Its normal to need more sleep than average when you are pregnant experts have found You really do need itand so does your unborn baby Consider it one of the many investments you will make in your health
Why you need a full nights sleep
Its not simply that you are working hard to literally build a new person in your belly and need rest The quality and quantity of sleep you get can also affect your labour and delivery plans For example too little sleep can increase the risk of high blood pressure and in turn the risk of preeclampsia
Likewise too little sleep can increase your risk of gestational diabetes because it impacts blood sugar levels through regulating insulin metabolism
What else does sleep affect Your immune system This is critical because in pregnancy your immune system actually stands down in deference to the baby so as not to harm the young alien you are harbouring within
How much sleep do you and your unborn baby need
The ideal for a pregnant mama tends to be about 9 hours a night Yes thats right a good bit more than the business as usual of 7 or 8 hours
Surprisingly too much sleep in the first trimester has the same effect on blood pressure that too little does Both increase blood pressure in the third trimester It seems you need to be wary of
less than 6 hours
more than 10 hours
Like we said aim between those extremes as much as you can and try to make up any shortfall with naps
Whats the Best Position for You to Sleep in
Whether you prefer to sleep on your left or right on your side is the position of choice for a pregnant person A key reason is that there seems to be a greater risk to the babys health if you sleep on your back after the 28th week which may have to do with the babys own weight impacting mums circulation thus reducing oxygen available to the little one
In general the left is the preferred side for reasons of human physiologymaximises oxygen transfer to your baby and also helps with fluid drainage for yourself reducing those dreadful swollen ankles
That said a lot of mums find that the usual comfort of sleeping on your left is disrupted when a baby is hanging about on your stomach Those of you with a gastric reflux concern may want to roll over to the right instead so your stomach sits over your babys position
Whatever you choose make yourself comfortable with lots of pillows that mean you dont have to cross your legs Many people realise that a pillow wedged in behind them really helps them to not roll over on to their back It wards off sleep apnea too
Nocturnal Multitasking Pumping for my toddler
If youre a second time or third time or more advanced mama though your sleep needs may run into a competitor Maybe you have a little nursling who still needs their milk at night and someone has to do that bit of nighttime parenting right
This is where Willow Pump can really help If youre already nursing the gentle suction of the Willow Pump can help you safely express a night feed or three With a massaging motion that mimics a suckling baby rather than the suction that most other electrical pumps rely on Willow is particularly comfortable at a time when you might be experiencing some breast sensitivity or be worried about over stimulation
With Willow Pump you can pump hands free while reading their bedtime storyits really that quiet that your little one wont even notice it Then snuggle into bed yourself secure in the knowledge that your childs night milk is ready for their other parent to offer in the night In fact you can even express in your sleepbecause Willow Pump is spill proof even if you are lying down With its self sealing containers you dont even have to worry about getting up to store the milk
It helps that the newest Willow is also more efficient helping you express as much as 20 more than other wearable pumps because pregnant moms often find their milk supply can ebb slightly If you do notice a change in output dont worrythis is quite natural in pregnancy and you will find the output ratchets back up for both your children once the newborn is well born
Either way Willow makes sure you dont have to bother with checking on whether and how well your pump is expressing It will blink orange if it needs your attention until then if it is in Expression mode it is working and tallying up the ounces for you too If you do find that orange light coming on often you may simply need to realign the cups If that doesnt work you may need to reset your Willow Pump and seedont worry this is simplicity itself
Chances are though you can just rest easy and enjoy your babys nightly tap dance routine as you drift off Good night with Willow
How to ensure you get all the shuteye you need
Between your usual work day andor caregiving duties and this year in particular when youre firing on all cylinders from work from home to unplanned homeschooling it can seem harder than ever to actually let your eyelids meet A few tips that may help
Try going turning in at the same time as your older children if you have any
If you cant sleep in or get to bed early see if you can fit a siesta in
Switch to decaf coffee soothing herbal teas and calming tisanes from 3pm or so Good options include chamomile lemon balm and rooibos
Use blue light glasses reduce brightness on your phone and other screens and take advantage of night mode settings Blue light in addition to long term side effects can definitely interfere with sleep
Get outdoors early in the morning and around sunset again to stabilise your melatonin production
Avoid exercising within two hours of your bedtime
Learn and practice some relaxation exercises Meditation will stand you in good stead during labour and while parenting through the early years too
When you go to bed put down the phone or e reader Instead of an ebook choose either a physical book in an low adrenaline genre or even an audiobook If you use daily affirmations this is an excellent time to record your own and play them back as you fall asleep
Let your eyelids close gently
Wrapping Up
With these tips you literally have what you need to manage control and dictate the number of hours for which you get to sleep in pregnancy
However if these tips are not making your sleep pattern any better you should talk to your OBGYN or one of Alaska Sleep Clinics board certified sleep specialists 907 357 6700 Alaska Sleep works with local OBGYNs at all of our locations in Anchorage Fairbanks Soldotna and Wasilla
Watch two of our segments from KTUU Channel 2s Moms Every Day program about pregnancy and sleep apnea Just click the videos below
