Best Sleeping Position During Pregnancy

Let's face it; pregnancy brings a sea of changes in a woman's life! There are feelings of joy and excitement on the one hand, and achy backs, sleeping discomfort, swollen feet, nausea, smell sensitivity on the other! You long for rest and want to get into a snugly comfortable position.

Even on a normal day, not getting enough sleep can make you feel groggy and give you headaches. Now that you are pregnant, you need your complete dosage of sleep more than ever! Wondering about what's the safest and the best way to sleep when pregnant? 

How you sleep when you are pregnant has a lot to do with your comfort and your baby's health. The ideal way to sleep during the different trimesters of pregnancy differs as your abdomen grows, and so does the baby. When you aim to keep the baby safe and get a good night's sleep, it helps to know about the ideal sleeping positions during pregnancy. 

Related Article: Why Pregnancy Body Pillows Are Useful

The first trimester of pregnancy is the easiest to handle. You can choose the most comfortable sleeping position in the first trimester. If you prefer sleeping on your side, on your back, on the stomach, or a combination, it is safe to lie down as you like. At this juncture, your uterus has not grown big enough to interfere with your sleeping positions. However, sleeping on your back should be the least preferred choice as it can hamper the blood flow to your uterus. 

As the weeks of pregnancy progresses, and you reach the second trimester, you should be more careful about your sleeping positions. Research has shown sleeping on your left at this point is the safest for your baby. 

Sleeping in this position improves the blood flow as the uterus does not put pressure on the liver. Sleeping on the left allows better blood circulation to the heart, uterus, and kidneys. The back sleeping position may not be the most comfortable or the safest sleeping position during this trimester of pregnancy. Lying in this position means putting added pressure on the main blood vessels that run behind the uterus carrying blood back to the heart from the lower body. Putting pressure on these blood vessels will slow down your blood circulation, which may adversely affect the baby by cutting off oxygen supply and nutrition.

To make yourself comfortable, you can use pregnancy pillows and find a comfortable sleeping position. For the most comfort and body support, explore the varieties of pregnancy pillows that are on the market. C-shaped, U-shaped, body pillows, wedges, there are plenty of choices to keep every would-be mother cosy. Lying on your right is also a choice, but always remember - left is the best sleeping position all through your pregnancy.

When you are already 28 weeks pregnant, comfortable sleeping positions may become more difficult to discover. Tingling leg pain or sciatica, back pain, shortness of breath are common as your baby is now fairly big and waiting to be welcomed into the world. 

Several studies show sleeping positions during the third trimester play a major role in the baby's health. As you enter the third trimester, sleeping on your back becomes dangerous due to scientific reasons. Supine sleeping position or lying on the back leads to increased risk of stillbirth many folds. This heightened risk develops due to the reduced blood flow and oxygen supply to the womb. Additionally, lying on your back may cause shortness of breath as the growing belly will push down the intestine.

By this time, sleeping on your stomach will almost be impossible due to the ballooning breasts and the expanding uterus. Lying on the right for a while is all right but sleeping on the left is the best position throughout your pregnancy. 

You can shift positions for a while without worrying, but do not lie down on your back for more than five to ten minutes. If it's difficult for you to find a comfortable sleeping position, stack up some pillows, roll a sheet, look for suitable pregnancy pillows that bring you relief. They will help to give your body support and lift your body in certain positions so that specific pressure points are at ease. Knowing about the best sleeping position during pregnancy allows you to choose the right kind of bedding accessories to keep you comfortable in bed. 

For arms and shoulders - When lying on your side, support your body by placing some pillows behind your back, hips, down to your legs. This will reduce stress on your arms and shoulders. Comfortably roll back on the pillows without having to lie on your back. Place pillows under the elbow to ease pressure on the arms.

For the back and neck - To keep your back in a comfortable position, lift your head, neck, and upper body with the support of pillows or cushions.

To relieve pressure from the lower back - Tuck some pillows under your knees to ease your lower back from excess pressure.

For the legs - Place a pillow between your knees or under the knee that's touching the bed to give support to your legs or to keep them comfortably bent. This will help if you are suffering from hip or leg pain.

For the tummy - The tummy is already heavy by the second trimester. When lying on the sides, place an extra long pillow between the knees to provide a soft cushioned support to your growing tummy.

Kind Face produces body pillow options based on your stature to help you achieve a relaxing and comfortable sleeping position. We use a hypoallergenic and temperature-regulating wool filling as our unique touch.