Best Sleeping Direction During Pregnancy

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Motherhood is a wonderful and joyous journey for women and a much-cherished memory throughout their life.

Unfortunately, pregnancy is not something to be casual with. It involves a lot of regulations, checkups, monitoring and a proper guidance to go through the whole pregnancy term and also a successful delivery.

Also Read: 10 Ways To Sleep Better When Pregnant

And a very important part of that routine is to get an adequate amount of sleep. Sleeping, especially at night gives brain and nervous system the rest that they need to rejuvenate the whole body.

Without proper sleep, pregnant women might feel nauseous, asthmatic with various other difficulties, which might affect the baby. So, it is necessary to know the best sleeping direction during pregnancy for a peaceful sleep.

There are three trimesters in a normal pregnancy. During the first trimester, a woman's body goes through certain hormonal changes, but that does not affect the usual body shapes.

Also Read: Tips For Better Sleep During Pregnancy

In that case, unless advised by doctors differently, a woman can sleep in a normal position, in which she feels most comfortable. Sleeping on the stomach should be avoided though.

From the second trimester, a woman's body starts to change visibly. A baby bump can be visible, mother starts to gain weight and hormonal changes occur more profoundly.

This eventually leads to a physical discomfort while sleeping. Sleeping on the back or stomach is strictly prohibited during this time.

There are some risks involved with both of these positions and that is why, these are not the best sleeping directions to follow during pregnancy.

Sleeping On Stomach After 5 Months Of Pregnancy Causes Severe Damage

First of all, it is going to be a very uncomfortable position, due to an expended uterus, which contains the foetus. Secondly, at this phase of pregnancy, the body starts producing Prolactin serum, milk-producing hormone, that enlarges the breast.

So, at this phase, front portion of the woman's body is full of uncomfortable bumps that can lead to a disturbed sleep, which is bad for pregnancy.

Apart from that, prolonged lying on the stomach during this phase can cause damage to the foetus, as it can constrict the growth of the foetus. All in all, this is not the best sleeping position for pregnant women.

Sleeping on back while pregnant seems to be the best sleeping position for pregnant women to some extent, but in reality, it should be a strict no no.

Due to the expanded uterus, there is always an extra pressure on the intestines, which may make women feel nauseous, short of breath, and have back pain, etc. Sleeping on back also puts pressure on the aorta and the vena cava, the blood vessels that take blood from the legs and feet to the heart run behind abdomen.

This pressure reduces the efficiency of these vessels and eventually less blood is circulated, which can lead to heart disease, malnutrition that can severely affect the baby, etc. Clearly, sleeping on the back is not the best sleeping position during pregnancy.

Which Is The Best Sleeping Position?

The safest position to sleep during pregnancy is on one particular side. Though both sides are effective for this, experts recommend left side to be more efficient.

As our heart is usually on the left side, sleeping on the left creates an easier path for blood circulation from the heart to placenta.

It delivers nutrient-rich fresh blood to the foetus, which is very important for the growth of the baby. Plus sleeping on one side is more comfortable as the abdomen grows.

This position also prevents putting too much pressure on the liver. Naturally, this is the best sleeping position that pregnant women should follow during pregnancy.