Navigating Sleeping Positions During Pregnancy

Pregnancies are challenging – let's face it. We try our best to cope with our changing bodies, but issues keep creeping up at some point or the other. If nothing else, going by the rate at which we get exhausted during the day, getting a good night's sleep is no less than a blessing.

I'll be honest here. The first trimester of pregnancy was a nightmare. Morning sickness only made things difficult. With the body making abnormal amounts of progesterone, I used to doze off during the daytime but found sleeping at night difficult. An added concern – acid reflux! Ugh! Finding a proper position to sleep in was a challenge too. Make sure you wear clothes that allow you to breathe. The surge in hormones keeps you overheated all the time. Getting at least 7-8 hours' sleep during pregnancy is essential.

The second trimester was somewhat better – purely because the morning sickness subsided. Though there were other concerns like lower body pain (resulting from the baby growing and pressure falling on the lower back and pelvic muscles), restless legs, and headaches, I somehow managed to get more sleep during my second trimester. The trick was sleeping on my left side. Whatever you do, please avoid sleeping on your back or stomach; it only increases the discomfort.

The third trimester was again a challenge. With frequent walks to the washroom, more acid reflux, and most importantly, the protruding belly, finding a comfortable position even to lie down was an issue. Balancing the spine was very important then. I used to place pillows between my legs and under my belly to support my now-bulging abdomen. I also developed rhinitis (swelling of the nasal tissue) due to my body's excess estrogen. Thankfully, my partner was supportive enough not to complain about my snoring!

To sum up, finding a comfortable sleeping position during pregnancy is always challenging. No two bodies are the same. Hence, the levels of discomfort would also be different. However, there are a few key pointers for every mom-to-be:

• Exercising is vital throughout pregnancy; it keeps your strength and metabolism in place. Getting 150 mins of exercise a week can work wonders!
• Ensure less blue light enters your eyes. Reduce the time you spend on a laptop or a phone and read a book instead (this was my getaway every single time!).
• Stick to smaller meals; chances of acid reflux automatically go down with proper diet and adequate exercise (yoga is always an option).
• Avoid resting on your back or stomach while sleeping – it causes multiple issues like digestive issues, low blood pressure, dizziness, hemorrhoids, and reduced blood circulation.
• Keep yourself well-hydrated to minimize the chances of digestive disorders and body overheating and flush out unnecessary toxins.
• Sleeping on your left is the safest!

Going into labor and delivering a child takes a toll on us. Postpartum issues await us. But thankfully, we can now dedicate more time to ourselves and letHubblemonitor our babies!