Sleep During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, inadequate sleep is a common complain made by women, mostly, due to the result of anxiety and stress, hormonal fluctuations, and physical discomfort.

As your pregnancy progresses, you may find it more difficult to find a comfortable position, or you may have to get up several times during the night to empty your increasingly cramped bladder.

Causes of Inadequate sleep

Frequent trips to the bathroom- In early pregnancy and late pregnancy when the bladder is compressed by the baby. Especially during your first trimester, when the sleep-inducing hormone progesterone starts surging through your body, and pressure on your bladder from your growing uterus sends you scurrying to the bathroom countless times every night.

Heartburn- Usually occurs in the second trimester and is another cause for sleep disturbance. The uterus pushes up against your organs causing pressure on the stomach. At times, stomach acid will back-flow into the esophagus causing heartburn.

Fetal Movement- Once the baby starts to kick and move about (usually around the 5th or 6th month) you may be awakened by a particularly feisty fetus.

Physical Discomfort- The bigger you get, the more difficult the task of finding a comfortable sleeping position. Your breasts may be sore in early pregnancy too.

Emotional Worry- Many women feel such anxiety about their child that they lay awake in the wee hours of the morning thinking of all the things that could possibly happen. This is no time to focus on the bad, but the perfect opportunity to practice breathing and relaxation techniques you will need for birth.