Where is my smallest, flattest, firmest dream pillow

April 29, 2023 7:44 PM

Since last fall, I've been struggling to find a pillow that works for my new normal, where I'm in treatment for multiple myeloma that first manifested as a hole in my c6 vertebra. I did have experience with one that was perfect--at my physical therapist's, but as far as I can tell, you cannot buy this nice, flat, non-squishy pillow insert without the vinyl cover. Maybe you know of something similar?

I really loved this pillow, even though the one they had on the table was enormous--though it looks like this place has minis, which might work (my bed is actually too small for tall me, but that's a different problem), but it seems goofy to buy a giant vinyl cover too. What is perfect about it is that it was flat, firm, and didn't squish up against my face (some of the drugs are making me sweat like a pig and I frequently can't breathe well; I really don't want the pillow puffing up around my face).

The flat pillows I keep trying are too squishy that way, and the firm pillows are way too lofty. It's extremely painful to bend my neck a lot right now and it's very fragile, and they've scared the crap out of me about that. But sleeping on my back 100 percent of the time is killing me, I really want to be on my side sometimes and need something thin that will help me keep a neutral position.

I've seen some pillows various places that emphasize their slimness, but the reviews almost always mention they're much loftier, and the other ones I've seen are clearly squishy rather than firm. So does my firm, thin dream pillow exist? I suppose it's not the worst thing to buy the PT piilow, but it seems like overkill.

posted by kitten kaboodle to Home & Garden (13 answers total)

How about a Buckwheat pillow? It can be as thin as you like, simply remove some filling.
posted by bug138 at 7:53 PM on April 29, 2023 [4 favorites]

Try looking at decorative pillows, like the ones you buy for couch. I have one here that I think meets your details almost perfectly. I bought it as a lumbar support.

Also, how about ordering the right size

https://foambymail.com/
posted by Ftsqg at 8:18 PM on April 29, 2023

I have a memory foam pillow that is thin and flat and doesn't squish. It is a single piece of foam rather than chunks of memory foam. It's years old, so I remeber the brand, but I bought it in the mattress/bed section of a department store in Canada.
posted by lulu68 at 8:26 PM on April 29, 2023

*don't remember the brand
posted by lulu68 at 8:40 PM on April 29, 2023

I'm picky about my pillow - after trying different varieties for years (best options: ancient rei travel pillow, buckwheat Korean baby pillow), I made my own.

https://woolery.com/wool-nepps.html I bought mine at world of wool (uk).

Making the pillow was easy after that - a straight line of stitching across an old pillowcase re-purposed into a pillow body.

I throw it into the dryer on high heat q2w to kill dust mites and it hasn't been a problem for my otherwise sensitive allergies.
posted by esoteric things at 9:07 PM on April 29, 2023 [2 favorites]

For a little while, I used several bath towels folded into thirds or quarters to make my sleeping head rest. You can add or subtract as many layers/towels to make your desired size and height.
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 9:29 PM on April 29, 2023 [3 favorites]

It's hard to say without experiencing it but it seems like the vinyl cover might actually be contributing to the flatness and firmness. Their description of the insert is just "POLY BLEND PILLOW INSERT" which doesn't make it sound special in any way. So if you really liked the pillow, I wouldn't feel silly about paying for the vinyl too.
posted by trig at 2:34 AM on April 30, 2023 [1 favorite]

It's hard to say without experiencing it but it seems like the vinyl cover might actually be contributing to the flatness and firmness.

It sounds like that to me too. I have a Coop pillow (which I am definitely not recommending for you as it is squishy) and if I use the wrong pillowcase with it, it becomes too firm for me. Your product sounds like the cover is doing most of the firmness work while the insert just fills it out.
posted by wondermouse at 5:58 AM on April 30, 2023

I'd suggest checking out either buckwheat or wool filled pillows. Both firm and generally would allow you to remove some of the filling if they were too tall for you.
posted by kbuxton at 10:18 AM on April 30, 2023

Response by poster: Thanks for the ideas. I guess I don’t understand how buckwheat could not be squishy since it’s a bunch of hulls, but I’ll take a look.

The vinyl cover was not what was making the PT pillow flat—the insert itself was just a thin, firm pillow, I unzipped the cover to look at it the last time I was there. 🤗
posted by kitten kaboodle at 10:38 AM on April 30, 2023

This firm foam pillow for CPAP users is what I currently use. I'm a side sleeper. The pillow is carved out on the sides so that your face is free from contact.

If you're in the US, you might can find some great discounts on pillows at a Bed, Bath, and Beyond store closing sale.
posted by neuron at 11:55 AM on April 30, 2023

I have this thin memory foam pillow. It’s fairly firm (I don’t know if it’s as firm as you’d like, though), and definitely thin.
posted by Kriesa at 7:02 PM on April 30, 2023

Any reason not to use a folded up bath towel? You can adjust the number of layers to get the right height. I've done this numerous times while traveling to avoid intolerable hotel pillows. The resulting towel pillow is very dense, flat, and firm.
posted by Mournful Bagel Song at 6:15 AM on May 1, 2023 [1 favorite]