A long hours of tugging in the bed, an inflamed ear from rubbing against a pillow, a bunch of annoying thoughts in my head - it's more like torture. Insomnia in the third trimester of pregnancy is a frequent phenomenon, although it does not get any easier. This condition can not be released until dawn, and only then, deprived of strength and emotion, a woman "falls" into a dream.
In general, insomnia is a real scourge of 80% of pregnant women. She has a number of reasons that overlap, causing unnecessary stress. Stress, in turn, only exacerbates insomnia. The woman worries about how this condition will affect the developing in the tummy. Before the birth, insomnia is one of the most serious complications of pregnancy.
Causes of insomnia
In early pregnancy, the cause of insomnia in hormonal changes in the female body. So the resources of the body are mobilized, leading him into a "pregnant" state, which does not allow him to relax. With the growth of the term, the number of causes of sleep disorders also increases. First of all, these are various physiological changes.
- the inability to find a comfortable posture (a grown belly and an increased weight make this process difficult);
- aching pain in back and waist;
- sharp and frequent movements of the fetus;
- persistent nocturnal urge to urinate;
- heartburn;
- convulsions (especially frequent leg cramps);
- permanent itching in the abdomen;
- shortness of breath (the increased volume of the uterus makes breathing difficult, since the uterus presses on the lungs);
There are also added psychological reasons:
- chronic fatigue;
- stress and nerve strain;
- nightmares.
How to cope
Even one of these reasons would be enough to poison all peace, and if they also combine ... But there is enough money to cope with insomnia. First, you need to take care that during the day do not doom yourself to overexertion. Fatigue, accumulated for the day, will not let you relax. Try for a few days to drop the habit of sleeping during the day or reducing the time of daytime sleep. Quiet rest is promoted by walks on fresh air, swimming and uncomplicated physical exercises. Do not eat up before going to bed, as a full stomach can not provide comfort.
Before going to bed, you can take a warm shower or a bath in which to add a chamomile broth. It also soothes aromatic oil (for example, lavender oil) - it will help to relax. Try to drink less in the evening (make sure that the total fluid intake per day is at least 8 glasses), so you can cope with such a frequent cause of insomnia, as frequent emptying of the bladder.
Drink a cup of warm milk before you go to bed. If you do not like empty milk, you can add a little honey, cinnamon or sugar. Also calms tea from herbs (chamomile is recommended, which has a relaxing effect). But about the usual tonic tea (not to mention coffee!) Should be forgotten. By the way, milk contains tryptophan, which is also called natural sleeping pills. Such substances have a calming effect.
It is allowed to eat a sandwich with a boiled turkey before bedtime (turkey meat is also rich in tryptophan). If in the evening you feel weakness, palpitations are quickening, then the cause of your insomnia may be in hypoglycemia (lowering blood sugar). To you in this case will help sweet tea, juice or a slice of sugar. Just do not forget to tell the doctor about these symptoms. Only a specialist can confirm or deny this diagnosis and take appropriate measures.
Cover the stomach before bedtime with lotion, which can prevent the appearance of itching. Also, ask your husband to give you a relaxing massage before going to bed. This will help to relax, relieve pain in the lower back and back, and massage of the ankles and feet will help avoid night cramps. Sometimes it helps to fall asleep ... sex. If you do not have medical contraindications to having sex, you have a desire and you know that usually after having sex you tend to sleep - why not? Also, be sure to keep fresh air in the bedroom. Do not forget to ventilate the room before going to bed.
To sleep a pregnant woman will need a lot of pillows (not less than three) of different shapes and sizes. It is best to purchase a special ergonomic pillow for pregnant women. It is wedge shaped and designed to be placed under the belly. In addition, after delivery, it can be used during feeding. You can put pillows under your neck, under your side, between the legs. You can cover the entire mattress with pillows - so the bed can better take the shape of your body. Look for a comfortable posture in which it would be easier to fall asleep. If you can not sleep on your back and stomach - then lie on your side. Experts believe that it is better to the left - in this position the inflow of blood to the uterus is strengthened. Put a pillow under your stomach, squeeze one more between your knees, and if you are worried about back and waist pain, you can tuck another pillow by your side. In the third trimester of pregnancy, sometimes doctors advise to sleep in the embryo position. This stimulates blood circulation, promotes maximum relaxation of all muscles. You can also put an extra pillow under your head. This not only facilitates breathing, but also is effective against heartburn.
If within half an hour you did not manage to fall asleep, get up, go to another room, read a book or a magazine that can cast a dream. You can tie, listen to soothing music or solve a crossword puzzle. Go to bed only when you feel the approach of sleep.
As for sleeping pills, insomnia of pregnancy is not subject to them. In addition, they can affect the child. Do not take them, even if the soporific was successfully drunk during pregnancy by your girlfriend or you advised him at the pharmacy. Especially dangerous are these drugs in the first trimester, when the active formation of the embryo. However, in the future, from the hypnotics of the pregnant woman, too, more harm than good.