Everyone constantly tells you to ‘sleep while you can’, and ‘enjoy your undisturbed nights’ when you are pregnant. However, sleeping still becomes something of an enigma. Between constant trips to the loo, starting as early as the first few weeks of pregnancy, nausea and general discomfort due to the weight of the baby and changes in your pelvis, sleep can sometimes feel nearly impossible.
Here are some tips to make things easier – this advice is taken from the brilliant @tommys_thebabycharity #sleeponside campaign:
😴You should avoid lying flat on your back from 20 weeks onwards. After this time, it is advised that pregnant women go to sleep on their side (ideally left). This helps to improve the blood supply to the baby and reduce risk of stillbirth #sleeponside
😴 Put a pillow or pillows behind your back to encourage side-sleeping.
😴Do not worry if you roll back over – the most important position is the one you fall asleep in as you stay like that for the longest. If you wake during the night, check your position and go back to sleep on your side.
😴Pay the same attention to sleep position during the day if you get a chance to nap as you would during the night.
Consider a pregnancy pillow to help support your bump and help open your pelvis!
😴Try to keep cool – you may find you are much warmer than you were pre-pregnancy so adjust the clothes you sleep in or you may wake up more often.
😴Get outside and stay active. This will help you feel better in your pregnancy, and getting 30 mins per day of gentle exercise will help at night too.
😴Before bedtime, avoid all caffeine and reduce or stop your fluid intake to reduce the number of trips you have to make to the loo!
Did you struggle to sleep during pregnancy? Was there anything that helped? Drop me a comment below and I’d love to share your ideas!
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