Even if you are someone who has never had problems getting enough sleep, pregnancy may still bring about some level of restlessness and sleeplessness caused by hormones and of course, discomfort due to an expanding belly. However, a good night’s sleep is more essential than you think, so read on.
The first trimester
Due to the rise in the level of progesterone hormones in your body during the first trimester, sleepiness may take over for some time. You might either sleep much longer (go to bed earlier or sleep in, for instance), or you’ll find yourself napping a whole lot more during the day. You may even encounter spells of lethargy and tiredness, which can leave you worrying about your general health. Tip: Try to grab naps whenever you can as the increased levels of progesterone can bring you sleepless nights.
Morning sickness, which is experienced by many moms may also leave them feeling generally sick and tired. Hence, that too may add up to less quality sleep during the night. Yet another reason why women lose some sleep during the first trimester is because of the increased need to go to the bathroom during the night. This will inevitably disrupt your sleep pattern.
Getting some quality sleep
The best sleeping position for women from the first trimester onward of pregnancy is on the left side. This is to allow the blood to carry nutrition to your womb more efficiently. Try to get accustomed to this sleeping position from now on, for as your pregnancy progresses, the increasing size of your hips will make it a little uncomfortable.
As your baby grows and your uterus expands, it will exert pressure on your bladder and this in turn will send you to the bathroom more often, especially if you’ve had lots to drink before bedtime.
You need to choose the right sleeping position during your first trimester. Sleeping on your left side will run the blood and nutrition to your womb, thus reaching out to your baby. This is the best time to get accustomed to such a sleeping style as with time, your hips will increase in size and cause some discomfort while sleeping. As your womb grows due to the baby, it exerts pressure on your gall bladder and causes more urine to pass. To escape this disturbance at night, try drinking less as you near your bedtime. However, if you find that you still have to go, by all means, get up and go! Avoid holding back your pee, mama, for that would likely expose your body to harmful bacteria and make way for infections such as Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).
Could you be sleeping too much?
Getting more than enough sleep is not harmful to your pregnant state compared to not getting enough. Ignoring your body’s need for adequate sleep and rest however will bring about stress, which in turn could lead to preeclampsia and high blood pressure.
The second trimester
The second trimester is arguably the easiest of all to go through, especially compared to the first. Most pregnancies change gears to a more relaxed mode, for now, leaving pregnant mamas less tired and sleepy. The fact that morning sickness would have let up by now leaves most women feeling more energetic, which in turn results in much more restful sleep during the nights.
Some women may start to feel aches and pains throughout their body, due to rapid internal changes and increased weight. For better quality sleep, try a maternity pillow to support your aching legs, back, etc.
Comfortable sleeping positions
While sleeping on your tummy will be out of the question, you’ll also find that sleeping on your back will become more and more uncomfortable too. As mentioned before, sleeping on your left side will serve you best. Continue this position with your knees curved and pillows in between your knees, for it’s better for your baby and it will help you sleep more restfully too.
If you haven’t been practicing good sleeping habits, now’s the time to establish them. Avoid postponing sleep or forcing yourself to stay up just because it’s earlier than your usual bedtime before you were pregnant. TV shows, phone calls from overseas, etc can wait, for your body’s need for adequate, quality sleep outweighs them all.
It’s also a good time to take advantage of the fact that your womb will move up from the pelvis thereby decreasing the pressure on your bladder. Your sleep disturbances during the night due to the need to use the bathroom should come to a halt for now. In its place, you may feel the beautiful sensations of your baby’s movements instead!
For a good night’s sleep, exercise!
Did you know that any form of exercise will help boost your mental and physical health and will also make you sleep better? If your doctor has no objections, go ahead and move that body!
The third trimester
Sleepless nights may be creeping back, so here we go again, mama! Due to a fully grown, expanded tummy, finding that comfortable position during the last three months of pregnancy may be a challenge, but it does not conclude that you’ll need it any less.
Your expanding uterus will start to put pressure on your bladder again and increase the chances of running to the bathroom again and again. Apart from stiffness in your limbs and sides, you may experience indigestion and heartburn which all adds up to sleepless nights.
Remaining calm and relaxed during this period of your pregnancy will help you get some quality sleep despite the discomforts of a large tummy and the inevitable aches and pains during this last trimester.
Pillows — use them!
Pillows are a pregnant mama’s best friend, especially during this last phase of pregnancy. Place one between your legs and another behind your back, for these may help to some extend to get some better quality sleep. Some moms also find that sleeping on a comfortable reclining sofa gives them more relief and better sleep than on their bed. Whatever works for you, do it!
Important facts to keep in mind
Sleeping on the left side (Correct)
This position is the one that’s most recommended during pregnancy, since it benefits not only the mom, by applying less pressure on the vena cava, but also her baby, for it improves blood flow to the uterus, supplying the essential nutrients to the placenta. This position also assists the kidneys to perform better by eliminating waste more efficiently. Sleeping on the left side is also said to bring about fewer incidents of swollen legs and feet during pregnancy.
Sleeping on the back (Wrong)
In the first place, during pregnancy, it will be extremely uncomfortable to sleep on your back, especially from the second trimester onward.
Keep in mind that since the weight of the uterus lies on the spine, intestines, and back muscles when you sleep on your back, it could lead to backaches, hemorrhoids, and impaired circulation. To top it off, blood flow to your baby might be impaired too, resulting in fewer nutrients reaching your little one.
The trick when it comes to quality sleep with extended benefits is to try to get into the habit of sleeping on your left side from the earliest stages of your pregnancy.
