Relvay makes a pregnancy pillow. We also tell you below when you should not buy one.
The short answer
Both skip the giant U and support your bump and back while you sleep on your side. The Butterfly is one winged piece. The Boppy Side Sleeper is two pillows joined by a stretch panel. Choose by build, washing and where you can buy it.
- Butterfly: one piece, sold mainly by Australian retailers.
- Boppy: two pillows, US brand, fully washable.
- Neither: is described as holding your knees.
Why do these two end up on the same shortlist?
Because both promise bump and back support without filling the bed. If you have already ruled out a full U, these are two of the compact designs you are likely to find.
10:40 p.m.
I was 23 weeks. My cousin in Brisbane swore by her Butterfly pillow. My coworker in Ohio had a Boppy Side Sleeper and said the same thing. Two people I trust, two pillows, and both looked small enough to leave room for Marco on our full bed.
I spent a week going back and forth. Every night I built my old tower of regular pillows, and every night it came apart by 2 a.m. What I needed was not another opinion. It was one table with both pillows side by side.
Same goal, two builds. Compare the build, not the recommendation.
Butterfly vs Boppy Side Sleeper: side-by-side table
This table uses what each seller published. We have not tested either pillow, and where a detail was not published we say so.
| Butterfly Maternity Pillow | Boppy Side Sleeper | |
|---|---|---|
| Build | One piece: a centre section along your side, a front wing and a back wing | Two pillows joined by a stretch panel |
| Bump support | Front wing | Front pillow |
| Back support | Back wing | Back pillow |
| Between the knees | Not described | Not described |
| How it stays in place | One-piece design, described as keeping its shape | Stretch panel, described as stay-put |
| Cover | 49% lyocell, 48% cotton, 3% elastane, removable, machine washable | 95% cotton, 5% spandex jersey slipcover |
| Fill | 100% microfibre polyester | 100% polyester |
| Wash the pillow itself? | Not stated in what we saw | Yes: delicate, 30°C/85°F, tumble dry low |
| Pillow size | Package size given, not pillow size | Not listed on the product page |
| After pregnancy | Sold as a nursing cushion later | Sold for sitting and to hug your sides after birth |
| Where sold | Australian retailers such as Baby Bunting | Boppy US site, listed at $35 |
The biggest practical gap is not comfort. It is that neither seller publishes the pillow's own dimensions, so you cannot measure it against your bed before ordering.
Butterfly Maternity Pillow: strengths and limits
Its strength is simplicity: one piece, nothing to connect, a wing in front and a wing behind. Its limits are availability outside Australia and missing pillow dimensions.
How it is meant to sit: the retailer describes lying on your side with the centre section along your body, the front wing under your bump and the back wing behind you, then shifting it until hips, bump and lower back feel supported.
Helpful: a removable, breathable cover that goes in the machine, and a second life as a nursing cushion.
Limits: the listings we saw give only the package size. If you are in the US, check shipping, returns and who handles a problem before you fall for it. For a closer look, read our Butterfly Maternity Pillow fit and routine review.
Boppy Side Sleeper: strengths and limits
Its strengths are a stretchy panel that adapts as your bump grows and clear washing instructions for both pillow and cover. Its limits are two separate cushions on your sides and no published size.
How it is meant to sit: one pillow in front, one behind, joined by the panel that runs under your side. Boppy says it keeps the pillows from spreading apart at night.
Helpful: a 95% cotton, 5% spandex jersey slipcover that stretches, a pillow you can machine wash on a delicate cycle at 30°C/85°F and tumble dry low, and use for sitting up later.
Limits: no dimensions on the product page, and the page we read showed the listed color out of stock. More detail is in our Boppy Side Sleeper buying review.
How do they compare when you turn over at night?
Both are built so the front and back supports stay connected, which is the whole point of a compact setup. How it feels to turn inside each one is not something a listing can tell you.
With one piece, the wings are fixed in relation to each other. With two pillows and a stretch panel, the gap can flex a little as you move. Which you prefer comes down to how you sleep, so give yourself a return window long enough to find out.
"it's not so easy to turn sides what with having to adjust the pillows, lifting your body up to turn, too much work"YouTube comment on a pregnancy pillow video
Do you still need a pillow between your knees?
Probably, yes. Neither seller describes a part that sits between your knees, and the NHS suggests a pillow between the knees when you sleep on your side in pregnancy.
That is not a flaw in either pillow. It is the normal trade-off of a compact design. Keep a regular pillow there, and the compact setup handles bump and back.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the Butterfly if you can buy it locally and want one simple piece. Choose the Boppy Side Sleeper if you are in the US and want a pillow you can wash whole.
- I can buy and return it easily where I live.
- I want to wash the whole pillow, not just the cover.
- I prefer one piece to two connected cushions.
- I want to use it sitting up after the birth.
- I will keep a regular pillow between my knees.
Keira went down the list on her phone in bed. The first line settled it for her: she wanted something she could send back from Ohio without a headache. The rest was just making sure she was not giving up anything she needed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Butterfly and the Boppy Side Sleeper?
The Butterfly is one piece with a front wing and a back wing. The Boppy Side Sleeper is two separate pillows joined by a stretch panel. Both support bump and back on your side.
Can you machine wash the Boppy Side Sleeper?
Yes, according to Boppy. Wash the slipcover separately and the pillow on a delicate cycle at 30°C/85°F with mild detergent, then tumble dry low.
Can you wash the Butterfly Maternity Pillow?
The retailer says the cover is removable and machine washable. We did not see washing instructions for the pillow itself, so check the label.
Can you buy the Butterfly Maternity Pillow in the US?
The listings we found were Australian retailers such as Baby Bunting. Check shipping and the return process before ordering from outside Australia.
Do these pillows replace a pillow between the knees?
Neither seller describes knee support. The NHS suggests a pillow between your knees when you sleep on your side in pregnancy, so keep a regular one there.
A third compact setup to compare
We make neither of these. The Relvay 3-Piece is another compact design: two small wedges for bump and back joined by a flat strap under you, with published wedge sizes and a 90-day return window in the US. Like both pillows above, it does not go between your knees.
Two wedges for bump and back, joined by a flat strap, about as wide as your torso. Keep a regular pillow between your knees. $79.99, 90-day returns.
Probably not for you if
- You want one simple piece with nothing to set up.
- You want to machine wash the whole pillow.
- You want a nursing cushion later.
Made for you if
- You share a full or queen bed.
- You want to set the gap between bump and back wedges.
- You want 90 days to decide in your own bed.
Keira's story is a composite based on real reviews and public posts from pregnant shoppers. Names and details are changed.
