Life

This Pregnancy Pool Float Is An Absolute Must-Have This Summer

by Caroline Shannon-Karasik

When I was 39 weeks pregnant with my daughter Claire, my mom shoved a maternity swimsuit in my direction and said, "Put this on, you're going swimming." It was June and really hot, and my mom said she had loved swimming while pregnant with me and my three siblings. So, I did it. And, oh, how allowing my still-growing belly to float in that cool water was a little slice of (relaxation) heaven. Want to snag a piece of that for you and your little one? Well, you may want to check out this pregnancy pool float, because it's about to become your home away from home if you are pregnant this summer.

The raft — otherwise known as BellyFlopz — is a pool float made especially for pregnant women. "Its unique design gives pregnant women a chance to regain some well-deserved belly time," according to the company's website. "The natural buoyancy of the water supports and cradles the belly for comfort and relaxation."

It makes sense. After all, BellyFlopz comes with a built-in egg-shaped belly opening that allows you to lie facedown on the float without compressing your belly. Soft fabric lines the opening, so that your belly doesn't stick to the raft, and handles on each side of the raft make it easy to get on and off the float. (Because that's not exactly an easy task these days, right?)

And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, BellyFlopz introduced the Boob Groove, a new addition to the float that provides a small indentation near the top of the belly opening area to "help a little with the growing boobage area for most pregnant women," the website noted.

I mean, how would we not love a product that considers everything from belly to boobage?

The belly opening on the raft is 13 inches long and 11 inches wide. BellyFlopz retails for $40.

Then again, if polka dots just aren't your vibe, you might want to check out the Holo, another inflatable maternity raft, that has a hole in it to accommodate your belly. It comes in mint green, silver, and hot pink. And you could also always opt for a raft that simply allows you to lounge, like the SwimWays Spring Float, which has a reclining feature that allows you to kick back while staying in a semi-upright position.

Of course, a pool float with a specially designed opening to fit your belly isn't the first made-for-pregnancy tool created with the intention of keeping you comfy. After all, what 40 weeks would be complete without a pregnancy pillow. In fact, there comes a time where most pregnant women discover that pillows on pillows are the key to scoring restful sleep. Because whether you are dealing with heartburn and indigestion, or are simply a belly sleeper who can no longer snooze in your favorite position, your changing shape makes restful slumber difficult. Help your body relax with U-shaped, wedge-shaped, and complete body-size pillows, according to Mama Natural.

And if you're a stomach sleeper, you should know there's still hope for your beloved sleep position — and it comes in the form of the Cozy Bump pregnancy pillow, which boasts a very similar design to the BellyFlopz pool float.

Speaking of swimming while pregnant, you should know that, in addition to feeling glorious, it can help with ankle and foot swelling, sciatic pain, morning sickness, and improve your labor and delivery experience, according to What To Expect. So with that in mind: Grab a pool float and hop in the water. There really is nothing like taking a dip with your growing babe.