As it turns out, you're not alone: most pregnant women have sleep issues in their third trimesters, with some women waking up 3-5 times a night. But don't lose sleep over the issue—we have some good strategies to help you get a decent night's sleep. Get ready to catch some zzzzzzzzz's.The latter stages of pregnancy bring all kinds of discomforts, and many pregnant moms can add sleeplessness to the list. You feel like you're huge, you can't get a comfortable position in the bed, and when you do finally find one, you have to get up to go to the bathroom.
The large girth of your abdomen makes it hard to find a comfy position for sleep. Here's a good one to try:
Lie on your left side with your knees bent. Place one pillow under your belly and a second one between your legs. Body pillows are even better! Another benefit: lying on your left side promotes better blood flow for your baby. Some pregnant women find that sleeping in a recliner does the trick since it gives support everywhere you need it.
Growing unborn babies like to press deep down…on your bladder, that is. That means that you just about take up permanent residency in the bathroom. Now you do have to make sure to drink lots of fluids, but get your drinking done during daylight hours. Limiting your fluid intake in the evenings can help make those middle of the night visits to the lavatory a thing of the past. Make sure you take the time to really empty your bladder when you urinate and cut out the caffeine. The stuff is no good for growing fetuses and makes your bladder work overtime.
Besides the difficulty of finding a comfortable position and not waking up to pee every hour on the hour, there are some other pregnancy-specific annoyances that tend to rob you of your beauty sleep:
Leg Cramps-Lots of pregnant ladies get painful leg cramps, most often in the calf muscles. Try doing some simple stretches before you go to sleep. Taking a calcium supplement can ease the cramps and make you sleep, well, like a baby.
Snoring-The extra fluid in a woman's body during pregnancy can cause the nasal passages to swell which can bring on snoring in 30% of all pregnant women. Besides waking your partner, your own snoring means you're getting a less than peaceful night's sleep. An extra pillow under your head can help.
Heartburn-Oy! Stay away from spicy or acidic foods. Try to eat smaller meals more often and make sure you chew your food well. Don't eat or drink within a few hours of beddy-bye. Talk to your doctor about the gentle medications that are available to help pregnant ladies with this problem. When all else fails, sleep in an upright position.
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)-Some 15% of pregnant women have the condition called restless leg syndrome in which they have an uncontrollable urge to move their legs. Of course, this tends to happen only during the night. Sigh. There's no help for it—at least there's no medication for it that's safe for pregnancy, but the nasty condition almost always goes away with delivery.
Get advice from other pregnant women experiencing sleepless nights and pregnancy fatique in our pregnancy forum.
Some pregnant moms find relief sleeping on their backs – but is it safe?
The general consensus from among experts appears to be a qualified "no." It's not the best position for your or your baby. But your body may have a way of solving the question for you: If you sleep on your back, you may wake up before long anyway. You won't have done any harm, but your body is most likely telling you that it's time to change positions.
Here's why your pregnancy sleeping position matters: As your abdomen grows throughout pregnancy, the additional weight needs somewhere to go when you're lying down. Early on in your pregnancy it might not make much of a difference – and you're often so tired you don't even pay attention to your sleeping position anyway. But as your body grows throughout your pregnancy, back-sleeping causes the full weight of your uterus to press on your spine, intestines, and major blood vessels. This additional pressure could cause digestive problems, hemorrhoids, shortness of breath, and lack of blood flow to the baby. That's why lying on your back may cause you to grow dizzy and faint or experience lower back pain.
Experts advise sleeping on your side, specifically your left side, to increase the blood flow to the placenta and your baby. If you've been accustomed to sleeping on your back or on your stomach, it's good to start training yourself early in your pregnancy to get used to side-sleeping. Before you know it, you'll be at a point when there's no other comfortable position except on your side.
That's not to say, however, that side-sleeping has to be an uncomfortable experience. Most women who have been through a pregnancy will tell you that the key is pillows, pillows, pillows. You can start with a slim pillow between your legs to keep your knees slightly apart and your hips aligned. Many moms also feel more comfortable when they have a slim pillow tucked underneath their abdomen to give it some support. Additionally, you may need a pillow tucked in behind your back to give you extra support from behind. If you're used to back-sleeping, you can lean back into your back-pillow and create a compromise position between side-sleeping and back-sleeping.
Some women swear by the all-body pillows designed for pregnant women. They often look like a giant letter "C" and allow you to curl up on your side, surrounded by pillows. But before you go out and buy one, make sure that it gives you the kind of support you need. Experiment with your regular bed pillows and you may find that you prefer your own specially designed arrangement.
If you still have problems with sleep while you are pregnant, you should make sure that you are following healthy sleep habits. Try to get some modest exercise during the day (with your doctor's approval) but not too close to bedtime. Don't drink caffeine or eat a lot of sugar in the evening. Relax your mind before bedtime with a good book, an enjoyable television show or movie, or some quiet time spent writing in a journal. And remember, no matter how uncomfortable you may feel toward the end, this time will pass, and before you know it, you will be enjoying your beautiful new baby.
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