justlearning
11-13-2005, 04:08 AM
UPDATE: I actually like this pillow much more now that my son's born than I thought I would. First, unlike my prediction, I actually do use it a lot for breastfeeding. I still use my Brestfriend pillow if I need to sit at the table or computer and work/eat while breastfeeding, but I exclusively use the Serenity Star pillow when sitting in a chair with arms. It's much more comfy than the Brestfriend pillow or the Boppy and was the only pillow I used to nurse in the first few painful weeks following my c-section.
Additionally, I found the two bolster pillows to be a great help immediately following the c-section. (Now, five weeks later, I'm not using them anymore). I describe in this thread how I used them to make getting in and out of bed less painful: http://tinyurl.com/ccg7s . I also used them when sleeping to hug to help my incision pain feel better and to have support if I needed to cough in bed.
So, my opinion of this pillow as a maternity pillow hasn't changed but my opinion of its usefulness as a postpartum pillow has become much more favorable.
Here now is my original review:
I was selected by Denise and Alan Fields to be a product tester for the Serenity Star "Prenatal to Preschool Transitional Pillow" by Moonlight Slumber. The product can be purchased at a number of online retailers, including at www.moonlightslumber.com, where it sells for $142 ($162 after shipping).
Description of Product:
The maternity pillow consists of three separate pieces that can be combined into one continuous pillow by inserting them together in the pillowcase provided (see picture at the end of this review). The top pillow is curved, and the other two sections are bolster pillows that are each the width of a twin-size bed. When used as a maternity pillow, you sleep between the two bolster pillows with your head on the curved pillow.
In a brochure provided online, Moonlight Slumber describes the multiple functions of the pillow. They state that used together, the pillow functions as a maternity pillow that "truly cradles you in comfort while keeping your body in perfect alignment at each phase of your pregnancy." They state that when taken out of the pillowcase, the curved pillow can be used as a nursing/feeding pillow and can also be used for supporting an infant during tummy time or when learning to sit. The bolster pillows, they say, can be used on Mommy and Daddy's bed (the two together span the width of a king-sized bed) or "to protect an older child from rolling off the bed or slipping into the space between a bed and a wall."
Product Testing Process:
I received this product when I was five months pregnant, a time when I had started experiencing a good amount of hip pain while sleeping. About two weeks before the product arrived, I had dug out my old pregnancy pillow wedge (like the one shown here: http://tinyurl.com/azsyx) and had started using it along with four bed pillows in the same manner as I did during my first pregnancy. This included one pillow under my head, one pillow between my legs, one pillow in the area between the wedge and my back (held tight against my back), and another one held against my stomach (along with the wedge under the tummy). I found that this system did help alleviate my hip pain, but I was hopeful that the maternity pillow I would be testing would provide even more pain relief and would also be easier to manage. (My old system made rolling over a chore and also oftentimes left me with a pillow dropping to the floor).
Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed with the Serenity Star pillow. Because I kept hoping that I would like it more if I got used to it and because I wanted to be able to offer a thorough review, I used this pillow for the first 3-4 weeks after receiving it. We then went on vacation and I took my wedge along. Realizing how much I preferred my old system over the Serenity Star pillow, I started using my old pillows once we returned home. I recently tried to test the pillow once again over a period of 2 weeks and found it to be even more uncomfortable now that I am more pregnant than before. After many restless nights of sleeping with the Serenity Star pillow and waking up with a sore neck and hips, I have finally given up ever using it as a maternity pillow and have been sleeping better once again with my old pregnancy wedge and bed pillows.
Advantages of the Product:
Before discussing the disadvantages associated with this product, I will first discuss its positive features. First, the pillows do seem to be good quality. According to the manufacturer, they are "premium manufactured down" and the "Serenity Star has a hypoallergenic, odorless, hygienically clean fill that offers relief from dust mites and never clumps."
Second, although I believe I will find my old Best Friend nursing pillow--or my newly acquired Boppy--to function much better for breastfeeding my new baby, I will probably keep the curved pillow from the Serenity Star product (which I'm now going to abbreviate as "SS") in my basement so I can have a pillow handy on all three floors of our home. Also, the SS pillow is much thicker and more cushiony than the Boppy, so it may become a favorite place for my baby to sit on in my lap.
Third, as a maternity pillow, the fact that the SS pillow is all one piece alleviates hassles resulting from bed pillows falling to the floor, and it also doesn’t take time to set up before getting into bed, like my system of the wedge and four pillows does.
Disadvantages of the Product:
I will first discuss its disadvantages in functioning as a maternity pillow and then its disadvantages in serving a purpose beyond pregnancy. Using it as a maternity pillow, I found it to be uncomfortable for the following reasons:
(1) The top, curved section is much thicker than a regular bed pillow and thus resulted in my neck aching from being raised higher. If you usually like sleeping with two pillows stacked on top of each other, then you may find the SS pillow to be very comfortable.
(2) Because the top section is connected to the two side pillows, I had to sleep with one arm under the pillow and the other on top (allowing me to "hug" the bolster pillow in front of me). The pillow is quite heavy, so I didn’t like the weight of the entire bolster along with the curved section on top of my arm/shoulder area.
(3) One of the biggest problems I had with the SS pillow was that it was very difficult for me to get any support on my backside from the bolster there. I constantly kept trying to pull it closer to my body, wanting it to cradle my back and provide support there in order to reduce hip pain. It did not naturally stay next to me, though, so it was a continual struggle throughout the night to pull it closer to me. (By the way, I'm a rather large woman so a skinnier woman would likely even have a more difficult time getting the pillow to cradle her.) Whenever I turned over, I had to once again try to fight with pulling the bolster behind me closer to me. I would try to catch it between my legs, but perhaps my height (5'9") prevented me from being able to do so successfully.
(4) Although I did sleep with the front bolster pillow between my knees, I found it to be uncomfortable for that hip because the bolster is also thicker than an ordinary bed pillow. Thus, it was raising my hip higher than what felt right--I didn't feel like my side was aligned well when using it. Also, my ankle hurt at times coming down from the bolster pillow between the knees because the bolster wasn't long enough for it to go down the full distance of my leg, even with my knees bent. I find that a bed pillow between my legs offers much better support for my ankle.
(5) The SS pillow does not support the stomach nearly as well as my pregnancy wedge does. There is no direct support for the tummy with the SS pillow--you basically get the same amount of support as if you were to buy a regular body pillow and hug it to your body. I found this lack of support to be an even bigger issue now that I'm 8 months pregnant.
(6) I found the included pillowcase's fabric to be thin and uncomfortable against the skin. I'd say that it feels thinner than some old 180-thread count pillowcases I have. Thus, I ended up usually laying a better quality pillowcase over the section where my face touched, but that pillowcase would usually slip around or bunch up.
(7) Although this deals with convenience rather than comfort, I did find it to be quite an ordeal trying to get the three pieces back together in the one continuous pillowcase (that has a zipper that runs along the entire edge) after washing the pillowcase. It's not impossible, but it definitely takes a lot longer than just putting three pillowcases on ordinary bed pillows.
Because the SS pillow is referred to as the "prenatal to preschool transitional pillow," I was hopeful that it would come in handy with my baby in the future as well as with my toddler now. Unfortunately, with the exception of the uses I described under the advantages section, I don't see this pillow getting used much. Here's why:
(1) One main problem is that you are left without any pillowcases that fit the three sections separately, unless you purchase them as additional accessories or sew them yourself. The cost for the three pillowcases shipped is $59 from the manufacturer. Considering the high price of the pillow itself, it seems like these separate pillow cases should be included in order to use the modular pillow system as intended by the manufacturer.
(2) I don't forsee the curved section working as well as a nursing pillow as the other two products I have because it's much wider and thus doesn't hug the mommy's body very well. That is, it has to rest on the lap and can't be pulled up any higher. For a small-chested woman like myself, I can't see this as working that well. (I could be wrong, though.) I think it would probably work better for bottle feeding.
(3) I don't see this as being useful for a toddler to use, other than as a pillow to put against the wall. On their website, they show a toddler using the curved section to sleep on. I think that the thickness of the pillow would make this very unhealthy for a toddler's neck. Furthermore, I think that their suggestion that the pillow could help keep an older child from falling out of bed is rather ridiculous--at least for kids like my own who tend to move a lot when sleeping. The bolster pillow would be immediately kicked or pushed off the bed by my son. We currently use a Snugtuck pillow with him, and I would suggest that as a much safer way to keep a toddler from rolling out of a bed.
So, the bottom line is that I do not recommend the Serenity Star pillow. I appreciate the fact that they are attempting to offer a product that can be used in multiple ways. However, you could instead buy a pregnancy wedge pillow, a traditional nursing pillow, and a Snugtuck pillow and still end up shelling out less money than what the SS pillow costs. Of course, this review represents only my experience, however, and other moms may find this product to work very well in their situation. (If you're reading this thread and feel more positively about the product, please feel free to post your own reviews here.) I want to thank the Fields for the opportunity to be a product tester and hope that this review has been helpful.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/30573.jpg
Additionally, I found the two bolster pillows to be a great help immediately following the c-section. (Now, five weeks later, I'm not using them anymore). I describe in this thread how I used them to make getting in and out of bed less painful: http://tinyurl.com/ccg7s . I also used them when sleeping to hug to help my incision pain feel better and to have support if I needed to cough in bed.
So, my opinion of this pillow as a maternity pillow hasn't changed but my opinion of its usefulness as a postpartum pillow has become much more favorable.
Here now is my original review:
I was selected by Denise and Alan Fields to be a product tester for the Serenity Star "Prenatal to Preschool Transitional Pillow" by Moonlight Slumber. The product can be purchased at a number of online retailers, including at www.moonlightslumber.com, where it sells for $142 ($162 after shipping).
Description of Product:
The maternity pillow consists of three separate pieces that can be combined into one continuous pillow by inserting them together in the pillowcase provided (see picture at the end of this review). The top pillow is curved, and the other two sections are bolster pillows that are each the width of a twin-size bed. When used as a maternity pillow, you sleep between the two bolster pillows with your head on the curved pillow.
In a brochure provided online, Moonlight Slumber describes the multiple functions of the pillow. They state that used together, the pillow functions as a maternity pillow that "truly cradles you in comfort while keeping your body in perfect alignment at each phase of your pregnancy." They state that when taken out of the pillowcase, the curved pillow can be used as a nursing/feeding pillow and can also be used for supporting an infant during tummy time or when learning to sit. The bolster pillows, they say, can be used on Mommy and Daddy's bed (the two together span the width of a king-sized bed) or "to protect an older child from rolling off the bed or slipping into the space between a bed and a wall."
Product Testing Process:
I received this product when I was five months pregnant, a time when I had started experiencing a good amount of hip pain while sleeping. About two weeks before the product arrived, I had dug out my old pregnancy pillow wedge (like the one shown here: http://tinyurl.com/azsyx) and had started using it along with four bed pillows in the same manner as I did during my first pregnancy. This included one pillow under my head, one pillow between my legs, one pillow in the area between the wedge and my back (held tight against my back), and another one held against my stomach (along with the wedge under the tummy). I found that this system did help alleviate my hip pain, but I was hopeful that the maternity pillow I would be testing would provide even more pain relief and would also be easier to manage. (My old system made rolling over a chore and also oftentimes left me with a pillow dropping to the floor).
Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed with the Serenity Star pillow. Because I kept hoping that I would like it more if I got used to it and because I wanted to be able to offer a thorough review, I used this pillow for the first 3-4 weeks after receiving it. We then went on vacation and I took my wedge along. Realizing how much I preferred my old system over the Serenity Star pillow, I started using my old pillows once we returned home. I recently tried to test the pillow once again over a period of 2 weeks and found it to be even more uncomfortable now that I am more pregnant than before. After many restless nights of sleeping with the Serenity Star pillow and waking up with a sore neck and hips, I have finally given up ever using it as a maternity pillow and have been sleeping better once again with my old pregnancy wedge and bed pillows.
Advantages of the Product:
Before discussing the disadvantages associated with this product, I will first discuss its positive features. First, the pillows do seem to be good quality. According to the manufacturer, they are "premium manufactured down" and the "Serenity Star has a hypoallergenic, odorless, hygienically clean fill that offers relief from dust mites and never clumps."
Second, although I believe I will find my old Best Friend nursing pillow--or my newly acquired Boppy--to function much better for breastfeeding my new baby, I will probably keep the curved pillow from the Serenity Star product (which I'm now going to abbreviate as "SS") in my basement so I can have a pillow handy on all three floors of our home. Also, the SS pillow is much thicker and more cushiony than the Boppy, so it may become a favorite place for my baby to sit on in my lap.
Third, as a maternity pillow, the fact that the SS pillow is all one piece alleviates hassles resulting from bed pillows falling to the floor, and it also doesn’t take time to set up before getting into bed, like my system of the wedge and four pillows does.
Disadvantages of the Product:
I will first discuss its disadvantages in functioning as a maternity pillow and then its disadvantages in serving a purpose beyond pregnancy. Using it as a maternity pillow, I found it to be uncomfortable for the following reasons:
(1) The top, curved section is much thicker than a regular bed pillow and thus resulted in my neck aching from being raised higher. If you usually like sleeping with two pillows stacked on top of each other, then you may find the SS pillow to be very comfortable.
(2) Because the top section is connected to the two side pillows, I had to sleep with one arm under the pillow and the other on top (allowing me to "hug" the bolster pillow in front of me). The pillow is quite heavy, so I didn’t like the weight of the entire bolster along with the curved section on top of my arm/shoulder area.
(3) One of the biggest problems I had with the SS pillow was that it was very difficult for me to get any support on my backside from the bolster there. I constantly kept trying to pull it closer to my body, wanting it to cradle my back and provide support there in order to reduce hip pain. It did not naturally stay next to me, though, so it was a continual struggle throughout the night to pull it closer to me. (By the way, I'm a rather large woman so a skinnier woman would likely even have a more difficult time getting the pillow to cradle her.) Whenever I turned over, I had to once again try to fight with pulling the bolster behind me closer to me. I would try to catch it between my legs, but perhaps my height (5'9") prevented me from being able to do so successfully.
(4) Although I did sleep with the front bolster pillow between my knees, I found it to be uncomfortable for that hip because the bolster is also thicker than an ordinary bed pillow. Thus, it was raising my hip higher than what felt right--I didn't feel like my side was aligned well when using it. Also, my ankle hurt at times coming down from the bolster pillow between the knees because the bolster wasn't long enough for it to go down the full distance of my leg, even with my knees bent. I find that a bed pillow between my legs offers much better support for my ankle.
(5) The SS pillow does not support the stomach nearly as well as my pregnancy wedge does. There is no direct support for the tummy with the SS pillow--you basically get the same amount of support as if you were to buy a regular body pillow and hug it to your body. I found this lack of support to be an even bigger issue now that I'm 8 months pregnant.
(6) I found the included pillowcase's fabric to be thin and uncomfortable against the skin. I'd say that it feels thinner than some old 180-thread count pillowcases I have. Thus, I ended up usually laying a better quality pillowcase over the section where my face touched, but that pillowcase would usually slip around or bunch up.
(7) Although this deals with convenience rather than comfort, I did find it to be quite an ordeal trying to get the three pieces back together in the one continuous pillowcase (that has a zipper that runs along the entire edge) after washing the pillowcase. It's not impossible, but it definitely takes a lot longer than just putting three pillowcases on ordinary bed pillows.
Because the SS pillow is referred to as the "prenatal to preschool transitional pillow," I was hopeful that it would come in handy with my baby in the future as well as with my toddler now. Unfortunately, with the exception of the uses I described under the advantages section, I don't see this pillow getting used much. Here's why:
(1) One main problem is that you are left without any pillowcases that fit the three sections separately, unless you purchase them as additional accessories or sew them yourself. The cost for the three pillowcases shipped is $59 from the manufacturer. Considering the high price of the pillow itself, it seems like these separate pillow cases should be included in order to use the modular pillow system as intended by the manufacturer.
(2) I don't forsee the curved section working as well as a nursing pillow as the other two products I have because it's much wider and thus doesn't hug the mommy's body very well. That is, it has to rest on the lap and can't be pulled up any higher. For a small-chested woman like myself, I can't see this as working that well. (I could be wrong, though.) I think it would probably work better for bottle feeding.
(3) I don't see this as being useful for a toddler to use, other than as a pillow to put against the wall. On their website, they show a toddler using the curved section to sleep on. I think that the thickness of the pillow would make this very unhealthy for a toddler's neck. Furthermore, I think that their suggestion that the pillow could help keep an older child from falling out of bed is rather ridiculous--at least for kids like my own who tend to move a lot when sleeping. The bolster pillow would be immediately kicked or pushed off the bed by my son. We currently use a Snugtuck pillow with him, and I would suggest that as a much safer way to keep a toddler from rolling out of a bed.
So, the bottom line is that I do not recommend the Serenity Star pillow. I appreciate the fact that they are attempting to offer a product that can be used in multiple ways. However, you could instead buy a pregnancy wedge pillow, a traditional nursing pillow, and a Snugtuck pillow and still end up shelling out less money than what the SS pillow costs. Of course, this review represents only my experience, however, and other moms may find this product to work very well in their situation. (If you're reading this thread and feel more positively about the product, please feel free to post your own reviews here.) I want to thank the Fields for the opportunity to be a product tester and hope that this review has been helpful.
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/30573.jpg