The Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow is a firm favourite for nursing — and that's not the only reason our tester loved it

The Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow features a revolutionary and versatile design that combines ergonomic shaping with luxurious breathable materials to provide the ultimate in pregnancy and nursing comfort. 

A worthy new contender for a spot in our best nursing pillows guide, the Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow is the ultimate multi-purpose superstar — with options to use it for sleep support at night, back support during the day, a feeding cushion once baby has arrived and a support cushion for tummy time. Now that's one impressive pillow! 

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Designed to provide complete support and comfort for a more restful night's sleep during pregnancy, this pillow follows the natural shape of your body and cradles your head, hips, knees and ankles. Particularly beneficial to C-section mums, the Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow removes the painful pressure on your stomach and back, and it's also brilliant for providing much-needed support during the feeding process. 

Price and availability

In terms of budget, we'd class the Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow as a middle of the range product, but we feel you're getting great value for money with this product, something our parent tester agrees with. 

"Its mid-range price point and multiple uses mean it's a solid investment for someone who likes a firm pillow and is looking to breastfeed," says Emily. 

However, Emily did feel that while this pillow has some fantastic features (which we'll get to below) and would suit a lot of mums, it may not be the right choice for everyone. 

"Your body is constantly changing during pregnancy, and my sleeping position has changed an awful lot between each trimester therefore a more flexible construction would offer the user a pregnancy pillow that will support them through every stage. Without this, I would find myself buying a different pregnancy pillow to support me at different stages of pregnancy," Emily explains.

Design and features

Dimensions: 43cm x 116cm | Age: Pregnancy and beyond |Material: 100% cotton cover, 100% polyester mesh

When it comes to talking about the design and features of the Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow, it's a case of where to start! We're really impressed with what this little beauty has to offer on both of those fronts and it has some unique selling points that set it apart from its competitors.

Firstly, rather than the traditional sausage construction that you'll find most pregnancy and nursing pillows opt for, the Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow features the brand's signature 3D spacer mesh and super soft interlock jersey cotton. This enables the pillow to offer full breathability around the bump area and creates a level of versatility that allows the pillow to be used as a back support, feeding cushion, and baby support cushion. 

Because the spacer mesh follows the natural shape of an expectant mum, the pillow also offers an outstanding level of support to the head, hips, knees, and ankles, plus, when used regularly from the second trimester, it can also help encourage baby to get into the optimum position for birth. 

The support and breathability offered by the Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow is something our parent tester, Emily, was particularly impressed with.

"Before falling pregnant I was a back sleeper, so I was anxious about having to sleep on my side. This pillow provided great support during the night and fitted comfortably around my growing bump without causing the overheating I'd suffered from previously," she told GoodtoKnow. 

It's also worth noting that the cover of the Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow can be removed and machine-washed at 40 degrees on a gentle wash and tumble-dried on low heat. The inner can also be washed on a lower setting of 30 degrees. So you can breathe easy knowing that this durable pillow will be with you for years to come. 

How we tested

• Used the pillow during the seventh month of pregnancy
• Put the pillow to good use while sleeping
• Along with looking at the overall comfort and support the pillow offered, our tester also considered the construction, how well it regulated body heat during the night, and whether it would be suitable for nursing and tummy time

Things you won't find on the box

Available in two designs — minimal grey (for those who prefer a more neutral look) and botanical (for those wanting a bit more colour) — the Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow beautifully combines both style and substance. 

It's worth mentioning that this pillow has been designed and tested by safe sleep baby product experts, so you can rest easy knowing it adheres to safe sleep guidelines. Plus, it's made from hypoallergenic materials, so it's a great choice if you or your baby suffer from allergies.

This pillow is surprisingly firm, which is not what we were expecting. However while some people may benefit from a slightly more flexible construction, our tester felt it had enough give in it to fit comfortably around her growing bump. The firmness is also nicely offset by the softness of the material, so you'll still find this pillow delightful to snuggle into. 

Who's it best for?

Emily felt this pillow offered excellent support during the night and she would also recommend it to anyone who's nursing. However, given the firmness, she's not sure how comfortable she'd be using the pillow for tummy time. 

Although Purflo do state that the pillow can be used for this purpose, we agree with our tester that both the firmness and the height of the pillow makes it unsuitable for tummy time use during the first few months of a baby's life. However, once baby is a bit older, it could well be useful for this purpose. 

If you're looking for a pregnancy pillow that will help you get into the optimal sleeping position and a robust nursing pillow that offers a great deal of support, the Purflo Breathe Pregnancy Pillow is well worth considering. 

Need an alternative?

If a firm pregnancy and nursing pillow just isn't what you're looking for, you'll be relieved to know that there are ton of softer and more malleable options on the market. 

One that fits this bill nicely is the Mamas & Papas Pregnancy and Nursing Pillow (£45 from Mamas & Papas). With a boomerang design that supports your bump, back, and knees while you sleep, this pillow moulds to your shape and makes for the comfiest companion. 

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Looking for more stylish baby and pregnancy kit? Check out a selection of our other buying guides.