Sleeping during pregnancy is one of the things that can be problematic. In addition circulation problems, back sleeping can cause: nausea, heartburn, back pain, leg cramps, shallow breath, difficulty finding a comfortable position as they grow abdomen, frequent visits to the bathroom, worry about pregnancy, childbirth and so on.
Due to increased work on the body and changes in hormone levels in the first trimester, many women sleep more than before. It is perfectly normal and look to secure the necessary sleep.
Sleeping position
Bear in mind that during pregnancy you should sleep on the left side, this is the easiest way for blood circulation to the uterus, and thus will have uninterrupted supply of oxygen and nutrients for the baby.
Sleeping on your back and belly is something that should be avoided in pregnancy. When you sleep on your back the weight falls on the cervical spine, intestines and interferes with circulation in large blood vessels. Other difficulties can be: back pain, difficulty in breathing and processing food, hemorrhoids, low blood pressure, disruption of blood circulation to the heart and blood supply to the uterus and the baby.
Sleeping on the left side will facilitate circulation and thus supplies the baby with the necessary nutrients and discharge the harmful substances through your kidneys.
If you want to sleep more comfortable, take pillows. You can use pillows under your stomach and between your legs. If you have difficulty to rely, when your stomach will be bigger, place a pillow under it, behind, etc. There are special pillows designed for pregnant women that will be able to serve you and breastfeeding later.
Other advises
If you can’t sleep from heartburn at night, try with the following:
- The last big meal shall be a few hours before bedtime.
- Avoid eating spicy and acidic food at night. Avoid those things that you noticed, that cause you heartburn.
- Put higher pillow under your head, if your upper body is lifted, the heartburns will decline.
- If you can’t sleep, take a walk, relax with music, read a magazine, etc., and when you feel drowsy again, go back to bed.
- You should drink large quantities of liquids in pregnancy. If frequent visits to the bathroom does not let you sleep, than you should drink less before going to bed.
- Reduce the amount of caffeine, not only can cause insomnia but larger amounts of caffeine can be harmful in pregnancy.
- Exercise during pregnancy is important, but not before bedtime. Give your body time to calm down. If you exercise, let it be a few hours before bedtime.
- Make your calming routine before bedtime, such as listening to music, reading, showering, etc.
- Dim the room where you sleep and isolate the noise as more as you can.
Many women take a nap during the day. So you will not be too tired at night, but you should not overdo the length of the day sleeping, so it won’t become an obstacle to sleep at night. - Very small number of people are sleeping in one position all night. Do not be upset if you wake up facing the back or stomach. It will not be anything to your baby, just simply turn on the left side. Eventually, you will get used to the new sleeping position, and it will be easier for you.
