Mother is a unique creation of God. If mothers do not give birth, imagine what would happen? Does life exist on the earth? Moms growing a HUMAN inside their bodies. Do one imagine how hard is this! It’s obvious to feel tired and ornery and a little frustrated. And SLEEP during pregnancy seems impossible.
But it depends on what trimester you are in. In this post we’re going to talk about sleep during pregnancy and even if naps are ok.
Actually, you may sleep more than usual during the first trimester of your pregnancy. It’s all normal to feel tired when you’re pregnant as your body works to protect and nurture the developing baby inside you. The placenta is just forming and your baby starts to make more blood so, your heart is pumping fast for both of you.Why sleeping can be difficult during pregnancy
It’s all-natural that later in pregnancy some women have trouble getting enough sound sleep. The first and most common reason behind sleep problems during pregnancy is the increasing size of the fetus, which makes it hard to take a comfortable sound sleep.
If you’ve always been a back or stomach sleeper, you might have trouble getting used to sleeping on your side as your doctor recommended to sleep during pregnancy. And shifting around the bed becomes more difficult as your pregnancy progresses and you gain a decent weight.
Other common physical symptoms are:-
1. The frequent urge to pee:-
Your internal body part like your kidneys are working hard to filter the increased blood moving through your pregnant body and this process creates more urine.
As your baby grows, your uterus gets bigger than normal and the pressure on your bladder increases. This causes frequent trips to the bathroom all day and throughout the night. And you know nighttime trips may be greater as your baby is active at night
2. Increased heart rate:-
Your heart rate increases to pump more blood for you both, and as more your blood supply goes to the uterus, your heart works harder and harder to send sufficient blood to the rest of your body as well baby.
3. Shortness of breath:-
During pregnancy, pregnancy hormones will cause you to breathe more deeply. You might feel like you’re working hard to get enough oxygen. Later on, breathing deeply can become more difficult as your enlarging uterus takes up more space which results in pressure on your diaphragm (the muscles below your lungs).
4. Leg cramps and backaches:-
As your pregnancy goes you will gain a decent weight which can contribute pain in your legs or back. But nothing to worry as, during pregnancy, the body makes a relaxing hormone. It helps in preparation for the birth process.
The Relaxin hormone relaxes your ligaments, allowing the uterus and pelvis to expand. One of the effects of relaxin is the loosening throughout the body. So why a pregnant mom will be less stable. It’s very crucial to keep attention towards body movement during pregnancy.
5. Heartburn and constipation:-
During pregnancy, the entire digestive system goes to slows. And this causes food stays in the stomach and in the intestines for longer. This is the main reason a pregnant mom feels heartburn or constipation. These may become worst later pregnancy as the uterus continue to grow and presses on the stomach or on the large intestine.
Your sleep problems might have some other causes as well. Many pregnant women complain that their dreams become more vivid than usual and some have nightmares also.
It’s obvious, that stress can interfere with sleep. Mostly mothers worried about the baby’s health, or anxious about abilities as a new parent, or feeling nervous about the delivery problems. But these all of feelings as a mother, are quite normal.
The only cause of these worries they might keep you and your spouse up at the whole night.
Finding a Good Sleeping Position
In early pregnancy, try to get into the habit of sleeping on your side. Lying on your sides with knees bent is likely to be the most comfortable position as your pregnancy progresses.
It also eases your heart’s job as this position keeps the body’s weight from applying pressure to the large vein (inferior vena cava) that carries blood back to the heart from your legs.
Some doctors recommend that pregnant women sleep on the left side as your liver is on that side of the abdomen. lying on the left side helps to keep the uterus off that large organ.
Sleeping on the left side improves circulation to the heart and allows the blood flow to the fetus, uterus, and kidneys. But make sure with your doctor what he recommends.
But it doesn’t mean that you might roll over onto the back during the night. Shifting positions during sleep is a natural part that nobody can control.
Mostly in the third trimester, your body won’t shift into the back-sleeping position because it will be uncomfortable.
If you shift on your back, the discomfort will probably wake you up through the night. Talk to your care provider or doctor, who may suggest a maternity pillow to keep yourself propped up on one side.
You feel good co-sleeping with a maternity pillow. It is a pleasant experiment to discover a comfortable sleeping position with the help of a body pillow.
The pregnant body finds it helpful to place a pillow under their abdomen or between their legs. Also, using a bunched-up pillow or rolled-up blanket at the small portion of u your back may help to relieve some pressure.
But the maternity pillow is the best option, talk with your doctor about which one is good for you.
Tips for sleeping during pregnancy
These tips may safely improve your chances of getting a good night’s sleep:-
- Cut off your caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee, and soda from your diet as much as possible. keep them far away to intake in the morning or early afternoon.
- Avoid drinking a lot of fluids or eating a full meal before going to bed. But you can keep intake plenty of nutrients and liquids throughout the day.
- Make a schedule of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
- Avoid any type of rigorous exercise right before you go to bed. Instead of doing something relaxing like reading a book or having a warm bath.
- You can take a caffeine-free drink like milk with spoonful honey or a cup of herbal tea.
- If you have a cramp in your legs just stretch calf muscles before going to bed, it helps great.
- Take a good amount of calcium and magnesium in your diet recommended by your doctor which can help to reduce leg cramps.
- If anxiety or any type of fear keeping you awake, attend a childbirth class or parenting class. Educate yourself with the help of these classes and cope with your fear that keeps you awake at night.
What to do when you CAN’T Sleep
Of course, it will happen many times during pregnancy when you just can’t sleep. Instead of tossing and turning, and worrying that you can’t sleep, and waiting the hours until your alarm clock will go off.
Get up and do something like read a book or listen to your favorite music, watch TV, or read your email. Or just walk around your room or pursue some other activity you like the most.
you can plug the earphone on low volume and just listen to your favorite music or serial you like. It helps me to take sleep during my pregnancy. Might be you also benefited. try once.
I have written down my pregnancy sleep experience. Hope it may help you to take a sound sleep. Write in the comments box your own experience of pregnancy sleep which can help moms to get some comfort till then
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