How a pregnant woman can solve sleep problems in the first, second and third trimester. Poor sleep during pregnancy

Many girls, preparing for future motherhood, imagine the pregnancy period in a rainbow color - you can be capricious and ask for strawberries in December at night, you can attribute tearfulness to hormones and eat as much as you like. But only pregnant women know that these are all flowers. Pregnancy is a serious period for a woman's body. She constantly experiences discomfort and nausea, she is tormented by swelling of her legs and weakness, her huge belly does not allow her to walk normally. But most often women suffer from insomnia. During pregnancy, there are many provoking factors that interfere with healthy and restful sleep. In this article, you will learn about the causes of insomnia, as well as get acquainted with the main ways to eliminate it.

Why does a pregnant woman suffer from insomnia?

Sometimes a pregnant woman cannot sleep for some specific reason. But often her condition is not explained by anything specific - she is simply uncomfortable and does not want to sleep. Consider some of the factors that prevent a pregnant woman from sleeping normally.

1. In the early stages of pregnancy, a woman cannot sleep due to constant going to the toilet. The fact is that the uterus increases and puts pressure on the bladder. Even a small accumulation of urine makes you feel the urge to urinate. When you have to get up 3-5 times a night to go to the toilet, all sleep is taken away.
2. Hormones and nausea are another good reason for insomnia during pregnancy. Most often, toxicosis occurs in the morning, but it happens that nausea does not allow you to fall asleep at night.
3. In the third trimester, a woman's belly becomes impressive. Therefore, it is very difficult for a woman to find a comfortable position for sleeping. It is impossible to sleep on the stomach, on the back too - the stomach pinches a vital artery, you immediately want to roll over. And the sides have already lain down for many months so that there is no strength. The longer the period, the more difficult it is for the expectant mother to fall asleep.
4. Often a woman cannot sleep because of heartburn - the uterus presses on the stomach, causing gastric juice to be thrown into the esophagus.
5. Very often a woman cannot fall asleep due to psychological experiences - she worries about her figure, work, housing, finances and relationships with her husband. Hormones add fuel to the fire and present everything in gloomy colors.
6. Often a pregnant woman cannot sleep due to the fact that she does not have enough air. This is the lack of oxygen in the body. She wants to get up, open the window, take a deep breath of air.
7. The life of a pregnant woman is not sugar. She may also suffer from cramps in the limbs from a lack of calcium.
8. Insomnia at night can be from too much daytime sleep.
9. In the later stages, the expectant mother cannot sleep due to the fact that the baby kicks a lot. Since the baby already after the 35th week of pregnancy acquires an impressive size, even a small push can be very sensitive.
10. Women are emotionally quite impressionable, and during pregnancy this feeling intensifies several times. A plaintive kitten on the street, news from hot spots, a colorful story about childbirth, a conflict with a neighbor - all this can unsettle a pregnant woman for a long time, what a dream there is.
11. The stretching of the skin causes the abdomen and thighs to itch. And you can’t scratch the skin so that there are no stretch marks. Therefore, the poor woman has to lie down, endure and stroke her restless tummy.

This is not a complete list of reasons that prevent a pregnant woman from getting enough sleep. Each organism is individual and each expectant mother has some diseases, features and difficulties. What to do if sleep does not come? How to be a pregnant woman, because often expectant mothers have to fully go to work? Here are some tips to help you fall asleep and sleep peacefully until the morning.

Eliminate trigger factors

If a woman suffers from heartburn - stop doing it! There are many modern and absolutely safe drugs that will help you get rid of this symptom. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of taking such medications. If you have cramps, you need to eat more protein - drink a glass of milk before bed. Be sure to lubricate the skin of the abdomen with moisturizing creams after the evening shower so that it does not itch. These simple tips will help you get rid of aggravating factors and fall asleep healthy and long sleep.

How to calm down before bed

A lot of women cannot fall asleep precisely because of their thoughts, fears, experiences. Let's try to figure them out. Ask yourself why am I worried? What worries me?

There can be many answers to this question. Most often, a woman is concerned about the material side of the issue - is there enough money in the decree? Will the husband be able to provide for the whole family? There are many situations and each family tries to cope with their problems in different ways. However, many mothers can confirm that, by a lucky coincidence, after the birth of a child, an additional source of income is most often found. The husband finds a second job or is promoted, something is rented out, financial assistance comes from his parents. You can start working from home as early as a few months after giving birth. After all, it is not for nothing that people say: "God gives a child, He also gives a child."

Often, women think about the housing issue - how to fit in a small apartment if the number of family members is growing? You should not worry about this during pregnancy - the baby will be with you in the room for several more years. There is no need to worry about the relationship of the future baby with the older child (children). You will not love him less, because your heart will increase, and the amount of love in it will increase. No need to worry about relationships with your husband - a man will be immensely grateful to you, because you carry his child under your heart. Do not worry about the figure - it will come with time, after childbirth and breastfeeding, you will certainly come to your senses.

Don't worry about your career - kids will only be small once - allow yourself to retire and enjoy the sweet age of your baby. Throw away all doubts and worries. Everything that could happen has already happened. You need to relax and accept the circumstances as they are. What could be calmer and more pleasant than the realization that a small life is growing and developing inside - a part of two loving people? Having acquired peace and harmony, you will certainly be able to fall asleep in a healthy and restful sleep.

How to prepare for sleep

Here are some more tips to help you properly prepare for sleep so that in the morning you feel alert and rested.

1. The first condition is that by night you must be tired. Don't sleep during the day if you can't sleep at your usual time later. Be sure to take an evening walk - it is very useful for both you and your child. If possible, do gymnastics for pregnant women, go swimming. Any permitted physical activity will do.
2. Be sure to take a shower or a warm bath. In no case do not collect hot water in the bath - it is dangerous for pregnant women. Add some essential oils of pine needles or lavender to the water - they have a calming effect on the nervous system.
3. Be sure to ventilate the room before going to bed - a sufficient amount of oxygen is the key to a healthy sleep. If it's warm outside, leave the window ajar to let in fresh air. It is best to sleep in a cool room - the temperature should not exceed 22 degrees. It is better to put on warm pajamas and crawl under the covers than turn on the heater.
4. Be sure to pay attention to the quality of the bed. It is better to choose an orthopedic mattress - it supports the body in the right places and provides quality rest. The pillow should be low and soft. Bedding material should be natural.
5. In the later stages, use a special pillow for pregnant women. It perfectly supports the stomach and allows you to have a good rest. Subsequently, such a pillow can be used to support while feeding the child. If there is no such pillow yet, just substitute soft rollers under the stomach and between the knees.
6. Many pregnant women have pain in their sides because sleeping on their stomach and back is very difficult. You can avoid this if you do not lie down the sides during the day. Try not to read or watch TV while lying down, this will give you a feeling of relief and relaxation when you go to bed.
7. Try not to be emotionally loaded at night. Do not watch war films, horrors and melodramas, do not swear with your family, avoid everything that can upset you.
8. Don't eat a heavy meal before bed as this will lead to severe heartburn.
9. Relax yourself and calm the baby in the tummy will help calm classical music. It will help you turn off all thoughts and worries, fall asleep soundly and healthy sleep. From good music, the baby will also calm down, will not push with his legs until the morning.
10. If your back pain is keeping you awake, do a gentle massage.
11. If the child moves and cannot calm down in any way, you need to roll over to the other side, walk, get some air. Very often, the fetus in the womb is actively moving due to hypoxia. If the child's behavior does not change, be sure to tell your gynecologist about it.

You need to be very wary of various sedatives, teas and pills. Never take sleeping pills without your doctor's advice. It is better to drink milk with honey, sweet tea with lemon or ginger, warm fruit juice. Even simple herbal decoctions can be dangerous - you should not drink them without a doctor's prescription.

Pregnancy is a fertile time that nature gives to the expectant mother before a difficult period for her. Within a few months or days, your baby will be born, and you will be able to sleep anywhere and under any conditions. Yes, it just won't work. The baby will take maximum of your attention. Therefore, while the baby is still in the womb, you need to try to get enough sleep. Our tips will help you get rid of insomnia and get a healthy and quality rest.

Video: sleep during pregnancy

Unfortunately, poor sleep is a frequent companion of the first trimester. During this period, the mind and body may be at war with each other, trying to control the timing of your sleep. The body will force you to sleep when you do not want and do not plan. On the other hand, your mind may not allow you to sleep even when you are physically exhausted. The whole body is being rebuilt, preparing to become the perfect home for the little creature inside you, and this restructuring is not in the best way for well-being. What is worth only one morning sickness, which every day wakes up a little light, preventing you from feeling rested and sleeping.

There are in the first trimester and its advantages, compared with subsequent periods. You are not yet tormented by swelling and palpitations, your legs do not cramp and there is no need to ask yourself: “Can pregnant women sleep on their stomachs?”

Sleep in the second trimester of pregnancy

This period is perhaps the most comfortable time for normal sleep. The body has already rebuilt and lives in a new quality, early toxicosis has stopped, and the child inside you has not yet grown enough to cause you tangible problems.

Sleep in the third trimester of pregnancy

Insomnia in the third trimester is like training for expectant mothers for the sleepless nights ahead that childbirth will bring. prevent you from finding a comfortable position, a full bladder acts as a nightly alarm clock, and leg cramps make you periodically jump out of bed with enviable agility. Sometimes women also start snoring during the last trimester. This is normal and usually disappears after childbirth.

Getting comfortable in bed is your biggest problem right now. It seems that there is no such position in which you could feel comfortable. The only way to somehow alleviate your condition is to buy a special pillow for pregnant women, the position of which can be adjusted to fit your needs. Many pregnant women note a qualitative improvement in sleep associated with the acquisition and use of such pillows.

Did you know that poor sleep can be a consequence, which is experienced in the third trimester by 25% of pregnant women

• Regular exercise, but not just before bedtime, will help you sleep deeper.
• Try not to take food to bed, especially if heartburn is a problem for you.
• Use pillows wherever possible: between the knees, under the hips, under the head, for support.
• Let yourself rest whenever possible. Of course, this can be a daunting task if there are children at home, but try to find a way out. For example, you can take a nap on the couch while the child is playing nearby. Get family support if needed.
• Go to bed early.
• Try relaxation before bed. A warm bath or a warm glass of milk, quiet relaxing music and reading your favorite magazine, meditation and a light massage - choose the best relaxation option for you.
• If you wake up in the middle of the night or have trouble falling asleep, don't just lie around waiting for sleep to come back. Stand up for a while and read or do something effortless.
• If leg cramps wake you up at night, increase the amount of magnesium in your diet. As a rule, this helps to quickly get rid of cramps.
• Try to avoid negative emotions as well - this is a very important condition in order to have a restful sleep and a successful pregnancy.

Women in the so-called “interesting” position often suffer from sleep disorders. The reason for this can be mood swings and excessive susceptibility, pain in the back and lower back, an enlarged belly that does not make it possible to take a comfortable position for sleeping, increased activity of the baby inside, which does not allow mommy to relax and fall asleep with her pushes and movements.

All these reasons can lead to disruption of the normal sleep pattern, as a result, toxicosis is possible in late pregnancy. So what to do to avoid such a problem and how to help even out sleep patterns?

How to deal with sleep problems in the first trimester

Bad or too bright dreams associated with mental overexcitation, which do not allow expectant mothers to sleep peacefully, are the result of psychological problems. So how do you sleep in early pregnancy?

1. Introduce daytime sleep

2. Drink light tonic drinks

3. Take a contrast shower

4. Exercise

5. Learn to relax

How to solve sleep problems in the second trimester

And what can be said about sleep during this period?

1. Sign up for courses

2. Talk to loved ones or make an appointment with a psychologist

To alleviate your moral and psychological state, try talking about your disturbing dreams or thoughts to a loved one. If there is a problem with this, then it would be good to turn to a psychologist. A simple discussion of worries and a splash of accumulated emotions will, of course, bring relief (as in the case of a conversation with a sister or girlfriend), but only temporary, because the cause of their occurrence will not go anywhere. Therefore, it is important to eradicate the source of your worries.

3. Cry to mom

Try to call the object of the conversation to mutual understanding and the desire to move forward. In no case do not go on raising the tone. If, with all the efforts on your part, it seems that the conversation is not leading to anything, try to simply minimize communication with the one who is the subject of stress and frustration. Although this is a relative, but taking into account the need to endure a healthy toddler, it is much more important for you to maintain calm and a healthy atmosphere in the family.

4. Find mutual understanding with the future dad

Unfortunately, this happens and usually this leads to a cooling of feelings and distance from each other. Your man needs support no less than you yourself, because big changes in life await him, and the burden of responsibility becomes much greater.

Chat with him, find out about his emotions and thoughts, ask about possible concerns, maybe this was exactly what was not enough to improve the situation. Let the future dad feel needed, important and loved no less than your future child.

How to solve sleep problems in the third trimester

Types and causes of insomnia in the third trimester

The second type is called the inability to maintain the sleep state. With this option, the intermittent nature of sleep can be traced. Sometimes a person suffering from this form of insomnia may wake up many times during the night. Such a dream does not give the body the opportunity to get a good rest.

The third type is characterized by waking up early in the morning and not being able to fall asleep again, a variant of the problem called end-phase insomnia.

In pregnant women, the presence of starting insomnia is more often observed. A noticeably enlarged tummy, pain in the lumbar region and back in general, the need for more frequent urination even at night, and the movement of the baby inside prevent falling asleep. It can also be caused by cramps, heartburn, or an itchy stomach due to the formation of stretch marks.

Sometimes thoughts about the upcoming birth and the fear associated with it interfere with sleep. The upcoming birth process may even be a dream.

Another cause of concern may be the fear of not being a good enough mother, of doing something wrong. But these are also understandable fears. Wanting to be a really good mother to her child and give him everything he needs and even more, women sometimes become almost obsessed with these thoughts.

But despite all the fears and possible self-doubt, you should calm down and think about all the pleasant moments that await you with the advent of the baby. The way all bad and unpleasant thoughts are bypassed - this will help with due calmness, and therefore with maximum efficiency, to approach the moment of childbirth and move into a new status of mother.

What helps in the fight against insomnia in the third trimester?

Sleeping pills should not be taken during pregnancy due to its detrimental effect on the functions of the liver and kidneys, as well as the development of the fetus. Glycine can be tried as an acceptable drug.

2. Phytotherapy

If you touch on other ways to overcome fatigue, tension and relax in order to fall asleep without too much difficulty, then you can resort to the means of a natural pharmacy. Try taking tinctures of herbs such as motherwort or valerian. For dosage, please consult your doctor first. It is also worth resorting to drinking teas with the addition of mint, lemon balm, lavender, thyme, or decoctions of these herbs in their pure form instead of tea. Do not forget that teas and decoctions that you drink during pregnancy should not be concentrated.

3. Proper nutrition

Of the food products, it can be advised to include leaf lettuce, asparagus and melon (if the season is in season), blackcurrant (you can decoction of dried berries), a little honey (taking into account the allergenicity of this product, you should not get too carried away). Honey will also be good diluted in a glass of warm milk before bed (1 teaspoon). It is recommended to eat, chewing well, a piece of hard cheese shortly before going to bed. To avoid heaviness in the stomach, which will not let you sleep, try not to fill up before bedtime, keep dinner light and consist of easily digestible foods.

Ways to make pregnancy sleep more comfortable

I think you yourself understand that, given the presence of pregnancy, the body requires more attention, which should be given to rest and sleep in particular. You need proper rest both for the normal development of the unborn baby, and for your body to cope well with the loads, and also as preparation for the stressful, in terms of schedule, period coming after the birth of the crumbs. So, let's talk about ways that improve the sleep of a pregnant woman.

1. Walk before bed

2. Taking a warm bath

3. Airing and preparing the bedroom

4. Proper clothing

5. Air humidification

6. Choosing a sleeping position

If sleep is interrupted by the movements of the baby inside, try changing your position. But if that doesn't help, you'll just have to wait until he calms down. Try slowly stroking your stomach and holding a warm palm in the place where the jolts are most felt.

7. Effective ways to fall asleep again

Do something calm and pleasant that will help you relax and catch up with a slight fatigue. Read a book, flip through albums, listen to soothing music (preferably with headphones so as not to disturb anyone) - classics, lounge or just a recording with the sound of the ocean, rain, rustle of leaves.

Dear future mothers, remember that the most important thing for a good sleep is your calmness and the ability not to load your head with thoughts that lead to tension and stress. All other ways to influence relaxation and induce drowsiness will be only additional, but not a panacea. So think about the good and the pleasant. Sweet dreams to you and your future baby!

Kalinov Yury Dmitrievich

Reading time: 5 minutes

Pregnancy is a special condition of a woman, in which an enormous load is placed on the body, which means that there is an increased need for recovery. But, alas, hormonal changes provoke "strange" conditions - debilitating drowsiness during the day and annoying insomnia at night. Often, physiological and psychosomatic changes cause changes in the emotional state that are inexplicable at first glance, which are also tiring - in a few minutes from euphoria to increased anxiety and back. Thus, insomnia during early pregnancy, which affects up to 80% of women, becomes an additional source of stress and fatigue.

Sometimes it is an inexplicable sleep disorder that causes you to think about the onset of conception even before the delay.

Features of insomnia during pregnancy

Insomnia is one of the most common somnological disorders, the symptoms of which include:

• superficial (shallow) sleep;
• sleep problems;
• frequent sleep interruptions;
• unreasonably early awakening.

Faced with such manifestations of insomnia, especially in the first trimester, a pregnant woman feels a breakdown and fatigue in the morning. During the day, physical ailments (for example, toxicosis or abdominal pain) and anxiety about the baby are superimposed on the state of weakness. This means that by the evening a lot of experiences accumulate, which in turn do not allow you to fall asleep. The circle is closed. That is why the manifestations of insomnia in a pregnant woman should not be ignored.

Important! About insomnia, as a pathological condition, they speak only when the above symptoms occur at least three times a week for a month or more.

Types of insomnia

Sleep disorders are classified according to several parameters.

Types of insomnia by time of occurrence:

The body of a pregnant woman is constantly changing and at a certain time there comes a point when it is impossible to follow the old habits, for example, both in addiction to certain dishes and in a favorite position during sleep.

What are the causes of sleep problems in pregnant women?

As the fetus grows, the belly of the pregnant woman increases, and it is increasingly difficult for a woman to find such a comfortable position that could provide a good full sleep. This is perhaps the most acute and urgent problem of sleep disturbance in pregnant women.

Another common cause of sleep disturbances can be frequent urge to urinate. This is due to the fact that the kidneys of the expectant mother over time begin to work more intensively, filtering a larger volume of blood that passes through her body. This increased work of the kidneys entails an increase in the amount of urine produced.

Also, during the growth of the future baby, there is an active increase in the size of the uterus, which increases pressure on the bladder, the volume of which decreases as a result, and the woman begins to go to the toilet more often.

Sometimes, especially in the first half of pregnancy, a woman cannot sleep due to emerging breathing problems. The fact is that an increase in the total number of hormones in the body makes her breathe more often, and there is a feeling of lack of air for breathing.

In order to increase the blood circulation of the uterus and at the same time supply a sufficient amount of blood to all other organs, the pregnant woman's heart begins to work faster. In these cases, sleep disturbance is caused by increased heart rate and hard work of the heart.

To prepare for future childbirth, the body of a pregnant woman begins to produce the hormone relaxin. However, one of the consequences of its development is the possible weakening of the ligaments, leading to the appearance cramps in the calf muscles and back pain.

In a pregnant woman the digestive system slows down a little, so food often stays in the stomach and intestines for longer than usual. Such work of the digestive tract can be accompanied by heartburn and constipation which, in turn, cause sleep disturbances. Especially often this can happen in the last trimester of pregnancy, when the increased uterus begins to press heavily on the stomach and large intestine.

Very often, the causes of sleep disorders in pregnant women are psychological in nature. After all, almost every woman in anticipation of childbirth is in a pre-stress state. In principle, her feelings and sensations at this time are absolutely normal, but more vivid impressions, and sometimes nightmares that come during sleep, can cause her to be disturbed.

In the second half of pregnancy, many women begin to complain of disturbing intermittent sleep. Often this is due to the fact that it is not possible to comfortably position the body on the bed. A pregnant woman cannot find a comfortable sleeping position, because a rather voluminous and large belly interferes.

The first recommendation in this case may be a call for resignation to inconvenience and an attempt to find a new, perhaps somewhat unusual, but optimal position for sleeping. Having chosen it for yourself and getting used to it after a while, you will find a long-awaited good rest during a night's sleep.

In the event that a woman previously always slept lying on her stomach, then during pregnancy she will have to give up this habit. Sleeping in this position is unacceptable, since the pressure on the fetus will be too strong, and this can have the most unpleasant consequences for both the mother and the unborn child.

Sleeping on your back may seem the most comfortable, but even this sleeping position is not suitable for pregnant women, as it can cause pain in the back, breathing during sleep and blood circulation, leading to changes blood pressure .

During sleep in this position, a pregnant woman improves blood flow to the place where the fetus is located, the kidneys are activated, which helps to reduce the likelihood of swelling of the arms and legs. The pressure on the liver, located on the right side, is reduced, and the pelvic area and back do not hurt after sleep. Doctors say that this position is optimal for the full work of the heart.

Extra pillows needed

And yet, if a pregnant woman has not previously slept on her left side, at first it will be very difficult for her to get used to this sleeping position. At first, she may even experience quite a lot of discomfort due to a large tummy that interferes with sleep.

The best method for getting used to it faster is to use additional pillows. Therefore, prepare in advance and always keep several soft and comfortable pillows of various sizes near you during sleep. Using them while falling asleep, you can always choose the most comfortable position for yourself.

Sleep problems during pregnancy / shutterstock.com

In order to get rid of restless sleep, there are some simple, but very effective useful tips:

• Pay attention to the organization proper and timely nutrition . Never overeat. Completely eliminate caffeinated drinks from your diet. Limit, or better yet, completely refuse the use of carbonated sugary drinks. The best drink before bed during pregnancy is a glass of warm milk.
• Do not engage in intense mental activity before bedtime. Don't watch TV before bed and don't read books. If you have such an opportunity, it is best to listen to quiet, calm and pleasant music in the evening. This will help you relax and get ready for the night's rest.
• Very good effect on the body warm bath (not hot!), taken 20-30 minutes before bedtime.
• Follow the daily routine. Go to bed and wake up at the same time.
• Don't eat before bed. Between the last meal and night's rest there should be a break of at least three hours. During this time, the bulk of what you eat will have time to be digested, and your sleep will be more restful.
• Walking before going to bed in the fresh air, airing the bedroom and sleeping with an open window or window in the warm season are very useful.

Remember that your good mood and peace of mind are the key to a full and restful sleep. A good restful sleep during pregnancy is very important for both the mother herself and her unborn child.