How To Sleep Better When You’re Pregnant

Sleep and pregnancy is no joke. I swear I started having sleep troubles much earlier with my second pregnancy, almost routinely as my 1st trimester ended which probably has to do with the fact that my bump has grown so much quicker this time. I’ve been trying to make a few changes with my sleep habits to ensure that I’m getting at least 8hours of solid sleep a night — I can’t say it happens every night but things are looking up. Here are a few tips….

Invest in a great body pillow 

I’ve gone back and forth between using my full body pillow to using a long king pillow between my legs to using nothing at all. I think rotation is key — if I slept poorly the night before I’ll try something different the next night. This full body pillow is amazing, this hook shaped pillow is most similar to the one I use, this is a great smaller option.

 

Ditch the waistband and stock up on comfy nightgowns. 

As soon as I started feeling bloated in the early weeks of pregnancy I immediately switched to only sleeping in nightgowns — which I typically do most nights anyways. I love to stock up at Target every season and find their Gilligan & O’Malley line to hold up really well ( I just got this one) and I also think every expectant mama deserves to splurge on a fancy nightgown like this beauty from Hatch.

Calm down before bed 

Lately I’ve become sucked into the working-from-bed rabbit hole and before I know it, it’s 10pm. Trying to limit my screen time (specifically with work) really helps set a relaxing tone. Doing a few stretches or yoga in the evenings, sipping chamomile lavender tea, getting lost in a good book all help. Really treating this time as my self-care “me time” for the day has really made a difference and I remember doing the same thing when I was pregnant with Piper. I also love to use Tata Harper’s  aromatherapy before bed, the smell is intoxicating and immediately releases my tension from the day.

PS- Read everything you need to know about pre-natal yoga from an expert here.

 

Sleep with a fan on 

My husband is big on sleeping with a fan and I have to say since I always find myself hot these days it’s really nice to sleep with air circulating throughout the night. If you don’t have a ceiling fan think about getting a small one for your nightstand or dresser.

Turn on a sound machine

We recently got out our sound machine (we have and love this one) and I also contribute this to helping with my sleep the past week or so! I find the white noise soothing.

 

Cut back on fluids at least an hour before bed 

For some reason with this pregnancy I’ve started the habit of taking my vitamins after dinner and found I was drinking so much fluid (I take 5 pills). I’ve stopped drinking water at least 45 mins before bed and even have my nightly tea much earlier than usual to help with mid-night bathroom breaks. Most nights I’m sleeping through without having to get up (for now)!

Images by Anna Reynal