Insomnia in the third trimester of pregnancy is a common affliction of mothers-to-be. Your spine hurts, a large stomach makes it difficult to breathe and change position, and there are also frequent visits to the toilet and painful calf cramps. How to sleep well in such conditions?

Four in the morning. You got up to pee and you haven't been able to sleep for 40 minutes. You are tormented by thoughts about the upcoming delivery. You get out of bed, you wander around the house, you don't know what to do with yourself. Your loved one is snoring tasty. You stand by the window and you have the impression that the whole city, the whole world is asleep, only you are left alone with your anxiety, helpless in the face ofinsomnia . You're not alone.Sleep problemsin the third trimesterpregnancyis experienced by the majority (70-90 percent) of future mothers. It's a sad paradox that just when rest is so badly needed, sleep doesn't come.

Where does insomnia in pregnancy come from?

An important psychological reason is the aforementioned fear. The closer you get to the solution, the more you think about what it will be like, the more you are afraid if everything will go well and if you can do it yourself. It's understandable, especially if it's your first pregnancy. However, such thoughts - especially haunting at night - are effective in deterring sleep. Another cause of trouble is the discomfort of an advanced pregnancy. In the last 2-3 months, the uterus is so enlarged that it is simply uncomfortable in bed. It's hard to get to sleep well when your belly is as big as a beach ball, but it weighs as much as a medicine ball! Each change of position requires a really good exercise (unless you have a hand-held crane in your bedroom).

Important

Tricks to empty your bladder better, so you won't have to wake up often

  • Sitting on the toilet bowl, tilt your pelvis back slightly to relieve uterine pressure on your bladder.
  • Gently lift your own belly with your hands.

In addition, a large belly makes your spine bear more and more weight and begins to protest a little, which manifests itself in back pain. In addition, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the bladder, so you have to go to the toilet more often. Night cramps of the calves are also characteristic of the third trimester. Their cause is not fully established. It is believed,that they are caused by deficiencies of calcium or magnesium, pressure of the uterus on certain nerves or reduced circulation. If you add to it various individual indispositions (headaches, groin pulling, etc.), it may turn out that sleeping the whole night at the end of pregnancy is almost a miracle. And yet you have to sleep. You now need at least 8-10 hours of sleep. So do whatever you can to make him want to come.

Insomnia in pregnancy - before you go to bed

Several factors affect how quickly you fall asleep and your sleep quality. To get a good night's sleep, you need to think about it in advance, not just when you go to bed. What should you pay attention to to help your body prepare for a night of rest?

Diet for insomnia in pregnancy

Eat your last meal 2-3 hours before going to bed. It should be an easily digestible dinner - as much protein and carbohydrate as possible and as little fat as possible. Products rich in protein (milk, cheese, ice cream, fish, poultry) will provide you with tryptophan - this is an amino acid that increases the level of serotonin, which in turn allows you to relax and sleep well. Carbohydrates have a similar effect, e.g. in bread, rice, corn, pasta, oatmeal. Do not drink tea or Coca-Cola in the evening because it contains stimulating caffeine. However, herbal tea with a relaxing effect, such as chamomile or lemon balm, will do you good, and even better - lavender decoction. The traditional home remedy for insomnia is warm milk. It works almost like a valium - it calms you down and puts you to sleep - because heating the milk accelerates the release of tryptophan. Also, remember about magnesium, which is essential for a good night's sleep, and its deficiency causes cramps. Magnesium is in nuts, soybeans, buckwheat, bananas.

Soothing bath

After dinner, it's time for a relaxing bath. Pour the infusion into a bathtub with warm or lukewarm water or put a linen bag with herbs, e.g. lavender, linden flower or chamomile, or add a few drops of aromatic oil - lavender, neroli or bergamot. Pour lavender or neroli oil into the aromatherapy fireplace. Light a candle, close your eyes, turn on your favorite CD, indulge in dreams … This way you will calm down, relax your body and mind.

Bedroom

Ventilate the room before going to bed, make sure that it is not too warm (maximum 20 ° C) or dry (a humidifier is recommended). The bed should have a comfortable, relatively firm mattress (too soft causes additional spine bending) and a not too thick pillow - it should fill the distance between the face and the mattress (it causes the cervical vertebrae to be roughly strained). Sleep in cotton sheets, under a duvet that is not too thick, so that it won't overheat.

Breathing exercise

Lying in bed, arrange itarms alongside your torso and just breathe naturally, steadily, counting to 10. Concentrate only on that, without thinking about anything else. As you breathe out, try to relax your entire body muscles as much as possible. This simple exercise is effective in relaxing and helping you fall asleep.

You must do it

When you get a calf cramp

  • Extend your leg at the knee by bending it slowly at the ankle (ankle) and toe joints, then lift your foot up (as if you want to bring it closer to your nose) while stretching your calf muscles.
  • A massage or local heating of the leg will also bring relief.

Comfortable position

It is one of the basic conditions for falling asleep. Unfortunately, it's not that easy now, especially since your choice is limited. For example, sleeping on the stomach is no longer possible - it will only be possible after childbirth. From around the 6th month of pregnancy, you should also avoid lying flat on your back, because then the uterus compresses the main blood vessels, which causes worse blood circulation, and as a result, breathing difficulties, dizziness or even hypoxia of the baby. You can only sleep on your back in a semi-sitting position, with a pillow or a few pillows under the top of your back (it is also advisable if you have heartburn). It is best to sleep on your side, especially on the left, because lying on the right - similar to the supine position, but to a lesser extent - has a negative effect on blood circulation.

Pillows

They are indispensable now. The more of them, the better. When you want to lie on your back, support your head and torso with them, and additionally put a small pillow under your right buttock so that you sleep slightly tilted to the left side. In the side position, put one pillow under the stomach, the other under the back, and the third between the bent knees (you can buy a special long pillow on the Internet that performs these three functions). Some women still put a pillow under their feet. You'll look like a princess on the pea, but if that helps you sleep, why not give it a try?

Rules for a good night's sleep

"M jak mama" monthly

Category:

Pregnancy