Baby Talk January 2019

Bump to Birth
9 Months
Many pregnant women find that as their pregnancy
advances, sleep becomes difficult, especially at
night. If you’re one of them, do know that you’re
certainly not alone, no matter how serious your situation
seems to be. For some women, pregnancy symptoms such
as nausea, heartburn and the constant need to pee are the
causes for not being able to sleep properly at night..
Different trimesters seem to come with their own set of
sleeping challenges for pregnant women. Here are some ways
around it.
Breasts start to feel uncomfortable
Your breasts get tender during pregnancy and as a result
finding a good sleeping position may be a problem especially
if you are used to sleeping on your stomach.
The first trimester of your pregnancy is the best time to
train yourself to sleep on your side. This is also a good time
to begin using a maternity pillow which will support your
pregnant body for a better night’s sleep. You can use it
whichever way you want for now, to get comfy and to avoid
putting too much pressure on your aching breasts.
First Trimester
Sleepy all the time
During the early stages of your pregnancy, you might
sometimes feel overwhelmed with sleepiness. High levels of
progesterone in your body might be the cause. Progesterone
is a hormone that helps regulate a woman’s reproductive
cycle. It also makes you feel drowsy most of the time. The
sudden flood of this hormone in your body can make a
normal working day feel like a long, exhausting one. It may
also make you feel tired or like you’re coming down with
the flu.
Consider yourself lucky for you can still catch naps
comfortably while your tummy hasn’t ballooned yet! So, nap
whenever you can during the day to rejuvenate your mind
and body. It’ll help you overcome that sleepy, tired feeling.
Endless need to use the bathroom
Your growing uterus puts pressure on your bladder, urging
you to get up and go pee ever so often, interrupting your
sleep. You can try to keep this under control by controlling
the amount of fluids you take in at night, especially before
bedtime. You could instead, take in as much fluids as you
like during the day, when peeing won’t cost you to lose
precious sleep.
10 BabyTalk | January 2019