Being pregnant isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. It’s a magical time in your life, but there are so many things that happen to our bodies when we are growing another human being, and a lot of it can be pretty uncomfortable.
Sleeping on your side is best while you're pregnant. In particular, sleeping on your left side may benefit your baby by improving blood flow – and therefore nutrients – to the placenta. It also helps your kidneys efficiently eliminate waste products and fluids from your body, which in turn reduces swelling in your ankles, feet, and hands.
It's a good idea to start training yourself early in pregnancy to sleep on your left side whenever you can. Of course, staying in one position all night isn't likely to be comfortable, so turning from side to side while favoring your left side is probably the best strategy.
As for sleeping on your back, avoid that position throughout pregnancy, especially in the later months. Here's why:
When you're sleeping on your back, the weight of your uterus lies on the spine, back muscles, intestines, and major blood vessels. This can lead to muscle aches and pains, hemorrhoids, and impaired circulation, which is uncomfortable for you and can reduce circulation to your baby.
Back sleeping can make blood pressure drop, causing some expectant moms to experience dizziness. On the other hand, in some moms-to-be it can make blood pressure go up.
Finally, back sleeping can cause snoring and, with increased weight, could lead to sleep apnea.
Well, you won’t be sleeping very well in the last few months. It could be the crazy raging hormones or it could be that you are just too uncomfortable to sleep (thanks to reflux, gas, constipation, back pain, Braxton Hicks…. must I go on?) Let me just preface this post with the fact that it is all totally worth it, a million times over. I would give up sleep forever to be able to make a little miracle. Thankfully there are people out there that want to make us preggo mamas as comfortable as possible. One such company is ….Bump Nest.
It's unique crook shape runs along the curve of your back supporting it's arch, up over your shoulder and under your head at the perfect height, then down along the front to support your arm and shoulder and a heavy baby belly, and between your knees all the way to your feet. It keeps your hips and spine aligned, relieves pressure on your joints, and increases blood circulation so your limbs have stopped falling asleep and causing charlie horses in the middle of the night.
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