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It can be extremely difficult to have sound sleep when you have a large tummy and you are always conscious of not hurting the baby in your womb. You may order any sleeping pill any time if you are a regular insomniac but that option strikes out if you are pregnant. To top it all, lack of quality sleep makes you more prone to frequent depression, illnesses, and colds, when you are expecting.
With various other guidelines that mom-to-bes’ are inundated with, a thing as simple as sleeping also has its do’s and don’ts for pregnant women. Explained below is how various sleep positions affect you and your baby:
Sleeping on your stomach – During the initial pregnancy stages, breasts are usually tenders. As you reach the third trimester, your belly and breasts are a lot larger than before. Although it isn’t very dangerous to sleep on your stomach, still it is not recommended as it can be very uncomfortable.
Sleeping on your back – The weight of your increasing uterus immediately begins to pure pressure on your back muscles, primary blood vessels, and intestines. This can lead to disrupted blood circulation, blood pressure issues, backache, indigestion, and haemorrhoids.
Sleeping on your side – When you lie on your left side, it enhances the flow of blood and nutrients towards your baby. This also makes it easy for your kidneys to discard any wastes or fruits from your body. Consequently, swelling in your hands, feet, and legs are bound to be minimal. Although there’s no real benefit of sleeping on your right side but it still isn’t harmful. So, you can switch sides in between and be comfortable while drifting off to slumber. Side positions are good for the health of both the mother as well as the baby and also ensure that you sleep tight to wake up all fresh in the morning.
For additional comfort, it is a good idea to use a pillow to support your belly or you may even put one in between your knees. Here are a few special pillows that you can use in pregnancy:
Small Pillows – Using a small pillow in between the bent knees reduces the pressure on lower back and makes it even easier to sleep on your sides. You can even tuck one behind your back, which makes it easy for you to maintain your side positions without any trouble.
Wedge Pillows – These wedge-shaped pillows are placed below your belly as you sleep on your side. This takes the pressure off your neck and back. It also aligns your back and stops any rolling forward. For those who experience shortening of breath or heartburn due to pregnancy, wedge pillows can be a good solution as it elevates their head more than the chest, preventing and relieving these problems.
Body Pillows – These full-length pillows support as well as realign the back, hips, neck, and belly. These pillows are loved by many would-be-mothers as they not only support the back but also structures around the belly.
Finally, don’t stay anxious all night worrying about the comfort of your baby. Your baby floats in a weightless environment without feeling any discomfort even when you are tossing and turning all night. So, just relax and have a good sleep!
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