So you know that when that baby comes you will be getting literally no sleep for months; you want to enjoy it now while you can because it may be the last time you do.

But you find yourself waking up CONSTANTLY, sometimes for no reason, and it’s FRUSTRATING!  What little energy you can gain back from rest seems to be dwindling because you’re body is having a difficult time recovering.

You’ve heard that trying different sleep positions during pregnancy can help, different blanket and pillow arrangements, etc.  But it’s hard to figure out what will work.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 78% of women have more disrupted sleep than when they weren’t pregnant, especially in the third trimester.  Those aren’t good odds to hope for!

Sleep Positions During Pregnancy - What’s causing all this fretful sleep?

Many different reasons, some you’ll think ‘duh!’ and others you may not have realized.

• Hormones.  It seems the number one reason is always hormones.  They do so much more than just make us emotional or fresh.  Your progesterone levels have skyrocketed, causing you to need that daily nap in your first trimester.  They also inhibit muscle tension, leading to snoring and sleep apnea.  (See a few uncommon pregnancy symptoms during your sleep here.)

• Anxiety.  This is the leading cause of restlessness and insomnia for mommies, ESPECIALLY for first-time moms.  Because there are so many new realities hitting you every day about how you’re going to get through and deal with all of this, it’s no surprise really.

• Bathroom.  This is the easy one; your bladder is so smashed by your third trimester that your urine has nowhere to go but out.  The WORST is immediately after you’ve crawled out of bed and stood up, to feel that sharp pain on your bladder, hobbling to the toilet, trying to hold your belly up to relieve some of the pressure.

• RLS.  Otherwise known as Restless Leg Syndrome, 26% of women experience this during pregnancy, according to Sleep Foundation.  I remember a few nights where this bothered me too and I just had to move and adjust to help the feeling.

• Heartburn.  Sometimes laying the wrong way will cause the acid to rise in your throat, causing you to wake up suddenly to sit upright so that you don’t feel like you’re going to hurl.  Or it may just be the constant heartburn that never goes away because your stomach is being shoved upward.

• Back sleeping.  Some women will automatically wake up for what seems to be no reason and find themselves on their back.  (This happened to me a lot)  And then the only thing to do is roll over and try to go back to sleep.  Well, laying on your back causes the weight of your belly to press down on your abdominal aorta, the primary blood-line that feeds your baby.  If blood flow slows a little, your body can automatically wake you so that you can adjust and help increase that blood flow.

Now ladies, I’m NOT saying that laying your back is harmful to your baby.  Many women can only get comfortable on their back and I’ve had multiple doctors tell me that if you’re comfortable on your back, it is perfectly SAFE.  It just depends on YOUR body, not the general population. (See more on back sleeping below ↓)

The worst part is that not having the proper amount of sleep leads to more difficulty during your delivery.  And we CERTAINLY don’t want that.

So how can you get better sleep?

Prescriptions and over the counter medications are off limits of course so you don’t hurt that growing one inside.  Here are some things that will be able to help:

1. Coping Methods - educate yourself about what may be causing your anxieties, talk with someone, take questions to your doctor, let your husband help you in areas you feel lacking, chat with us here on My Natural Baby Birth, be open to letting someone help you with your worries and fears.  I PROMISE you’re not the only one going through the same things.
2. Exercise - this will greatly help you sleep because it’s simple biology.  I have some easy pregnancy exercises you can ready about here that will get you going if needed.
3. Fluids - be sure to get plenty of liquids during the day, but cut back at least 3-4 hours before bedtime.  Having to get up to pee nightly can’t be completely avoided, but it can be helped.
4. Smaller Meals - large meals, often with spicy foods, are the main cause of your acid reflux because your food is sitting in your stomach too long, churning up the acid longer.  Smaller, simpler meals will definitely help that.
5. Naps - feel free to add these in whenever, but don’t put them  less than four to five hours before bedtime or it will become harder to fall asleep.
6. Breathing Exercises - before you try falling asleep, adding some deep breathing will help you relax. 
7. Change up your Sleep Positions ↓

What Sleep Positions Work Best?

So there’s really just four options:  left side, right side, front and back.

Obviously lying on your front when your belly starts to get big is just ludicrous.  There’s no harm, but it’s surely uncomfortable.

I’ve mentioned sleeping on your back previously.  If your body isn’t comfortable with it, you will continually wake up on your back so that you can roll over-easy fix.  If it’s the ONLY way you can sleep well, then DO!  Blood flow to your baby isn’t an issue if it’s what helps you get better sleep.  That better sleep is a huge help to your baby as well.  If you’re still concerned about back sleeping, ask your doctor or midwife if they have any recommendations.

Left side is preferable over the right side for a few different reasons:

◊  It helps increase the blood flow because your main arteries aren’t being squished.

◊  Your liver and kidneys can function more properly because the increased pressure is removed as well.

I honestly could hardly every sleep on my left side because it always made my right hip hurt for some reason.  So I usually slept on my right side.  ANYTHING essentially works if it provides relief from your back and pelvic pain.  (If you need to roll over from side to side, make sure you do it the right way, here.)

But how do I help my back pain?

Sometimes no matter what position you try, things never quite work.  And sometimes we have to endure.  But you’re here because you want to try something you maybe haven’t tried before, to ease the discomfort.

∂  Exercise:  this one will never go away, and for good reason.  When our muscles and joints aren’t strong and can’t deal with the increased workload, that’s what causes our pain.  I HIGHLY recommend doing pelvic tilts daily.  You can read about them in my Easy Pregnancy Exercises post HERE.  When you do your pelvic tilts on hands and knees, you’re using your entire set of abdominal and back muscles to lift your heavy stomach, thus getting stronger to carry it.

∂  Heat/Cold:  a heating pad set to low can ease your pain as you drift off to sleep.  If you’re awake for the day, alternating between heat and a wrapped ice pack can reduce inflammation and ease sore muscles.

∂  Pillows:  many women don’t realize that a certain arrangement of pillows can completely solve their problem.  Be sure to keep one between your legs and will firmly support the strain on your pelvis so it doesn’t burden your hips and low back.  You can place a pillow under your stomach (if you’re on your side) so it doesn’t pull on your hips and ribs.  But even placing a pillow slightly tucked under your back side will greatly support your back, holding you upright.

“But I still seem to wake up, in pain, pillows in disarray,” you may think.  I totally know.  That’s why I’ve written a review on Leacho’s Maternity Pillows that are completely supportive for your pregnant body on all sides.  Some women do fine without them, but more and more do GREAT with either one and LOVE them.

These Amazing Maternity Pillows Offer A Miracle for Your Sleep

I hope you find a solution to your sleep, trying a new position that works well, and your back pain is relieved.  What things work for you?  Send me a comment below because you never know who else your little tidbit may work wonders for also.  Happy Sleep!