Best Mattress During Pregnancy and Postpartum in Canada

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Medical disclaimer: This guide provides general sleep information. For specific concerns about sleep position, discomfort, or postpartum recovery, consult your midwife, OB/GYN, or a pelvic floor physiotherapist.

Pregnancy is one of the most significant physical transitions a person can go through, and it changes sleep from the first trimester forward. The mattress that was comfortable before pregnancy may feel completely different by the third trimester. And the postpartum period brings its own set of sleep challenges: physical recovery, frequent night feeds, and navigating sleep in an exhausted state.

At Mattress Miracle in Brantford, we've helped many families navigate this life stage. Here's what we know about what works and why.

Sleep During Pregnancy: How Needs Change by Trimester

First Trimester (Weeks 1-12)

Sleep changes early. Progesterone levels rise, causing fatigue and increased sleepiness. Many people can still sleep in their usual positions, including on their stomach, during the first trimester. Nausea may affect sleep quality more than the growing uterus at this stage. Mattress needs are essentially the same as pre-pregnancy for most people.

Second Trimester (Weeks 13-26)

This is when sleep position starts to matter more. The uterus grows enough that sleeping on the back places it directly over the inferior vena cava (the large vein returning blood to the heart), which can reduce blood flow. Left-side sleeping becomes the recommended position for circulation and kidney function. Hip and lower back pressure increases as body weight shifts forward. A pressure-relieving mattress for the shoulder and hip becomes increasingly important.

Third Trimester (Weeks 27-40)

The final trimester brings the greatest sleep challenges. The combination of increased body weight, round ligament pain, pelvic girdle pain, heartburn, frequent bathroom trips, and reduced ability to move comfortably makes mattress choice more consequential. A mattress that's too firm creates pressure at the hip and shoulder during side sleeping. A mattress that's too soft makes it difficult to roll over or get out of bed.

8 min read

Why Left-Side Sleeping Is Recommended

From around week 20 of pregnancy onward, healthcare providers typically recommend left-side sleeping. The reasons are circulatory: the inferior vena cava runs along the right side of the spine, and back or right-side sleeping can compress it, reducing venous return and placental blood flow. Left-side sleeping keeps this large vessel uncompressed.

A mattress implication follows from this: during the second and third trimesters, the left hip and left shoulder are the primary pressure points in virtually every sleep cycle. Pressure relief at the left hip specifically becomes the highest-priority mattress attribute. For many pregnant people, this means going slightly softer than their usual preference to accommodate the growing belly and the sustained pressure on the left side.

Key Mattress Features for Pregnancy

Pressure Relief at the Hip and Shoulder

As covered above, the hip and shoulder are the primary pressure points during the left-side sleeping that pregnancy requires. A comfort layer of 5-8 cm (2-3 inches) of memory foam, latex, or high-quality poly foam distributes pressure at these points more effectively than coil-only surfaces.

Ease of Position Change

Getting up to use the bathroom several times a night and rolling over in the third trimester require effort. A mattress that responds quickly when you shift weight (as coil-based and latex mattresses do) makes these movements easier than a very dense, slow-recovery memory foam that you have to push your way out of. This is one area where very soft all-foam mattresses can be counterproductive despite feeling luxurious.

Edge Support

As the pregnancy progresses and the centre of gravity shifts, getting in and out of bed becomes more difficult. A mattress with firm perimeter edge support allows you to sit on the edge of the bed to rest or stand, without the feeling of rolling off a rounded, unsupported edge. This becomes even more relevant in the postpartum period.

Temperature Regulation

Many pregnant people experience increased body temperature and night sweats, particularly in the second and third trimesters due to increased metabolic rate. Mattresses that sleep cool, primarily coil-based or latex options with good airflow, are more comfortable than dense memory foam, which retains body heat.

Postpartum: Different Needs, Same Mattress?

The postpartum period presents a different set of physical challenges:

• Perineal recovery or C-section incision recovery: Getting in and out of bed is painful. Edge support is critical. The mattress should allow you to sit upright on the side and push to standing without sinking or rolling. A too-soft mattress significantly complicates post-birth bed mobility.
• Pelvic floor recovery: A pelvic floor physiotherapist is the right resource here, but in general, a mattress that supports neutral spinal alignment is appropriate during pelvic floor recovery. Extreme firmness or softness can both contribute to compensatory posture patterns that stress the pelvic floor.
• Breastfeeding or pumping in bed: Many new parents nurse or pump in bed during night feeds. A mattress with good edge support allows comfortable seated nursing positions without the risk of falling off a rounded, unsupported perimeter.
• Disrupted, fragmented sleep: Postpartum sleep is short and interrupted. Making the most of each sleep window requires a mattress that supports fast sleep onset, which is aided by comfortable temperature, good pressure relief, and a surface that doesn't require effort to settle into.

The good news is that the mattress features that work well during pregnancy (medium-firm, pressure-relieving, responsive, good edge support, temperature-neutral) are essentially the same ones that work well postpartum. A good pregnancy mattress choice is also a good postpartum mattress choice.

Sharing the Bed: Motion Isolation Matters

For couples sharing a bed during pregnancy and early parenthood, motion isolation is worth thinking about. A partner who moves frequently during the night, or who gets up for a different reason, creates disturbance. For an already-disrupted pregnant or postpartum sleeper, additional partner motion translates directly to more frequent awakenings.

Pocketed coil systems isolate motion significantly better than connected Bonnell coil systems. All-foam mattresses also isolate motion well. For couples where one partner's movement is a known issue, a mattress with good motion isolation is a practical choice regardless of pregnancy.

Mattress Options at Mattress Miracle

For most expectant and new parents, our recommendations from the Restonic lineup are:

Restonic ComfortCare (medium, ~$1,619 Queen, 1,222 pocketed coils): Good motion isolation, responsive surface, medium pressure relief, temperature-neutral coil base. Appropriate for most pregnant people who need a balance of support and comfort. Available in medium and medium-firm; medium is typically better during later pregnancy.

Restonic Revive Reflections ET (~$1,395 Queen, dual-sided): Flippable design means you can use the softer side during pregnancy and the firmer side postpartum, or adjust as comfort needs change. A practical choice for changing needs over a 2-3 year window.

Sleep In flippable mattresses (Canadian-made): Also dual-sided, available in various comfort levels. The Canadian-made flippable design extends lifespan and gives flexibility as needs change through pregnancy and into early parenthood.

Frequently Asked Questions

Shop: Compare Our Mattresses

Companion reading: why left-side sleeping is recommended in pregnancy and the best sleeping position during pregnancy.