How To Get A Good Night of Sleep When Pregnant

Pregnancy is one of the most memorable times in your life. If you’re pregnant, you get to witness your body grow an entirely new life and experience the special bond between you and your baby. If your partner or loved one is pregnant, you also get to witness this from a unique perspective. 

While pregnancy can be wonderful, there can also be many physical challenges. On top of nausea, snoring, hormones changing, digestive system changes, your sleep habits can also be affected.

One of these challenges is getting a good night’s sleep and getting down a bedtime routine. Sleep is vital to giving your body the rest and energy it needs to keep your baby and you healthy, especially during the first trimester. Plus, it’s common to encounter many sleepless nights once your baby is born, so it’s essential to get good sleep while pregnant. 

Luckily, some tips and tricks may help soothe pregnancy symptoms while sleeping. Read on to learn how to sleep when pregnant.

Why Is It Harder To Sleep When Pregnant?

Many complications may make it harder to get enough sleep and stay asleep while pregnant.

• Your body changes physically, and you may experience weight gain, feel pressure in certain areas such as your growing uterus, and even experience physical discomfort and pain. These may be worse at night, making it more difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position. 
• Morning sickness can last throughout the day and into the night, too. You may find it harder to fall asleep when nauseous or stay asleep. 
• It’s common to experience shortness of breath, heartburn, increased body temperature, and a faster heart rate when pregnant. You may even experience leg cramps at night. Trying to sleep while your body experiences these symptoms can be a challenge. 
• It’s also common for pregnant women to experience frequent urination. You might find yourself getting up to use the bathroom multiple times throughout the night, interrupting your sleep and making it harder to get a full night’s rest.
• When your baby begins to kick anywhere from 16 to 20 weeks along, once the kicking starts, it may continue into the night. While you’re trying to sleep, your little one is trying to become the world’s best soccer player. 

Best Sleeping Positions When Pregnant

Most pregnant women aren’t able to get good sleep because they aren’t able to get comfortable. Here are some of the best sleeping positions that will help you sleep with your baby bump.

Side Sleeping

Sleeping on your left or right side is the best position for pregnancy. Not only does it tend to be the most comfortable way to support your growing belly, but it provides the most efficient blood circulation for your body and your baby’s body. It also helps move the pressure of your belly from your organs to your mattress or pillow. This gives your body a break from carrying your heavy belly during the last months of pregnancy.

Which side is better to sleep on when pregnant? Both sides are acceptable, but the left side offers more benefits. Sleeping on the left side of your body while pregnant is better for circulation, and it keeps your baby and your uterus from putting pressure on your liver while sleeping. 

If you want to help relieve some back pain, keep your knees bent and placing a pillow in between your legs to decrease the stress in your back.

Tools To Help

Sometimes, even sleeping on your side while pregnant isn’t enough to support your belly, especially once you reach the late second and third trimesters. Using a pregnancy pillow is an excellent way to cradle your body and support your belly. It can help keep you comfortable all night long.

If you don’t want to purchase a new pillow, you can try to mold the pillows you have around your body at night. Create a comfortable place for you to lay down where your belly is supported, and you’re able to relax.
If you experience heartburn at night, use a few pillows to position your upper body above your lower body at night. You can sleep at a slight incline when propped up, which may help soothe symptoms.

Sleeping Positions To Avoid

When pregnant, it’s important to avoid sleeping flat on your back or your stomach. If you sleep on your back, your belly will exert more pressure on your organs. This can lead to issues with digestion, blood pressure, hemorrhoids, and even cause back or hip pain, decreased blood circulation to you and your baby, and put dangerous pressure on your intestines.

Sleeping on your stomach is not only uncomfortable but can put pressure on the most tender parts of your body, like your breasts and bladder. If you want to sleep on your stomach, find a pillow that will support your body while leaving room with a donut-shaped hole for your belly. 

Other Tips and Tricks for Better Sleep

Avoid the Caffeine

If you’re pregnant, you’re already avoiding most caffeine. However, if you’re having trouble sleeping, it may be time to cut it out altogether. Caffeine can stay in your body for as long as 10 hours before it completely filters out of your system. This means if you drink a cup of coffee at 10 a.m, your system will take until 8 p.m to filter it out. 

Consider swapping your coffee for decaf or making sure you drink an appropriate amount early enough to get a good night’s sleep. 

Invest in Your Nighttime Routine

You may have difficulty switching from your daytime activities to nighttime activities. If you’re moving and working all day long, you may need a special ritual or routine to set the mood for resting and help your body transition into a calmer state with relaxation techniques.

One way to do this is to invest in a nighttime routine that helps you wind down. For instance, have a nightly bath, meditation, yoga, or perform your skincare routine each night. Give yourself a facial massage, turn on your essential oil diffuser, and play relaxing music. This will help your body and mind relax and prepare for sleep.

Health Disorders That Could Lead to Lack of Sleep

In addition to pregnancy, it could make sleeping much harder if you have conditions like sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome (RLS), preeclampsia, and high blood pressure.

If you suspect you have a sleep disorder or underlying health issue, talk to a counselor or healthcare provider about your concerns during pregnancy.

Stay Hydrated and Nourished

It’s also important to stay hydrated and nourished when pregnant. You’re eating for two, hydrating for two, and keeping your body in good shape so you can fuel your little one as well. This is a lot of responsibility. 

But, don’t worry. Yumi has everything you need to know about your little one’s development in and out of the womb. From the benefits of breastfeeding to what to feed them when they start solids, let our nutritionists do the work for you, so you have more time to soak up the little moments from the benefits of breastfeeding to what to feed them when they start solids.