Oh,sleep during pregnancy. How it is affected! And we are fully aware that when our baby is born, endless nights await us in which we will most certainly not be able to close our eyes for more than two hours at a time. That in the coming months. We know it and we accept it. It is the price to pay for bringing new life into the world.
But… are we aware that Is sleep also affected and interrupted during pregnancy? Why does this extreme tiredness and exhaustion occur in the first weeks? And what about the long-suffering insomnia that makes it difficult for us to rest lately? Keep reading! We talk about all this throughout the following lines.
I fall asleep in the corners!
Whenever I delve into topics like this, I think… how incredible a woman’s body is! How can it be that out of nothing I am able to form a life?
Did you know that before making the pregnancy test One of the first symptoms that makes you doubt whether or not you are pregnant is urgent need to sleep during the first weeks? Well yes. Even the most energetic woman falls asleep “in the corners,” even finding it difficult to finish an episode of her favorite series.
And how not to do it? Yeah your body is using up all the energy and making a great effort to train your baby and the place where he will stay for 9 months! Your body has to work much harder than under normal conditions to promote all the physical changes of pregnancy.
Why am I so sleepy in the first trimester of pregnancy?
During the development of the fetus in first trimester of pregnancy you will suffer from excessive sleep or what is the same, you will have the constant feeling of sleep during the day, known ashypersomnia and it is due to the physiological, hormonal and metabolic changes. It acts as a defense of the body that helps you carry your pregnancy forward.For all this to be possible, the levels ofestrogen (female sex hormone) andprogesterone(known as the “relaxing hormone”) increase, causing weakness and drowsiness throughout the day. Added to this is that during pregnancy blood pressure and blood sugar level decrease, which can lead to a state of fatigue.
Sleep disorders during pregnancy
In these nine months you will have a series of symptoms (of course normal) that could affect the quantity and quality of sleep during pregnancy: nausea and vomiting, physical discomfort, cramps, burning, difficulty breathing, need to urinate frequently,…
Without underestimating the stress and emotional changes that this vital change entails that is accompanied by the fears in pregnancythat vary as you progress through the three trimesters (anxiety about being a mother or expanding the family, fear of the unknown, fear of pain in childbirth,…).
First and second trimester of pregnancy
As we said above, in the first trimester of pregnancy you may sufferfluctuations between great daily fatigue that will make you need to take naps and nighttime insomnia. What is the good news? what with the development of the fetus in the second trimester sleep will be much better since You will have more energy during the day, less need to take naps and you will rest more at night. There’s a reason this quarter is known as the happy quarter!
Third trimester of pregnancy
But… sleep in the third trimester of pregnancy changes, giving way to the dreadedinsomnia. Does it happen only to you? Not at all. A large percentage of mothers complain of this sleep problem in the last months of pregnancy. And it is within normality since the aches and pains in the back are greater, there is an increase in the need to urinate, you may suffer from leg cramps and a long etcetera.Don’t worry, these are signs that everything is in order. Here you can read more about development of the fetus in the third trimester.
How to have quality sleep during pregnancy?
If having sleep-related problems is harmful for everyone, how much more so for you who are pregnant. Some of therecommendations What you should keep in mind to sleep well during pregnancy are the following.
Take care of your posture
Just as for the first trimester of pregnancy, the ideal sleeping position will be the one that is most comfortable for you, as you gain weight you will realize that there will be positions in which you do not feel particularly comfortable.
The most recommended position is to your left side. This sleeping position during pregnancy improves blood flow by increasing the amount of nutrients that reach the placenta. It also reduces pressure on the liver and reduces the risk of stillbirth.You can try putting a pillow or cushion lactationbetween your legs or under your stomach that serves as support.
Prioritize food
Does that mean you have to reduce your calorie and nutrient intake? No, under no circumstances. But yes you must do theeating more spaced out and more frequently. At the same time it is convenient advance dinner time to avoid possible heavy digestion and burning that make it difficult to fall asleep.
And to not go to the bathroom so many times and be able to rest better? Reduce the amount of liquid at night (drink better throughout the day). If you want to know more, we recommend that you read our article nutrition in pregnancy.
Sleep hygiene
Whenever I talk about this I affirm that… the bed is made only for sleeping! Let me explain. Apart from having a dim light and comfortable space and calm that facilitates sleep we must know that This space is only intended for rest and not for leisure or work.(no electronic devices, eating in bed, etc.). Procure go to bed and wake up at the same time and try to follow some routines that relax and deactivate you (for example, a relaxing shower, a glass of hot milk with honey and… off to bed!)
What if I can’t sleep? In that case, get up, change your space and start doing any type of activity that you like: start reading, listen to some music, write what you think and what you feel at that moment to vent in some way,… and only when you notice that sleep is starting to overcome you, go back to bed.Good sleep hygiene will help you take care of your emotional health in pregnancy, torest and feel better.
It’s brave ask for help and say “I can’t.”Sleeping and resting is not a luxury that you can or cannot afford,but a necessity that you have to assume. Now more than ever, having the support of your partner, your family, your friends and the professionals who manage your pregnancy is essential. Delegate responsibilities and rely on all of them. Lean on SingularMom, we want to help you!
With our childbirth preparation classes We not only take care of your pelvic floor and your physical condition but we also care about your emotional state since we make your concerns ours. Remember that if you want your baby to be well, you have to be well too.
