I’d like to start this post with a disclaimer. These tips are probably only really going to be helpful to you if you don’t already have a sleepless toddler who likes to clamber into bed with you at 1am. If this is your first baby, then hopefully these tips will help you. If this is your second, then maybe consider palming the toddler off on a friendly relative before you even start kidding yourself that you’re going to get a good night’s sleep!
Sleep On Your Left Side
This is less of a tip on how to get a good night’s sleep and more of just a general pregnancy guideline. Particularly when you get to the third trimester, it is really important to lay on your left side to go to sleep to help your blood flow and to generally stop your organs getting squished in the night. There are definitely a lot more scientific explanations online as to why it is ideal to sleep on your left side so feel free to do some Googling on the subject too. All I know is that if I ever do sleep on my back by accident I always wake up feeling pretty worse for wear!
Try To Limit Drinks Before Bed
Of course, it is important to stay hydrated (especially during pregnancy!) but downing a large mug of tea just before bed is only going to end one way… No one wants to have to make twenty trips to the bathroom overnight so spare yourself the hassle and give yourself at least half an hour or so between your last drink of the evening and going to bed.
Get An Early Night
This is of course lifestyle dependant. Sometimes my toddler is still awake when I’m more than ready to hit the hay but whenever possible I try to get into bed as soon as I start feeling tired and done with the day. I’ve lost count of the amount of evenings that I’ve been in bed before nine after sheepishly saying to Dan ‘I think I’m going to go up now’, and leaving him to play on the PlayStation! Generally I find lying on my side the most comfortable and so even if I don’t fall asleep straight away, it’s good to give my body that extra rest.
Get Comfy
This is where the tips get a little bit more spendy! I think most of us are guilty of not replacing our mattress as often as we should, in my case that’s mainly because the thought of spending out for a new one fills me with dread. But, if you shop around a bit you can actually find some amazing new mattress deals. Sites like Groupon have some really good offers on mattresses and mattress toppers, and what better time to treat yourself that when you’re pregnant? The other thing I would really recommend is investing in a pregnancy pillow. I have an amazing one from Boppy that has totally reformed my sleep and I wake up feeling so much more refreshed now that I did before (full review coming soon!).
Watch What You Eat In The Evenings
In the first trimester it can be a good idea to have a snack before bed to try to limit nausea in the nighttime and sickness the next day. Later on in pregnancy if you suffer with heartburn then try to avoid foods that cause the burn before bed. For me, that’s things like chocolate (sob!) and heavy or spicy foods. Learn what causes your heartburn and just don’t eat it in the evenings, because trying to fall asleep with all that acid re flux occurring is not fun in the slightest.
I hope these tips are helpful to any fellow pregnant ladies! And just remember, if you’re struggling with sleep now, it’s only going to get worse! Kidding…I hate it when people say things like that. But seriously, try to get some rest in before the baby arrives.
*this is a sponsored post.
