Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is a really excellent wedge pillow that is comfortable and helps with reflux (GERD or LPR.) Details follow. PACKAGING UPDATE IN NEW PACKAGING PARAGRAPH. Packaging: I've ordered two of these now, so yes - I like them. They were packed differently. The first came folded in half, inside a loose-fitting plastic bag, that was inside the shipping carton. The second was folded in half like the first but inside a vacuum-sealed plastic bag, that was folded in half again and held closed with clear shipping tape, that was itself inside a (smaller) shipping carton. Both expanded out fine - see setup below. Why the difference? I asked the manufacturer and they responded very promptly!! MedSlant has been experimenting with different packaging to (a) avoid carrier surcharges due to larger dimensions, (b) give quality results (e.g. smooths out well upon unpacking), and (c) use minimal extra material for environmental friendliness. The vacuum bag packing (my second pillow) was introduced most recently. Setup. Eh? Yes, setup. Per instructions, simply unwrapping the wedge and laying it out on a flat surface (e.g. the bed) for a few hours got it flat. From the product description you may notice that the wedge has mostly "regular" foam with a layer of memory foam on top. Since you want to sleep on the memory foam, there is a "top" and "bottom" to the pillow. You can check that the memory foam layer is on top by unzipping the cover a few inches. The thinner memory foam layer is readily visible. Also, for my pillow, when the labels on the back of the pillow were right-side up and readable, the memory foam was on top. (It would help if the manufacturer made this clear.) Placement 1, the pillow. Put it on top of the mattress and any mattress sheet with the 7" edge at the head of the bed, at the headboard if any. Placement 2, your body. I find the pillow very smooth, soft to the touch, yet firm as is needed to provide support. The thin edge is indeed quite thin. No bumps that might be uncomfortable. Your head does not have to be all the way up to the top of the wedge although the higher it is, the more potential benefit. Your waist should be at the bottom edge of the pillow or slightly onto the pillow. This avoids bending of the spine (uncomfortable) and stomach (could exacerbate reflux.) When on my back I find having my waist an inch or so onto the pillow is comfortable. When on my side I tend to raise myself yet an inch or so higher onto the wedge pillow. Firmness. Several previous reviewers commented that the pillow seems very hard. This is quite different than my experience. It seems a very good balance of soft to the touch, firm support, and giving / forming to the body. In the past I only slept upright on occasion when I had a bad cold and I used a backrest to sleep almost upright. I've also sometimes bundled pillows under my shoulders, neck, and head for a similar reason. This wedge pillow is FAR more comfortable than either of those arrangements. And, since it is a smoothly sloping wedge it is better for the back and stomach/esophagus. Odor. I've got a pretty good sense of smell. I can't smell anything from the pillow - NO chemicals, etc. from the foam. Height. An article on the Mayo Clinic website recommends elevation of 6" to 9" for reflux. This 7" height is in the range and I find it quite comfortable. It took a couple nights to get used to the slope. It seems much easier to use than the 10" and 12" heights pillows I've seen around although I've not used those higher versions. Length. The 32" length works well for me. It gives a gradual slope and I can adjust my position to maximize comfort. Width. The 30" width is also quite useful, especially for sleeping both on the back and on the side. You can roll over without rolling off the pillow. Pillows. Yes, use your regular pillows on top of the wedge. Think of the wedge as an inclined bed. You'll still need whatever regular pillows you usually use. Two people of widely differing heights found it very comfortable. MedSlant, the seller. They are very responsive. It's the first time I got a personalized email telling me it was on the way and then again a few days later checking how it was after receipt. Both emails had some useful tips. As indicated above they also responded extremely quickly to my packaging question. Great customer service. We bought a second one for another family member. Strongly recommended. If you found this review useful please let me know by voting for it.