As a cardiac RN and a soon-to-be first-time mom, staying active has been a priority throughout my pregnancy. Even at 36 weeks pregnant, I’ve maintained a routine of daily walks, prenatal yoga, Pilates, and HIIT classes, alongside my five-day work week. My job is quite varied, sometimes requiring me to sit at a computer and other times to be on my feet assisting with stress tests. When my husband and I planned a babymoon to Europe, visiting London, Amsterdam, and Paris, I was thrilled but also a little apprehensive about keeping up with the travel demands in my third trimester, especially the amount of walking we had planned.
However, the trip was absolutely incredible, filled with delicious food in every city we explored! To help manage the physical demands of travel during pregnancy, I brought along the Mommy Matters Portable Pregnancy Pillow. This Traveling Pillow proved to be an invaluable companion throughout our European adventure.
We averaged about 9 miles of walking each day, fueled by plenty of croissant breaks! At the end of each day, returning to the hotel, the traveling pillow was a welcome relief. My favorite way to use it was lying down with the pillow between my legs. The relief it provided to my lower back and hips was significant. Hip soreness and tightness are constant companions during pregnancy, and this traveling pillow truly helped me achieve a more restful sleep. It was also wonderfully comfortable when lying on my side with the pillow supporting my belly.
The benefits of this traveling pillow extended beyond the hotel room. During our train journeys to Amsterdam and Paris, it provided excellent support for my mid and lower back. By promoting better posture, it effectively reduced pressure on my belly, making those longer travel days much more comfortable. While the traveling pillow was incredibly useful in many situations, I found it less practical on the airplane. The airplane seats felt too rigid, and using the pillow seemed to increase pressure on my belly in those confined spaces. Additionally, carrying the pillow around while exploring the cities and using public transportation was a bit challenging, as it didn’t quite fit into my regular tote bag.
However, where this traveling pillow truly shines is in my daily work life. It has made a noticeable difference in my comfort and posture throughout the workday. Spending a significant portion of my day sitting at my desk, either working on the computer or making phone calls, I often become unaware of my posture. Placing the traveling pillow behind my lower back serves as a constant reminder to maintain proper form. I also have a tendency to lean to my left when on phone calls. Using the pillow on my left side provides comfortable support and prevents me from slouching.
Here are a couple of helpful tips I discovered while using this traveling pillow:
- For city-to-city travel, a tote bag is a convenient way to carry the traveling pillow.
- While I opted not to carry it on the metro to avoid an extra bag, for planned train or bus journeys, it’s definitely worth bringing along.
- Utilizing the gel pack, chilled in the fridge, offered therapeutic relief for my sore back. At home, I prefer the hot pack option using a microwave for warmth.
In conclusion, this traveling pillow has proven to be a versatile and beneficial accessory, not just for travel, but also for everyday comfort and support. For pregnant women, or anyone seeking portable lumbar support and comfort on the go, a traveling pillow is definitely a worthwhile investment.
