Relvay makes a pregnancy pillow. We also tell you below when you should not buy one.
The short answer
Often you can, but ask your own hospital first. Rules, room size and what the unit supplies differ from place to place. Call the labor and delivery or postpartum unit and confirm the practical details before you pack it.
- Ask: is it allowed, and where can it go?
- Label it: a colored case, not white.
- Plan the trip home: who carries it out.
What should you confirm before taking a pregnancy pillow to hospital?
Confirm six things with the unit where you will actually stay: permission, space, storage, labeling, cleaning and the trip home. Write the answers down, because the person on the phone today may not be on shift when you arrive.
- Is a large personal pillow allowed? Ask about the labor room and the postpartum room separately. They can be different rooms with different rules.
- Where would it go? Staff need to reach you, the bed and any equipment. Ask whether there is a chair, a shelf or a corner where a bulky pillow can sit out of the way.
- Can it be stored if you do not need it yet? Some people leave it in the car until after the birth. Ask whether there is any space to keep it in the room, or whether it should stay out of the room until later.
- How should it be labeled? Hospital bedding is often white. Lamaze suggests using anything but a white pillowcase if you bring your own pillow.
- Any cleaning rules? Ask whether personal bedding needs a removable, washable cover, and whether to bring a spare case.
- Can someone bring it later? If the bag is already full, ask whether your partner or support person can bring it after you are admitted or moved to a postpartum room.
Ask one more thing out loud: who takes it home if you change rooms or leave in a hurry. That answer matters more than it sounds.
Why does the pillow question come up so late?
Because most hospital bag lists cover a regular pillow, not a pillow the size of a person. Most people only notice the gap when the bag is packed and the pregnancy pillow is still on the bed.
Tuesday, 9:20 p.m.
I was 37 weeks, sitting on the bedroom floor with the hospital bag zipped for the third time. Everything was in. Then I looked at the bed and saw my pillow, the one I had slept with every night since the second trimester.
Theo came in, followed my eyes, and said, very kindly, "Are we really bringing that?" It would not fit in the bag. It would barely fit in the back seat with the car seat base. And I had no idea if the hospital would even let me use it, or where it would go.
So I called the unit the next morning instead of guessing. It took five minutes, and I wrote the answers on a sticky note on the bag.
"I cannot sleep without this pillow now"Amazon review of another brand's pregnancy pillow
"I packed this for European travel at 26 weeks pregnant"Amazon review of another brand's pregnancy pillow
Wanting your own pillow is normal. The fix is a plan, not a bigger bag.
What goes on your pillow confirmation sheet?
One line per question, with the answer and the name of the unit you asked. Keep it with your hospital bag so your support person can follow it without you.
| Check | What to write down | If the answer is no or unclear |
|---|---|---|
| Allowed in the room | Labor room yes or no, postpartum room yes or no | Leave it home or in the car |
| Where it sits | Chair, shelf, corner, or on the bed only when staff agree | Bring only your regular head pillow |
| Storage | In the room, or stays in the car until later | Your support person brings it later |
| Label | Colored cover with your name on a tag | Do not bring it in a plain white case |
| Cleaning | Washable cover on, spare case packed | Use a pillow you are happy to wash at home |
| Trip home | Who carries it out, and when | Send it home early with a visitor |
Policies change, and every hospital is different, so this sheet is about your unit, not hospitals in general.
How do you label and pack a pregnancy pillow for hospital?
Put it in a colored, washable cover, tag it with your name, and carry it in a large bag of its own. That keeps it apart from hospital bedding and stops it picking up floors and car seats on the way.
- A bright or patterned cover, not white. Toronto Public Health also suggests a colored pillowcase for your own pillow.
- A luggage tag or safety-pinned card with your name on the cover, not the insert.
- A big laundry bag or clean trash bag to carry it in and bring it home in.
- A spare cover or case in the bag, in case the first one needs to come off.
- Nothing stored inside the cover. Small items get lost in a pillow.
Pack it last, on top of the car, so it is the first thing your support person can leave behind if the room is small.
What if the hospital says no, or there is no room?
Then bring your regular head pillow in a colored case and use what the unit offers. Lamaze notes that extra hospital pillows work fine as nursing support if you forget your own.
Some people split the difference: the big pillow waits in the car or at home, and the support person brings it once you know the room. Others take only one smaller piece of their setup and leave the rest. Hospital stays can be short, so a pillow you leave at home is not a failure. It is one less thing to carry out with a newborn.
If you are traveling to a hospital far from home, the packing questions overlap with a trip. Our pregnancy pillow buying checklist covers size and care details that help here too.
Frequently asked questions
Can you bring your own pregnancy pillow to the hospital?
Often yes, but it depends on the hospital and the unit. Call the labor and delivery or postpartum unit and ask whether a large personal pillow is allowed, where it can sit, and whether it should stay in the car until later.
Should I use a colored pillowcase at the hospital?
Yes. Hospital bedding is often white, and Lamaze suggests anything but a white pillowcase so your pillow does not get mixed up with theirs. Add a name tag to the cover.
Will a pregnancy pillow fit in my hospital bag?
A full-length one usually will not. Carry it separately in a large clean bag, or ask your support person to bring it once you know the room.
Do hospitals provide pillows?
Hospitals generally supply bedding, but people often describe hospital pillows as thin. Ask your unit what they provide and whether extra pillows are available.
What if I change rooms after the birth?
Ask who moves your things and agree in advance who carries the pillow out at discharge. Many people send it home early with a visitor.
If you are still choosing a pillow
If you have not bought a pregnancy pillow yet and know you want one you can carry, a smaller setup is easier to bring and easier to leave behind. Relvay makes the 3-Piece: two small wedges and a strap rather than one long pillow. Your hospital's answer still comes first.
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.
Still deciding which pillow to buy at all? Start with our pregnancy pillow buying checklist.
Audrey's story is a composite based on real reviews and public posts from pregnant sleepers. Names and details are changed.
