Common Sleep Stealers During Pregnancy & How You Can Beat Them

April 15, 2015

Sleep never comes easy when you’re pregnant, and every trimester has its own sleep challenges. So while you wake up every now and then to urinate in the first trimester, the second one keeps you awake due to your growing belly and the emotional stress you undergo. Frequent nighttime urination makes a comeback in the third. Additionally your baby becomes quite big and is more active now, which makes sleeping even more difficult.

But all said and done, sleep is crucial for you as well as your baby’s overall growth and development. We take a look at some common sleep stealers during pregnancy and how you can cope with them.

Frequent Trips To The Loo
With your baby growing steadily, your uterus expands and compresses your bladder, causing the need to urinate more. Nighttime urination can be a big challenge and your frequent trips to the bathroom will leave you sleepless. Here’s what you can do:

Cut down your nighttime trips by having a lot of fluids in the day, but decreasing your liquid intake in the evening.
Caffeine, found in coffee, is a diuretic which means that it increases the amount of urine produced. Removing caffeinated beverages from your diet may be helpful.
Many women contract urinary tract infection (UTI) during the first trimester of their pregnancy. If you feel a certain discomfort when you pee along with a burning sensation it might point towards it. Speak to your doctor about it.

Growing Belly
Tossing and turning get more frequent during the final trimester. As your belly expands and your baby shifts position, you may find it difficult to find a comfortable sleep position. Here are a few tips:

Find a pillow that helps sleeping in the position of your choice. Maternity stores these days are full of body length, C-shaped, U-shaped or wedge pillows that help in supporting your growing belly and back during pregnancy.
Tucking a regular pillow between your bent knees supports your lower back and makes the recommended side-sleeping position more comfortable. You can tuck another behind your back for more comfort.
If you suffer from heartburn, use a pillow to prop your head up to keep the acid down in your stomach.

Your Baby’s Movements
As your pregnancy progresses, your baby’s movements will increase. Kicking and pushing will become a regular feature and there’s no way you can escape it. You can, however, try out these tips:

Make up for lost sleep by taking a few power naps in the day.
Listening to soft music at night will help you relax and might calm your baby, too.

The Basics of Good Sleep
There are some sleep basics that you must follow when you’re pregnant to get a good night’s sleep:

Make a sleep schedule and stick to it. Wake up and go to sleep at the same time everyday so that your body and baby get used to it.
Develop a relaxed bedtime routine. Make it a habit to do something before you hit the bed. You can read a good book, take a relaxing hot shower or just listen to soft music.
Regular exercise during pregnancy not only promotes mental and physical health, it also helps you sleep better. Dancing, walking, yoga—pick an activity that you like and do it regularly.
Experts say that having a glass of warm milk releases the sleep hormones that help you get a better night’s sleep.
Avoid spicy, rich and heavy meals at night, as this might lead to heartburn and indigestion.
There are many natural herbs that can treat insomnia and have few or no side effects. You can read more about some natural sleep remedies here.
Use relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation to get a more peaceful sleep. You can try other sleep-inducing techniques such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. Ask your doctor to recommend a good yoga practitioner.

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