A woman expecting a baby involuntarily begins to worry about many things. And others, unfortunately, only add unnecessary worries. Pregnancy is still associated with all kinds of speculation and superstition. Unhappy future mother can not do anything - to sew, knit, pet a cat, sleep on his stomach. And if some restrictions are really idle fiction, then a posture for sleep can make a difference. How to sleep during pregnancy , how many hours should be given to rest, on which mattress is the best to lie? Can I sleep near the window? We will deal with the issue in detail.
Pregnant sleep
Sleep disturbances in the expectant mother fit into the framework of the norm. The body is rebuilt, the hormonal background changes, periods of intense activity are replaced by periods of apathy and even depression. However, drowsiness can be considered more preferable than insomnia. Increased need for sleep is absolutely normal for a pregnant woman. Her body prepares for solid waste of energy, builds up strength.
Being interested in how to sleep correctly during pregnancy, the expectant mother can be very hard on herself. A woman often forgets that it is much more important to have a good rest than to bring herself to exhaustion in an attempt to foresee everything. The body will certainly give a signal about the wrong sleep position. Therefore, instead of obsessive attempts to do everything perfectly, it’s better to walk along the street once again. In addition, it contributes to a strong restorative sleep.
What pose should you not sleep in?
I would like to immediately note that in the first trimester of pregnancy you can sleep in any pose familiar to a woman. This will not cause any negative manifestations. Even if you want to sleep on your stomach, in the early stages of pregnancy there are no contraindications to this. Unpleasant sensations can be triggered by swelling of the mammary glands. In many women, they begin to increase literally in the first weeks after conception. If sleeping on the stomach causes unpleasant pain in the mammary glands, you will have to change the habit and change the pose.
If I consider the idle advisers to be an authoritative source of knowledge and ask them how to sleep properly during pregnancy, then surprising things will turn out. They will certainly say that you can’t sleep on your stomach - you will crush the baby. They are also not advised to lie on their backs - the child will experience oxygen starvation. On the right side - the liver will suffer, and if on the left - the heart. It remains only to sleep while standing, or even abandon this bad habit. In fact, everything is not so scary.
Can I sleep on my stomach during pregnancy?
If you recently learned that a baby should appear in the family, and your figure has not yet changed, then there is no reason to change your habits. However, closer to the second trimester, even if the tummy is not rounded, it becomes difficult to lie on the stomach. This is largely due to the fact that the poured chest simply prevents comfortable sitting .
Why is it so uncomfortable to sleep on my stomach during pregnancy? In addition to the child, there is also amniotic fluid in the uterus. Such an impressive volume presses on the internal organs, which are somewhat displaced. If you try to lie on your stomach, the weight of your own body will be added to the pressure. And this is really harmful for both the child and the mother. I want to reassure everyone who is worried. A pregnant woman often says that she wants to sleep on her stomach. But this does not mean that she will immediately do it. Most likely, she is just tired and dreams of a time when she can sleep peacefully in a comfortable position.
Sleep on the back
Can I sleep on my back during pregnancy, if you can’t lie on your stomach? This largely depends on the size of the fetus. A small tummy is unlikely to interfere. But it is worth remembering that a heavy uterus in this position will put pressure on the intestines and other internal organs, it can even squeeze the vena cava that runs along the spine. If you want to lie on your back, then in this position you can relax no more than twenty minutes. However, for sleep it would be better to turn to one side. This is the safest and most comfortable position for a night's rest, especially in recent weeks.
On which side to sleep during pregnancy?
If you lie on your right side, you may feel significant discomfort in the liver. If you consider that due to pregnancy all the internal organs are in a somewhat biased position, then the usual inconvenience can turn into a painful state. If you turn to your left side, cardiologists will begin to condemn you together. The heart already carries a double load, providing blood flow not only to the mother, but also to the child. What to do?
In fact, only the woman herself can determine which side to sleep on during pregnancy. This is the safest pose for the baby, but which side to choose, this is actually not such a significant issue. Observations of sleeping pregnant girls showed that during the night they turn several times and sleep alternately on each side and even a little on their backs.
Signs of the wrong posture
How to understand that you are lying on your back in the wrong position? The main indicator is in the stomach of a pregnant woman. If the baby feels discomfort, he begins to move restlessly. It’s almost impossible to sleep, so you have to wake up to change your pose. If you fell asleep on your back, and the vena cava was really squeezed under the weight of the abdomen, the blood supply to the fetus is disrupted. The baby reacts to this with irritated movements, giving, again, a signal to the mother. When you wake up, you can feel your legs go numb, as if you were walking for a long time. These are the consequences of impaired blood supply. If this happened, then you can conclude how to sleep correctly during pregnancy - you just have to doze lying on your side.
Pillows for a comfortable sleep
If you can’t even get on your side, your stomach irritates you, and your lower back pulls and hurts, this can be corrected by forming a comfortable bed of pillows. Of course, an orthopedic mattress is a wonderful thing, but the physique of a pregnant woman makes its own adjustments. You can put a flat pillow under the stomach in a lying position on its side, an extra - under the elbow. Sometimes, for convenience, a small roller located under the knee of the leg that is on top is enough. A similar soft accessory under the lower back will even allow you to sleep on your back during pregnancy, but not for a very long time. Of course, the best option is a special pillow for pregnant women, made in the form of an elongated horseshoe. It allows you to form a kind of case around the body, which helps to completely relax.
Special corset for pregnant women
What to do if you cannot find a comfortable position, sleep does not bring relief, the whole body aches? If you can’t even sleep on your side during pregnancy, you can purchase a special corset or bandage. This orthopedic product must be selected strictly in size in a specialized pharmacy. The seller will show how to put it on and adjust the volume.
The bandage takes on part of the weight, evenly distributes the weight. Therefore, muscles become less tired during the day, it becomes easier to walk, sit down and stand up. As a result, by the evening you will be less tired and you can relax. You can sleep in such a corset, it will gently support the stomach, so the rest will turn out to be full. Take care of your sleep! It helps to restore strength, tidies up nerves. For a pregnant woman, this is very important, so do not deprive yourself of comfort.