • 25 cm (10 inches)
  • Medium-firm 

Tell me more about the Simba Hybrid

The Simba Hybrid is an award-winning hybrid pocket sprung foam mattress by Simba Sleep. 

This is a medium-firm mattress that's an excellent choice for a wide range of sleepers but is particularly suited to side sleepers. 

The Simba mattress is supportive enough to prevent a build-up of tension but also soft enough to allow your body to sink in where necessary.

This allows for optimal spinal alignment. 

The Simba Hybrid mattress comes with an antibacterial hypoallergenic cover, which is removable and machine-washable.

The Simba comes with free delivery, a 200-day risk-free trial period, and a 10-year guarantee. 

Reasons to buy

200-night sleep trial

10-year guarantee 

Excellent support for side sleepers 

Washable cover 

Reasons to avoid

May be too soft for larger builds

Runner-Up

Emma NextGen Premium Mattress

The Emma NextGen Premium Mattress offers excellent 7-zone support.
  • Halo memory foam, Airgocell foam & pocket springs
  • 25 cm (9.8 inches)
  • Medium feel

Tell me more about the Emma NextGen Premium mattress

The Emma NextGen Premium mattress includes pocket springs for improved airflow and support, a 7-zone design for adaptive support, and a Halo memory foam that responds to your body's shape. 

While the mattress promotes enhanced airflow, our tester observed that its breathability might not suffice for particularly hot sleepers.

Unfortunately, the foam layers on our test mattress didn't fully expand,  causing some springs to be felt when pressure was applied.

However, Emma's customer service team promptly resolved the issue by sending a new Emma NextGen Premium mattress. 

The mattress also has limited edge support, meaning you may experience a roll-off feel if you sleep on the edge of your bed.

Despite this, the mattress was still comfortable and provided a great night's sleep. 

Reasons to buy

200-night trial period 

10-year guarantee

Machine-washable cover

Reasons to avoid

Limited edge support 

The mattress didn't expand fully during our test 

May be too warm for some sleepers

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Best Guarantee

DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid

The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress is a 5-layered premium mattress.
  • Memory foam & pocket springs
  • 28 cm (11 inches)
  • Medium-firm

Tell me more about the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid

The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid is a premium mattress from the same company that makes the Nectar memory foam mattress.

It combines high-quality memory foam with full-size pocket springs (called ActiveEdge coils), each measuring 15 cm (5.9 inches).

This is an orthopaedically designed mattress with medium-firm support to help eliminate back, neck, and shoulder pains.

The mattress offers enhanced breathability to help keep you cool and refreshed all night long. 

It also has low motion transfer and great edge support, making it an excellent choice for couples.

Reasons to buy

365-day trial period

Lifetime warranty

Excellent motion isolation for couples

Reasons to avoid

Extra deep sheets required 

Too firm for lightweight side sleepers

The cover is not removable 

Best Trial Period

Nectar Memory Foam Mattress

The Nectar is a luxurious memory foam mattress suitable for most people and sleeping positions.
  • Memory foam & cold foam 
  • 25 cm (10 inches)
  • 365-day trial period
  • Made in the UK

Tell me more about the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress

The Nectar memory foam mattress is one of our favourite mattresses.

It features 3 layers of high-quality, high-density memory foam for optimal spinal alignment, pressure relief, and comfort.

The base layer also has 7 contour zones to enhance its ergonomic design and keep your body in a healthy sleeping position. 

The Nectar mattress features a breathable, cooling cover, but it isn't machine-washable.

We'd suggest using a mattress protector to safeguard your mattress against stains, spills, and bacteria.

The Nectar mattress comes with free delivery & returns, a revolutionary 365-day trial period, and a "forever warranty". 

Reasons to buy

Lifetime warranty

Exceptional comfort for average-weight & lighter sleepers

Free 3-day shipping 

Reasons to avoid

The cover is not washable 

May be too warm for hot sleepers 

How to choose a maternity mattress

You’re pregnant. Your belly is growing larger and larger every week. Leg cramps and heartburn start to interfere with your sleep. Your body can no longer sleep in positions you previously found comfortable. All round, nighttime has become uncomfortable.

These are just some of the common issues that pregnant women struggle with when trying to get a good night’s sleep. While you have no control over how your body is changing, you can control your environment to ensure that you’re still able to get a good night’s sleep.

If you already sleep on your side or on your back, then you’re in luck. But if you normally sleep on your stomach, then you’ll need to adjust. As your belly grows, you’ll no longer be able to sleep on your stomach. This means that you need to find a mattress that’s comfortable for back and side sleepers.

You also need to choose a mattress that offers great support and reduces back pain. You can opt for a soft orthopaedic mattress to relieve some of the tension. You can also choose a soft memory foam mattress. Memory foam is particularly well-suited to pregnancy as the foam adapts well to the contours of your body, offering that real cocooning support.

You might also want to enjoy a larger mattress. While single or standard double mattresses can be sufficient in size, we highly suggest that you opt for larger mattresses, like the 150 x 200 cm king mattress, 180 x 200 cm super king mattress, or even the 200 x 200 cm emperor mattress. You’ll be much more comfortable with a mattress of this size. It also ensures that both you and your partner have enough room to move.

Criteria to consider when purchasing a maternity mattress

While aspects such as comfort and support are universal guidelines, there are certain key criteria you need to consider when purchasing a maternity mattress.

This is because pregnant women have different needs, and so any mattress chosen for pregnant women has to meet these needs.

Here are the most important criteria to consider when purchasing a mattress for pregnant women:

  • Mattress support
  • The firmness level of the mattress
  • The thickness of the mattress
  • Materials used and certification labels (such as Oeko-Tex, GOTS, etc.)
  • Temperature regulation
  • Motion transfer
  • Price of the mattress

The addition of weight on the belly during pregnancy can easily lead to increased tension and pressure. A mattress for pregnant women thus needs to offer greater support and ensure the healthy alignment of the spine in order to ease this tension. A mattress needs to be soft enough to allow for sufficient comfort but firm enough in order to support the body.

The weight imbalance of the belly also often leads to difficulty standing and/or getting up, especially during the third trimester of the pregnancy. A low bed will cause more stress for a pregnant woman. So, it is advisable to opt for a thicker mattress that will make it easier for a pregnant woman to get in and out of bed.

Pregnant women will also want to pay special attention to the materials used and certification labels that the mattress has. Materials affect comfort and temperature regulation. If you’re pregnant, you definitely want to ensure that you opt for a temperature-neutral mattress to keep you comfortable climate-wise. You’d also want to opt for a mattress that’s certified to be free from chemicals and harmful toxins to protect both you and your unborn child.

Motion transfer is always important when choosing a mattress for couples but especially so if you’re pregnant as you don’t want your partner’s movements to disturb you.

Of course, the price of the mattress plays a part as well, but remember that a good mattress is a long-term investment that you’ll benefit from even after your pregnancy.

Tips for getting a good night’s sleep when you’re pregnant

Having a great mattress certainly helps but there are also some common tips and tricks you can make use of to help you get a good night’s sleep.

Sleeping on your side is recommended, and we’d highly recommend that you sleep on your left side. This sleeping position improves the flow of blood [1] and nutrients through your body and to your baby.

This sleeping position also takes the pressure off your kidneys and liver, making it easier to eliminate fluids and waste substances. In turn, this helps with swelling in your hands, ankles, and feet.

Nutrition also affects the quality of your sleep. We’d recommend that you eat lighter foods and avoid spicy foods, especially from your second trimester onwards. This will help reduce heartburn.

If you’re in your third trimester, you can also put a pillow between your knees, behind your back, and under your stomach to help relieve pain and unease. A pregnancy pillow will also be of great use.

The best pregnancy pillows

As your belly grows, you’ll definitely benefit from the comforts of a pregnancy pillow. Here are our top choices that are available via Amazon in the UK.

Can you sleep on your stomach while pregnant?

While conventionally the answer to this question would be no, this is no longer true. There are new several revolutionary inflatable mattresses that allow pregnant women to sleep their bellies. These mattresses have a hole in the middle that’s intended for the pregnant belly to slide in to, making it possible for a pregnant woman to sleep on her stomach.

In the UK, you’ll find two of these types of mattresses on Amazon, the On The Chest [2] and the QLOA inflatable mattresses [3]. Both of these have been specifically designed to allow pregnant women to sleep on their bellies.

Despite seeming like an unnatural position to lie in when pregnant, it actually helps relieve back pain associated with pregnancy, elevates the hips, and decompresses the spine. It may not be the type of mattress you’d choose to spend your night on but it can definitely help to ease pregnancy-associated aches and pains throughout the day.

Baby mattresses

As a future mom, you’ve undoubtedly already thought about your baby’s room. Perhaps you’ve selected colours and toys or set up a nursing station. But it’s important to also choose a good mattress for your baby. Indeed, the first few months - and years - of your baby’s life are important for growth and bone development.

But there’s no need to panic - we’ve already got you covered.

Check out our favourites below.

You can also read our full guide on the best mattresses for babies and small children.

Conclusion

The purchase of a mattress for pregnant women is a complicated task. When pregnant, your body changes rapidly and your needs and preferences constantly change.

While many of the comforts can be addressed with a great pregnancy pillow, it is important to start off with a great mattress that’s soft enough to offer comfort but firm enough to offer sufficient support.

Frequently asked questions

Nicky

Nicky

Editor & Certified Sleep Therapist

Nicky is an experienced writer and editor with numerous qualifications. As a certified sleep coach, her interests lie in understanding how sleep problems arise from hormonal and environmental issues, particularly as part of stress and anxiety management.

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