Pregnancy is never an easy thing. It has both physical discomfort and a lot of mental stress, which may cause expectant mothers to have sleep problems, and even sleep trouble at night in serious cases.
However, many expectant mothers are not very clear about the importance of affecting sleep during pregnancy. The following old editor will introduce sleep changes and precautions in the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy.
Harm of Poor Sleep during Pregnancy
Lack of sleep will not only make pregnant women feel agitated and sleepy during the day, but also increase the probability of cesarean section during pregnancy:
A study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that primiparas who slept less than 6 hours on average at night had a 4.5-fold increase in the probability of cesarean section.
In this way, expectant mothers should really go to bed early. Physical changes and various discomfort during pregnancy can easily lead to difficulty in falling asleep. It is necessary to stay in bed for at least 8 hours a night to ensure at least 7 hours of sleep.
Pregnancy is prone to exhaustion.
More attention should be paid to sleep in the first trimester of pregnancy and the third trimester of pregnancy. Many expectant mothers will feel tired and weak. Especially women in the first trimester of pregnancy often feel at a loss for such sudden changes.
Researchers have not yet found the exact cause of fatigue during pregnancy, but there are mainly the following possible related factors:
1. Endocrine changes
Weak pregnancy is related to endocrine changes. Early in pregnancy, the level of progesterone in expectant mothers will gradually increase. Progesterone can make people relaxed, and some expectant mothers will regard this feeling as exhaustion.
Step 2: Physical changes
Tiredness is also related to the physical changes of women in early pregnancy, such as the gradual enlargement of the uterus, fetal growth, weight gain and retention of water and sodium, which will increase the load on the body. Moreover, in order to provide nutrition to the fetus, the body needs more blood supply and the heartbeat will also become faster.
3. Emotional changes
I’m going to be a mother. Joy, longing, worry, anxiety… All kinds of feelings are intertwined, which will also bring some psychological pressure to expectant mothers and make them feel more tired than before.
How to Sleep Well in Early Pregnancy
Mothers in early pregnancy generally have the following problems:
1. Frequency of urination
In the first trimester of pregnancy, elevated progesterone will lead to frequent urination. Changes in hormone levels will make the bladder of pregnant women loose, coupled with an enlarged uterus, oppressing the bladder, which will increase the number of urinations. Always going to the toilet at night will naturally affect sleep quality.
Mitigation: Mothers-to-be can reduce the amount of water they drink before going to bed. However, it is still necessary to drink enough water during the day to prevent constipation and excessive edema during pregnancy.
2. Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting can also affect the sleep quality of expectant mothers. In fact, this problem may occur at any time of the day or at night except getting up in the morning.
Alleviation: When you get up in the morning, eat some bread, cereal and the like first, which can help.
3. Dry heat
Because the basal metabolic rate increases, especially in summer, expectant mothers will feel hot and dry when sleeping.
Mitigation: It is best to sleep in light cotton clothes and blow an electric fan.
In addition, many reasons may affect sleep in the first trimester of pregnancy. On the premise of not affecting sleep at night, expectant mothers can appropriately increase lunch break.
How to sleep well in the second trimester of pregnancy
The second trimester of pregnancy may be the most comfortable period for expectant mothers. At this stage, the physical condition of pregnant women will be relatively stable and all kinds of changes will be advancing steadily.
The endocrine changes mentioned earlier in the first trimester of pregnancy will gradually stabilize in the second trimester of pregnancy, and there will be obvious changes only in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Step 1 Heartburn
Heartburn in the second trimester of pregnancy may cause expectant mothers to be unable to sleep at night. At this time, the uterus gradually increases and presses to the stomach, and heartburn will become more and more common. Relief methods: Bend your knees to sleep in the left lying position can obviously relieve the heartburn of pregnant women, and at the same time, you can properly raise your pillow to relieve the discomfort caused by gastric acid reflux.
2. Restless Leg Syndrome
The symptoms of restless leg syndrome (RLS) are usually as follows: The deep muscles of the lower leg are extremely unwell (which also occurs in some people’s arms), just like ants climbing up and down blood vessels. The pain is unbearable. It is usually manifested in expectant mothers with anemia or iron deficiency, and may even worsen in the third trimester of pregnancy. However, many clinical data show that RLS-related symptoms will naturally relieve or disappear about 4 weeks after delivery.
Mitigation: The RLS Advisory Committee on Basic Health Care in the United States recommends that, If the pregnant woman is suffering from intermittent RLS, Do not give daily medication. Usually, the main way to relieve this discomfort is to get up and try to take two steps, which will inevitably interrupt sleep. Setting up a regular routine can regulate the circadian rhythm of RLS and thus control symptoms. To be on the safe side, expectant mothers should pay attention to supplementing iron-rich foods and folic acid.
Step 3 Dreaming
Many pregnant women report having strange dreams related to their babies. But please rest assured that research shows that dreams during pregnancy are not substantially different from dreams before pregnancy in what. This may be due to increased sleep interruption during pregnancy and deeper memory of dreams.
How to sleep well in the third trimester of pregnancy
By the third trimester of pregnancy, the abdomen is getting bigger and bigger, and the uterus becomes bigger and more active. At this time, more attention should be paid to sleep problems.
1. Sleeping on the left side
It is best not to sleep flat, At this time, the heavy uterus will compress the nerves in the back and the inferior vena cava. Causing lower limb blood reflux to decrease, Affect blood circulation. The American Sleep Foundation recommends that pregnant women should sleep in the left lateral position. This is also beneficial to providing blood and nutrients to the fetus, and at the same time ensures the blood supply to the heart, uterus and kidney of the pregnant woman. In addition to placing a pillow between the knees, another pillow can be placed under the stomach or behind the back, which can play a supporting role and help relieve pain.
What if the left lateral position is uncomfortable? Then the right lying position. If you feel the most comfortable lying down, it is not impossible. The left lying position is not mandatory, in short, how comfortable how to come.
STEP 2 Watch out for snoring
A study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that pregnant women who snore at the beginning of pregnancy have a higher risk of hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy or even preeclampsia, and must pay attention to this symptom.
Many expectant mothers snore in the third trimester of pregnancy, mainly due to further weight gain and more frequent nasal congestion.
If nasal congestion is serious, anti-snoring patches can be used to open the nasal passages, which is also helpful to improve sleep breathing at night.
Mothers-to-be who continue snoring can use a household positive pressure ventilation device to open the airway and ensure oxygen supply during sleep.