Relvay makes a pregnancy pillow. We also tell you below when you should not buy one.
The short answer
Pick the Back N Belly if you want bump and back held at once and have bed width to spare. Pick the Snoogle if you want a narrower pillow with one open side. The Back N Belly is a U with an hourglass inside. The Snoogle is a C.
- Back N Belly: about 53.5 x 34 in, 8.3 lb.
- Snoogle: about 58.75 x 25.5 in, 5 lb.
- Decider: your half of the bed.
What is the difference between the Back N Belly and the Snoogle?
The Back N Belly is a U-shaped pillow with a curved hourglass on the inside, so one arm of the U sits at your back and the other at your bump. The Snoogle is one long C that runs along your back and curls around at the head and knees, leaving your front open.
Same maker, same polyester fiber fill, same rule for washing. The difference is the shape, and the shape changes almost everything about the night.
| Back N Belly (Chic) | Snoogle (Original) | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | U with an hourglass curve inside, neck curve at the closed end | C shape, head to toe along one side |
| Size (maker) | 53.5 x 34 x 9.5 in | 58.75 x 25.5 x 7.75 in |
| Weight (maker) | 8.3 lb | 5 lb |
| Sides holding you | Two: back and bump at once | One long side, front open |
| Fill | 100% polyester fiber | |
| Insert care | Spot clean only. Do not machine wash the pillow. | |
| Cover | Zippered, removable, machine wash warm on gentle, tumble dry lowest heat |
One catch: Leachco sells several versions of each, and covers are not shared. The Back N Belly cover page says it fits the contoured pillow and will not fit the Back N Belly Original. Check the exact name on the box before you buy a spare cover.
What does the hourglass inside the Back N Belly do?
The inside of the U narrows at your waist and widens at your shoulders and hips, so the pillow touches your back and your bump at the same time. Leachco calls it equal support for back and belly.
That is the whole reason to pick this pillow over a C. With a Snoogle, your back is held and your bump is free. With the Back N Belly, both are held, and you lie in a channel.
12:40 a.m.
Anika was 26 weeks and had been sleeping in her husband's old body pillow, a long straight one. Every night she pushed it behind her back, and every night her bump hung forward into nothing. She would wake with her lower back tight and the pillow somewhere near her feet. "I just need something in front and behind," she told Marcus, scrolling at the kitchen counter. "At the same time. Is that too much to ask?"
"This is the perfect pillow if you want support around the belly, under the ribs and for your back!"Sleepybelly customer review (not a Leachco product)
A C pillow holds one side of you. A U holds both. Everything else follows from that.
How do you switch sides and get out of bed with each one?
In the Back N Belly you turn over inside the U, because there is a wall on both sides. In the Snoogle you either turn to face the long side or move the pillow. Getting up is easier from the open front of the Snoogle.
Leachco says the Back N Belly needs no repositioning and you simply turn from side to side. We have not slept on either pillow, so we cannot tell you how easy that turn feels at 34 weeks. Here is what the shapes tell you:
- Back N Belly, turning. You roll over in place and the other arm of the U is waiting. You need room in the channel to do it, and with a bigger bump that channel can feel snug.
- Back N Belly, getting up. You are walled in on both sides. You get out over one arm of the U or slide toward the open end. Plan that route before your first 3 a.m. bathroom trip.
- Snoogle, turning. Turn over and you now face the long back section instead of having it behind you. Some people just hug it that way.
- Snoogle, getting up. Your front is open, so you can swing your legs out without climbing anything.
"I don't flip my C shape. I just switch sides"YouTube comment on a pregnancy pillow video
"how easy it is to get out of bed. Since it's one sided I can easy roll out of bed."Amazon review of a one-sided pillow (not Leachco)
Will the Back N Belly or Snoogle fit your bed?
The Snoogle fits inside your half of a full or queen. The Back N Belly is wider than your half of a queen by about 4 inches, so it reaches into your partner's side.
These are box sizes from the maker, measured around the outside. The real outline of a curved pillow is a little smaller, but your partner still feels the widest point.
| Bed (US width) | Your half | Back N Belly, 34 in wide | Snoogle, 25.5 in wide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full, 54 in | 27 in | 7 in over your half | Fits, 1.5 in spare |
| Queen, 60 in | 30 in | 4 in over your half | Fits, 4.5 in spare |
| King, 76 in | 38 in | Fits, 4 in spare | Fits, 12.5 in spare |
Length matters too. A Mattress Clarity reviewer at 5'7" found the Back N Belly arms ended between her knees and thighs, and she needed her own head pillow. The Snoogle is about 5 inches longer. Leachco lists older Back N Belly sizes a little smaller, so measure the one you are actually buying.
For a full walk-through of bed widths, see our guide to a pregnancy pillow for a small bed.
Back N Belly or Snoogle: which should you buy?
Buy the Back N Belly if your bump and back both need holding and you are on a king or sleep alone. Buy the Snoogle if your back is the main problem, you share a full or queen, or you get up often at night.
- My bump hangs forward and my back aches: Back N Belly.
- I share a queen and my partner already complains: Snoogle.
- I am up to pee three or more times a night: Snoogle, for the open front.
- I am over about 5'7": check the length of either before buying.
- I hate washing big things: both inserts are spot clean only, so pick a model with a spare cover.
If you are still choosing between the two Snoogle sizes, our Snoogle Original vs Mini guide covers that.
Anika's answer was neither. She wanted the front-and-back hold of the U without losing half of Marcus's side of their queen. She ended up with two small wedges, one under her bump and one at her back, and her husband's old pillow between her knees. On Sunday morning Marcus woke up still on the mattress, and said so, twice.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Leachco Back N Belly better than the Snoogle?
Neither is better for everyone. The Back N Belly holds your back and bump at once but is about 34 inches wide. The Snoogle is narrower at about 25.5 inches and leaves your front open, which makes getting up easier.
How big is the Leachco Back N Belly?
Leachco lists the Back N Belly Chic at 53.5 x 34 x 9.5 inches and 8.3 pounds. Older reviews list slightly smaller sizes, so check the exact model you are buying.
Can you wash the Back N Belly or Snoogle in the machine?
Only the cover. Leachco says to spot clean both pillows with a soapy cloth and not machine wash them. The zippered covers go in on warm, gentle, then tumble dry on the lowest heat.
Do Back N Belly covers fit the Snoogle?
No. Covers are sold per model. Leachco's Back N Belly cover page says it fits the contoured Back N Belly and not even the Back N Belly Original.
Does the Back N Belly fit a queen bed?
It fits on a queen, but at about 34 inches wide it is wider than one person's 30-inch half, so it reaches into your partner's side.
If you want bump and back held without a body pillow
Relvay does not make a U or a C pillow, and if you sleep alone on a king, the Back N Belly may suit you well. The Relvay 3-Piece is a different idea: two small crescent wedges, one for the bump and one for the back, joined by a flat strap under you. It is for people like Anika who want both sides held but need to keep their half of a full or queen. It does not cover your head or 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 pillow that wraps you from head to knees.
- You like hugging a long pillow.
- You sleep alone on a king and space is no issue.
Worth a look if
- You need bump and back support at the same time.
- You share a full or queen bed.
- You are happy keeping your own head pillow and a pillow between your knees.
Anika's story is a composite based on real reviews and public posts from pregnant side sleepers. Names and details are changed.
