Back in the early winter, I found out my husband and I were having a new addition to our family in the fall. Determined to sleep a little easier, and hopefully ease some pain during my second pregnancy, than I did the
first, I set off on a mission to find a body pillow to help support as many of my pained body parts as possible. At first, all I was searching for was the basic, full-length rectangular pillow, status quo. But soon into my hunt, I found what is called the Snoogle pillow. It had some rave reviews, and from its appearance, it looked like it might be a better option. So, I took the plunge and ordered one online.

When it arrived, my family was in the midst of recovering from a rabid stomach bug. My body was going through an intense flare, not only from the bug getting me all out of whack, but from having to do so much of the heavy
work in taking care of my toddler and his clean-up needs, as he suffered through the ailment. I knew this would be quite the ultimate test to see how this pillow performed.
My first reaction was, this thing is huge and heavy. To be honest, I still have that complaint. But as a preface warning, I normally do not sleep with an abundance of pillows surrounding me. Sometimes I’ll stuff a pillow between my knees, but it is not my norm to have a lot of pillows conducting different support jobs, as several of you readers might. So, that definitely alters my viewpoint at times.
The pillow is shaped almost like two candy canes stuck end-to-end. Thus there is a “horseshoe-like” end that typically wraps around your head and a looser curved horseshoe at the bottom. It’s thick to offer the support
required. They provide a pillowcase, but it’s a little stiff and linen-esque to the touch, but the company offers pillowcases you can buy that have been reviewed as offering a much more desirable softness.
I immediately studied the Snoogle “cheat sheet” that accompanies the pillow. On this sheet is a diagram of how to bend the pillow in nine different ways, and the benefits involved, in order to help the new user get used to the product. As well, it advertises how wonderful this “total pillow” truly can be, because of its abundance of uses. I bought the pillow because it offers pillow positions that provide back and hip alignment, which are complaints often made in pregnancies. But, you can “swirl” the pillow to put behind your back as you sit up and watch TV on your bed or couch. You can also create a cushion for normal sitting or post-surgery comfort and it can wrap around you to provide underarm and back support, as you read or feed your baby. There are even contortions you can make to help you restfully sit up, and ease breathing or discomfort from a c-section. The positioning with this pillow is almost endless. It definitely meets pregnancy and post-operative needs, but just standard pains can also be served by using this pillow.
So, I put it to use. I find its lounging uses wonderful. Because my neck is rather particular in the size of pillow that it conforms to, I have a little trouble with its standard “snuggle” position, where you wrap the horseshoes, one around the head, tucking the “straight body” of the pillow between the legs for hip support, and looping the bottom horseshoe through your feet for proper alignment. It does its job beautifully for my lower half support, but as I said, my neck is still a little iffy on it. It definitely is a great size for something to hold onto and ease those pressures as you lay on your side.
Pros:
. Works as advertised
. An abundance of positions to support many different alignments
. Sturdy
. Can help you stay put, to help ease tossing and turning throughout the night
. Eliminates need of multiple pillows for different support purposes
Cons:
. Tad expensive (around $50, with another $15-20 more if you buy the softer pillowcase)
. Cumbersome (As weird as this might sound, I don’t have the energy to “fight” the pillow into shape some nights. If you have someone to help you, though, it’s definitely worth it.)
. Standard pillowcase is definitely a little itchy. Replacing the pillowcase to wash or add new one is tedious and takes time because of the shape and snugness.

Overall, it’s definitely worth a shot if you’re having trouble getting into a comfortable position during sleep or rest. But it takes some getting used to to find what works best for you if you’re fatigued!
Review written by Carrie Beth Burns, © 2008 butyoudontlooksick.com