You've heard all the advice about what to expect when your baby arrives, like "sleep when the baby sleeps." You're well aware that parenthood might involve a lot of exhaustion and sneaky cat naps. Still, you weren't expecting pregnancy insomnia, which affects some women as early as the first trimester.
If you're reading this on your phone in the dark while your partner snores away, you're not alone. Nearly 80% of pregnant women experience insomnia during pregnancy. Hormones, physical changes, and baby kicks all play a role.
If you're exhausted and seeking relief, this article is for you. We've compiled everything we know about insomnia and pregnancy so you can get a handle on this common phenomenon.
Read on to discover our best tips and suggestions for combatting early pregnancy insomnia when you have a busy baby on board.
Insomnia During Early Pregnancy
Your first trimester is rough. The hormones coursing through your veins are leaving you exhausted. Meanwhile, you're nauseous 24/7 and don't even have a cute bump to show for it.
Your body is working hard as it prepares your body to serve as the perfect place for a baby to grow and develop. This can send your systems into chaos mode. They're attempting to find equilibrium as your blood volume triples and estrogen begins flooding your bloodstream.
Here are the specific reasons you may be experiencing insomnia in early pregnancy.
All-Day Morning Sickness
By now, you're probably aware that morning sickness isn't limited to the morning. Nausea can strike at any time, day or night, and it can be hard to sleep when your tummy is rioting. Some women find that keeping a simple snack near the bedside, such as crackers, prevents their stomach from getting too empty, which can keep nausea at bay.
Horrific Hormones
Progesterone is a tricky hormone. It's probably the reason you feel exhausted all day long. Paradoxically, it's likely also the reason you can't fall asleep.
Progesterone causes nocturnal sleep fragmentation. In other words, it disrupts your sleep cycle and causes you to wake up several times during the night. You might not be awake long enough to realize it's happening, but you'll feel less rested upon waking.
The Stress Connection
Welcoming a baby is a major life change, and you'll need to adjust your routines to accommodate it. You're probably thinking about maternity leave (or a lack thereof), childcare costs, your fears about the future, or even what color to paint the nursery. These are all worth thinking about, but only if you're not losing sleep over them.
There is a direct link between increased stress and anxiety and insomnia. If you can't shut your brain off, you won't fall asleep as quickly, even if you're tired.
Insomnia in Later Pregnancy
You're just as likely to experience insomnia during your third trimester of pregnancy. By then, the cause usually involves significant physiological changes. If you're far enough along, your squirming, active baby might even be the one keeping you up at night.
Here are the reasons you may be awake during your third trimester.
Babies Love Bladders
By your third trimester, your baby likely weighs somewhere between two and a half and nine pounds. Your womb must stretch to accommodate their growing body. Your other organs must shift around it, including your bladder.
The extra weight on your bladder often causes urinary urgency. That is the sensation that you need to use the bathroom right now. Your loosening muscles might also cause incontinence if you don't get there in time, so it isn't wise to ignore your body's signals.
With that said, constant, late-night trips to the bathroom don't help moms-to-be get restful sleep.
Pain, Pain, Pain
Even with a great pregnancy pillow, getting comfortable in bed is a challenge. Between back pain, abdominal discomfort, restless legs, and breast tenderness, comfort seems like a far-off dream. Sleeping while pregnant is simply uncomfortable, making it very hard to relax enough to drift off.
Dreams and Nightmares
During your third trimester, hormones are saturating your body. These chemicals have the power to disrupt your sleep cycle in unusual ways. During the third trimester, hormone concentrations are sometimes high enough to cause strange, vivid dreams or nightmares during the REM cycle, which aren't very restful.
Tips for Battling Pregnancy Insomnia
Your body needs sleep to help your baby develop in the womb. Plus, walking around like a zombie is no fun. Here are a few things that can help when insomnia makes it hard to catch some Zs.
- Commit to a relaxing bedtime routine
- Don't get into bed until you're feeling drowsy
- Stop drinking liquid after 7:00 PM
- Try snacks that contain melatonin, magnesium, or tryptophan
- Exercise during the day to tire yourself out
- Take up meditation
- Invest in a pregnancy pillow
- Try a change in sleep location
- Keep the lights dim, even if using the bathroom
Remember, most new moms have no trouble sleeping once their baby arrives. Of course, the arrival of the baby signals another change in routine. Take life one step at a time, and we promise you'll have sweet dreams again in no time.
Putting Pregnancy Insomnia to Bed
Luckily for you, newborn babies sleep up to eighteen hours a day, giving you plenty of time to catch a cat nap. You can safely drift off while Pixsee keeps a close eye on your sleeping baby.
Visit our Amazon online store and Pixsee Shop to learn why the Pixsee smart baby monitor is the ideal parenting companion for exhausted new parents.
