During pregnancy, different sleeping positions are very important!

Many pregnant women worry about the development of the baby in their belly when they sleep. They sleep more and more and their bodies become more and more tired. You can sleep on your stomach in the early stages of pregnancy, but I believe everyone knows that you can no longer use this sleeping position in the later stages of pregnancy. Is it better to sleep on your side or on your back?

There is a lot to know about the sleeping position of expectant mothers during pregnancy

Correct sleeping posture is important

After a woman becomes pregnant, the volume of her uterus increases from 5 ml before pregnancy to 5000 ml at full term, and the weight of her uterus also increases from 50 grams before pregnancy to 1000 grams at full term. As the uterus and fetus grow, the sleeping position of the pregnant mother becomes more and more important. An incorrect sleeping position will cause the abdomen to be directly affected by external force, especially in the late pregnancy. It will not only affect the position of the uterus, but also increase the pressure of the uterus on surrounding tissues and organs, affecting the blood flow to the uterus and placenta.

Sleeping postures vary at different times

Early pregnancy (1-3 months) Any

The uterus is still in the pelvic cavity, and direct external pressure or self-pressure will not be very heavy, so there is no need to over-emphasize sleeping posture, but previous bad sleeping postures should be changed, such as sleeping on your stomach, or sleeping while hugging something. You can take any comfortable position, either supine or side-lying.

Mid-pregnancy (4-7 months): side-lying or supine

During this period, you should pay attention to protecting your abdomen and avoid direct external force. If a pregnant woman has too much amniotic fluid or is pregnant with twins, she should sleep in a side-lying position, which will feel more comfortable. Other sleeping positions will produce a feeling of oppression. If a pregnant woman feels heavy in her lower limbs, she can lie on her back with her lower limbs slightly elevated with a soft pillow. If the pregnant mother does not feel particularly uncomfortable, she can choose to lie down at will.

Late pregnancy (8-10 months) Left side decubitus

The sleeping position during this period is very important and you should lie on your left side. Because the inferior vena cava is located just to the right of the abdominal spine, if you lie on your right side, the enlarged uterus will not only compress the inferior vena cava, but the uterus will also rotate to the right to varying degrees, pulling the blood vessels and affecting the normal blood supply to the fetus. Lying on the left side can correct the right rotation of the enlarged uterus, reduce the pressure of the uterus on the inferior vena cava, improve blood circulation, increase blood supply to the fetus, and benefit the growth and development of the fetus.

Note: It is not advisable to lie on your back in the late pregnancy, otherwise you are prone to supine position syndrome during pregnancy. When lying on your back, the huge uterus compresses the inferior vena cava, which will reduce the amount of blood returning to the heart and cardiac output, and cause hypotension. Pregnant women will feel dizzy, blacking out, palpitations, nausea, shortness of breath, pale complexion, rapid and weak pulse, weakness in the limbs, cold sweats, etc., which is symptoms of supine position syndrome during pregnancy.

Choose the right bedding

The sleep quality of pregnant mothers is not only related to their sleeping posture, but also to the comfort of their bedding. How should pregnant mothers choose bedding? In order to create a good sleeping environment, pregnant mothers should pay attention to the choice of quilts and pillows.

Quilt:

To ensure a good quality sleep during pregnancy, the ideal choice is a silk quilt. Silk is the softest and healthiest natural fiber. A silk quilt made with 100% silk as filling material has the characteristics of close-fitting and comfortable bedding. It is most in line with the "sleep ergonomics" of the human body and helps you fall into a sweet dream in the shortest time. Silk contains the highest "silk volume void" among fibers, which can reduce conductivity when the weather is cold and has better warmth retention. It is not advisable to use chemical fiber blended fabrics as quilt covers and bed sheets during pregnancy, otherwise the chemical fiber fabrics will easily irritate the skin and cause itching.

Pillow:

When choosing a pillow, you should pay attention to its air permeability and elasticity, which is mainly related to the pillow core material. Pillows filled with cassia seeds, silkworm sand, grains, etc. have good air permeability, are not elastic and will not collapse, while pillows filled with vacuum cotton, cotton, etc. generally have problems with poor air permeability and poor elasticity. The best pillow for pregnancy needs to have moderate elasticity and moderate support. In addition, the reasonable position of the head on the pillow when sleeping is very important. It is best to place the head in the upper center of the pillow. This can not only stabilize the sleeping posture and avoid stiff neck caused by frequent changes in posture at night, but also allow the neck to have a certain support force to maintain the normal physiological curve of the body.

When buying a pillow for pregnant women, pay special attention to the function of the pillow. A good pillow for pregnancy should have the function of protecting the waist, and provide auxiliary protection for the waist of pregnant women during pregnancy. During sleep, it protects the pregnant woman's waist from back pain. Another function of a pregnancy pillow is side sleeping. It can help pregnant women maintain their left side sleeping position in the middle and late stages of pregnancy. In addition, the pillows for pregnant women need to be detachable and washable, which is convenient for maintaining hygiene and beneficial to the health of pregnant women. Of course, it is best if the pillow for pregnant women can be used not only during pregnancy. For example, a multifunctional pillow can hold the baby, correct sleeping posture, and allow the baby to learn to sit and stand, etc. If the pregnancy pillow meets the above functions, then pregnant mothers can buy it with confidence.

Tips for a better sleep

1. Take a hot bath or soak your feet in hot water. Take a hot bath before going to bed, and the water temperature should be controlled between 35 and 38 degrees. A hot bath can relax muscles, relieve fatigue, and has a certain hypnotic effect on pregnant women. If it is inconvenient to take a bath, you can also soak your feet. It takes about 20 minutes.

2. Drinking milk before going to bed can also help you sleep, but make sure you drink it two hours in advance. But avoid drinking beverages high in sugar, including honey, fruit juice, flavors, pigments, etc., and avoid high-salt foods and alcohol.

3. Choose your underwear and pajamas carefully. Keep your body fresh when sleeping, choose cotton underwear, and pajamas should be loose and comfortable to the touch.

4. Keep the bedroom ventilated and do not use the air conditioner for too long. You can use an electric fan appropriately. The cool and comfortable feeling is beneficial to the development of the fetus. In addition, it is best to take some sound insulation and light-blocking measures in the bedroom to avoid noise and strong light affecting sleep. Severe urinary frequency will affect sleep quality, so do not drink too much water or soup before going to bed.