During pregnancy, because of changes in the body, many expectant mothers will have sleep problems, and various problems of sleep can be simply described as sleeplessness, sleep failure, and sleeplessness.
Don't take "bad sleep" lightly, as severe sleep disorders during pregnancy may even increase the incidence of obesity and cardiovascular disease in macrosomia, premature births, and offspring. Even if it is not so severe, sleep disorders are one of the risk factors for expectant mothers to develop gestational diabetes, pregnancy and postpartum depression.
So, if you feel like you haven't slept very well lately, don't hold on, try the 5 methods introduced in this lesson.
Method 1: Improve the sleep environment and avoid excitement before going to bed
The first method is to improve the sleeping environment and avoid bedtime excitement. Stick to regular schedules and avoid strenuous exercise or overexcite your brain before going to bed. Ensure that the bedroom and bed are only used as a place to sleep, do not work in bed or use electronic devices such as mobile phones for time, so as to avoid the situation of "the more you swipe the screen, the more excited" and "you can't stop at all".
Also to ensure the comfort of the bedroom, indoor temperature, bedding, smell and light are suitable for sleep.
In addition, mental anxiety and nervousness during pregnancy may also cause sleep problems. Before going to bed, you can imagine yourself in a quiet, comfortable environment, try to empty your mind, slow down the breathing rhythm, feel the muscles gradually relax, you can also let the father-to-be help you do a local massage before going to bed, or yoga and stretching exercises under the guidance of a professional, it is easier to fall asleep while relaxing your emotions.
Method 2: Do not eat too much 2 hours before bedtime, and consume less caffeine
The second method is to improve bedtime drinking and reduce gastrointestinal discomfort. Excessive fullness⻝ or hunger may lead to nausea and vomiting, especially at dinner, so as not to affect sleep.
First of all, expectant mothers should choose a light drink for dinner, too spicy, irritating " or acidic drink may aggravate the heartburn. Avoid excessive intake within 2 hours before bedtime, drink a small amount of warm water or milk, or eat some small snacks such as soda crackers.
In addition, expectant mothers with sleep problems should avoid drinking tea, coffee, etc. within 6 hours before going to bed, and do not eat chocolate, because the caffeine in these things will affect sleep. Even if you don't have sleep problems, limit your daily caffeine intake to less than 200 mg.
For example, a large cup of latte at Starbucks has a caffeine content of about 200 mg. A bag of 15 grams of instant coffee has a caffeine content of about 50 mg.
Method three: Remember to urinate before going to bed, and don't drink too much water before going to bed
The third thing to say is to remind expectant mothers to pee before going to bed.
Many expectant mothers in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy will interrupt their sleep due to frequent urination. Therefore, emptying the bladder before bedtime helps to reduce the number of night ups. Do not drink too much water 1 to 2 hours before bedtime, especially avoiding juice, coffee, or tea to avoid further aggravating the symptoms of frequent urination. Many expectant mothers drink a glass of milk before going to bed to help with sleep. But milk really doesn't
It has a clear sleep aid and may also make you start up at night because you drink too much water. For mothers who love to drink milk, it is best to drink it 2 hours before bedtime.
In normal times, it is also possible to strengthen pelvic floor function exercises, strengthen the control of bladder muscles, and reduce the symptoms of frequent urination.
Method 4: With the help of a pillow, find a comfortable sleeping position
The fourth method is about sleeping posture.
In the middle and third trimesters of pregnancy, doctors often recommend that expectant mothers take the left recumbent position, but in fact, the left or right side can be lying down, and the lateral lying position can reduce the compression of the uterus on the inferior vena cava and can also help urinate.
When lying on the back, the enlarged uterus is prone to affect blood circulation, often making the expectant mother feel flustered, breathless, unable to fall asleep or even awakened from sleep.
Of course, if you do not feel discomfort in the supine position in the early or second trimester of pregnancy, you can also use the supine position or any sleeping position where you feel comfortable. However, in the third trimester, the lateral recumbent position is still recommended.
The larger the gestational week, the closer to the due date, a large pregnant belly will make the expectant mother feel nervous how to sleep is uncomfortable, at this time you can use the pillow to help you adjust the comfortable sleep position, help sleep in the lateral lying position.
For example, when you lie on your side, you can put a pillow under your stomach and between your legs, or you can choose a suitable pregnant woman pillow to reduce waist muscle discomfort.
Method five: timely treatment of some diseases that affect sleep
The fifth point to emphasize is that if some disease affects the sleep of expectant mothers, it needs to be dealt with in time.
For example, restless legs syndrome. The manifestation of this syndrome is that there is a strong desire to move the lower limbs during rest, and if it is not active, there is often a strong discomfort such as restlessness and itching.
The prevalence during pregnancy is 2 to 3 times greater than at other stages, and symptoms usually resolve gradually after childbirth. Because the condition often worsens in the evening or at night, it can affect the sleep of expectant mothers.
Treatment of restless leg syndrome is mainly non-pharmacological treatment, including psychological counseling and support, appropriate physical exercise, avoidance of caffeine and nicotine intake, and iron supplementation. A very small number of expectant mothers with a heavier degree who must require medication can take medication with informed consent and under the guidance of a doctor.
Another example is leg muscle spasm, which is what we commonly call leg cramps.
Leg and foot cramps are more common in the middle and third trimester of pregnancy, and many expectant mothers have experienced waking up at night because of leg cramps. In the public perception, cramps are equal to calcium deficiency, but in fact, leg cramps during pregnancy and insufficient blood supply are more related to lactic acid accumulation.
It is recommended that expectant mothers exercise regularly, pay attention to the stretching of the leg muscles, elevate the lower limbs during rest to facilitate venous return, increase the supplement of water to accelerate lactic acid metabolism, choose suitable shoes and socks, etc. If cramps occur at night, you can pull the calf muscles back to relieve it, and it is not recommended to take sleep aids and medications on your own.
That's it, there are 5 ways to improve the quality of sleep for expectant mothers, and most sleep problems during pregnancy can be alleviated or alleviated in these ways. The point I want to emphasize here is that it is not recommended that you take sleep aids or drugs on your own.
Commonly used sleeping pills may cause fetal malformations in the first trimester, use in the third trimester may also affect the central nervous system activity of newborns, and for the mother, the use of the "phase" may also cause drug dependence. The safety of sleep aids during pregnancy is often insufficient evidence.
If you encounter serious sleep disorders, anxiety, depression problems, it is recommended to contact a doctor in time to seek professional help.
Well, today's article is shared here, I hope that we can have the opportunity to become a better self because of the arrival of our children, be better parents, learn to think, learn to judge, learn to analyze, and accompany our children to grow up with him.
This article is original by the little man at home, welcome to pay attention, take you along with long knowledge!