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Sleeping During Pregnancy

Every couple, when expecting a babycan expect sleepless nights. However, not every woman knows about pregnancy insomnia during the pregnancy itself.

You may hope to get plenty of sleep just before your baby arrives. Every couple expecting a baby knows that it is very difficult to sleep well when they have a newborn.

Pregnant women experience pregnancy insomnia both because of the physical and emotional discomfort. The growing belly changes a woman's body, as it causes physical discomfort.

At the same time, the growing baby can play a role in feeling anxious and worried. You worry about the baby's health and growing progress being developed.

Women can start feeling worried and find it hard to fall asleep at night. Carl Nierenberg suggests that women should take the same approach as 'eating for two' for sleeping.

We will discuss the reasons why women feel restless during their pregnancy, what are the best positions to sleep when expecting a baby and great tips how to improve your sleep quality.

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When you start showing pregnancy

There are many symptoms that women may experience in their early pregnancy. Some get a lot of these symptoms and others don't, as every body is different. You shouldn't worry too much about having or not certain symptoms, as your body is experiencing something very out of the usual.

But, before we move into the phase when it's already clear that someone's pregnant, let's talk about early pregnancy.

In the first few weeks, women may feel very confused and paranoid about expecting a baby, as they are not sure if that is the case.

To get an accurate result from a pregnancy test, you should wait until the day after your period was supposed to come. If you are unsure about the exact date, it is recommended to wait at least 21 days after you last had unprotected sex. This way, the chances of getting a false positive pregnancy test or a false negative pregnancy test are lower.

In addition, even if you do bleed at a certain point, it is highly relevant to understand what type of bleeding it is, as it can be impantation bleeding.

Implantation bleeding

You might experience implantation bleeding and even implantation cramps when pregnant.

This concept repeats itself by a small amount of light spotting or bleeding. It typically occurs about 10 to 14 days after conception. It is common, and it usually isn't a sign of a problem. This happens when the fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus.

Implantation cramps may feel the same as period cramps and that is a common reason why some women often think they are not pregnant.

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Pregnancy symptoms

3 months pregnant

At this stage of the pregnancy, it is common to feel:

  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Constipation, gas, and heartburn.
  • Breast changes such as swelling, itching, and darkening of the nipples.
  • Fatigue.
  • Dizziness and headaches.

5 months pregnant

Apart from the previous, you may also experience:

  • Heartburn
  • Leg cramps and/or varicose veins
  • Swollen feet and ankles
  • Constipation
  • Increased dizziness

7 months pregnant

  • Sciatica
  • Pelvic pain.
  • Braxton Hicks Contractions.

Reasons For Lack Of Sleep During Pregnancy

As your baby is growing, you might have trouble staying asleep. You can't fall asleep because of the aching back, full bladder and teeming fears and anxieties about your baby.

The following are few common reasons why women experience pregnancy insomnia and have troubles staying asleep.

Constant Need To Urinate

This is mainly due to blood flow to the pregnant women's kidneys.

The blood flow in a pregnant woman's kidneys increases by up to 35 to 60%. Therefore, pregnant women's kidneys grow about 1 to 1.5 centimeters through the pregnancy. The extra blood flow in your kidneys produces up to 25% more urine.

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Leg Cramps And Back Pain

Pains and aches in legs and back are complete normal in pregnant woman's body. Because of the growing baby, you start feeling cramps in your legs, thighs and feet.

The exact reasons why pregnant women experience back pain are unknown. However, it is suspected that the extra weight that pregnant women are carrying causes this discomfort.

The other reasons for a back pain during pregnancy can be posture changes. Also muscle separation, hormone changes or psychological stress.

Shortness Of Breath


If you feel shortness of breath and experiencing trouble staying asleep, you shouldn't worry. Your body is naturally taking care of it.

In order to balance your shortness of breath, your body increases hormones, so called progesterone. It directly affects your lungs and stimulates the respiratory center of your brain.

The number of breaths you take per minute does not change. However, the amount of air you inhale and exhale changes significantly.

Feeling short in breath especially affects the first half of the pregnancy. Later on, it normalizes and you will get used to it.

You feel short in breath because your uterus puts more pressure on the muscles just below your lungs. It is also known as diaphragm. It also can be aggravated by the pre-existing conditions. Conditions such as asthma, anemia or high blood pressure.

Constipation or Stomach Cramps

This happens primarily because of the increased hormones in your body. It produces progesterone which relaxes and reduces the muscles of the intestinal wall and the stomach.

It therefore slows down your digestion and increases your blood volume. Also, the growth of the uterus makes it worse due to the pressure against the stomach or the large intestine.

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5 natural remedies for insomnia during pregnancy

Now, it is time to overlook the remedies of those physical symptoms that may help you to overcome pregnancy insomnia or ease up your day-to-day life.

Constant Need To Urinate

Unfortunately, there is no way around this issue. It will gradually get better, but embrace this experience and don't restrict the fluids in your body.

It is extremely important for you and your growing baby to stay hydrated. It is suggested to drink around 6 to 8 glasses of fluids every single day. Drinking enough water will make sure that you maintain healthy pregnancy and feeling good during the process.

A great remedy is to increase the fluid intake during the day time and cut it down before going to bed. You may want to save 3 to 2 hours before going to bed drinking too much of the liquids that may have effects on pregnancy insomnia.


Leg Cramps And Back Pain

If the part of your pregnancy insomnia is legs cramps or back pain, you may want to practice a stretching routine before the bedtime.

The best way to do so is by stretching your legs and toes towards you. If your belly is already too big and you find it difficult. You can ask your partner to help you with it.

If you find yourself sitting and resting a lot, you may want to stand up and go for a walk more often. This can relieve some tension in your legs and therefore minimize the cramps.

Another way to relieve the tension in your legs and back is by going for a massage. You can do it by asking your partner to help you with it, or simply having a professional massage time.

Diet can also make a difference. It is believed that nutritions such as potassium, calcium or phosphorus supplements can relieve the cramping. However, you may consult with your obstetrician before taking any of it.

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Shortness Of Breath

If you experience pregnancy insomnia due to shortness of breath, you may like to follow these tips for relief:

  • Take Things a Bit More Slowly
  • Use Extra Pillows In Your Bed
  • Sit Up Straight And Keep Your Shoulders Back
  • Try To Be Patient

Using a good pillow will make a significant difference in your sleep. Vita Talalay Natural Latex mattresses are pure natural, hypo-allergenic and dust mite resistant. Other bedding products such as latex toppers and latex pillows can also help you during this difficult time.

Best Positions To Sleep In Order To Fight Pregnancy Insomnia

The best position to sleep is so known 'SOS'. SOS stands for sleeping on the side.

Sleeping on your left side will increase the amount of blood and nutrients that reach the placenta and your baby.

The best way to do so is by keeping your knees and legs bent and putting a pillow in the middle between your legs. The best positions of fighting pregnancy insomnia also include knowing how to sleep on your back.

When you are sleeping on your back while pregnant with belly-up, your uterus can compress a major blood vessel, called the vena cava. It can disrupt the blood flow to your baby and leave your dizzy and short of breath.

To summarize,

Pregnancy can be hard and it is very important for a women to be checked regularly by her obstetrician and make sure the baby is healthy. Sleepless nights are common, but don't be demotivated because of it, it will al compensate at the end.

Try to implement some of our tips and you might get a little bit of rest for yourself and your baby.

Discover the benefits of Vita Talalay's natural latex and how it can help you get the rest that your body needs... Read More

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