Sleeping during pregnancy

During pregnancy, sleeping patterns go through unavoidable changes. Actually, you may sleep more than usual during the first trimester of your pregnancy: this is absolutely normal as your body is working harder to protect and nurture the developing baby. The placenta is just forming and you body needs to make more blood and consequently, your heart is pumping faster. Moreover, it’s normal that moms-to-be dedicate too much time to the typical activities before birth, as they feel enthusiastic and anxious at the same time: as a consequence, they may feel more tired than usual. Choosing the nursery furniture, the pram, the stroller and all the products your baby is going to need can definitely be a tiring activity causing fatigue. Apart from tiredness and sleepiness during the first trimester, there are other common physical symptoms may interfere with sleep, such as the frequent urge to urinate: as your baby grows and the uterus gets bigger, the pressure on your bladder increases. This means more trips to the toilet, day and night. Also, the increase of the heart rate makes your heart pump more blood and as more of your blood supply goes to the uterus, your heart will be working harder to send sufficient blood to the rest of the body. In the second trimester you may experience difficulties in finding a comfortable position and insomnia may arise causing bigger troubles during the third trimester. Indeed, in the last phase of pregnancy, new symptoms may cause more discomfort making sleep even more difficult, like heartburn, leg cramps and backaches, nausea and even your baby moving. Your sleep problems may have other causes as well. Many pregnant women report that their dreams become more vivid than usual; stress can also interfere with sleep, too. You may be worried about your baby’s health or anxious about your ability as a parent or feeling nervous about the birth itself.

The first thing to do is assuming a comfortable position. Early in your pregnancy, try to get the habit of sleeping on your left side. Because your liver is on the right side of your abdomen, lying on the left side helps keep the uterus off that large organ. But do not worry if you might turn onto your back: most likely, during the third trimester, your body will not shift into the back position because it is going to be uncomfortable anyway. Also, sleeping on the left side makes your heart’s job easier because it keeps the baby’s weight from applying pressure to the inferior vena cava that carries blood back to the heart from your feet and legs. If this vein is compressed you can experience low blood pressure, dizziness and tiredness. Furthermore, this position helps you relieve swollen legs and hydric retention and definitely encourages the passage of nutritive to the placenta. If you can’t sleep on your side because you are not used of it, try experimenting with pillows to discover a comfortable sleeping position. Some women find that it helps to place a pillow under their abdomen or between their legs. On the market you can many models of pillow specially designed for expectant women.

Another important thing to consider in order to have a good night sleep is definitely nutrition. Often, the problems your stomach may experience at night time depend on your digestion and for that reason, try to avoid eating a full meal within hours of going to bed and certain foods, especially acid, fried, dressed or too spicy foods. Even if it can sound superfluous, it is very important to avoid alcohol and cigarettes. These two substances, apart from representing a serious threat to baby’s health, also provoke severe sleep disturbance. It is essential to avoid excitant substances, such as coffee, tea and in general, drinks with caffeine, like coke for example. It is very important to drink plenty of water, but it would be better to drink more during the day and not in the evening, so you do not wake up during the night because you need to go to the toilet. Get a routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.

Another factor that influences on sleep is undoubtedly the sleep environment. The bedroom must be equipped with all the comforts a mother may need to relax to best satisfy all her needs. The room must be very cosy and must have the right temperature and the right level of humidity.

In order to have a good night sleep, it is necessary that you feel relaxed and calm: try to have regular sleeping patterns so you won’t feel tired during the day causing you needless stress. It is advisable to have a nap in the afternoon which mustn’t be longer than one hour because if you sleep too much during the day, you may increase the risk of experiencing insomnia during the night. Your mind has to be free of all worries and don’t let anxiety takes over you disturbing your peacefulness.

Of course, there are times when you just can’t sleep. Instead of tossing and turning, worrying that you are not asleep and counting the hours, get up and do something: read a book, watch TV, catch up on letters or email, eventually you will probably feel tired enough to go back to sleep.