Sleeping during pregnancy – During pregnancy your body changes quickly and it can leave you feeling off balance, awkward and uncomfortable – especially as you try to sleep. We will look at the best ways to ensure you get your essential “forty winks”.

No one functions well without adequate amounts of sleep. Although any expectant mother struggling to sleep will likely hear many people saying that she is just getting ready to be up all night with the new baby, there is a downside to this issue. The simple fact of the matter is that anyone – pregnant or not – who is not getting enough rest is actually dealing with an ongoing health concern.

Sleep provides the brain with the necessary down time it requires to function, but sleep also provides the body with a lot of necessary processes too. If you are not sleeping during pregnancy, you are not functioning correctly, and both you and the baby may suffer.

To ensure that this doesn’t happen, we’ve provided some winning tips for a good night’s sleep – whether you just found out you are expecting or you are only hours from labor.

Good Night! Sleeping during pregnancy

Each trimester of pregnancy has its challenges, and all three periods seem to have sleep as a common challenge. Let’s consider these issues one by one:

• First Trimester – Though you may not have any signs of insomnia, you may be failing to get adequate rest because your bladder has suddenly gone into overtime. This is due to many different factors that include your uterus beginning to expand, your hormones changing, and even alterations to the diet. To help put your bladder into sleep mode, try cutting down on fluid intake around two to three hours before bed.

The first trimester is also a time of soreness. The breasts become very sore and tender, your joints may feel a bit achy, and if you have morning sickness (which can occur day and night) your body will ache from the strain. This too can make it tough to sleep, and so it becomes an ideal time to practice finding the best positions for you to get comfy. You also want to begin to master the fine art of napping during this time too.

• Second trimester – Traditionally, women begin to feel much better at this time. Morning sickness comes to an end, a baby bump begins to really show, and many bodily changes occur. Sleeping can become tough due to leg and back strain, and this is a time to invest in the famous “body pillow” – or even a few. Experiment with comfortable positioning to ensure you know how to position your growing belly. Make sure it has a washable cover because you will be using it a lot.
• Third trimester – This is when you struggle to move easily due to the size of the baby and the changes in your body. You may find that you get very hot in bed, and so lighter blankets are an essential. You might also keep in mind that resting on your left side facilitates the function of the kidneys. This ensures that all of that retained water is easily processed out of the body and you can wake up with legs, feet, hands, and face back to normal.

You must sleep as much as possible during pregnancy simply because the body is being challenged all of the time. Use the information above to ensure you get enough rest and that your body is given a chance to recover from the daily wear and tear of pregnancy.

About the Author: David Jenner is a freelance writer on topics related to sleep and pregnancy.
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