What I Wish I Knew About My Mattress When I Was Pregnant

If I had to do it all over again, I would have bought a new mattress right when I saw that little pink line — and here’s why:

I went through two pregnancies on the same mattress I bought in my twenties. Back then, box springs — the kind our parents had — were totally out of vogue. Everyone was obsessed with the “bed in a box” revolution: memory foam mattresses that magically expanded from tiny boxes in our tiny city apartments. It felt modern and minimalist and, honestly, kind of genius.

What I didn’t realize was that those foam mattresses have a much shorter lifespan than the old-fashioned innerspring ones. By the time I was pregnant, my mattress was over ten years old and probably “expired” five years earlier.

Let’s be honest — switching mattresses won’t suddenly make sleep easy while pregnant. It just won’t. Sleep in pregnancy is one of the most elusive things out there. The midnight bathroom trips are just the beginning. The real problem is back pain and hip pain that no one truly prepares you for.

Now that I’m postpartum, those aches never fully went away. Along with pelvic PT, I started looking for other ways to support recovery and sleep better. And that’s when I finally replaced my mattress.

This time, I ditched the foam and went with an innerspring mattress — the kind two burly guys have to carry in. It’s my “grown-up mattress,” and it’s made all the difference. I still do my PT exercises to manage postpartum pain, but now I wake up pain-free for the first time in five years. It’s amazing what real support feels like.

When you’re ready for your own grown-up mattress, keep a few things in mind:

• Are you a back, stomach, or side sleeper? That’ll help determine the level of firmness you need.

• Do you run warm at night? If so, look for something more breathable — innersprings or hybrid mattresses tend to stay cooler than foam.

• Do you want a pillow top for that extra plush feel, or do you prefer more support?

This is the one that worked for me: Beautyrest Black Series 2 Medium Mattress (no pillow top)

Bonus tip: If you think there’s a chance you might co-sleep or bedshare, skip the pillow top and go with a medium or firm mattress. It’s safer for baby and provides a more stable surface. While bedsharing is controversial, most families resort to it at some point — so it’s better to be prepared to do it safely with a mattress that’s close to the floor and not overly fluffy. And remember to ask your midwife or pediatrician for guidance on safe sleep practices.

And once you’ve got your mattress situation sorted, you can round out your setup with these Feather & Stitch sheets — soft, breathable, and sturdy enough to handle all the spills and snuggles of early motherhood.

Laundry Tips from The Lorry

If you get breastmilk on your sheets, treat it like the grease-based stain it is — it’ll turn yellow if ignored. Hit it with Dawn Platinum before washing on cold. Never use hot water or a hot dryer — heat bakes in yellowing stains and breaks down fibers faster. On The Lorry, we always wash sheets in cold water and dry on low heat.

And if you need another reason to skip the heat: it stretches out the elastic band on your fitted sheet, meaning it won’t stay snug around your mattress as long.

A few small tweaks — the right mattress, the right sheets, and a gentle laundry routine — can make a world of difference in how you rest and recover during pregnancy and beyond.