By Clara Mansell
To most moms it may seem like sleep deprivation just comes with the territory. There’s certainly no escaping it when you have a newborn to care for, but pregnant moms also have to deal with sleep disturbance for months before giving birth. From waking up at odd hours to pee, to heartburn and backaches, it gets harder to get restful uninterrupted sleep as your pregnancy progresses. If it’s not those annoying pregnancy symptoms that wake you up, it might be the discomfort from trying to find a suitable sleeping position to rest in for a long period of time. Thankfully, there is a sleep position that can make you comfortable – both physically and mentally.
The Safest Pregnancy Sleep Position
The SOS or ‘Sleep on Side’ position is widely regarded as the safest sleep position when you’re pregnant. While there’s no foolproof trick to relieve your pregnancy symptoms, this sleep position could help to some extent and it should give you peace of mind. The posture is recommended by experts worldwide, including The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). They also point out that the SOS position works best when you lie on your side with your knees bent and a pregnancy pillow between them while using another to support your belly. Better still, you could use a full-length body pillow.
When sleeping in the SOS position, having a trusty pregnancy pillow by your side is a game-changer. Not only does it take the pressure off your hips and align your spine, but it also works wonders in easing lower back pain. Plus, tucking a pillow between your knees isn’t just for comfort—it wards off those midnight muscle cramps and can help you from unintentionally rolling over during sleep. Investing in the right pregnancy pillow with a great shape for you and decent firmness is key for these benefits to ensure a restful night’s sleep. Check out these pregnancy pillow recommendations from leading experts and reviewers.
How Does Sleeping On Your Side Help?
Sleeping on your side puts minimal pressure on your veins and organs, allowing for better circulation. This becomes increasingly important as your baby keeps growing because there is a higher risk of compression of blood flow to the uterus.
Sleeping on your side alleviates pressure on the inferior vena cava (IVC), a large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower body to the heart, thus promoting better blood flow. This position also uses gravity to assist blood flow back to the heart, enhancing circulation. Side sleeping also minimizes pressure on organs such as the liver and kidneys, which means that you’ll get relief from symptoms like swelling in your extremities.
For additional relief, using the best pain relief cream can help reduce muscle soreness and discomfort, especially after a long day or intense physical activity.
Sleep Positions To Avoid During Pregnancy
None of these sleep positions will increase your risk of pregnancy complications but they can increase discomfort and exacerbate pregnancy symptoms.
Sleeping on your back: As your tummy grows during your pregnancy, it increases pressure on the lower spine, lungs, intestines, and major blood vessels. This is why lying on your back can increase backaches, gastrointestinal problems, and interfere with blood flow through your body.
Sleeping on your stomach: Lying face down on your tummy will not ‘crush’ your baby, but it becomes increasingly uncomfortable and impractical as your pregnancy progresses because your tummy is larger and your breasts become tender.
The Takeaway
Sleeping on your side is the safest and most comfortable choice, but other sleep positions do not pose a threat to your pregnancy. Just remember that other factors can also affect sleep quality, so try to cultivate a healthy sleep routine. Avoid big, heavy meals and drinking lots of fluids shortly before bedtime, maintain a consistent sleep schedule, try meditation or breathing relaxation techniques, and most importantly, steer clear of OTC sleep aids, including ‘all-natural’ herbal ones.
One final consideration: When it comes to preparing for your baby’s arrival and their comfortable sleep, you might want to consider baby sleep sacks to also help them get the best sleep and save you time from swaddling them. Sleep sacks are very practical to replace having to swaddle and re-wrap your little one up – which comes in handy especially after midnight diaper changes.
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