Relvay makes a pregnancy pillow. We also tell you below when you should not buy one.
The short answer
Air it out in a ventilated room away from your bed, keep every label and the packaging, and track whether the smell fades day by day. A smell alone cannot tell you whether something is harmless or not, so do not cover it up.
- Use it once the smell has clearly faded.
- Pause if it stays strong after several days.
- Ask the maker what the cover and filling are.
9:15 p.m., the box is open and the room smells
Many new pillows carry a smell from manufacturing and packaging when they come out of the bag. The question is not whether it smells, but whether the smell goes away.
9:15 p.m.
I was 19 weeks and everything already smelled too loud: coffee, the car, my husband's shampoo. The pillow came vacuum-packed. I cut the plastic, it puffed up, and a sharp, plasticky smell filled the bedroom in about ten seconds.
I stood there with the scissors thinking: do I sleep on this tonight? I reached for the linen spray, then stopped. If I covered it up, how would I ever know if it was gone?
- If the smell hit you the moment the bag opened...
- If you are wondering whether pregnancy is making it seem worse...
- If you want to sleep on it tonight but something says wait...
Waiting a few days is not being dramatic. It is the only way to learn what the smell is doing.
Why does a new pregnancy pillow smell?
New furnishings can give off chemicals and odors from manufacturing, and sealed packaging traps them until you open it. Airing the room lowers what is in the air.
New York State's health department lists new furniture among household items that may release volatile organic compounds over time. It advises ventilating rooms with new furniture and notes levels can rise again after ventilation stops.
That page does not say a smell is dangerous, and it does not say it is harmless. Nobody can tell what a smell is made of just by sniffing it. That is why the useful steps below are about airing, recording and asking, not guessing.
What should you do before sleeping on it?
Keep the evidence, separate the parts, air the insert, and score the smell once a day. This takes two minutes a day and protects your return options.
- Keep the box, the bag, every tag and the order number.
- Photograph the care label and any material tag.
- Take the cover off if it is designed to come off, and wash it only as its label says.
- Air the insert in a room with an open window, not your bedroom, and close that door.
- Do not spray fragrance, powders or cleaners on it. You want to smell the change, not a cover.
- Score the smell from 1 (barely there) to 5 (fills the room) at the same time each day.
| Day | Score 1 to 5 | What it smells like | How you felt in the room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plastic, chemical, musty, other | ||
| 2 | |||
| 3 |
A score that drops each day is a smell leaving. A score that stays put is a question for the maker.
When should you stop and contact the maker?
Pause and ask if the score is not dropping after several days of airing, if the smell is musty or burning rather than plasticky, or if being near it makes you feel unwell.
- No change after several days of airing in a ventilated room.
- A musty or damp smell, or the insert feels damp. That is a different problem from new-product smell.
- No label at all, so you cannot tell what the cover or filling is.
- Headache, nausea or irritation when you are in the room with it. Keep it out of your bedroom, and talk to your midwife or doctor if symptoms carry on.
A message you can copy: "Order [number], opened [date]. The pillow has a strong [plastic / chemical / musty] smell that has not faded after [x] days of airing in a ventilated room (daily scores attached, label photo attached). What are the cover and filling made of, is this smell expected for this model, and how long should it take to fade? If it does not, what are my return options?"
Felicity's scores went 5, 4, 4, 2, 1 over five days in the spare room with the window cracked. On day six she could not find the smell unless she pressed her nose into it. The cover went in the wash as its label said, and the pillow went on the bed. She kept the box for another month, just in case.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a new pregnancy pillow smell last?
It varies by pillow. Track it with a daily score while the insert airs in a ventilated room. If the score is not falling after several days, contact the maker instead of waiting it out.
Is a new pillow smell harmful?
You cannot tell from the smell alone. Air it away from your bedroom, keep the labels, and ask the maker what the cover and filling are made of.
Can I wash a new pregnancy pillow to get rid of the smell?
Wash only the parts the care label allows, usually a removable cover. Do not soak or machine wash an insert whose label does not permit it.
Should I use baking soda or fabric spray on it?
We suggest not. Covering the smell hides whether it is fading, and some products may not suit the filling. Air and time tell you more.
Should I return a pregnancy pillow that still smells?
If it is not fading after several days of airing, ask the seller with your daily scores and label photo. Check the return window and keep the packaging.
If you are choosing a new pillow
Relvay sells the 3-Piece, two wedges and a strap. Its cover is listed as removable and washable, which lets you wash the part that touches you before first use. We do not claim it has no smell out of the box, so the same airing and scoring steps apply to it too.
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.
Felicity's story is a composite based on real reviews and public posts from pregnant side sleepers. Names and details are changed.
