Growing and carrying a human inside of you, while incredible, can also be quite taxing. Your healthcare provider, partner, and doula will always be encouraging you to get good rest, which will be difficult to do if you are experiencing pregnancy insomnia. If you are, you are not alone as it is estimated that about 75% of pregnant people are affected with some level of insomnia in pregnancy.
Insomnia in pregnancy, while difficult, is a normal response to the many changes going on in your body. So what is defined as insomnia in pregnancy? Insomnia is when you are getting an inadequate amount of sleep, or the sleep you are getting feels like poor-quality. This might look like frequent wake ups, trouble falling asleep, or difficulty getting back to sleep after waking.
There are several potential reasons for your lack of rest. Here are a few:
Back Pain- carrying a child changes your center of gravity, and adds weight to carry which causes many pregnant people to experience back aches. You might talk to your provider, see a chiropractor, get a massage (or several;)), use a belly support band or kinesiology tape, stretching, a bra that supports you well, ice packs to back, and practicing good posture.
Hormonal changes-Some of the hormones that increase in pregnancy might disrupt your sleep patterns, rather than relax you.
Frequent Urination- as you probably already know if you were up to pee 100 times last night, that a growing baby puts some pressure on your bladder.
Anxiety- hormonal changes, caring for new life, family dynamics changing, all can be anxiety inducing. Talk to your provider about ways to alleviate anxiety. For some, exercise and meditation do the trick.
Inability to get comfortable- being pregnant might force you to change your sleeping position such as not being able to sleep on your stomach, or maybe your sweet baby is just very active at night, making it quite difficult to be comfortable laying down.
Heartburn- as discussed in a previous post- heartburn can creep in at night, disrupting sleep.
Ok so what can you do about it? While there is no one “cure” for your insomnia in pregnancy, there are some things you can try, in an attempt to get that much needed and deserved rest.
Establish good sleep hygiene- This looks like setting both a bedtime and wake time to give your body the consistency it craves. Consider adding in a bedtime routine and do it Every. Single. Night. This routine, when possible, should include turning off all screens at least an hour before you head to bed.
Pregnancy pillow- there are SO many brands of pregnancy pillows on the market you can give a try. They help to support your growing uterus and are quite comfortable. If you don’t want to spend money on one, try putting a pillow up under your bump and one in between your legs and see if this is helpful.
Relaxation techniques- Breathing exercises, meditation tapes, a warm bath, chamomile tea. Whatever works best for you, give it a try and do it every evening!
Reduce Caffeine intake, and avoid large meals before bed.
If you are experiencing pregnancy insomnia, remind yourself that it is not harmful to your growing baby, and it will not last forever. There is no miracle cure, but keep trying different things until you find what works to help you get that much needed rest.
