6 Tips for Sleeping on a Futon while Pregnant

Having difficulty falling or staying asleep is common for pregnant women. This condition is known as Insomnia, which can be experienced throughout the pregnancy. Poor sleep can have a significant impact on the health of any person, including pregnant women. As being healthy is a high priority for pregnant women, it is vital to address this issue. For background information on futon mattresses, scroll to the bottom of the article first.

Here are 6 tips for sleeping on a futon bed while pregnant:

Tip 1 – Get a Pregnancy Pillow to comfortably sleep on a futon while pregnant
Tip 2 – Adjust the futon’s firmness/softness by adding a Mattress Topper
Tip 3 – Temporarily change the height and softness of your futon mattress during pregnancy by using comforters or an air mattress
Tip 4 – Buy a larger futon bed to provide enough room to turn and reposition while pregnant
Tip 5 – Choose a futon frame without free-standing ottomans or awkward angles that are uncomfortable while pregnant
Tip 6 – Change your futon mattress material to accommodate your new body & minimize chemical exposure for your new baby (later on)

During pregnancy many women find the need to change how they sleep as their bodies change. And some women may experience back pain as a result of the increased weight carried around their stomach area. Some other factors that may impact the quality of sleep include lighting, inconsistent schedules, chemicals (caffeine, prescription medications), pain, anxiety, or other medical conditions. If it is a medical condition, please work with a doctor to find a solution that works for you.

Tip 1 – Get a Pregnancy Pillow to comfortably sleep on a futon while pregnant

If you still can’t seem to get comfortable in your bed, a pregnancy pillow is one of the most common solutions. A pregnancy or maternity pillow especially helps people who sleep flat on their back or front. According to the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, some women experience heartburn during pregnancy and one way of relieving some of the symptoms of heartburn is using a pillow to sit or lay in a position.

Maternity pillows are available in shops that sell maternity items and on Amazon. Some of the prices and options are provided in the table below:

Product Name	Approximate Price	Link to the Product
Riforla Maternity Pillow	$10.99	Product on Amazon
Boppy Pregnancy Wedge	$15.99	Product on Amazon
U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow	$64.99	Product on Amazon

If a regular-sized pregnancy pillow is not working. There are a wide variety of specialized pillows, including full-body maternity pillows.

Pregnancy pillows help sleep on a futon while pregnent

These types of pillows can be found in maternity shops as well as online. Several options are listed in the table below.

Product Name	Approximate Price	Link to the Product
PharMeDoc Pregnancy Pillow (C-Shaped)	$39.95	Product on Amazon
Queen Rose Pregnancy Pillow (U-Shaped)	$40.59	Product on Amazon
PharMeDoc Pregnancy Pillow (U-Shaped)	$39.95	Product on Amazon

Tip 2 – Adjust the futon’s firmness/softness & temperature by adding a Mattress Topper

Adding a mattress topper on top of a futon allows you to customize the firmness of the futon mattress and to adjust the heat retention. This may be helpful, if your sleeping preferences change during a pregnancy and you don’t want to permanently change your futon mattress. Temperature modulation may be especially challenging for you if you have a wool futon mattress so a cooling mattress topper can help.

Mattress toppers also allow you to test out other sleeping materials that may work better for you. If more than one person will sleep on the futon, a mattress topper can allow each person to customize their side of the bed with their own preferred mattress firmness or temperature.

Here’s a highly reviewed 2 inch mattress topper that isn’t very expensive.

Tip 3 – Temporarily change the height and softness of your futon mattress during pregnancy by using comforters or an air mattress

If your futon mattress is too firm for you during your pregnancy, you can create a layer of comforters on top of the mattress to make it softer. You can also consider placing an air mattress on top of your futon to make it softer.

There are several factors that you should consider before buying an air mattress to place on your futon bed. The dimensions of the air mattress should match the size of your futon bed, so that the mattress does not move off the futon surface. In addition to the dimensions, the height relative to the futon should be considered. The air mattress should not make the bed too high for the person sleeping on the bed to safely enter and exit the bed.

As previously mentioned, the height of the bed can be something a pregnant woman may need to customize to make getting in and out of bed a little easier…this is especially important as you get closer to the baby’s due date. Both air mattresses and mattress toppers come in many different heights so you can customize the height of your bed to your needs. One thing to keep in mind about adding any type of item of height to a bed is to take any steps required to ensure that the mattress doesn’t slide easily. You can use duct tape or velcro straps to help you keep your mattress topper or air mattress in position.

Layer comforters to make futon softer while pregnant

Tip 4 – Buy a larger futon bed to provide enough room to turn and reposition while pregnant

Sleeping on a futon while pregnant is challenging if your futon is too small. It needs to be large enough for you to reposition yourself while also being the right height to get in and out of bed.

We realize that buying a new futon may not be what you are looking for if you plan on minimizing costs but you might be stuck if your futon mattress is too small 🙂

When shopping for the new futon frame and futon mattress, you should not only consider the size you need for your wife while she is pregnant, but also if you plan on sleeping on the futon post-pregnancy.

As opposed to getting a taller bed + a futon, think about whether you’ll be comfortable sleeping on a futon on the floor. Our comprehensive guide to sleeping on a futon with your child presents the pros/cons and provides you some products to solve your needs.

How to choose the right futon frame size, mattress size, and sheet size for yourself
How do futons work?

Tip 5 – Choose a futon frame without free-standing ottomans or awkward angles that are uncomfortable while pregnant

Futons can transition into beds in different ways. Modern futons have become easier to transform, but it is still important to pick a futon that you are comfortable converting. Take a look at the image below to understand the different ways that futons can open up.

For sleeping on a futon while pregnant, avoid any futons that require a free standing ottoman to make up the size of the mattress. Futon loungers are also not ideal because they provide awkward angles while sitting and laying down. You’ll want a frame that supports a queen or king sleeper mattress.

We don’t see much of a difference in comfort between bi-fold and tri-fold futons for comfort during pregnancy. Some of our readers have mentioned that having more folds causes the futon mattress to feel more lumpy (because it has to compress at the folds) and this makes it feel firm in some areas while it is soft in other areas.

Tip 6 – Change your futon mattress material to accommodate your new body & minimize chemical exposure for your new baby (later on)

As opposed to buying a mattress topper or air mattress to place on top of your futon (temporarily), you can also consider buying a futon mattress, with the right materials, that will serve you long term. The material a mattress is made out of will impact the rigidity, durability, lifespan, safety, and weight.

If the weight of the mattress is a concern for you because you’ll be pulling the futon in and out constantly (this can be challenging while pregnant!), a foam and polyester mattress is recommended for its lighter weight compared to mattresses made of cotton. Foam mattresses are also very comfortable and last longer.

You might also be worried about futon mattress flammability and the effects of mattress fire retardants on your pregnant wife or young baby. Take a look at our comprehensive mattress fire retardant guide linked above.

Here’s a summary of common futon mattress materials:

Latex – very dense and conforming at the same time. One of the most popular mattress materials.
Cotton, wool, fiber – the majority of futon mattresses are made of cotton or wool, and some of them include a layer of foam for the mattress to be firm and more comfortable. Since cotton gets compressed over time, you have to flip the mattress over and redistribute the cotton often. If you need some tips on how to fluff a futon mattress, check out our comprehensive guide.
Foam – grants the futon mattress extra viscosity and density (for a firmer feel). The best option is to go with memory foam, which is perfect for everyday sitting and sleeping and will conform to your new body over time.
Polyester and foam – some foam futons use a polyester encasement instead of cotton. The use of polyester makes the futon much lighter and improves the lifespan of a mattress by preserving its shape.
Pocket coils and innersprings – commonly used in futon mattresses to prevent motion transfer, preserve the shape, and improve the longevity of the mattress. Spring based mattresses are cheaper, older technology, so you may consider other materials before choosing innersprings or pocket coils.

If you have not yet decided which type of futon mattress to buy, you can learn about the best futon mattresses with reviews. Additionally if you’re wondering how to clean your futon mattress, we also have some good tips.

If you want to learn more about different types of futon mattresses check out the article on FutonLand.

Background Information

What is a Futon Bed?

Originally, a futon was a traditional Japanese cushion filled with leaves. Traditional Japanese futon is widely known as a Shikibuton (or Shiki Futon). Although you might think of a regular sofa while talking about a futon, the traditional form of a futon is somewhat different. They are slim, foldable cushions that are filled with the layers of cotton. Tatami mats are put under the Shikibuton to provide rigid support for the futon. We’ve put together an article to compare Japanese Futon Mattresses vs. Western Mattresses.

Futon mattress on floor can help after pregnancy

The modern idea of a futon is to serve the purpose of a sofa as well as a bed. They are commonly used in small rooms for space-saving purposes. Besides, futons are usually used in living rooms or guest rooms. In such cases, futons are transformed into beds when needed. If there are no guests who require additional sleeping area, a futon is represented in the form of a regular sofa that does not take up a lot of space. Here is the link to our more in-depth analysis of futon beds, their comfort and safety for children and toddlers, shopping tips, and much more. Also here are the best futon mattresses based on user reviews.

A wide array of futon beds that are available on Amazon, some of which are provided in the table below:

Product Name	Approximate Price	Link to the Product
DHP Emily Futon Sofa Bed	$212.22	Product on Amazon
Mainstay Memory Foam Futon	$163.82	Product on Amazon
Walsunny Modern Faux Leather Couch – Convertible Futon Sofa Bed	$155.99	Product on Amazon
Novogratz Brittany Sofa Futon	$439.99	Product on Amazon
Convertible Linen Splitback Futon Sofa Couch	$213.99	Product on Amazon
Mapsoul Convertible Sofa Bed	$235.00	Product on Amazon

How to fix a squeaky futon