Pregnancy is a period that serves as a kind of preparation for upcoming motherhood. Therefore, every woman, going on maternity leave, expects that she will have time to calmly prepare for childbirth and get good sleep. In fact, every trimester can cause inconvenience, ranging from morning sickness and constant feeling of fatigue to shortness of breath and a big belly. To prepare yourself for this in advance, the expectant mother should learn how to sleep during pregnancy in order to get a good night's sleep.
Rule 1: do not ignore the advice of the obstetrician-gynecologist who is managing your pregnancy
In the third trimester of gestation, trips to the antenatal clinic become frequent. After 36 weeks of pregnancy, a woman visits an obstetrician-gynecologist every week. What can the doctor advise you during the consultation? First of all, monitor your weight gain, count the amount of fluid you drink and excrete per day.
The amount of fluid you drink is all drinks, soups, and half the volume from fruits and dairy products. The amount of fluid excreted is the volume of urine (diuresis). If these numbers are the same, then everything is great. If the volume of fluid consumed exceeds daily diuresis, this may indicate hidden edema that forms in the intercellular spaces of tissues and organs.
Hidden edema can be a consequence of kidney disease and heart problems. But the most common reason for their appearance is gestosis, which is a complication of pregnancy.
If left untreated, gestosis leads to serious consequences:
- pulmonary edema;
- placental abruption;
- delayed fetal development;
- premature birth.
Preeclampsia is accompanied not only by hidden edema, but also by swelling of the arms and legs, high blood pressure, and proteinuria - the appearance of protein in the urine.
How to sleep in the second trimester of pregnancy
The second trimester is the most favorable period, which is characterized by the absence of nausea and a small stomach. This promotes good sleep and good health for the expectant mother.
Discomfort can only be felt for the following reasons:
- 1. Heartburn. It is caused by high concentrations of progesterone. To improve your sleep, you need to eat small portions and chew your food thoroughly. The last meal should be 2-3 hours before bedtime. If necessary, you can use activated carbon.
- 2. Leg cramps. They are caused by excessive muscle tension. The intensity can be so high that the expectant mother can wake up from a strong spasm. To avoid this, it is necessary to reduce physical activity. It should consist of leisurely walks before bed. The spasm itself can be relieved with a light massage.
- 3. Feeling hungry. Although it is not recommended to overeat before bed, you should also not go to bed on an empty stomach. Instead of sweets, you can snack on a piece of cheese, an unsweetened cracker, or a glass of milk. If you wake up feeling hungry in the middle of the night, you can satisfy it with a light snack.
Even in the absence of discomfort and a large belly, many expectant mothers wonder whether pregnant women can sleep on their side in the second trimester. This position is the most preferable at this time. Even if your belly is not yet too big, sleeping on your back is not recommended. This will put pressure on the expanding uterus, digestive organs and spine. Due to muscle strain, the lower vein leading to the heart will be compressed. As a result, it can cause back pain, hemorrhoids, hypertension and digestive problems.
In the second trimester, it is best to sleep on your left side, which will improve blood supply to organs and metabolism.
Rule 2: sleep at least 10 hours a day
In the third trimester of gestation, proper rest is very important. Sufficient sleep is the key to your good health, excellent mood, and normal fetal development.
The duration of sleep should be such that after waking up you feel rested and alert. And if for non-pregnant women it is enough to sleep 7-8 hours, then expectant mothers need to rest more - at least 10 hours a day.
It is especially important to get good sleep before giving birth. Imagine a situation where you didn’t sleep at night, and in the morning contractions started, and you went to the maternity hospital. Will your insomnia affect the birth process? It will definitely have an impact.
Insomnia during pregnancy is a reason to consult a psychologist . Perhaps your insomnia is due to fear of the upcoming birth or fear for the health of the unborn baby? A specialist will help you figure out what is happening to you.
How to sleep in the first trimester of pregnancy
The first trimester is the most important period of gestation. In the early stages, a woman may suffer from vomiting and frequent urination, accompanied by internal anxiety. Also, the first months may be characterized by the expectant mother’s anxiety about pregnancy, the upcoming birth, and even raising a child. Intrusive thoughts can persist throughout the day and affect sleep, which is very important for a pregnant woman. Choosing the right sleeping position will help you get a good night's sleep.
Many women are interested in whether pregnant women can sleep on their stomachs in the first trimester. At 11-12 weeks, the stomach already begins to bulge, so from this period it is not recommended to sleep on it. The beginning of the first trimester is the only period during the entire pregnancy when a woman can sleep on her back. Further, the uterus will grow and compress the vena cava, which will negatively affect the condition of the mother and fetus. To avoid this, from 15-16 weeks you should abandon this position.
Read also: Co-sleeping with a child
Rule 3: eliminate unhealthy foods from your diet
Proper nutrition in the third trimester of pregnancy takes on special importance, because the female body begins to work in a new way - in intensive preparation for labor. What your diet will be like in the last months of pregnancy largely determines how the birth will go.
In the third trimester, it is important to exclude from the diet:
- sweet and salty foods;
- carbonated drinks;
- fast food.
Large consumption of sweet, salty, and soda increases thirst and leads to the development of edema.
Fast food contains many harmful dyes, flavors, preservatives, and trans fats. In addition, fast food is a heavy meal that overloads the gastrointestinal tract.
In the third trimester of gestation, it is important to adhere to the following rule: the closer the date of birth, the lighter the diet should be. In the last months of pregnancy, the body should spend effort preparing for childbirth, and not digesting heavy food.
Why pregnant women may have trouble sleeping
The first and most important cause of sleep problems during pregnancy is an increase in the size of the fetus. This makes it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position.
If a woman has slept on her back or stomach, she may have trouble sleeping on her side, as doctors recommend. Additionally, changing sleep positions becomes more difficult as pregnancy progresses. Other common physical symptoms that may also interfere with sleep include:
- Frequent urge to urinate.
The kidneys work harder to filter the increased volume of blood passing through the body, and this process creates more urine. The second factor is that as the baby grows and the uterus becomes larger, the pressure on the bladder increases. Third, amniotic fluid is renewed every 2-3 hours, which cannot affect the pregnant woman’s diuresis day or night. Nocturnal urination at night also increases if the child is especially active at night. - Cardiopalmus.
The heart rate increases to ensure good blood flow to the uterus. Moreover, the more blood enters the uterus, the faster the heart works to send enough blood to the rest of the organs. - Difficulty and rapid breathing
. The increase in hormones during pregnancy causes you to breathe more deeply and may feel like you are short of breath. In the future, breathing may be difficult as the enlarged uterus takes up more space, which puts pressure on the diaphragm. - Lower back pain and leg cramps.
Extra weight during pregnancy affects leg and back pain. During pregnancy, the body also produces the hormone relaxin, which helps prepare for childbirth. One of the effects of relaxin is to loosen ligaments throughout the body, making pregnant women less stable and more susceptible to injury, especially in the back. - Heartburn and constipation.
Many pregnant women experience heartburn, which occurs when stomach contents back up into the esophagus. During pregnancy, the entire digestive system slows down and food stays in the stomach and intestines longer, which can cause heartburn or constipation. These sensations may worsen in the last trimester of pregnancy, when the growing uterus puts pressure on the stomach or colon.
Sleep problems can also arise for other reasons. Many pregnant women experience dreams that are more vivid than usual, and some even experience nightmares.
Stress also interferes with normal sleep. A pregnant woman may be worried about her baby's health or nervous about giving birth. All of these feelings are normal and can cause insomnia.
Rule 4: Move, don't lie on the couch all day
In the third trimester of pregnancy, the baby grows by leaps and bounds, so the woman quickly gains weight and it becomes difficult for her to walk. Before giving birth, a woman even develops a “proud gait” that resembles a “duck walk.” The center of gravity shifts greatly forward, which forces a woman to throw her shoulders back and spread her legs wide when walking.
Many women in the third trimester begin to get lazy and stop going for walks and doing physical exercise. But lying on the couch all day won't prepare your pelvic floor muscles for childbirth.
Remember that activity in the third trimester of pregnancy is the key to a quick and easy birth. Of course, it is difficult to perform the exercises that you did in the first and second trimesters in full before giving birth. Leave those exercises that are easy for you. Introduce leisurely walking in the morning and evening. Learn breathing techniques and gymnastics with a fitball. All this will help you prepare your body for the upcoming birth.
Healthy and safe rest in later stages
Significant difficulties await expectant mothers at 30 weeks. This is the point where sleeping on your stomach and back is now an unaffordable luxury and you will have to be content with only your right and left sides. At first it is difficult to adjust yourself to a permanent position, discomfort arises. But over time it disappears, and sleeping on your side becomes a comfortable rest.
From the 38th week, many pregnant women complain of sudden insomnia. Why is this happening? The same progesterone is to blame for this. If at first there is an increase in the blood, then in later stages the level of the hormone decreases. At week 39, in some cases, precursor contractions make themselves felt, accompanied by intense spasms. They also make it difficult to fall asleep or interrupt sleep.
At 40 weeks or earlier, women experience complaints of apnea (short-term cessation of breathing during sleep). Therefore, it is important that during this period, loved ones are constantly close to the expectant mother.
If the intervals of respiratory arrest last more than 10 seconds, you should urgently seek advice from a somnologist. The consequences of apnea in pregnant women are preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, and the child often needs intensive care due to breathing problems.
Rule 5: try to get as many positive emotions as possible
It has long been proven that positive emotions have a good effect on the development of the fetus, the course of pregnancy and childbirth. Positive emotions contribute to the production of oxytocin - the hormone of happiness, which improves not only psychological, but also physical well-being.
How can you maintain positive emotions in the third trimester? Do enjoyable things that make you happy. For example, baby shopping or arranging a room for an unborn baby. And you don’t need to believe the superstition that buying baby clothes before the baby is born brings trouble. Such a statement is just a myth and superstition.
After birth, the baby will take up all your free time, and it is unlikely that you will be able to get out to the store calmly. It’s much easier to go shopping before the baby is born, choose everything in a leisurely environment and get a lot of positive emotions!
Tips for a good night's sleep
- It is necessary, as much as possible, to remove caffeinated drinks from the diet, such as cola, coffee and tea.
- It is recommended not to drink a lot of fluids or eat for several hours before going to bed. But it is important to make sure that your body gets plenty of nutrients and fluids throughout the day. It is beneficial to eat more for breakfast and lunch, rather than before bed. If nausea is a problem, try eating a few crackers before going to bed.
- It is important to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
- Avoid physical activity right before bed. Instead, you can read a book or drink a warm decaffeinated drink.
- The body must get enough calcium and magnesium to reduce nighttime leg cramps.
- Try yoga or other relaxation techniques that help you unwind after a stressful day.
Rule 6: don’t forget to prepare for the upcoming birth
In the third trimester of pregnancy, it is imperative to prepare for childbirth. Of course, it is better to do this in advance. But even if you only have a few weeks or days left before giving birth, be sure to try to get as much useful information as possible.
Important questions that a pregnant woman should know the answers to:
- How are contractions different from the precursors of labor?
- What to do if your water breaks?
- When should you go to the maternity hospital?
- What happens during the first, second and third stages of labor?
- How long does the birth process last?
This information will help you overcome the fear of childbirth and successfully cope with such a difficult task as the birth of a baby.
The use of sleeping pills is allowed
Quite often, a woman during pregnancy, in order to improve her sleep, voluntarily tries to use sleeping pills. Doing this is strictly prohibited. Drugs in this category cannot be used during pregnancy. Such drugs will cause serious harm to the developing child and may even cause his death.
Only certain herbal preparations can be used to restore sleep, which should be selected by the gynecologist observing the woman. It is strictly forbidden to prescribe them for yourself.
As a folk sleeping pill, even before consulting a doctor, you can only use milk with honey, but only if there is no allergy to the beekeeping product. The drink should be warm and drunk no earlier than 20 minutes before you plan to go to bed.
Recommended poses
To sleep during pregnancy, you need to choose a position that will be comfortable for the mother and safe for the baby. Since colossal changes occur in the body of the expectant mother over the course of 9 months, the postures will be different for each trimester.
In the early stages
In the 1st trimester, the formation of organs in the fetus occurs, but significant changes do not occur in the woman’s body. The uterus has not yet begun to increase in size, and the bones in the pubic area reliably protect it from compression. The volume of the abdomen remained practically the same. Therefore, sleeping positions during pregnancy can be anything.
The restriction can only be caused by soreness of the mammary glands. Under the influence of hormones, tissue growth occurs and nipple sensitivity increases. When lying on the stomach, the chest is compressed, which leads to pain and discomfort. In addition, blood flow is disrupted, so it is recommended to sleep either on your side or on your back.
In the later stages
The 3rd trimester is characterized by intensive growth and development of the fetus, enlargement of the uterus and abdomen. Therefore, the position on the stomach is canceled: this position compresses the stomach, disrupts blood circulation in the vessels of the abdominal cavity, and is also uncomfortable for the baby. The optimal sleeping position during pregnancy at this stage is on your side. You can sleep on your back up to 26 - 27 weeks, while the size of the abdomen and uterus is small.
The abdominal part of the aorta passes through the abdominal cavity and is located to the left of the spine. Therefore, it is recommended to lie on the right side so that the uterus does not put pressure on the aorta and does not cause circulatory problems in the underlying sections or lead to an increase in blood pressure.
The second factor that is worth paying attention to is heartburn. In the 3rd trimester, the uterus moves the diaphragm and stomach upward, which causes more frequent reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. The woman is bothered by belching, burning behind the sternum, and heartburn. The correct sleeping position during pregnancy will help reduce their severity: on a high pillow or with the head end of the bed raised.
The third factor is the position of the fetus inside the uterus, that is, presentation. If it is across the uterus, the woman needs to lie down so that the head is down. This will encourage the baby to take the correct position.
Experts recommend placing a small pillow or folded blanket between your legs. This improves blood circulation in the pelvic organs, placenta, and relieves the mother’s circulatory system. The pose is favorable for the spine and hip joints. You can purchase a special pillow for sleeping during pregnancy. Judging by the reviews, this device is very convenient: it can be used after childbirth to give a comfortable position to the body.
Lying on your back in the later stages is contraindicated. The load on the spine increases, the vena cava is compressed (risk of varicose veins in the legs, hemorrhoids, dizziness, increased heart rate), and intestines (risk of constipation). The baby is also not feeling well: oxygen starvation is developing.
Leg cramps
Calf muscle cramps are a nightmare for many pregnant women. Before consulting your doctor about diet, start eating healthy foods, that is, foods rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium. Eat bananas, nuts, almonds, dairy products and legumes. Perform preparatory procedures before going to bed. Before going to bed, give your calves a contrast shower and massage them. This will improve blood circulation and provide proper oxygen supply to the muscles.
If you experience a cramp at night, rub your sore leg while moving your toes.
Avoid taking stimulants
Fortunately, there is now a wealth of information available about the harmful effects of alcohol, nicotine or drugs on the developing fetus. Of course, a conscientious mother who cares about the well-being of her baby will refuse to use them. There remains coffee, which is allowed during pregnancy in small quantities, especially for women who are accustomed to drinking it in large quantities. However, if you have problems sleeping, you should avoid this drink so as not to stimulate the nervous system with caffeine.
Remember that it is not only active smoking that harms you and your baby. When you are in a smoky room, you also inhale toxic compounds. It is harmful to the fetus and may cause sleep problems.
Maternity pillow. How to choose?
In order not to make a bad choice, we recommend paying attention to 3 things:
1. Size 2. Filling 3. Cover
It is these components that are responsible for the quality, safety and functioning of the pillow.
Size - the length of the product is measured along the outer edge; this figure does not include the length of the ties, if the pillow has any. For a pregnant woman of average height, a pillow of 160-170 cm is suitable; for a height of 170+, the length of the pillow is correspondingly longer.
The width of the cushion is on average 35 cm. Do not forget to take into account the parameters of the sleeping place so that the pillow fits freely.
The filler must be safe, hypoallergenic, elastic and able to adapt to the needs of a woman’s changing body. Expanded polystyrene and holofiber are considered optimized. Pillows with this composition are flexible, which in itself is achievable, since it allows them to be used in any position depending on needs.
100% cotton is ideal for the cover. The materials of the cover (for example: calico, satin) do not interfere with skin breathing and maintain optimal temperature balance. They are easy to wash, which is a plus, because these pillows are subsequently used by nursing mothers.
The shapes of pillows for pregnant women are different, so in this matter everything depends on your preferences, financial capabilities and body type.
