I often hear many expectant mothers complain that they cannot sleep well after pregnancy. Doudou’s mother thinks it’s strange, why can I still sleep soundly when I’m pregnant? It turns out that the sleeping habits of these expectant mothers are very different from those of Doudou’s mothers, so the quality of their sleep is much worse.
Indeed, only good sleep habits can bring good sleep quality. I believe there are many expectant mothers who have sleep problems. Next, Doudou’s mother will share with you her successful sleep experience, hoping to help expectant mothers solve this problem.
1. Is it time to change your pillow?
Old, dirty pillows can easily breed mold and mites, which can cause allergies or respiratory problems. Pregnant women should pay more attention to changing pillows in time to protect themselves and their fetus.
Simple self-test criteria to determine whether it’s time to change pillows
1. In the absence of other physical diseases, I often feel numbness and soreness in my neck after getting up in the morning.
2. The pillow has lost its elasticity and needs to be patted for a while to regain some elasticity.
3. After finally adjusting the pillow, it was smooth again soon.
4. The pillow is lumpy and uneven, and the filling has a damp smell.
How often should pillows be changed?
Many people only replace their pillows every four years. In fact, pillows should be replaced every one to three years. Because old and dirty pillows can easily breed mold and mites, causing allergies or respiratory diseases. The pillow you choose should be easy to clean and dry, so that the pillow can be used for a long time and your sleep health can be guaranteed.
Friendly reminder: If conditions permit, pregnant women may wish to change pillows after learning that they are pregnant. A comfortable and clean pillow can provide you with quality sleep during the most important 10 months of your life!
Special recommendation: DIY maternity belly pillow
Change the pillow into a belly pillow for pregnant women to make your bloated belly much more comfortable
Preparation method: Take apart one side of the large pillow and cut it into a crescent shape; re-float the filling so that it is low inside and high outside; and finally sew it up.
Principle: When a pregnant mother sleeps on her side, placing a crescent-shaped belly pillow under the swollen abdomen can relieve the discomfort of the abdomen falling from left to right and give the abdomen a certain amount of support, so that the pregnant mother can sleep peacefully. Effectively relieve sleep disorders during pregnancy. For pregnant mothers with twins and large fetuses, the effect is better.
2. Is your sleeping position correct?
After pregnancy, the fetus continues to grow and develop inside the mother\’s body. In order to meet and adapt to the needs of the fetus, the physiological functions and anatomical structures of pregnant women will undergo some changes. Especially as the uterus gradually becomes larger, the blood flow to the uterus also increases greatly.
Before delivery, almost the entire abdomen is occupied by the uterus, which will inevitably be squeezed or squeezed to varying degrees.Pressure on the heart, lungs, and urinary organs.
If a pregnant woman sleeps on her back at this time, the enlarging uterus will compress the aorta behind the uterus, and the blood supply to the uterus will be significantly reduced, directly affecting the nutrition and development of the fetus. If a pregnant woman suffers from gestational poisoning, sleeping on her back will affect the blood supply to the kidneys. If flow is significantly reduced, urine output will also be reduced. If the sodium salts and toxic substances produced during the metabolism of pregnant women cannot be excreted in time, it will aggravate the condition of pregnancy poisoning, causing high blood pressure, proteinuria, edema of the lower limbs and vulva, and even cramps and coma. This is the so-called medical eclampsia. Improper handling can threaten the lives of mother and child.
Frequent lying on the right side during pregnancy is also detrimental to fetal development and delivery. As the uterus grows, other organs in the abdomen become squeezed. Sometimes, the sigmoid colon in the lower abdominal cavity is squeezed, causing the pregnant woman\’s uterus to rotate to the right to varying degrees, putting the ligaments and mesentery that maintain the normal position of the uterus in a state of tension. The dilation of the blood vessels nourishing the uterus in the mesentery will affect the oxygen supply to the fetus, leading to long-term hypoxia in the fetus, and in severe cases, the fetus will suffocate or die.
Friendly reminder: The reasonable sleeping position during pregnancy is to lie on the left side, which can avoid the occurrence of the above lesions. In order to ensure the health of your baby and yourself, you must develop the habit of lying on your left side after six months of pregnancy.
3. Do you drink a lot of water before going to bed?
Probably one of the most annoying things about pregnancy is getting up multiple times in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom to pee. If you can control your water intake within a few hours before going to bed, you can reduce the number of times you wake up in the middle of the night.
As a reminder, staying hydrated during pregnancy is important, so you should make sure you\’re well hydrated during the day and at other times.
Friendly reminder: Try to avoid drinking caffeinated beverages, such as soda, coffee, tea, etc. before going to bed. If you really want to drink it, drink it in the morning or after a nap in the afternoon. This way you won\’t be so excited when you fall asleep at night.
4. Are you in a good mood before going to bed?
Stick to a to-do list to complete by dinner time and wait until the next day to tackle it, and make sure you get all your errands done by dinner time so you can relax before bed. If you\’re the kind of person who wakes up in the middle of the night thinking about something urgent you need to do, keep a notepad next to your bed so you can quickly jot things down before falling asleep again.
Friendly reminder: At the beginning of pregnancy, many expectant mothers will be very worried about the arrival of a new life and the upcoming major life changes. Eat a light snack, take a warm bath, try yoga, etc., all of which will relax your mind and help you fall asleep faster and better.