You are over the moon! Your little bundle of joy is on his/her way. The countdown has started and the baby room is slowly getting a personality. You are even paying extra attention to sales in the baby aisle. However, with all this excitement mounting, getting a good night’s sleep is fast becoming a fable of the past and you are tired of being uncomfortable. Getting enough rest is important for both you and your unborn baby. Here some things that you can do to get your much-needed sleep.
Try sleeping on your left side
Sleeping on your left-hand side is highly recommended. By the time the second trimester comes along, sleeping on your left-hand side will benefit you and your baby greatly. Why is it great for the both of you? Well for you, it will assist your kidneys to dispose of any fluids and waste products in your body. For your baby, it encourages the movement of nutrients and blood flow to the placenta. It’s also a good idea to put a pillow or two between your bent knees; this helps to relieve any pressure that may be placed on the pelvis and hip muscles.
Don’t sleep On Your Back
You can, for the most part, sleep on your back for the first trimester but afterward you may find that you need to change your sleeping position. So practice lefty sleeping sooner rather than later. As time goes by, your uterus gets heavier. By lying on your back, your heavy uterus starts pushing against important blood vessels that pump blood between your heart and lower body. You may feel faint or dizzy if you spend too much time lying on your back. Lying on your back for a prolonged period of time can also put a strain on your back muscles, cause indigestion, headaches and uncomfortable backaches as well as obstruct the movement of nutrients and blood flow to your baby’s placenta (as mentioned above sleeping on your left side will assist). This can be a big issue especially if you have diabetes or high blood pressure because this will affect the amount of nutrients and oxygen the baby receives. To keep both you and your little bundle out of harms way, avoid sleeping on your back.
Remove tension from your back
To relieve the pressure and tension from your back you can place a pillow under your belly, preferably one that is wedge-shaped. Don’t be nervous if you wake up in the middle of the night and find yourself on your back. It happens! Just turn back to your left and all is sorted. Some women complain that the lying on their left puts unwanted stress on their hips. Not to worry, all you need to do is get one of those really comfy foam pieces that can be put on top of the bed. Sorted.
If your back pain is unbearable then maybe it’s time to strap up with a maternity belt. Maternity belts are wonderful because they encourage circulation, in turn reducing that ever-annoying compression of the bladder. They also lessen swelling that can make you uncomfortable as well.
Those night time snacks aren’t a good idea
If you don’t want to stay awake for half the night because you can’t fall asleep due to heartburn, you will want to take note of this point. When you are pregnant and eat or drink just before you go to sleep there is a much higher chance that this will result in you having nasty heartburn. This can make you very uncomfortable and it will be nearly impossible to sleep, let alone sleep comfortably. Try not to eat anything at least two hours before you head to bed. Without heartburn, you will be more comfortable and actually get a good night’s sleep.
Ensure that your bed is super comfy
This is really one of the most important things you need to sort out. Remember that your entire body, especially your spine and hips, will be under more pressure than usual and they need all the support they can get. You can use pillows of various shapes and sizes that can be moved around your body so that they can assist in relieving you of back pain and makes you more comfortable. Play around with the different pillows in different positions and see what feels right for you.
Sometimes you are so uncomfortable that the bed just won’t do anymore! As tempting as it may be to try and fall asleep standing up, even though this would be a great story to tell around the fire, don’t do it. Rather find a comfortable armchair. Or another option is to head to your favorite sofa find some good pillows and sit supported on your side.
Tone down before bedtime
It’s a good idea to start calming things down a little before going to sleep. Maybe about 15 minutes or so before heading to bed, slow down. Avoid watching television, reading stimulating books, and perusing through newspapers (which tend to be full of dire news). Stay away from excessive light and noise. Avoid any demanding chores, exercise, and activities. Basically don’t stimulate your mind and your senses before going to bed, this will make it a million times harder for you to fall asleep immediately. Simply wind down and slow it down to get your mind and body ready for the night of sleep ahead.
Using these tips should help you to sleep comfortably during pregnancy. Remember you really need to try and get as much sleep as possible now because when that bundle of love comes to the world they will need all your time and energy.
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