Relvay makes a pregnancy pillow. We also tell you below when you should not buy one.
The short answer
Do not pick the easier instruction. Match each one to the part it covers, the model or version and the date. Until the maker confirms in writing for your exact pillow, follow the stricter instruction on the label sewn into that part.
- Check the part: cover and insert often differ.
- Check the version: pages change, labels do not.
- Ask in writing: label photo plus order number.
Sunday morning, two instructions and one pillow
This happens more often than people think, and it is rarely a trick question. Usually the two instructions are about different things.
Week 27, 8:40 a.m.
April had the whole morning planned. Strip the bed, wash the pillow, have it dry by night. She unzipped the cover and found a second tag on the inner pillow: spot clean only. The product page she had saved on her phone said machine wash cold, tumble dry low.
"I stood there holding a wet sponge, reading the same two lines back and forth," she said. "I just wanted someone to tell me which one was true."
- If the sewn-in tag says one thing and the listing says another.
- If you are not sure the website photo even shows your version.
- If you were about to go with whichever sounded easier.
You are not misreading anything. You are holding two answers to two different questions.
Why do the label and the website disagree?
Most of the time, the two instructions cover a different part, a different version or a different date. Once you know which, the conflict usually shrinks.
Different part. A website line often describes the removable cover. A tag inside describes the filled insert. One maker, Leachco, lists the cover as machine washable and the insert as spot clean only on the same product.
Different version. Listings get reused across colours, sizes and later revisions. The filling or fabric can change while the photo stays the same.
Different date. A page can be edited at any time. The label on your pillow was sewn in when your batch was made.
There is also less standardisation than you might expect. The US Care Labeling Rule is written for clothing and some fabric sold by the yard, so pillow tags vary a lot in how much they say.
The label on the part in your hand is the only instruction that was definitely made for that part.
How do you line up each instruction?
Write every instruction you can find into one small table, then fill in what each one actually refers to. Gaps in the table are your questions for the maker.
| Source | Which part? | Model or version | Date | What it says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tag on cover | Cover | Printed on tag? | Arrived with your order | Copy it word for word |
| Tag on insert | Filled insert | Printed on tag? | Arrived with your order | Copy it word for word |
| Product page | Often not stated | Check colour, size, SKU | Screenshot date | Copy it word for word |
| Insert card or manual | Usually stated | Often on the card | Arrived with your order | Copy it word for word |
- Photograph every tag, both sides, in daylight. Some tags are folded into a seam.
- Screenshot the web page with the date visible, and note the SKU, colour and size it shows.
- Find your order SKU in the confirmation email. If it does not match the page, the page may be for another version.
- Mark each row as matched, unclear or different. Only the unclear and different rows need an answer.
Which instruction should you follow while you wait?
The stricter one, applied to the part its label is sewn into. Gentler care rarely harms a pillow; a harsher method the part was not made for can.
- Insert says spot clean, page says machine wash: spot clean the insert for now.
- Different temperatures: use the lower one.
- Tumble dry versus air dry: air dry, and make sure the inside is fully dry before use.
- Cover tag allows washing: wash the cover by its own tag. That does not extend to the insert.
- No tag at all on a part: do not machine wash it. Our guide to finding instructions when there is no manual covers that case.
What not to do: cut off a tag you disagree with, treat the website photo as proof for every version, or try the easier method "just once" on the insert. If it goes wrong, the label is also your evidence.
What should you ask the maker in writing?
Ask one clear question about one pillow: which instruction applies to the part you own. A phone answer helps you sleep; a written answer protects you if something goes wrong later.
Subject: Care label and website differ, order [number]
Hi, the care tag on my [cover / inner pillow] says: "[copy tag]". Your product page for [model, colour, size, SKU] says: "[copy page]", seen on [date].
Order [number], bought [date] from [store]. Photos of both tags and a screenshot of the page are attached.
Could you confirm in writing which instruction applies to my pillow, for the cover and for the inner pillow separately? If the page describes a newer version, which version do I have?
Thank you, [name]
Three days later
April's reply said the page described a newer insert. Hers was the earlier one, spot clean only, cover machine washable. "It was such a small answer," she said. "But now it lives in my email, right next to the order."
What if the answer still does not match your label?
Ask the maker to name your version and say the answer applies to it. If they will not, keep following the label and keep the thread.
Save the reply, the photos and the screenshot in one folder. If the pillow is new and you cannot get a clear answer on how to clean it, check your return window that same day. A pillow you cannot care for confidently is a fair thing to raise with the seller.
For the full washing steps once you know which instruction applies, see how to wash a pregnancy pillow, cover and insert separately.
Frequently asked questions
Should I follow the care label or the website for my pregnancy pillow?
Follow the label sewn into the part you are cleaning until the maker confirms otherwise in writing for your exact model. Website text can describe another part, version or date.
Why does my pillow have two different care tags?
Many pregnancy pillows have one tag on the removable cover and another on the filled insert. They often need different care, so read each tag for its own part.
Is it fine to machine wash an insert if the website says I can?
Not if the tag on that insert says spot clean only. Ask the maker which version you have first. Washing against the tag can damage the filling and weaken a later claim.
How long should I wait for the maker to reply?
A few business days is reasonable. In the meantime spot clean or wash only the cover by its own tag, and check when your return window closes.
What if the label is faded or cut off?
Treat that part as unlabelled: do not machine wash it, and ask the maker with your order number and photos of what is left of the tag.
If you are choosing a pillow with care in mind
Relvay sells one pillow, the 3-Piece: two wedges and a strap. Its cover is listed as removable and washable. For the wedges, follow the tag on your set. If our tag and our page ever read differently to you, send us a photo of the tag with your order number, the same request this page suggests for any brand.
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.
April's story is a composite based on public posts from pregnant shoppers who found conflicting care instructions. Names and details are changed.
