Pregnancy can give you sleepless nights. We are not scaring moms out there—certain discomforts are natural. If you are the mom who wakes up well before the alarm clock because her baby is kicking in the middle of the night, you are not alone. Here are some reasons for your sleepless nights, which you could relate to. Know how to deal with them and get sufficient sleep for yourself.
1. Heartburns Don’t Let You Sleep
Heartburns stay with you during the first trimester, occurring early morning after you get up or late night when you are about to retire to bed.
How To Cope With It
- Have smaller but frequent meals.
- Eat slowly—avoid gulping down the food with water.
- Having an early dinner and sleeping two hours after a meal can help.
- Don’t lie down immediately after having food.
- Sleeping on the left side with an elevated head and chest can prevent heartburn.
2. The Frequent Urge To Pee
As your pregnancy proceeds, you will discover the need to pee many times in the night. To clean the extra blood your kidneys are working double time now. With the third trimester, your baby’s weight will put more pressure on the bladder, letting you from having a good sleep at night.
How To Cope With It
- Keep drinking water—don’t lower your water intake, thinking it will reduce your trips to the bathroom.
- Think of ways in which you can quickly fall back to sleep.
- Use a dim light or night light in the bathroom—a bright light might stimulate you to wake up completely.
3. Ninja Of The Night
Your baby’s movements and kicks could become active during the night. Some kicks may shake you up from a deep sleep—you could only wonder why your baby is all up and active when all you want is a peaceful sleep.
How To Cope With It
Babies kicking at odd hours won’t mean they will be awake all night even after birth. There isn’t anything you can do about it—however, you can try to support your belly with pillows—stay relaxed and try enjoying your baby’s little knocks on the belly wall.
4. Snoring And Blocked Nose
Pregnancy weight and swollen nasal passage can contribute to snoring. Chances are you would be jamming with your partner at night if he is a snorer too.
How To Cope With It
- A saline nasal spray or nasal drops could help clear the blockage.
- Consult your health expert for other options—using a nasal strip could also ease breathing.
5. Feeling Uncomfortable In The Bed
Sleeping could itself be a problem—maintaining proper posture could concern you. Many moms fear of sleeping on their tummy by mistake. It is advised to sleep on the left side for an uninterrupted blood flow to the placenta. However, sleeping in the same position throughout the night could be tiring.
How To Cope With It
- Develop a habit of sleeping on your left side from early days of your pregnancy.
- Use lots of pillows to support your belly and back—keep one or two between your legs when sleeping on your side.
- Pregnancy pillows are a good choice for mothers in late trimesters. Find out more about them here.
- Even if you found yourself sleeping on your right side, don’t worry—slowly turn on your left side and continue sleeping.
6. Leg Cramps And Restless Leg Syndrome
That aching stretch can catch you in mid-sleep and make you wake up with wincing pain. Forget sleep, you could be clenching your leg muscles—waiting desperately for it to get over—that’s called a leg cramp.
Some women even feel a tingling or crawling sensation in their legs. You might feel like moving them uncontrollably to get rid of this strange feeling. This sensation is often referred to Restless Leg Syndrome and can be a sign of iron deficiency.
How To Cope With It
- To get away with leg cramps drink lots of water throughout the day. Do little stretching before the bedtime.
- Keep your iron levels up by including iron-rich foods in your diet.
- Some foods that are high caffeine can also trigger the tingling sensation—cut down on them to see if it makes any difference.
7. Motherhood Makes You Think More
You can’t sleep because you are worried about a hundred things—the maternity leave, baby shopping, the appointment with the gynecologist next day, new maternity clothes because the ones you bought last month don’t fit anymore. Thinking endlessly could make you restless and hinder your sleep.
How To Cope With It
Moms, relax. Nothing is more important than giving your body and mind some well-deserved rest.
- Before sleeping, take a warm bath or read a book. Even listening to soft music would soothe your mind.
- Keep away from gadgets at night—even if you have switched off the lights your laptop or phone won’t let you sleep.
Moms experience many issues having a good night’s sleep during pregnancy, especially during the last trimester. Make sure you take naps during the daytime if you don’t get enough sleep at night.