How to Choose the Best Sleep Position in Pregnancy
You’ll go through several changes – morning sickness, dizziness, tiredness, etc from the first trimester to the last if you slept on your stomach before your pregnancy. You may have to shift your sleeping position during pregnancy a little.
So you can’t sleep on your back after the fifth month of your pregnancy. Sleeping on your back exerts a lot of pressure on the aorta, and inferior vena cava. The blood vessels present behind the uterus, transfer the blood back to the heart from the legs, and feet. The pressure on blood vessels can reduce blood circulation to your body and baby.
No Sleeping on the Back or Stomach
Sleeping on the back may be difficult for you with a big baby bump. When you lie on your back, or on your tummy, you may end up having tummy troubles. Sleeping on your stomach is also not a very good idea. The uterus as well as the breasts exerts pressure.
Take the Left Side
Side sleeping is the best and the safest position for your baby-to-be. As the abdomen grows, sleeping on the left side is most comfortable for your abdomen. Having said that experts recommend it’s perfectly safe to sleep on the left side for several reasons:
- Improves the blood circulation
- Reduces the risk of swelling
- Keeps the body weight under control
- Helps in digestion
- Reduces the bladder pressure
- Reduces the kidneys' pressure
- Reduces the liver pressure
- Keeps the back relaxed
- You keep ready for natural birth
Steps to Improve the Quality of Your Sleep During Pregnancy
In addition to choosing a comfortable position for sleeping during pregnancy. There are many ways to improve your quality of peace. Here’s how:
- Prepare a daily sleep schedule. It’s essential to go to bed and wake up on time
- Remove the bright lights
- Nap as per requirement
- Do prenatal yoga and relaxation techniques to manage stress
- Reduce your food and drink-intake during the evening
- No caffeine
- Take prenatal vitamins
- Exercises that stretch and strengthen your muscles can help reduce lower back pain and leg cramps.
Furthermore, consult your healthcare practitioner to get yourself treated for pregnancy-related sleep disorders.