SLEEP IN PREGNANCY, TIPS TO GET IT

Sleeping well during pregnancy can be difficult, especially in the last trimester, in which the size of our gut is one of the many discomforts that interrupt our sleep. Rest at this time is important to arrive with strength to childbirth and postpartum, but it is not always possible to find the right and most comfortable posture that facilitates rest.

There are some recommendations and tricks that can help us rest better in the third trimester, in which backaches, legs, our concerns about childbirth and baby or movements that we feel inside us prevent it.

On the side, on the left side

Finding a good posture to sleep the maximum hours is basic and for this we can use many cushions to rest a little. There are women who cannot be on their backs because they find it annoying and even dizzy: in this position all the weight of the uterus falls on the back, intestines and inferior vena cava. This can intensify back pain, as well as digestive difficulties, constipation or hemorrhoids.

Get on our side, on the left side of our body and with the legs flexed, is the most comfortable and recommended posture. This position is also very beneficial because it reduces swelling and fluid retention, preventing the weight of the fetus from exerting pressure on the internal organs and blood vessels.

Place a cushion between our knees It will help us to align the back and avoid hip pain, as well as possible discomfort or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. If our back still hurts, we can place more cushions or cushions behind, as support.

Third-quarter lumbar pain may Avoid during the day using a belt like the Chicco pregnancy girdle band, which holds our back and pelvis while standing, subtracting some weight to the gut and helping us cope better with the day. Thanks to this belt we can get much more relaxed at night and get a better sleep.

Other nighttime inconvenience

If what bothers us most during the night is the desire to go to the bathroom, we must avoid drinking a lot of liquid before bedtime It is normal to feel that urge to urinate when our baby is pressing the bladder.

Other mothers complain about heartburn in the final stretch of pregnancy, something that can also cause difficulties in finding the ideal posture. Therefore, it is better for dinner to be light, and it is recommended not to go to bed immediately after eating. The posture a little built into the bed we talked about before (or even trying to sleep in a wingchair) can avoid the uncomfortable reflux.

On the other hand, having a bottle near water on the table will help us fall asleep on very hot nights. For this, it is also important keep the room at a suitable temperature, more taking into account that sleeping surrounded by so many cushions can give us a greater sensation of heat.

Sometimes, it is the cramps in the legs or the feeling that the ball goes up to us that interrupts our sleep. To avoid this there is a trick that can help us, eat a banana before bed (contains a lot of potassium, which is beneficial for the muscles) or massage our legs to relax our legs and improve circulation. Taking a good bath before going to sleep will also help us to eliminate the muscular tensions of the day.

Further, keep your legs up for a while before going to bed we will help you fall asleep better, as well as do some simple exercise on the pilates ball to mobilize our pelvis and back: sitting on it to make circles with the hip in both directions and movements in the form of 'eight' we will be able to eliminate the tension of the lumbar area. Self-massage the most painful muscles (or ask for a foot massage) will make us rest much better.

There will be nights in which, despite these tips, we fail to sleep well or have many night awakenings. You have to keep in mind that Insomnia in this third trimester is very common and that is also very related to hormonal changes.

In fact, some say that this way of sleeping is preparing us for breastfeeding. We will be able to rest, however, if we lie down when we feel the need or if we take the opportunity to take short naps in the middle of the day.