Bed rest during pregnancy. How to sleep during pregnancy: the best positions How to properly lie pregnant

Expectant mothers, after they find out about their pregnancy, have to deny themselves a lot so as not to harm the baby. And this applies not only to bad habits, eating habits, but also sleep.

With pregnancy, nighttime urge to go to the toilet becomes more frequent, nausea, heartburn, and convulsions torment. From about the 5th month, the problem with choosing a position for a night's rest is added. The chest fills up and becomes painful, and the fetus develops rapidly and the abdomen grows rapidly (especially starting from the second trimester). Therefore, it is very difficult for a woman to find a comfortable position that would guarantee a good night's rest to recuperate.

Choosing a sleeping position

As for the correct position, it is best to sleep on your side. Avoid sleeping on your stomach early in your pregnancy. Night rest on the back is also contraindicated, since the fetus presses on the internal organs (liver, kidneys, intestines). As a result, a pregnant woman has back pain, breathing becomes difficult, hemorrhoids become aggravated, and blood pressure decreases. In the mother's position on the back, the child in the womb can squeeze the inferior vena cava, which runs along the entire spine, which is fraught with a decrease in blood flow. As a result, the expectant mother does not feel well. And if the squeezing is long and regular, then this can also negatively affect the condition of the fetus: due to insufficient blood supply, and hence nutrients, the heartbeat of the baby decreases. And the consequences of such violations are sad and irreversible.

First of all, try not to think about your preferences (how you want to sleep during pregnancy), but about the health of the baby. Monitor your well-being and if you notice any deterioration during sleep, change your position to the correct one. In order not to automatically roll over on your back at night, place a large pillow that will not allow you to change the position of the body. Doctors advise to fall asleep on the left side, as lying on the right side can lead to squeezing of the kidney. And in the correct position, not only blood flow to the placenta will improve, but also the functioning of the kidneys, which will significantly reduce swelling of the arms and legs, and pressure on the liver, which is located on the right, is reduced. Also, in this way it is easier for the body to get rid of waste and excess fluid, and the heart can fully work. You can also practice an intermediate position: pillows will help you take it, which will prevent you from rolling over to the end on your back.

A few tips for a good rest

In order for sleep during pregnancy to be strong at night, even despite a new, unusual position for you, during the day a pregnant woman must do something that will make her body completely turn off for a night's rest. Eat right, nutritious, and on time. Do not overeat: eat often, but in small portions. Between a night's rest and the last meal, at least 3 hours should pass so that all the contents of the stomach have time to digest and not distract the body from sleep.

Avoid high caffeinated drinks before bed, avoid carbonated sweet water. Better before going to bed, drink a glass of warm milk with honey.

Regularly perform special physical exercises for pregnant women. They will help you fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly. Just do gymnastics during the day, because before a night's rest, a lot of time should pass for complete relaxation and calm after a load.

Before going to bed, give up intense mental activity, including books with a TV. Better in the evening, listen to calm, quiet, pleasant music that will set you in the right mood, allow you to relax and get ready for sleep.

Stick to a daily routine. A certain schedule will set the body to fall asleep and wake up at the same time.

Walk outdoors more. Hiking on the street before going to bed, as well as airing the bedroom, sleeping with the window open in the warm season will make your sleep deep, calm and strong.

Take a warm but not hot bath in the evening. And after 20-30 minutes you can go to bed and rest. Sleep will not take long.

Aromatherapy can help you sleep better. Place a herbal bag with lemon balm, hops, thyme, immortelle flowers, hazel leaves or noble laurel, hop cones, pine needles, rose petals, geranium grass on the pillow. Put some lavender essential oil on the aroma lamp. It has a pronounced calming effect.

Wear comfortable and comfortable clothes for the night. Necessarily pajamas or a nightgown should be made of high-quality and natural material, for example, knitwear.

Do not take any sleeping pills without first talking to your doctor. After all, most of these medications are contraindicated during pregnancy. While carrying a child, you may be recommended a tincture of valerian, motherwort or glycine.

Your correct psychological attitude, optimism, peace of mind, good mood - this is the key to a calm, full sleep. And it is important not only for you, but also for your child.

Conclusion

If at one point you fall into despair due to constant lack of sleep and chronic fatigue, remember: almost all pregnant women go through such trials. You, too, endure them, because nature has made the female body very resistant and hardy. It will take quite a bit of time and you will get used to sleeping in a new position. Let the dream be fitful, but even with frequent awakenings, you will learn how to get enough sleep. Just go to bed early and get up later if possible, and also get more rest so that the body has time to restore strength, and not work for wear. After all, serious work awaits you ahead - childbirth and caring for a newborn. Therefore, pregnancy is your last opportunity to sleep and relax in the coming months.

With the onset of conception, pregnant women radically change their lives. With the growth of the tummy, you have to update your wardrobe, learn the right gymnastics or yoga for pregnant women. With the approach of childbirth, you have to learn how to sleep during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester. It’s just that by the last trimester, many patients have disturbed sleep, a large belly makes it difficult to sit comfortably on the bed. In this regard, mothers have a lot of questions regarding sleeping positions during pregnancy.

Cool baths have a positive effect on overall well-being

Choosing a comfortable sleeping position is not at all easy and depends on the gestational age. Pregnant in the early stages, it is good to sleep in any position familiar to her, because there is no stomach yet, and the embryo is still quite tiny and it is simply impossible to harm it with an uncomfortable body position. The only obstacle to normal sleep can be toxicosis and related conditions. Sometimes sleep does not go by itself, depressive surges roll in at night, and during the day it exhausts drowsiness and fatigue. Hormonal changes noticeably affect the condition of the mother, but in the first trimester of pregnancy there is still the opportunity to sleep normally on the stomach.

With the onset of the second trimester, toxic ailments subside, the moral and psycho-emotional state stabilizes. Now, it would seem, you can sleep peacefully. But in the second trimester, the condition is overshadowed by the inevitable growth of the baby, which leads to an increase in the tummy. Therefore, the 2nd trimester is considered a period of major changes. A pregnant woman needs to start moving more carefully, holding her tummy, not carrying heavy weights, choosing the most comfortable positions in order to fall asleep quickly and get enough sleep. From about the middle of the second stage of gestation, it is already forbidden to lie on the stomach and sleep on the back.

With the onset of the last trimester, the patient has a very hard time, but she will have to be patient. The uterus increases as much as possible, so the woman no longer sleeps on her stomach, even if she really wants to. Positions on the back and abdomen are strictly prohibited for a pregnant woman, so mothers modestly doze on their side during the entire last trimester. This position is considered ideal if in the third trimester the patient prefers to rest on her left side.

Other factors

If the lower limbs of the pregnant woman swell strongly, which is not at all uncommon in the later stages of gestation, then it is recommended to put a roller under them. I sleep on my side, but the baby suddenly starts to kick hard - such complaints of mothers to an obstetrician-gynecologist can be heard quite often. If this happens, you must immediately change position, usually the baby begins to show dissatisfaction when he lacks oxygen, so he demands to reduce pressure on the stomach.

If you happen to get pregnant, then for a long time you need to choose the most comfortable position for yourself, which will help relieve tension, unload the spine and lower back. It is impossible to lie still throughout the night, so doctors recommend alternating the left and right sides during the rest. Try to get used to sleeping on the left side in the position of the letter C in the early stages, then it will become much more comfortable to sleep with a big tummy.

Which side is best for pregnant women to sleep on?

Many pregnant women have no idea how to sleep properly in the last weeks of gestation.

Doctors in general give the same recommendations for all patients - it is best to sleep on your side during pregnancy.
You can’t rest on your back for a fairly simple reason - the fetus puts a lot of pressure on intraorganic structures like the intestines, kidneys or liver, which leads to severe pain in the back, exacerbation of hemorrhoids or respiratory difficulties, so pregnant women should not sleep in this position.
If the patient often rests on her back, then the baby, while inside the uterus, will put pressure on the inferior vena cava, which runs along the spinal column, and this is dangerous by reducing blood flow. As a result, the mother's health worsens.
If such squeezing is observed regularly, then this can negatively affect fetal development, because against the background of insufficient blood circulation, a lack of nutrition occurs for the baby, his heartbeat is disturbed, which leads to irreversible consequences.
Experts recommend how to sleep better. This should be done on the left side, since lying on the right side can provoke squeezing of the renal structures, which will lead to increased swelling.

First of all, you need to think about the condition of the baby, and not about your preferences. It is imperative to monitor your well-being, if in certain positions the pregnant woman feels discomfort, she becomes ill or even has pain, then you must immediately change position and continue to avoid such a position when resting. During sleep on the left side, it is easier for the body to get rid of excess fluid and metabolites, and the heart functions normally.

In the last trimester, it is not very comfortable to sleep even on the left side. To ensure the most comfortable position for herself, mom is recommended to put a pillow under her right leg, which must first be bent at the knee. This arrangement helps to increase blood flow to the placental structures, which leads to the baby receiving more oxygen, which is so necessary for full development.

What else do you need to know

The main thing is not to overeat at night

In addition, this position improves kidney function, which is most important for the third trimester. You will sleep in this position for at least one night, and in the morning it is noticeable how the usual puffiness has subsided from the face and limbs. In addition, this position relieves pain symptoms in the back and pelvis, optimizes cardiac activity.
But there are exceptions when mommy is not recommended to sleep on her left side in the third trimester. Why? You need to sleep on the right side, when the baby has taken a transverse presentation and his head is located on the left. In such a situation, resting on the right side of the body at night will help the baby to take the right position.

Prohibited positions for the third trimester

In order not to cause accidental harm to the child, it is necessary to clearly understand that during pregnancy in the second half of the term, you need to give up sleeping on your stomach and back, even if mommy is not used to sleeping in other positions and tosses and turns for a long time, but cannot fall asleep. Resting on her tummy, mommy will put pressure on the baby, which does not bring anything good.

Lying on your back is prohibited due to the same pressure. The uterus causes compression of the intestines, vertebral structures, arteries and other organs. A long sleep on the back provokes hyperedema of the limbs and pain in the spine. Sometimes, with such an incorrect body position, mommy even wakes up in the middle of the night due to severe lumbar pain. You just need to change the position of the body, soreness will immediately recede. Try to sleep so that you are comfortable and the baby does not suffer from excessive pressure.

Setting up a place to rest

How to ensure the most comfortable and relaxing rest for themselves, many mothers think, so they begin to accustom themselves to the correct position of the body. But you also need to watch what you sleep on so that the body is comfortable.

Choose a medium firm mattress. The surface of the sleeping place should follow the outlines of the body and support the spine column in a natural physiological position. A similar effect is provided by orthopedic mattress models.
When choosing a mattress, make sure that it does not spring too much. When the spouse turns around at night, he will cause strong vibrations, which will cause discomfort not only for the mother, but also for the fetus.
Size matters. The bed should be comfortable so that mommy has enough space for a comfortable rest and good sleep.
The room in which mommy sleeps must be ventilated before rest. Fresh air will inevitably help a pregnant woman fall asleep soundly and quickly.

If mommy is too often worried about nasal congestion, heartburn, respiratory difficulties, then you need to sleep in such a position that the torso is elevated. Moms are often worried about cramps, which not only cause discomfort, but also cause pain. To quickly get rid of convulsive muscle spasm, you need to reach out to the thumb of the leg affected by cramps and pull it up towards the knee.

It is impossible for a woman to control her posture during sleep, so it is recommended to use a pillow for pregnant women, which will help you sleep in a comfortable, and, most importantly, safe position for your baby.

Choosing a pillow

There is a huge selection of special devices

Experts have calculated that for complete comfort, mom needs to put at least 5 pillows under different parts of the body. Especially for pregnant women, a pillow was created that helps to calm down and take the most comfortable position. It is difficult for mothers to find a comfortable position for sleeping, often they want to lie down on their tummy, which is absolutely impossible to do. As a result of a sleepless night, Mommy wakes up irritated and nervous. With each sleepless night, the stressful state of the pregnant woman worsens, which provokes the development of severe depression.

If you use a pillow for pregnant women, then it will distribute the load on the spinal column, help the muscle tissues of the limbs to fully relax, help you fall asleep quickly, and come in handy after childbirth for more convenient feeding of the baby. Such pillows come in a variety of shapes, such as a boomerang, a banana, the letters C, G, I, U, J or a bagel, so each, even the most fastidious mommy, will be able to choose the most convenient option for herself.

Of no small importance is the pillow filler, which can be quite diverse, for example, synthetic fillers like polystyrene balls, holofiber, down of artificial origin, as well as natural fillers such as swan down, buckwheat husk, etc. If you use a pillow filled with holofiber or synthetic winterizer, it can noticeably decrease in size. They are too soft, so after childbirth they are unlikely to be suitable for comfortable feeding.

Buckwheat husks or polystyrene balls emit a specific rustling, which not all girls like. But such products keep their shape perfectly and do not shrink. It will be great if the pillow has a removable cover that is easy to remove and wash.

Pillows for pregnant women have both disadvantages and advantages.

If we talk about the shortcomings, then they include the large size of such a product. Also, the disadvantages include the heat, if you sleep on such a pillow in the summer, because the fillers retain heat, so it will be hot to sleep in an embrace with such a product.
Pillows have much more advantages, if only because they help eliminate pain in the hip joints, lower back, neck and back as a whole.

The U-shaped pillow is considered the most comfortable, because it does not need to be turned over every time mommy changes her body position. There is also a minus - such a pillow will take up a lot of space on the bed, and you will have to sleep with it at some distance from your spouse, which not all mothers like.

In order for mommy to have a full night's rest and sound sleep, the patient must adjust her life in accordance with some rules that she must follow daily throughout the entire gestation.

First, food. A pregnant woman is simply obliged to eat in a timely manner, correctly and balanced. You can not overeat, it is better to eat often and a little bit. It is necessary to have dinner no later than 3 hours before bedtime, so that the gastric contents have time to fully digest and not darken the night's sleep with an extra load. Also, before going to bed, it is necessary to exclude the use of caffeinated drinks, sweet soda, etc. It is better to drink a glass of warm milk with honey before going to bed.

Every day you need to perform special gymnastics for pregnant women, which will partly contribute to falling asleep quickly and sound sleep. Such training should be planned for the day so that the body has time to fully relax before a night's rest. Also, before going to bed, you should not watch TV, read books or engage in mental activity, it is better to listen to calm music in order to relax properly.

It is worth adhering to a certain daily routine, which will help to accustom the body to fall asleep and go to bed at the same time. If insomnia torments you at night, then it is better to give up sleep during the day, and before a night's rest, be sure to take walks. You also need to ventilate the room, and in the summer, sleep with an open window / window, which will help you sleep soundly and calmly at night.

You need to take a warm bath before going to bed, and after half an hour after it go to bed, then falling asleep will occur almost instantly. It is better to sleep in pajamas or a shirt made of natural knitted fabrics that are pleasant to the touch. If at some point, against the background of lack of sleep and irritation, despair and fatigue rush over, you should cheer yourself up with the fact that all mothers go through such inconveniences.

The well-being of the expectant mother is the key to the birth of a healthy child. It is not difficult to choose a position for sleeping, you just have to listen to your body. Many women suffer in search of an answer to the question: how much sleep do you need during pregnancy. Let's look into these issues.

How to choose a comfortable sleeping position, and in what position you can not sleep

Good rest is an integral part of the health of every person. At night, the body restores energy, prepares for a new day.

During pregnancy, a woman's habitual lifestyle changes, sleep disturbances often occur.

In such a happy period of waiting for a baby, she faces some restrictions, including the question of in what position to fall asleep correctly.

How much sleep should a pregnant woman need per day

Drowsiness accompanies pregnancy if the woman's body does not receive vitamins and the level of immunity is significantly reduced. During the normal course of pregnancy, a woman can sleep from 10 to 12 hours a day. If you are not used to resting during the day, then be sure to develop this habit in yourself. This will also be needed during the period when you need to lie down with the baby during the day.

The most optimal rest time for a pregnant woman is from 22.00 to 7.00. As well as daytime sleep from 13.30 to 15.30.

How to sleep a pregnant woman in the early stages

In the first weeks of pregnancy, sleeping is allowed in any comfortable position. You need to learn how to fall asleep correctly right away so as not to feel discomfort in the last weeks. Finding a convenient and safe option takes a little time - it's just a matter of habit. The position on the right and left side is considered the most optimal for mom and baby.

Until what week can you sleep on your back

Falling asleep on your back, giving no small load on the lower spine, is allowed no longer than up to 14-15 weeks. After 15 weeks, it becomes a real danger to stay in this position for a long time.

Head spinning, pulse quickens, blood pressure rises. The desire to sleep on your back does not arise in those women who suffer from toxicosis. Nausea intensifies, internal organs shrink, and discomfort occurs.

What poses are best not to choose

Harmful and dangerous sleeping positions, especially in the last months of pregnancy, are considered: turning over on your stomach or on your back. A pregnant woman should avoid these positions, they are categorically not suitable. Just lying on your stomach from the 10th week is not worth it, this is a threat to the health of the baby, although it is protected by a layer of muscles and the walls of the uterus. This situation can provoke her hypertonicity.

Why you can't sleep on your stomach for a long time

Any pressure is undesirable for the developing child. In search of a convenient and comfortable sleeping position, try different positions: on your side, on your back, half-sitting.

What is the best position for a woman to sleep in the second trimester?

The tummy is more and more noticeable, the chest is increasing. At this stage of the development of the baby, he should be protected more reverently. The position for sleeping on the stomach is not suitable, and it becomes uncomfortable to fall asleep in this position. The child is protected only by amniotic fluid and the walls of the uterus.

Which side can you sleep on

Doctors disagree on which side it is recommended for expectant mothers to sleep on. Here you need to proceed from the convenience of the woman herself. Some people sleep comfortably on their left side. This posture relieves swelling from the lower extremities, facilitates the work of the kidneys. But with a long stay on the left side, pressure on the heart muscle occurs, shortness of breath and lack of oxygen occur. Therefore, the position lying on the right side is allowed.

You can sleep on both the right and left side. During the night, you have to change the position of the body several times, it is impossible to sleep for 9 hours in one position.

What positions are more comfortable

Everyone chooses a comfortable position on their own, but a more useful position is on the side. Pillows for pregnant women especially help in achieving a comfortable sleep.

Some women prefer to fall asleep half-sitting. The main thing is to control that there is no pressure on the lower spine. To do this, you need to turn slightly on your side. You can put a cushion or pillow under your feet. So you can avoid swelling in the legs.

Things to Remember

Healthy sleep is ensured when nothing disturbs you. It is impossible to sleep all night in one position, you have to roll over.

There are a few things to keep in mind for a comfortable sleep:

Set up a daily routine: Wake up and go to sleep at the same time.
Ventilate the room, cool the room in hot weather.
Load yourself with physical exercises during the day. If you just lie on the couch near the TV, then it will be much more difficult to fall asleep.

How to sleep in the last months of pregnancy

In the third trimester, the tummy becomes large, more often you want to lie down and take a comfortable position. At this time, heartburn, nasal congestion, and heavy breathing become a frequent companion of pregnant women. You need to lie down on a high pillow so that the upper body is raised.

What positions are prohibited for sleeping

It is forbidden to fall asleep on your stomach after 27 weeks. Firstly, it will be an uncomfortable position in the future, due to the rapidly growing abdomen. Secondly, the pressure on the child is so strong that it can make negative adjustments to his development.

When you lie on your back, there is a violation of blood circulation, as well as an excessive load on the spine. The intestines in this position begin to work unstably, as a result of which constipation may form. In order not to harm your body and the developing baby, sleeping on your back and stomach is not recommended.

What is the best time to sleep

Adjust your rest and wake schedule.
To do a night's sleep from 22.00 to 7.00 is 9 hours of good rest.
Daily rest should last 2 hours.
Let the body rest as much as possible.

What postures to choose for convenience

The position in which a woman used to fall asleep before she was pregnant often becomes uncomfortable in the new state. In an uncomfortable position, cramps, numbness of the limbs may occur. You have to look for a comfortable position.

Try lying on your left side.
Put a few small pillows under your knee, lower back, under your head.
Roll over to the other side when you experience pain in the lower back and hips.
Place a large pillow under your back so that your upper body is well above your legs.

Additional comfort during pregnancy during sleep: which pillows will help you fall asleep

Hormonal restructuring of the body is accompanied by a desire to sleep, and a comfortable position cannot be chosen. For a pleasant sleep, women in position are offered various accessories in the form of rollers. Pillows for pregnant women have different shapes: U (horseshoe), C (bagel), G (letter d). Not everyone understands their role, but it will be a great helper when feeding your baby in the future.

This pillow will add comfort during rest and sleep, because it has a comfortable shape, pleasant to the touch, hypoallergenic. In addition, the pillow evenly distributes the load on the spine.

Many future mothers neglect the rules of proper nutrition, and in the last weeks of pregnancy they cannot deny themselves cakes, pies and sweets. Weight grows before our eyes, volumes increase, and at the same time it becomes harder to breathe and walk.

Try to stick to healthy eating habits. Abundant overeating in the evening leads to a load on the digestive system, sleep is disturbed, fat deposits accumulate.

Don't overeat at night. Heaviness in the abdomen makes it difficult to breathe. At night you need to go to bed a little hungry, then a sound sleep is guaranteed.

Tips for eating before bed:

Do not overeat at night.
Organize the last meal 2 hours before bedtime.
You can not eat sweets and flour.
Chocolate will be deposited in fat.
Nuts, dried apricots, prunes are too high-calorie for an evening snack.
If the feeling of hunger overcomes, it is allowed to eat cottage cheese.
Do not eat fatty, salty foods.
Avoid spices.

During the day, the volume of fluid consumed by a pregnant woman should not exceed 3 glasses. It is best to avoid fluids before bed.

If you drink a large amount of liquid before going to bed, the bladder presses hard on the uterus, so frequent urge to urinate will not give you the opportunity to fully relax.

Drink green tea 2-3 hours before bed.
Do not drink mineral salt water.
The volume of liquid before bedtime should be no more than ½ cup.
You can drink a glass of kefir.
A glass of milk with half a teaspoon of honey will help you fall asleep.
Drink chamomile tea for insomnia.
Coffee and black tea disturbs sleep.

Take a walk in the park before going to bed, ventilate the room, choose a comfortable sleeping position - all this together will help you have a good rest. Pregnancy doctors recommend organizing a stable daily routine: go to sleep at the same hours every day, fall asleep on your left side and, if necessary, use accessories for pregnant women.

Useful video

The expectant mother should have a good rest. Quality sleep is especially important. There are many small details: the correct position in bed, which varies depending on the gestation period, a certain posture, the presence of special devices. All this is important not only for psychological comfort, but also for maintaining the health of the fetus. How should you sleep?

Why is it important for pregnant women to sleep well?

Proper sleep is an important task that any expectant mother should perform. This is important for:

Complete fetal development. This is the absence of a mechanical effect on the child from the outside and good blood flow in the mother-placenta-fetus system.
Proper functioning of organs in contact with the uterus or located next to it.
Creation of a favorable psychological background.

Comfortable sleep allows you to enjoy motherhood. Stress, fatigue, fatigue arising from systematic lack of sleep not only worsen mood, but also form a negative attitude towards the child deep in the subconscious.

In the 1st trimester, the question of choosing a sleeping position should not be acute for a woman. A pregnant woman can choose absolutely any position that will not cause her discomfort and will not harm the fetus. In the early stages of pregnancy, you only need to occasionally lie down in certain positions in order to accustom your body.

From about 12-14 weeks, when the stomach grows and becomes noticeable, it becomes not very comfortable to sleep on it, and it is extremely dangerous, so it is recommended to sleep on your back until 28 weeks. This position is the most physiological.

Starting from the 3rd trimester, the uterus with a growing baby reaches a significant size. A heavy organ puts strong pressure on the ureters, kidneys, rectum, and blood vessels (inferior vena cava, abdominal aorta).

If the rules of rest are not observed, development is possible:

Disorders of the placental blood flow. This condition leads to fetal hypoxia, delayed growth and development.
Hemorrhoids.
Varicose veins of the lower extremities.
Back pain of unknown etiology.
arterial hypotension.
Kidney pathology. Against the background of ischemia and impaired outflow of secondary urine caused by compression of the pyelocaliceal system and ureters, infection with the development of pyelonephritis, kidney abscess and other infectious complications is possible.
Stopping the process of defecation and digestion due to squeezing the intestines, especially the rectum.
Disorders of the heart. The condition is caused either by compression of the inferior vena cava and a sharp drop in preload, or by compression of the abdominal aorta and a multiple increase in afterload. Both conditions are extremely dangerous and can lead to sudden cardiac arrest.

Which side is better to sleep on?

Sleeping on your back in the last stages is not the best idea (read more in the article: why pregnant women should not sleep on their backs for a long time?). To prevent accidental rollover on your back during sleep, you can put a pillow.

In the 2nd trimester, you can sleep on any side, preferably on the one to which the back of the baby is turned. You can find out the location of the fetus by the results of ultrasound.

From the beginning of the 3rd trimester, you can only sleep on your left side. This is due to the risk of squeezing the liver and right kidney (when lying on the right side), which are located 1.5-2 cm below the left. Squeezing the liver leads to stagnation of blood in the inferior vena cava and disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and ureter - to pyelonephritis. For greater sleep comfort, you can put special pillows under your feet that prevent you from rolling over in your sleep.

Sleeping on the left side is recommended in any position of the fetus. With a transverse or oblique presentation, you need to be located on the side to which the baby's head is turned. The breech presentation of the fetus can be corrected by itself with the constant presence of the pregnant woman on her left side.

How to get out of bed during pregnancy?

Getting up from a supine position during pregnancy is strictly prohibited. This leads to an increased load on the ligamentous and supporting apparatus of the uterus, as well as on neighboring organs.

To prevent possible damage, you need:

Turn sideways. It is better if this side is left. If not, on the one that is closer to the edge of the bed.
You need to lower your legs from the bed and lean on your elbow on the side on which the pregnant woman will sleep on her side.
Slowly take a vertical position, leaning with both hands on the sleeping place and lowering your legs down.
Get up nicely. It is advisable to use some kind of stable object to help to ease the load on the muscles of the back and abdominals. The back of a chair or armchair, a handrail on the wall, or another person will do.

What can interfere with sleep, how to deal with it?

Anything can interfere with proper sleep and rest during pregnancy, ranging from the rapid flow of thoughts and emotional lability of a woman to the pathologies present. The most common causes of sleep disorders:

hormonal changes;
limited desired positions for sleeping;
back pain;
baby movements;
frequent urge to urinate;
heartburn;
dyspnea;
swelling in the legs, leading to cramps, goosebumps, numbness;
itching in the area of stretch marks on the abdomen.

The full sleep of the expectant mother is a guarantee of the health of the baby in the womb. A woman is obliged to do everything to protect herself from factors whose influence can disrupt the normal course of sleep.

Also, to ensure quick falling asleep and sound sleep, it is recommended:

Ventilate the room before going to bed.
Keep the bedroom at the right temperature. In 1-2 trimesters it is 22-25 degrees, in the 3rd trimester it is not higher than 21, but not lower than 19.
Have a light snack 30-40 minutes before bedtime. This will allow you to load the gastrointestinal tract a little and get rid of dyspeptic disorders (heartburn, belching, etc.).
Sleep in loose and comfortable clothes. There are many special pajamas for pregnant women.
At night, sleep on orthopedic mattresses and use special pillows for pregnant women.
To eat well. Nutrition should be complete, and food should be rich in vitamins, minerals, macro- and microelements. It is better to give preference to fresh vegetables and fruits.

How not to sleep in early and late pregnancy?

How not to sleep during early and late pregnancy, and why is it harmful? Starting from the 15th week of pregnancy, it is not recommended to sleep on your stomach. This leads to compression of the uterus and the fetus in it. The uteroplacental blood flow is disturbed, hypoxia may develop, which in the future is manifested by a delay in the growth and development of the child, less often by defects in internal organs and systems and other anomalies. The most severe case is mechanical damage to the fetus and its intrauterine death.

From the 28th week of pregnancy, it is forbidden to sit on your back. Preference should be given to the position on the side. Two strong formations in a woman's body are the uterus and the spinal column. When positioned on the back, they compress all the organs between them, leading to many violations of their functions.

Compression of the inferior vena cava entails a reduction in the return of venous blood to the heart, a sharp decrease in the volume of circulating blood. There is acute blood loss in the body of a woman in position. Compression of the abdominal part of the aorta leads to even more catastrophic consequences. The afterload on the heart is maximum, which contributes to a significant increase in blood pressure (up to 200-250 mm Hg). Under such conditions, cardiac arrest or hemorrhagic stroke can occur.

No less dangerous is compression of the kidneys and ureters. This leads to stagnation of blood and waste products. A favorable environment is created for the reproduction of many microorganisms that contribute to the infection of the renal tissue and the development of pyelonephritis.

Pillows for pregnant women and other useful devices

There are many specialized pillows for pregnant women. They are very soft, have a comfortable shape for the body and help you fall asleep quickly. In addition, these devices prevent the woman from turning during sleep.

The table shows the main types of pillows.

Form	Characteristics	Features of use
horseshoe	Large, comfortable, provides support for all parts of the body and prevents rollover during sleep.	The stomach is located on the front roller, the back rests against the back, the head lies on the rounded part of the pillow.
"Bagel"	Covers the whole body, helps to support the back, head and stomach.	The “horn” of the pillow is clamped with the legs, the upper part of the “bagel” is hugged by the hands, while the stomach rests on the side roller, and the back is located between the “horns”.
G-shaped	Practical, compact, but not suitable for many because of the protruding "tail".	The "tail" of the pillow is placed under the stomach, the legs wrap around the lower side roller, the head lies on a spacious rounded part.

The side position is one of the favorite positions for pregnant women. In this position, nothing presses on the growing tummy and does not interfere with the normal blood supply to the placenta. Can expectant mothers sleep on their right side or should they prefer the left side?

Harm

Specialists from the University of New Zealand conducted a study in which 155 pregnant women took part. Based on the test results, it was concluded: expectant mothers should not sleep on their right side in the later stages. Is this tactic justified?

Obstetricians believe that sleeping on the right side provokes compression of the inferior vena cava. In this position, the vein is squeezed less than in the supine position, but there is still a possibility of vascular compression and impaired blood flow in the pelvic organs. At the same time, the placenta also suffers - an organ that provides the child with all the necessary nutrients and oxygen. Prolonged oxygen starvation provokes the development of hypoxia and leads to a delay in the physical development of the fetus.

Chronic hypoxia also affects the formation of the nervous system of the baby. Brain neurons are extremely sensitive to lack of oxygen. In the case of hypoxia, they are damaged, the formation of connections between brain regions is disrupted. All this leads to a delay in the development of the child soon after his birth.

Sleeping on the right side has a negative effect on the work of the digestive tract. In this position, in the later stages, there is a strong pressure on the liver and gallbladder. The outflow of bile is disturbed, its stagnation occurs. There is heartburn, belching, bloating, constipation. There are pains in the epigastrium and right hypochondrium, indicating a malfunction in the digestive tract.

Benefit

In contrast to all of the above, cardiologists strongly recommend that pregnant women sleep on their right side. In the position on the left side, the load on the heart and the large vessels emanating from it increases. There is a failure of the rhythm, interruptions in the work of the heart muscle. Sleeping on the right side can be especially dangerous for women suffering from chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system.

What's the best way to sleep?

In the first trimester of pregnancy, a woman can sleep the way she likes. As long as the uterus does not go beyond the womb, the baby is not in danger. In the position on the right side, the expectant mother can sleep and spend the night comfortably.
In the second trimester, you should focus on the well-being and condition of the fetus. If there is no discomfort in the position on the right side, you can continue to sleep in this position. If any unpleasant symptoms appear, you need to roll over to your left side.

dizziness;
difficulty breathing or shortness of breath;
tachycardia;
loss of consciousness;
heartburn;
flatulence and bloating.

If you find any of the unwanted symptoms, you need to urgently change the situation. Roll over should be gradual, without sudden movements. In the position on the left side, all discomfort goes away on its own.

For a comfortable sleep on the side, the expectant mother should use special arched pillows. These pillows are specially designed for pregnant women. They allow you to unload the muscles, relieve the load from the lower back, reduce swelling in varicose veins. During sleep, a pillow can be placed between the legs so that the knee of one leg is completely elevated. In this position, sleep will be as comfortable and safe as possible.