How to get the best sleep during pregnancy

The National Sleep Foundation has outlined several common sleep changes that may occur during each trimester. These include constant waking, owing to the need to use the bathroom; increased sleepiness during the day; and sleep disruptions that are caused by emotional and physical stress. However, there are a few guidelines to follow which could leave you sleeping soundly and comfortably all night long. I recently found some good tips for just this on www.all4baby.co.za.

Ordered to bed

To prevent certain complications in pregnancy there are times when your doctor might prescribe bed rest for a few days or weeks. While the thought of this might seem welcoming at first, in reality it poses its own challenges, and could even be quite tiring on your body.

In these cases the best position would be to rest on your left side and alternate from side to side as you get sore. It is sometimes comfortable to rest with your hips and knees bent, but use a pillow between your knees in order to relieve the stress on your back and keep your hips aligned.

Remember that in these cases a firm mattress and bed should be used to support the body and stop it from sinking into the mattress.

What type of bed should be selected during pregnancy?

When selecting the right type of bed for your pregnancy keep in mind that an adjustable bed may be quite beneficial in the long run. These are good for back pain as you will be able to adjust the bed to comfortably suit the needs of your body. In addition to this, adjustable beds are good to use during breastfeeding as they will enable you to adjust the angle of your head and legs, thereby preventing strain to the neck and back.

If adjustable beds aren’t for you, then try sleeping on a king sized bed before and after your pregnancy. During your pregnancy you will have enough room to space yourself out according to the needs of your body. Once your baby is a year old or no longer at risk for SIDS a king sized bed will also provide you with enough room for him or her to sleep soundly beside you.

Mattress and more

Selecting the right mattress for the duration of your pregnancy is almost as important as your pregnancy diet. We all know how important it is to cherish your sleep before the arrival of your precious baby. As such, it’s best to choose a firm mattress that will support your body, minimise partner disturbance and eliminate high pressure spots.

A good buy would be a Latex Mattress as according to local mattress experts, the Bed King, latex mattress have many benefits that could benefit pregnant women including good ventilation, as well as hypoallergenic and antibacterial properties. A point to remember when selecting a mattress is be careful to stay away from memory foam mattresses as it is said that they give off gases that are harmful. However, there isn’t much clear evidence to support this so if you do decide to choose a memory foam mattress then be certain to do some in-depth research prior to your purchase.

Once you have selected the right bed and mattress for pregnancy, then you may want to buy some additional pillows which you might need in the third trimester. Try using a full-length body pillow and then a few smaller pillows for a bit of extra support. You can use pillows under your head and arms, under your back, or between your stomach and the bed. At the end of the day the choice is yours and your comfort, or lack thereof, will tell you what your body needs.

If this doesn’t work then try the following tips

• If you are still struggling to sleep after changing your mattress, then try trickling a few drops of lavender oil onto your pillow before you sleep. The oil will assist in easing insomnia and anxiety, whilst leaving you feeling fully energised the next day.
• Another way to ensure that you get a long night’s rest is to go to bed an hour prior to your usual bedtime and read or meditate to relax your mind.
• In addition to this, try to avoid drinking liquids after 6:00pm. This will decrease the need to rush off to the bathroom during the night.