Being pregnant can be an incredibly exciting time, it can also mean that you’re now tossing and turning all night long. There are plenty of reasons for that; your body is changing, your stomach is growing, and there’s a live person inside of you! The importance of sleep during pregnancy is crucial because your body is using more energy to grow another human. That means you’re eating and resting for two.
If you find it hard to get a good night’s sleep, consider your eating/drinking habits, improve your sleep hygiene, and find a more comfortable position. Here are the top sleep tips for pregnant women to sleep all night long:
Sleep during pregnancy: Follow these sleep tips
Improve Your Sleep Hygiene
Make time for sleep – as you prepare for the baby, make sure you focus on getting eight to ten hours of rest each night. Sleep hygiene can be improved in a number of ways, such as setting a schedule so that you wake up at the same time each day and go to bed at the same time each night.
If you can’t get comfortable in your own bed, a pregnancy pillow is a great idea. They are machine washable and are often soft and luxurious to help you relax and unwind. Plus, some of them could turn into a nursing pillow to help you hold your baby while you breastfeed or bottle-feed!
Find a Comfortable Position
You can make yourself more comfortable by placing pillows carefully around your body. For example, place a pillow between your bent knees or under your belly. In addition, a pregnancy pillow is a life-saver for pregnant women.
Eat and Drink Habits
Despite eating for two now, you should still focus on eating healthy, nutrient-rich foods. Don’t worry about giving in to cravings every once in a while, but make sure you have a balanced and light meal before you go to bed. Consider limiting the amount of caffeine in your diet, as well. If you drink caffeinated beverages in the afternoon, you might be too alert to rest. Even the best pregnancy pillows can’t help you relax and unwind then!
Soothe Your Legs
Many women get leg cramps or develop restless leg syndrome during pregnancy. It might help to use a pregnancy body pillow to elevate your legs at night. You can also put the pregnancy pillow between the legs to give them more support.
Ease New Parent Worries
There are a lot of things to worry about when you become a parent; you might be excited, but you’re sure to have some concerns and worries. Are you afraid of what might happen in the delivery room? talk to someone in your support system or talk to your health care provider.
You might want to consider cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia as an option. With this program, you can identify habits and thoughts that cause or worsen sleep problems, and learn to replace them with ones that promote better sleep.
Support Your Body with the Right Body Pillow
Your body is going through many changes right now, so you deserve a full-body pillow that can help you relax. It supports the entire body, and there are different types and styles. Let’s learn about them now! :
Different Types of Pregnancy Body Pillows
There are various styles of pregnancy pillows on the market. Though you may feel that it’s just a pillow, they are great because they offer full-body support and can even be used once the baby arrives.
Here are the top pregenancy pillow categories:
- Pregnancy Wedge Pillow – The wedge pillow is often made of shredded memory foam and has a high and low point to it. Most women lie at the thin end so that their head is elevated. This particular pillow doesn’t support the entire body, though.
- Full-length Pregnancy Pillow – This type of maternity pillow supports the full body and can often help with pelvic girdle pain. Most body pillows are straight, but you can find U-shaped pillows and C-shaped pillows.
- C-shaped Pregnancy Pillow – These pillows feature a C-shape, so they’re slightly curved. You can position it in different ways to lay your head at one end and put the other end between the legs.
- U-shaped Pregnancy Pillow – This pillow is similar to the C-shape, but the curve in the middle is a bit stiffer to make a U-shape. The ends don’t open up as much, but they are great for side sleepers and offer more belly support in any sleep position.
What Is the Best Pregnancy Pillow?
Choosing the right pregnancy pillow for you is depending on your needs and the position you prefer to sleep in. Moms-to-be are sure to appreciate them in the first trimester, second trimester, and beyond. You can even use them during waking hours to reduce hip pain and improve blood flow!
When looking for the best pregnancy pillows, there are quite a number of different factors you need to consider like your preferred sleeping position, whether you have back pain or legs cramps, etc. Most of them fill the entire bed and work well for a queen-size bed.
No matter what type you’re looking for, though, I’ve broken down the best ones you could find:
Hiccapop Wedge Pregnancy Pillow
If you’re not quite sure if you’re ready to dive head-first into bigger pregnancy pillows just yet, then this wedge pillow by Hiccapop is the perfect starter one. Now, that doesn’t mean it won’t be the pillow that you use through all three trimesters. You just might fall head over heels in love with it from the moment you place it on your bed. With its velvety-soft cover, this memory foam pillow has a unique two-sided design, with one side being firmer than the other. Unlike other pillows, which can run hot, this one boasts a special ventilation technology. And with its affordable price point, what’s stopping you from grabbing two?
Awesling Full-Length Pregnancy Pillow
There’s something about having that familiar cushioning only a pillow can provide that can take your comfort to the next level. This extra-long pregnancy pillow by Awesling is the full-body hug that my body craved for during those long months when I was waiting for my baby to arrive. At a whopping sixty inches in length, this fully-adjustable pillow can support your neck, back, belly, and even your legs. Incredibly soft and plush, it’s also double-stitched for extra durability and comes with a bonus 45-degree ergonomic angle pillow. Don’t think you have to kiss it goodbye when the baby arrives, either. It can also be used as you recover from childbirth.
Snoogle C-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow
There are c-shaped pregnancy pillows, and then there’s the Snoogle. This is the pillow that inspired all of the other copycats out there, but I really can’t blame them. The Snoogle will actually replace all of your other pillows, making it a very smart investment in your comfort. And you know it’s legit, as it was developed by a mom and a registered nurse. For those expectant mothers out there who run hot, you won’t sweat over this one. Its custom-patented design was actually made to help prevent those uncomfortably warm nights. However, if you do get it dirty, no biggie. Just slide the cover off and throw it in the wash.
PharMeDoc U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow
There’s nothing worse than laying down for the evening, only to find that your back and your hips are aching like there’s no tomorrow. The solution? This u-shaped pillow by PharMeDoc. Unlike other pregnancy pillows, which can stifle you when you’re sleeping, this one disperses heat to keep you cool all night long. At fifty-three inches long, its contours will support your entire body in its cozy embrace. Feel free to slip it beneath your back or your belly or your knees. No matter how you use it, it’ll be your new bedtime BFF. And since it is machine washable, you don’t have to worry about icky germs making you or your growing baby sick.
