Sleep During Pregnancy

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Many expectant parents know how hard it might be to get a good night's sleep in the months that follow the birth of their child, but who would have guessed that catching some ZZZs during pregnancy would prove to be so difficult?

Many believe that the sleep problems suffered during pregnancy are simply a way of your body preparing you for the lack of sleep you are likely to experience for the first few weeks after your baby is born. However, this rationalisation doesn't provide much comfort when you find yourself wide awake at three in the morning for the fourth night in a row!

• the frequent urge to urinate: Your kidneys are working harder to filter the increased volume of blood (30% to 50% more than you had before pregnancy) moving through your body, and this filtering process results in more urine. Also, as your baby grows and the uterus gets bigger, the pressure on your bladder increases. This means more trips to the bathroom, day and night. The number of nighttime trips may be greater if your baby is particularly active at night.
• Later in the pregnancy, don't sleep on your back for long periods. Try sleeping on your left side for better blood flow.
• If you have cramps in your legs, pressing the feet hard against the wall or standing up on the cramped leg will help ease the discomfort. Lack of calcium can make cramps worse, so it's important to get enough calcium through milk products, for example.
• The best resting position when pregnant is to lie on your side with your knees bent. This makes the heart's job easier because it stops the weight of the baby applying pressure to your large veins, which carry the blood back to the heart. It is also much better for your lower back to lie on your side.
• Just as you will establish a bedtime routine for your newborn once he or she arrives, a relaxing bedtime routine will also help you to drop off. You should try to go to bed at approximately the same time each night so that your body begins to expect sleep. Additionally, taking a bath, having a warm milky drink or simply putting your feet up for half an hour before you go to bed will help you to wind down and hopefully make sleep come easier.
• Taking some gentle exercise during the day will improve blood flow, make you feel more relaxed and may help you to enjoy a deeper sleep. Yoga is a good option especially as the relaxation techniques learned can be used to wind your mind down after a busy day. However, although it sounds cliched, a brisk walk in the fresh air will do wanders too. It is important to consult your doctor before trying any new type of physical exercise during pregnancy.
• Many women suffer from vivid dreams or nightmares during pregnancy. You should not worry about the content of the dreams as they are simply thought to be a manifestation of the great physical, emotional and cognitive changes your body undergoes during pregnancy and therefore have little meaning outside of your dream world. Additionally, the broken sleep experienced during pregnancy means that you are more likely to remember the content of your dreams than usual. However if you are concerned or worried by your dreams, talking with a partner or friend may help to put them into perspective.