Prevent Trouble Sleeping During Pregnancy
Most women suffer from sleep disorder during pregnancy. This can be due to excess anxiety to which the first time pregnant women is exposed. This is due to lots of hormonal change that take place in her body. In addition sleep also gets disturbed due to aches and pains associated with pregnancy, and time taken to adjust to change in body shape and weight.
During the first trimester of pregnancy, the first time pregnant lady is faced with a large number of questions about herself and her child. These can be about the well being of the new child, or her future, her job and career or finances of the family. Hormonal changes that take place in the first trimester result in increased frequency of dreams. Swollen and enlarged breasts add to the discomfort. Though at this stage, the child is not creating any problem, morning sickness does start and this results in disturbed sleep.
During the second trimester the child starts growing resulting in adjustment in the internal body organs. This is to enable the child to grow. The bladder starts getting contracted resulting in frequent urge for urination and heart burning, indigestion and snoring starts. It is the time to reduce the intake of caffeine found in coffee, tea and cola drinks as far as possible. Caffeine is a cause of accelerated heart beat and a major cause of heart burning as it encourages acid formation in the stomach. Instead of coffee or soda drinks it is advisable to switch over to warm milk. Milk helps to kill acidity and is a rich source of much needed calcium.
As the movement gets restricted the problem of indigestion starts. If the stomach is not clear lots of other problems creep in. Be very particular about your food. It should be rich in vitamins and other needed micro nutrients and above all lot of fibre should be consumed. Drink water during the day so that you do not have to get up to go to the toilet at night.
During the third trimester of pregnancy stomach gets enlarged enormously, resulting in shifting of center of gravity. This results in low back pain disturbing sleep. Normally doctors do not prescribe any medicine for this. Also due to increase in body weight feet gets swollen and are painful. When trying to sleep keep a pillow between the two knees and keep a pillow under your feet to raise them. This will have soothing effect. Always prefer most comfortable position while sleeping for good sleep.
Be ready to face sleeping problem, so as and when possible have short naps during the day. Be ready to spend some more sleepless nights after the arrival of the baby.