Complicated nights are what make the third trimester of pregnancy so tricky. Lack of comfort, cramps, aches and pains, a tummy that's impossible to settle or a baby who's restless at nightfall, finding the right position for sleeping while pregnant can sometimes be mission impossible, or almost. Fortunately, millennia of tired expectant mothers have seen the emergence of several comfortable positions for sleeping while pregnant: Elhée presents them to you!
CONTENTS
- Pregnancy and sleep: a bedtime story
- The best position for sleeping while pregnant: lying on your left side
- Two positions to avoid for better sleep while waiting for baby
- Raising your legs at night: useful or not during pregnancy?
- 3 must-have items to save 3rd-trimester nights... and others!
- 7 unbeatable tips to help you sleep better
Pregnancy and sleep: a bedtime story
The urge to pee all the time, headaches, stomach cramps, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), aching legs and back, cramps, childbirth anxiety, nightmares or fetal movements... Insomnia and pregnancy seem intimately and logically linked. Add to this the impact of hormonal changes and your partner's wake-up calls, and you've got yourself a difficult, even very difficult night's sleep.
"Sleep while you can," seems an unfair injunction to those who would like to sleep but can't.
The best position for sleeping while pregnant: lying on your left side
As soon as your belly starts to protrude, the best (and sometimes only) sleeping position is often on your side, supported by an army of pillows, a bolster or a pregnancy pillow, with your legs slightly bent.
The best part? Slip a pillow under your belly and another between your legs to maintain a comfortable position and feel good (the pregnancy pillow is an all-in-one ally if you want to avoid a profusion of pillows).
Ideally, sleep on your left side to improve blood circulation and breathing. As long as you feel comfortable, adopt this position without counting the cost, even if it means taking up all the space in bed or on the sofa.
Are you wondering? Sleeping on your stomach is another safe option. If you find the position comfortable, don't deprive yourself. Your baby is perfectly protected by the amniotic fluid and doesn't risk being crushed.
Two positions to avoid for better sleep while waiting for baby
The contraindication is not absolute, but is the same in both cases. When pregnant, it is advisable to avoid any pressure on the vena cava.
Doctors, midwives and gynecologists therefore advise pregnant women - especially in the third trimester, when the belly becomes heavy - toavoid sleeping on the right side. As the vena cava is located on the right side, there is a risk of excessive compression, which can lead to discomfort known as "cave syndrome" or the "poseiro effect".
The vena cava is a large vein that brings blood from the lower part of the body back to the heart. It lies slightly on the right side, in front of the spinal column. In the event of pregnancy, the vena cava is therefore "wedged" between the spinal column and the mother-to-be's uterus.
Sleeping on your back can have the same effect, as the weight of the baby, the uterus, the amniotic fluid... this time, is above the vena cava.
If you feel unwell, have difficulty breathing, feel dizzy or lightheaded when lying on your back or side, don't panic! Simply turn gently onto your left side to re-establish good blood circulation, and you'll soon feel better.
Raising your legs at night: useful or not during pregnancy?
As with everything else in pregnancy, it's up to you to decide whether raising your legs in bed helps you sleep better at night. In fact, a slightly higher position of the lower body promotes better blood circulation and brings relief if you suffer from cramps or heavy legs.
To do this properly, slide a cushion directly under the mattress to create an entire elevated zone, which you'll enjoy even as you move around.
What about raising the head?
In fact, if no other position suits you, if you feel nauseous or if you suffer from reflux, the main thing is to find a compromise with the semi-recumbent position.
Because your comfort comes first, use your headboard to prop up large pillows and sink into them. pillows to sink into, or why not opt for a reading cushion?. They'll enable you to adopt a semi-seated position capable of relieving you.
Not using a headboard or reading pillow? Place your pregnancy pillow behind your neck to find the best possible position.
3 must-have items to save 3rd-trimester nights... and others!
- The pregnancy pillow is undoubtedly the accessory of choice if you have to choose just one. While it's true that it's bulky, it's precisely its volume that allows you to snuggle up comfortably at night. With your head resting on one end, the cushion alongside your body to cradle and support your belly, and the other end tucked between your legs, you'll feel like you're in a cocoon. What's more, after the birth, the pregnancy cushion becomes a nursing cushion that you can also use to comfortably feed your baby. So don't hesitate to choose a good-quality, attractive cushion with removable covers for easy washing.
- The reading pillow can help you find the right position for sleeping while pregnant, before accompanying your insomnia and your best reading moments. Less practical than the nursing pillow and just as cumbersome, choose it if the semi-recumbent position is the only one you can tolerate and if, of course, you have the soul of a passionate reader. In a few months' time, you'll be able to use it with your child, to read the first bedtime stories.
- A maternity pyjamas comfortable and practical, made from soft cotton with an elasticated waistband that won't mark and enough room to let your belly blossom, are also a good asset for more peaceful nights. You can choose it with or without a bandeau for better support, and with or without a nursing system, so you can continue wearing it once baby's born.
7 unbeatable tips to help you sleep better
- In the evening, eat a light, easily digestible meal.
- As far as possible, avoid coffee and tea, which are excitants. They contain caffeine and theine.
- Drink herbal teas! Good hydration promotes healthy bowel movements, and minimizes the risk of urinary tract infections, water retention and nausea. Herbal teas are your allies during pregnancy and even afterwards. For better sleep, consider herbal teas made from vervain, lime blossom, lemon balm or orange blossom, which are absolutely safe.
- Go to bed and get up at regular times - whenever possible - to promote a regular sleep cycle.
- Treat yourself to the pleasure of sleeping in a fresh, well-ventilated and tidy room, for a soothing night's sleep.
- Create a soft, soothing bedtimeplaylist that you'll want to listen to. Piano, ballads, lullabies, white noise... indulge yourself and, to make the most of it, treat yourself to headphones or a music station with sound worthy of the finest auditorium.
- Discover acupuncture. Acupuncture can help you with sleep disorders. It can also help you prepare for childbirth.
To sum up: sleeping better when pregnant means, above all, sleeping on your left side, comfortably installed with a pregnancy pillow, treating yourself to comfortable pyjamas, eating light in the evening and drinking herbal teas. Now it's your turn! Tell us what works best for you!
