Sleep Tight Mummy

Almost every pregnant woman has trouble sleeping at night, so if you happen to be one of them – join the club! It is no surprise if nausea, heartburn and a constant need to pee are among the causes of this. Read on to find out what kind of sleeping problems might occur during pregnancy and how you should be able to cope with them.

First Trimester

Always sleepy?

During the early stages of your pregnancy, you might sometimes feel overwhelmed with sleepiness. High levels of progesterone in your body might be the cause. Progesterone is a hormone that helps regulate a woman’s reproductive cycle. It also makes you feel drowsy most of the time.

The sudden flood of this hormone in your body can make a normal working day feel like a long, exhausting one. It may also make you feel tired or like you’re coming down with the flu.

Catch up on naps whenever you can during the day to combat extreme sleepiness.

Getting comfy a problem?

Your breasts get tender during pregnancy, as a result – finding a good sleeping position may be a problem especially if you are used to sleeping on your stomach.

The first trimester of your pregnancy is the best time to train yourself to sleep on your side. This is also a good time to begin using a maternity pillow which will support your pregnant body for a better night’s sleep.

Nature calling way too often!

Your growing uterus puts pressure on your bladder and may send you rushing to the bathroom all night long, which can disrupt a good night’s sleep. You could drink lots of fluids during the day and cut down in the evening and night to avoid having to pee that often during bedtime.

Second Trimester

You should be enjoying better sleep during your second trimester. Your body would have adjusted well to pregnancy by now and you may not feel as tired as you used to in your first trimester. However, there may still be causes for sleepless nights, such as:

• Physical issues such a leg cramps and blocked nose.
• Morning sickness, which some women tend to suffer from throughout pregnancy.
• As your pregnancy progresses, you might start having indigestion and heartburn during the night.
• Your baby might start to get more active, which might result in him kicking and moving around in your tummy while you are trying to settle in for the night.
• Worrying about the future might also keep you awake, as you find yourself tossing and turning in bed.

Some solutions

Switch to sleeping on your left side

This is probably the best sleeping position for you as your baby grows bigger. After 16 weeks into your pregnancy, it is not a good idea to sleep on your back as your baby is now putting pressure on your blood vessels.

Try lying on your left side, with your knees up and have two or more pillows between your knees to contain the pressure at your hips and pelvis.

If you wake up in the middle of the night and find yourself sleeping on your back, just roll over to your left side and continue sleeping. Alternatively, you could place a couple of pillows behind you to stop you from rolling over to your back.

Get into a routine

Try to keep regular bedtime hours. Although it is tempting to sleep in, try not to as it would make it harder for you to doze off at night.

Wind down at the end of the day

Take some time to relax as bedtime gets closer. Avoid vigorous activities or even scary movies. Instead, have a warm mug of milk or read a book to wind down.

Third Trimester

As your time for delivery gets closer, you may find that getting a good night’s sleep seems almost impossible. In fact, more than 50% of pregnant women rate their sleep as poor in the final trimester.

In this trimester, you may find your bump is just too big for you to sleep comfortably. Continue to lay on your left side with pillows wedged in-between your knees and behind your back. This may help increase your comfort level.

Your growing baby is now putting pressure on your bladder too. This means more midnight toilet trips for many mums. Try taking in less fluids at night and also, empty your bladder completely when you’re in the toilet.

During this trimester, you may find that your sleep may be interrupted by other pregnancy issues as well, such as:

• Backache
• Leg cramps
• Heartburn
• Vivid dreams

In short, losing a fair amount of sleep is something every pregnant mother might have to endure en route to having a baby. So, think of it as a rehearsal for when your baby is born!

Will lack of sleep harm my baby?

Sleeplessness is very common in pregnancy but it won’t harm your baby. It can, however, make you feel overly exhausted. Severe sleep deprivation may lead to a longer labour or even a caesarean section.

Listen to your body and rest when you can. If you’re a working mum-to-be, think of taking your maternity leave a little earlier so you can catch up on all the rest you need.