Your obstetrician or midwife will tell you to sleep on your side, preferably your left, for optimal pregnancy positioning at night. If you are lucky they will suggest a pillow under your knees for comfort. But that is about all you get for advice on pregnancy sleep ergonomics; usually you are left with something to the effect of, "you'll feel better once the baby is born." If you have months to go and spend hours every night tossing and turning, waking up feeling worse than when you when you went to bed, here are some valuable suggestions for you.
The secret to ensuring a better night's sleep when you are pregnant is alignment through pregnancy pillows. That means your body needs to be straight and there should be no pressure on key joints, muscles or ligaments. Below are 10 great tips to help you get aligned at night for better sleep:
1. Start out by making sure it is easy to get in and out of your bed. If you need to change the height to make getting in and out comfortable, do so. This is a safety suggestion as well as making your night-time space more ergonomic.
2. Use a cervical curve memory foam pillow. Your neck should be straight, not angled towards the bed or the ceiling. For side position this might mean a thicker pillow than you are used to, especially if your shoulders are wide.
3. Have a pillow just for your arm and hand to rest on. This keeps your hand and wrist elevated to reduce swelling and carpel tunnel symptoms. It also lifts your arm slightly off your chest to promote easier breathing.
4. If you have heartburn, try elevating your head with a wedge. Make sure the wedge is long enough to go all the way to your hips, otherwise it bends your spine in a way that is uncomfortable and will hurt at the waist.
5. Use a wedge pregnancy pillow under your belly, to reduce strain on the uterine ligaments.
6. Equally important as the belly wedge, a similar wedge tucked behind your low back on the other side keeps your spine aligned, not sinking in towards the mattress. This also helps prevent you from rolling on to your back in your sleep.
7. Use one or maybe two pillows between your knees to support your leg from your knee to your feet, making sure it is thick enough. How thick? You want to make sure your thigh is parallel with the bed. This will reduce strain on the muscles and ligaments that cause low back strain and sciatic pain in your hips and legs.
8. If this position does not remove your pain, try using pillows stacked under your top leg with your knee bent. Leave your other leg straight on the bed. This position also reduces the pressure on your lower hip joint against the bed.
9. Make sure your leg pillow is long enough to also support your whole foot. Supporting the foot will reduce swelling; leaving it dangling off the pillow will actually increase the swelling.
10. Ideally, you want your pillows organized symmetrically, so when you turn over at night you do not have to pull them with you from side to side. The faster you can turn and resettle, the faster you can get back to sleep!
Now you know how to get a great night's sleep when you are expecting a little one. Best wishes to you, and sweet dreams!
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