Pregnancy is a very important period in a woman’s life. It can be both rewarding and challenging. For some of you it can be downright frustrating. There are a multitude of factors involving getting some quality shut-eye. In this article, we are going to be looking at some of the many options open to expectant mothers for sleep positions.

Why can’t I get comfortable?

As expected, your body will incur a whole bunch of changes during the many stages of pregnancy. These changes tend to disrupt your usual peaceful slumber (not to mention your significant others sleep). Some reasons are: bigger belly, upper and lower back pain due to weight gain, acid reflux (heartburn), breathing troubles such as shortness of breath, and sleeping disorders such as Insomnia.

Good options for sleep positions

When thinking about sleeping positions, just remember “SOS”. No, we don’t want you to run outside and carve up your lawn with a distress signal; “SOS” is an abbreviation for “sleep on side”. To be more specific, it is recommended to sleep on your left side for the heath of your baby as it increases blood flow and vital nutrients that feed your baby and the placenta. A good idea is to bend your knees and legs with a pillow between your knees for added comfort. You can experiment with different variants of the “SOS” position to meet your needs. Here are some ideas:

• You can place a pillow under your abdomen to relieve back pain.
• Use multiple pillows to prop up your upper body to avoid acid reflux.
• Try different “SOS” combination’s with pillows if you incur shortness of breath.

This will be especially helpful in the late pregnancy.

If you are accustomed to sleeping on your back or stomach you may have experience some difficulty at first. But don’t get discouraged, stay persistent and find a variant of “SOS” using pillows that will work for you. It is not uncommon to change positions many times during the night (once again, unfortunate for your significant other), so don’t be afraid to experiment. Some good resources for research are:

• Books and magazines
• Friends and relatives who have children
• The internet

Positions you should avoid

Sleeping on your back is not recommended for a variety of reasons.  One main reason is that back sleeping puts your abdomen uncomfortably on top of your intestines and some large blood vessels such as the aorta and vena cava .Some problems resulting from sleeping on your back are:

• Back pain
• Breathing problems
• Hemorrhoids
• Circulatory and blood pressure issues for you and the baby

The second position you should avoid is sleeping on your stomach. This is especially true in the later stages of your pregnancy as your abdomen experiences serious physical changes.