Relvay makes a pregnancy pillow. We also tell you below when you should not buy one.
The short answer
Often yes, but only if each fastener works in the position you will use it: lying on your side, reaching around your bump, maybe with one hand. Test every control that way before you rely on it.
- Test: one hand, two hands, lying down.
- Watch for: clips you must squeeze hard.
- Do not: add cords or handles yourself.
Why are pillow fasteners harder to use in pregnancy?
Because you are using them lying down, around a bump, often at night, and sometimes with hands that feel stiff, swollen or numb. Many people get tingling or a weaker grip in pregnancy, which makes small fiddly tasks like zips and buttons harder.
6:40 a.m.
Juliana was 33 weeks and her fingers were always worst first thing in the morning: puffy, tingly, clumsy. Her pillow had a strap with a plastic clip that set the gap between the pieces. In the shop, standing up, the clip had snapped open easily. Lying on her side at dawn, with one arm under her and the clip somewhere behind her back, she could not get her thumb and finger to press both sides at once. Her husband had already left for an early shift. She lay there with the pillow in the wrong place, waiting for her hands to wake up.
"the corner of the velcroed pillow kinda stabbed me in the side"Amazon review of a different pregnancy pillow
A fastener that works on a shop counter can fail in bed. Test it where you will use it.
Numbness, tingling or weakness in your hands that keeps you up or does not settle is worth raising with your midwife or doctor.
How do you test each fastener on a pregnancy pillow?
Run the same four checks on every control: can you do it with one hand, how hard you have to press or pull, whether you can reach it lying down, and whether you can tell it is closed without looking.
| Control | One hand? | Force | Reach lying down | Can you tell it is closed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zipper | Often needs one hand to hold the fabric | Low to medium; small pulls are hardest | Depends where it sits | Feel for the pull at the end stop |
| Hook-and-loop strip | Usually yes to close | Peeling open takes a firm pull | Usually good | Run a finger along it; edges should lie flat |
| Squeeze clip or buckle | Often two fingers at once | Can be high | Hard if behind you | A click you can hear or feel |
| Snap | Needs pressure from both sides | Medium to high | Hard if small | A click, but easy to half-close |
| Tie or knot | Two hands | Low force, high finger work | Hard lying down | Only by feel of the knot |
| Strap through a loop | Sometimes | Low to medium | Depends on length | Tug to check it holds |
The question is not whether a pillow is adjustable. It is whether you can adjust it, lying there, at the hour you need to.
What is the step-by-step fastener test?
Do it once in the evening and once first thing in the morning, when hands often feel stiffest. Each control takes a minute.
- Lie down on your usual side with the pillow set up the way you sleep.
- Find each control by feel, without sitting up. Note any you cannot reach.
- Open and close it with one hand. Then try two hands. Note which works.
- Check it is really closed. Click, flat edge, end stop or a tug that holds.
- Hold the two pieces at the new gap while you close it. Can you do both at once?
- Mark each control: easy, possible, or needs help.
Any control marked "needs help" is one you should set while someone is around, or one that should push you toward a different pillow.
Can you modify the fasteners to make them easier?
Not on your own. Do not add cords, handles, longer straps or new clips unless the maker says that is fine for that model. Ask them first.
- Ask the maker whether a longer strap or a different closure exists for your model.
- Ask whether the pieces can be set once and left, so you do not need to touch the fastener at night.
- Ask which way the fastener should face so it sits away from your skin.
An occupational therapist can also suggest ways to handle fiddly closures that do not involve changing the pillow.
What should you look for if you are still choosing?
Look for fewer controls, bigger ones, and a layout you can set once and leave. Ask for close-up photos of every fastener before ordering.
- How many fasteners have to be touched to change the gap?
- Can it be set up sitting on the edge of the bed, not lying in it?
- Are the pieces small enough to move one at a time?
- Can you sleep on it long enough to run this test before the return window ends?
If lifting and moving the whole pillow is the harder part, see our guide to moving a pregnancy pillow with limited grip or reach.
Juliana ran the test on a Saturday with her husband watching. The clip was the only "needs help" item. They set the gap together that afternoon and left it, and she stopped touching it at night. The next morning her hands were stiff as usual, but there was nothing to fix. She just lay there for a while, warm, listening to him make breakfast.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest pregnancy pillow fastener to use with weak hands?
It depends on your hands, so test rather than assume. Many people find a large hook-and-loop strip easier to close than a small squeeze clip or snap. A layout you can set once and leave is easiest of all.
Are zippered or modular pregnancy pillows easier to adjust?
Not automatically. A zipper or extra pieces add controls to handle. Count how many fasteners you have to touch to change the setup, and test each one lying down.
Can I add a longer strap to my pregnancy pillow?
Ask the maker first. Do not add straps, cords, handles or clips that the maker has not approved for that model.
My hands are numb in the morning in pregnancy. Is that normal?
Tingling or numbness in the hands is common in pregnancy, but it is worth mentioning to your midwife or doctor, especially if it affects your grip or sleep.
Should someone else set up my pregnancy pillow?
If a control is marked "needs help" in your test, set it together during the day and leave it. You should still be able to get out of bed on your own without undoing anything.
If you are choosing a pillow with fewer controls
The Relvay 3-Piece is two small wedges joined by one flat strap, so there are few parts to handle. To be straight with you: our product page does not yet show how the strap attaches or adjusts, so we will not call it easy for weak hands. Email us for close-ups before you order, then run the test above in your first nights. Returns are within 90 days of delivery; return shipping is paid by you unless the item is faulty.
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.
Juliana's story is a composite based on real reviews and public posts from pregnant side sleepers. Names and details are changed.
